Does it just take time to eliminate digging junk?

pepperbelly

Junior Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2011
Messages
55
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
I haven't had a lot of time to learn my new AT Pro, and it is showing. I have managed to hit a ballfield at lunch almost every day since I got it. I know that isn't much time to learn it
I keep finding mostly junk. I know I am not listening for the right tones, but I keep hearing what sounds good, with a VDI reading in the 70s - 90s. Those turned out to be either a glob of solder or some large pieces of thick aluminum along with what should be my new bottlecap collection. Meanwhile my buddy with a cheap detector is pulling quarters out of the ground like candy.
I am running in pro mode on the coin setting. The area is fairly trashy.
Am I doing something wrong, or is this just how detecting goes?
I hesitate to try turning the iron disc up, especially since I am not digging much iron.
From what I remember from reading the manual coins will come in anywhere from the mid 40s through 99 on the VDI. Should I just keep digging all good solid tones?

Jim
 
Set your disc right above iron, you don't want iron if your coin shooting.. Coins should be easy to I'd on that machine. I don't know exact number but most coins should be within a 3 vid range , like dimes are 78 or maybe 79,or 77. And they would repeat every sweep.

You do see this when you hit a coin target right?


I am very familiar with the ace250,I'm guessing in not pro mode it's similar as far as I'd s go.

Yes , if you want to find cool stuff, silver and gold you need to dig more.

Mike
 
The area we have been hunting is where the softball players set their bags to warm up and wait for their game. My buddy has found a silver ring and a silver pendant, and a lot of clad. The players can't wear jewelry and the women remove their earrings and necklaces at the last minute often and put them in their bat bags. I am very familiar with the area since my wife and I played co-ed ball there for many many years.
There are also several old houses in town that are abandoned, and several vacant lots where a house was burned down or bulldozed for being a hazard. Those houses date from the early 50s or earlier.
What I am getting to is that there is more than just coins around us. If this is just the learning curve I can live with it. I know I need a lot more time with my machine.

Jim
 
I hunt with the Pro.

Dimes - 81-82 fairly consistently
Quarters - 87-88 fairly consistently
Copper pennies - 80-81-82
Zinc pennies - 77-78 fairly consistently
Nickels - 51-52-53 fairly consistently.

**Good signals often don't jump by more than one number**

Bottle caps come in at 77 with a sharp, sometimes scratchy signal. When they are very rusty, they can sound just like a dime or a quarter.
Aluminum bottle caps get me every time. They can come in at 77 or 81.

Follow the numbers above. After a while, you will find that sometimes the rules don't apply all the time. Sometimes, I dig a signal with an 84 VDI and I dig a wheat cent. Sometimes I dig a scratchy 88 signal and get a clad quarter instead of a bottle cap.
I've dug a signal with a 77 VDI expecting a zinc penny and got an Indian Head cent.

The rules work 80% of the time. The remaining 20% are Wild Turkey Surprise.

HH!
 
I have been learning mine as well. I think it is easier to learn in the Pro mode. I have learned to hear how big some items are. That way you can tell if it is a can. So far has worked. I still dig a few and every time a can.
 
Time, a good digging knife, and a large bag for the junk.:lol:

If your buddy is out hunting you, go back over where he's been. If he's not digging trash along with the good stuff, he's leaving lots of good stuff behind.

HH
 
Try turning about 45 degrees after you get the first signal that you think is good. If it still comes in good, I'd dig it. Otherwise, it might be junk, but if in doubt -- dig it.
 
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