I have a question about targets.

Hi Zach,

If you have good digging conditions, the thing I would prob do or I did when new to the hobby is to dig and see what happens. Each machine has its own specialties and beeps and whistles. After a while, you will either dig those signals or leave them alone. The biggest tip I got was the one of lifting the coil above the ground and if you still got a strong signal it was most likely a large object. With my machines, I tend to dig items of where I can get a consistent signal in both swing directions. However, depending on how I feel, I will dig strange signals since the pocket spills mess up all the numbers.

As stated large objects will sound strong even with the coil raised 6-12"s above the target but there are circumstances when even doing this that it could be a target just under the sod line,had it happen many times,another thing is that the target could have been turned on edge when you were digging your plug another is maybe the target is in the side wall of your plug and last but not least could be something very small like a piece of a pulltab,canslaw,or iron.

Thanks for replies! Good info I appreciate it.

zach,

check out diggers thread on the F2, it will provide you with a lot of general info, he tells it all on the thread

Hey there. Try different angles over your target. Consistant signals are best but you may want to dig everything as a beginner to learn by experience. Try different swing speeds too. I have an Ace 250 also as a "guest detector". It sometimes confuses me so I end up digging anyway. The thought of leaving a good target for someone else makes me dig everything. GL and HH. Matt

Metal detectors, do just that, detect metallic objects. It can't really tell the difference with all certainty. It can give you some calculated guesses about type of metal, size, shape, and depth. These guesses are based on known objects, and in ideal conditions, not exactly real world stuff. Works pretty well for most folks, since it will lock into information that almost exactly matches what's programmed, which tells you with some certainty. Most of the time, it gives you the best information it can, and you decide if you want to take a chance. Sometimes, you really don't want to dig dozens of holes, in a small space, in the same hunt.

When I hear the beep, I go back over the place, slow, steady, and even. Give the machine the most reliable chance of reading the target. I try different directions over the target, to pinpoint it's location, see if it's got some size to it, and see how the numbers and sound changes.

Metal detectors only have so much range (depth). The can usually detect objects much deeper, but the signal is very weak. The depth and ID does get enough information to make a guess. Digging deep isn't the most fun part of the hobby, unless you know there is a pretty good chance of a great reward for your efforts.

One beep, for twenty swings, I'd just pass on. It's either tiny, or really deep, no real information to get me curious enough to dig, not enough beeps to pinpoint where to dig a reasonable sized hole.

If you are in coin mode, you may have an iron or foil target... it will occasionally beep into coin range, but every other swing you hear nothing because it is being discriminated out. That's usually the case with my ACE 350 if it only beeps on occasion over a target. Try turning off all discrimination and see if it beeps every time. If it does, you know you likely have a trash target. If not, it could be something deep..? You never know until you go after it.