Stages in the life of a novice detectorist

maxxkatt

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Dreaming Stage - this is when you wished you had a hobby that would get you out of the house away from the chores, wife, kids etc. You have ruled out golf and boating (too expensive). You have ruled out a mistress, even more expensive. You didn’t even consider running or buffing up in the Gym (too hard). Metal detecting looks easy and very profitable with all those guys pm Youtube finding all those rings on the beach, especially a guy in California name Ted the Beach hunter, no it was Ed the beach hunter. My gosh he finds thousands of dollars of rings each week. Heck, I live only 40 miles from the east coast of Florida.

Research Stage – this is where you Google the words metal detecting and discover the metal detecting forums, prices of metal detectors, and Youtube metal detecting videos with relic Recoverist, she detector and digging britt. The videos pretty much firmed up your decision to jump into this hobby.

Serious Research Stage – this is where you are trying to decide which metal detector is for you and seek to find a good deal. To your dismay almost all detectors are sold at suggested retail prices set by the manufacturers. You say to heck with it and go to Amazon and buy a metal detector for $73. Wow, what a deal for all these features:

1. Rugged metal detector ideal for detecting treasure in extreme ground conditions
2. Motion All-Metal mode, Discrimination mode, and 2-Tone audio mode. Larger objects up to 3 feet.
3. Preset ground balance neutralizes response to mineral content in the ground
4. Disc/notch control distinguishes between targets and unwanted metals
5. 6.7 kHz operating frequency
6. Rugged metal detector ideal for detecting treasure in extreme ground conditions
7.Motion All-Metal mode, Discrimination mode, and 2-Tone audio mode
8. Preset ground balance neutralizes response to mineral content in the ground
9. Disc/notch control distinguishes between targets and unwanted metals
10. Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging

You especially like #10 and #2 the idea of finding large sacks of gold coins buried 3 feet deep. And especially #4, this is going to be easy.


Waiting Stage – this is where you eagerly await the delivery of your detector and continue to read about the joys and rewards of metal detecting and view the Youtube metal detecting videos with relic Recoverist, she detector and digging britt.

First Hunt Stage – your detector has arrived in the “Certified” frustration-free packaging. Hmmm, what organization certifies this type of packaging? The UN? BBB? FTC? You turn it on and wave a quarter in front of the coil and it beeps. Man this is going to be so easy.

Disillusionment Stage – This is after two weeks and six hunts you have found 39 pull tabs, 63 pop tops, 37 aluminum screw caps, 29 rusty nails, 22 rusty bottle caps and 15 memorial pennies, two nickels and a dime, and one broken piece of a horse shoe. Where are all the rings, silver coins and cashes of gold coins that are three feet deep? You watch some more metal detecting videos by relic Recoverist, she detector and digging britt and get back your enthusiasm for the hobby. Plus you found out some humorist post by a member named dirty kitty, no it was mud dog, or was it poodle puppy that kept you grinning like you did when looking at videos by by relic Recoverist, she detector and digging britt.

Upgrade Stage – this is where after the disillusionment stage you decide that you did not spend enough time or money on buying a decent detector. You just got your year-end special performance bonus from your work, so what the heck, go all the way in and buy the very much touted Equinox 800. My goodness, those guys using the 800 are finding everything good and no trash I need to get out there before all the good stuff is gone.

Bam, you found a new 800 on eBay for $899 from a Minelab dealer and you pulled the trigger.

Waiting Stage Part 2 - You occupy your waiting time by viewing more videos by relic Recoverist, she detector and digging britt. Darn those girls really know how to detect. I wonder if I will ever bump into any of them on any of my hunts?

No Excuses Stage - this is where you have spent the money for a great detector and there is nothing going to stop you now. This is a very brief stage.

Unboxing your first real metal detector stage – Darn this thing looks great. Nothing like my first detector. Lookout gold and silver, I am here to hoover you up with this beauty.

First Hunt Stage part 2 - You go to your local park that is packed with people every weekend just dropping coins and jewelry left and right on the tot-lot, volleyball court, around the picnic tables. You fire up your Nox and put it in park one, noise cancel and ground balance and start swinging.

Whoa! What are all these different tones and number coming in like machine gun fire? So what to do? You noise cancel and ground balance again. It is still going crazy when you swing near the picnic table. They must have shipped me a broken detector. This cannot be right. After the hunt you call your detector dealer. He explains that the Nox is not broken but rather it is a hot machine and reports every little piece of ferrous and non-ferrous object under each swing of the coil. He suggests you not start out in old public parks. Hmm, what is non-ferrous? Sounds bad.

