"Hop Coil" Technique??

Think about the field of a DD coil...in the illustrations, they depict it like a thin rectangle...In field, it actually has a little point right in the very dead center...so the crispest tone and highest signal strength is right there!

MP I've been testing the the concept of hopping to help me isolate good signals within a trashy beach environment and to get a third, z-axis confirmation on the initial tone.

Couple things have been coming up that I can't quite grasp and thought maybe you could clue me in.

I'm using an equinox 800 in Park2, 5 tones, 3 Iron Bias 7 recovery speed, 15-20 sensitivity, by the way.

When I get a good hit I do a side to side, rotate 90 degrees and side to side again and have what I consider a reliable tone. Lets say it's a 28-30 on the Nox suggesting a quarter down about 4-6 inches. I go to all metal and I still get the same reliable tone and depth indication. This tells me it's something I want to dig.

Then to double check and find exactly how deep it is I go to coil hopping and I may or may not get the same non-ferrous tone. If I do it looks like the target is indeed in the 4-6 inch depth range and I have it pinpointed quite well.

To further confirm its a good target I switch to all metal and hop again but this time I'm getting ferrous tones along with the the non-ferrous tone. Sometimes the non-ferrous tone is diminished suggesting that it may be a lesser target say a penny instead of a quarter.

The ferrous tone may show the same depth on the meter or it may show it slightly deeper but usually not more than about 4 inches deeper.

Given the 2-outta-three confirmation I dig the target and sure enough it is a coin, as often what the TID said coil hopping as it does on the side to side.

However I'm not finding any other ferrous metals in the hole. I double check the hole and the tailings with both with my carrot and my nox and get bupkis.

Any thoughts on this?

Why might I be getting a ferrous tone only when hopping?

Why might I get the ferrous tone and lose the non-ferrous tone while hopping?

I welcome your input
 
Beach signals are tough...for one thing, the target may not be laying flat, for the other, its just much quicker to do a scoop on any signal instead of hopping or thinking too much...I do not hop coil on the beach, I sort of I guess, just to give me an idea of the targets location, depth and general size X,Y,Z....shallow fresh drop multidenom spills, jewelry etc...

On the beaches here, We have black magnetized sand that skews signals to be damned...especially when it layers up....a nickle might sound like a quarter etc...so consequently I'm scooping every ping without thinking too much...Its just much faster to scoop first and ask questions later than thinking about it...Miles and miles of sand to work, a guy has to be efficient!

Imagine what layers of black sand can do to any signal...getting good hunting black sand is a primary skill for gold hunters...

I hunt some heavy iron infested sites here on the beach, and a guy can use the Hop to sort of pick their way through the iron...its tough though, a chattering mess and a guy has to really concentrate...I have indeed pulled gold and silver out of this mess, nails laying about all over the deck, but Its really hard on the ears...
 

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Starting to get it. I get some skewed signals too, but if enough good signal gets my attention, and holds it, I dig.
Today, I found a good use for hop coil pinpointing. I was knee deep in the water at a lake beach, seeking ye old gold. The water was murky when stirred up, and I could not see my coil on the bottom. I was not wearing headphones. Some people came over and started watching me. The pinpoint function was too loud...attracting attention and made me feel embarrassed. The Mud-Puppy hop gave me a good pinpoint without sounding off like a siren. Lots of sinkers, and a few coins, and various junk, but no gold today.
I started using the Mudhop on the grass too. I have to remind myself to not waste so much time pinpointing, so I'm starting to get quicker at it. It's a good technique for target isolation when other metal is near. If the field is clear enough, a quick wiggle back pinpoint seems easier though.
I must say; it is a good skill to have. Next level type stuff. Thanks Mud!
 
I tried to get this technique to work for me but must be doing it wrong. I locate target then slowly lift coil up while doing the jigging motion. I don't get any response at all doing that not until the coil gets high above the target anyway. Then it will sort of make a noise. A short video of this being done properly would be really nice.
 
jigging for ferrous tones

So I've been incorporating the hot coil or more appropriately I guess jigging, when I come across a solid sounding Target.

The other day I came across a couple of nickels. As you know with the equinoxes it's pretty much a nickel killer.

swipe, swipe, turn 90 get it again, perfect nickel signal.

Then I did the coil jigto confirm that it was a nickel and I found without exception I started getting ferrous tones and negative vdi numbers.

Can anybody help me understand this phenomenon why it happens whether it's typical or normal and what I can do to help interpret it in the field?
 
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