Oh my Gosh what do I do now stage – you put a post on one of the metal detecting forums describing your problem with your Nox 800. You get lots of replies, and some not the bit helpful telling me I should have purchased this or that model metal detector. You got one serious reply from a member that has the name of an expensive sports car in his member name. He carefully explains you need to learn more about metal detecting in general and the Equinox 800 in particular. He suggests you get some books on the subject. You order three books, one on Guide to Modern Metal Detecting and two books on the 800 one by Clive and one by Andy.

Confusion stage – You are reading the books and some things are clear and some things are even more confusing. What have I gotten myself into? These modern metal detectors are far from simple to use all these new terms I need to understand. It was a lot easier to learn to drive a car or learn to sail my sailboat. Do I just forget my dreams of gold and silver and take up woodworking? Ok, I will give it one more chance.

Light Bulb Stage – After reading and studying the metal detecting books, you just start hitting some volleyball courts near your area. You find a handful of modern coins and two small rings. Hey this is a neat hobby if you know what you are doing. Next take your 40 mile trip to the beach and find some lead weights, a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses but you also find a .952 silver Tiffany’s bracelet out in about 3 feet of water. Yeah, man I am the boss of this hobby and my wife was so happy to get that silver bracelet that she urged me to get out more and spend more time metal detecting.

The mature stage – you realize that this is a great hobby, but you need to equip yourself with the proper knowledge so you can get the most out of a sophisticated modern metal detector.
 
Well, happy to see you made it through all the frustration segments!! Many folks start as you did and just quit when they realize most of what we find is trash. Not everybody wants to work so hard for that thrill that now has you hooked, finding a Tiffany bracelet. Good luck in your endeavors!
 
I remember my first "good" coin was a 1904 IHP. I was happy/relieved when I realized what it was. When I got home, I told my wife - "I found the best coin I have ever found!" We ooh'd and ah'd over it and took turns looking at it through the loupe. Now, a long time later, I get home and she asks, how I did, if I found an IHP or two, I'll say - "Eh, not too bad, but I did find a couple of Indian Heads...." It is funny how the expectations and excitement level changes as you detect and find more and more stuff! I still get excited when I find something I have never found before, but nothing matches that first IHP.
 
Well, happy to see you made it through all the frustration segments!! Many folks start as you did and just quit when they realize most of what we find is trash. Not everybody wants to work so hard for that thrill that now has you hooked, finding a Tiffany bracelet. Good luck in your endeavors!

well actually this was not me. It is a compilation of bits and pieces picked up over the years from different metal detecting forums. But I did think I received a defective Nox 800 because it was so noisy when I went hunting in a popular park by the river.
 
Funny, when I went to Minelab from Garrett ten years ago (had used Garretts since 1971) and got a new Safari, I thought the same thing about my machine. There must be something wrong with it!! Turned out I just had to turn the sensitivity down some for the sites I was hunting and the chatter calmed right down and I learned how to use it. Silver sniffer for sure, but the Minelab multi frequency and all those crazy beeps and squeaks was sure new to me!! Going to the Nox was easy since I am already familiar with the basic tones.
 
I wasted 25 years of detecting time because I couldn't get past the disillusionment stage with my first machine. A friend bought me a Radio Shack metal detector for Christmas in the late 1980's. Dug a few coins and a lot of trash with it. Sold it at a yard sale a few years later and forgot all about the hobby until 2013. I kick myself every time I think about what might have been if I had stuck it out a little longer or upgraded to a better machine.
 
You left out the part where you find a tremendous shipwreck ring and you wind up on a TV show.
 
I wasted 25 years of detecting time because I couldn't get past the disillusionment stage with my first machine. A friend bought me a Radio Shack metal detector for Christmas in the late 1980's. Dug a few coins and a lot of trash with it. Sold it at a yard sale a few years later and forgot all about the hobby until 2013. I kick myself every time I think about what might have been if I had stuck it out a little longer or upgraded to a better machine.

I had a detector when I was a kid in the 1980s and I liked using it, but I would only take it into my own yard. There was a large park within walking distance from my house and I also walked to school. The school had a large multi-purpose field. It never once occurred to me to take the detector anywhere even through I was free to do so. This is strange because I was one of those kids back then that walked and rode my bike all over the neighborhood with little supervision.

I liked coins, like many kids do, but I had no idea about silver coins, much less that they were just waiting to be found at parks and schools. Either way, we were short on money and I'm sure I could have used some pocket change to buy a soda or candy.
 
I remember my first "good" coin was a 1904 IHP. I was happy/relieved when I realized what it was. When I got home, I told my wife - "I found the best coin I have ever found!" We ooh'd and ah'd over it and took turns looking at it through the loupe. Now, a long time later, I get home and she asks, how I did, if I found an IHP or two, I'll say - "Eh, not too bad, but I did find a couple of Indian Heads...." It is funny how the expectations and excitement level changes as you detect and find more and more stuff! I still get excited when I find something I have never found before, but nothing matches that first IHP.

Very true about changing expectations. 30-40 years ago I was finding so much gold that I really wouldn't get excited unless it had stones in it. Now I realize how stupid and greedy I was. But also , I am now grateful looking back because at the time I thought it would never end really.
Now I get quietly excited when I find ANY gold. Sometimes I'm happy just finding a bunch of clad. The worst is hunting a barren beach with no targets. But hey , I appreciate being able to hunt outdoors and get exercise.
 
That was a funny and good read. I remember it well from over 45 years ago as it was like just yesterday,, Oh wait I just got a new Equinox 800 last July and I went threw all those memories all over again. Lol. One wedding ring and one 18k gold ring total of 8 rings and Yep the Equinox 800 rocks.
I have had times that I have had fun going right behind someone with a well known brand and detecting like no one was in front of me, lol.
If you are not familiar with detecting terms the 800 can be a little intimidating. But it can be ran right out of the box and do well and you can play with it as you go and if you get it too out of wack just do a simple factor reset and go.
Doug
 
I started with a Minelab tones only machine. Yes I definitely was in over my head. But once in a while one of those targets would be a coin. Then a couple silver coins appeared. But I was still frustrated as I could not hear well enough to understand the difference in the tones. Found a way to convert the tones to a VID and the light came on. Oh yes I still dig my share of trash but the good finds now out number the amount of trash I dig. But there have been a few of those trash signals that came out of the dirt YELLOW. That and being relatively near a beach keeps an old man out there hunting.
 
I missed the I don’t care stage? As in swing whatever makes you happy and brings you enjoyment (the best find of all metal detector hobbyists)! That’s where I am currently lol! It’s after the “mature” stage. Some people never get there btw!


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That was a great post, thanks for sharing it.

I haven't detected in a decade, but plan on buying a nox 800 as soon as the ground starts to thaw.
 
I missed the I don’t care stage? As in swing whatever makes you happy and brings you enjoyment (the best find of all metal detector hobbyists)! That’s where I am currently lol! It’s after the “mature” stage. Some people never get there btw!


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There's believe it or not 1 last final stage :
The Giving Back stage. This is a stage where THE KOB only recently ( the last 4 years) has entered. And it's honestly the hardest.
Trying to open myself up more and pass tidbits of help and information, , inspiration to those who might be interested in the hobby. Detecting with others is not easy , but I try. There are some who really appreciate the knowledge and help. Some , just take what I say and twist it there way. Like 1 guy who for the 1st 3 weeks thought it was a great idea to wear knee high steel toe rubber boots to the beach ! With a pulse. You can lead a horse to water...but you can't make him drink it. He learned...I just remember some of the old pirates who used to help me before they walked the plank. I know of just a couple old timers left who are very lonely and solitude. And they have incredible treasure chests , but are miserable people. THE KOB will not be 1 of those....
 
There's believe it or not 1 last final stage :

The Giving Back stage. This is a stage where THE KOB only recently ( the last 4 years) has entered. And it's honestly the hardest.

Trying to open myself up more and pass tidbits of help and information, , inspiration to those who might be interested in the hobby. Detecting with others is not easy , but I try. There are some who really appreciate the knowledge and help. Some , just take what I say and twist it there way. Like 1 guy who for the 1st 3 weeks thought it was a great idea to wear knee high steel toe rubber boots to the beach ! With a pulse. You can lead a horse to water...but you can't make him drink it. He learned...I just remember some of the old pirates who used to help me before they walked the plank. I know of just a couple old timers left who are very lonely and solitude. And they have incredible treasure chests , but are miserable people. THE KOB will not be 1 of those....



I like it! Not sure who said it but “it doesn’t cost a candle anything to light another candle”


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