Getting Back to Metal Detecting

Vacek · Nov 7, 2018

Hello, I am new to the forum and looking at getting back into metal detecting. This was my primary pastime back in the 80's and was very successful coin and jewelry hunting. At the time VLF Motion detectors were the latest technology along with using reverse discrimination in the TR mode. I had (still have) a Garret ADS DeepSeeker Hip Mount although it needs retirement. That well could have been the Golden Age for coin hunting as we went back over "hunted out" areas and were very successful.

Essentially I am trying to understand current technology. Is motion VLF discrimination still the primary method for coin shooting? Is discrimination of aluminum still and issue with nickels and gold?

Also I have noticed from the many YouTube videos that probing for coins and retrieving them with little ground/grass disturbance is not practices. Instead I see a lot of core removal and locating the prize with a little handheld.

Any feedback/council would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Vacek

Mud-puppy · Nov 7, 2018

Welcome! Theres a few old holdouts that dont use a handheld pinpointer or a shovel....or even kneepads! We use nothing but a screwdriver and pull twice the targets in half the time of these kids nowadays....

I run an F70, AtPro, and NOX800 for various reasons and in various situations...Money makers All...so yeah, things have changed a bit with the gear technology, but still, a guy who can fast stab a target and pull it quickly with a screwdriver is the main productive skill set that will never go out of style...'Ping to pouch in less than 10sec'....

If a guy can learn to pull targets extremely quickly, with nothing but a screwdriver and no dicking around, you can cram 10 yrs of hunting experience/finds into 2.....Looking forward to your advice and comeback....

Timbertodd · Nov 7, 2018

Hello from Oregon. I find the pinpointer very helpful. I still retrieve with either a screwdriver or cutting as small of a plug as possible.

GKL · Nov 7, 2018

Welcome from South Carolina !!!!

:mder:

_____

Tom_in_CA · Nov 7, 2018

Vacek said:
....Essentially I am trying to understand current technology. Is motion VLF discrimination still the primary method for coin shooting? Is discrimination of aluminum still and issue with nickels and gold?...

hello Vacek. Your post is a "trip down memory lane". Yes the concept of motion disc. is still in play after the 30 yrs. that you speak of. Ie.: you can not stop on the target, and expect to get a continuous signal, while in discriminate. However: The speed has been slowed wwwaayyy down . It is not like you remember. Where: The "faster you swung" the "deeper you went".

And yes: aluminum and gold is still the age-old nemesis. If anyone comes on here saying that they can tell aluminum apart from gold (via sounds, tones, smoothness, etc...) then here's the simple solution to that :

Invite them to the nearest inner city blighted park. See how much gold they dig, while leaving aluminum behind. I think you'll hear the sound of crickets .

JWalker3 · Nov 7, 2018

Welcome to the forum from Western NY

:fmdfwelcome:

cellrdwellr · Nov 7, 2018

Welcome from central MA!

BuscaPlata · Nov 7, 2018

Welcome from West Michigan!!

Princess · Nov 7, 2018

Thanks for joining us!

maxxkatt · Nov 8, 2018

Mud-puppy said:
Welcome! Theres a few old holdouts that dont use a handheld pinpointer or a shovel....or even kneepads! We use nothing but a screwdriver and pull twice the targets in half the time of these kids nowadays....

I run an F70, AtPro, and NOX800 for various reasons and in various situations...Money makers All...so yeah, things have changed a bit with the gear technology, but still, a guy who can fast stab a target and pull it quickly with a screwdriver is the main productive skill set that will never go out of style...'Ping to pouch in less than 10sec'....

If a guy can learn to pull targets extremely quickly, with nothing but a screwdriver and no dicking around, you can cram 10 yrs of hunting experience/finds into 2.....Looking forward to your advice and comeback....

That is the solution to my last hunt. I was in an area that I wanted to hunt, but was getting too many squashed old budwiser cans. You know how guys used to like to crush them from end to end and just leave a round squashed can from top to bottom?

I must have dug five of them before moving on to another area free of jold squashed cans cans.

Yep, with a brass probe I could have probably ID'd each of those squashed cans in 10 seconds. I will go back there with my probe and re-scan the area. From now on the probe will be in my go kit.

but there is the problem what if there is a coin or relic below the squashed can?

I guess we are back to dig everything when it comes to relics.

Vacek · Nov 9, 2018

Everyone,
Thank you for the replies. So apparently the technology has changed (improved) somewhat but it feels like the methods used in the past are still valid today. I still wonder about TR reverse discrimination which I found very helpful in certain situations. I still have my old screwdriver as well as brass probe. And it is correct that we were able to locate and retrieve coins and rings very quickly and if careful rarely scratch a coin.

It also seems from the YouTube videos that pinpointing isn't the art it used to be. Regardless, I am glad the hobby is still in full force as there are still more coins to be found.

Chrisco · Nov 9, 2018

Welcome

sandgroper · Nov 9, 2018

Hello from Western Australia!

Detector Nut · Nov 18, 2018

Getting Back to Metal Detecting

Vacek

New Member

Mud-puppy

Timbertodd

Senior Member

GKL

Tom_in_CA

Elite Member

JWalker3

cellrdwellr

Elite Member

BuscaPlata

Princess

Elite Member

maxxkatt

Vacek

New Member

Chrisco

Senior Member

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sandgroper

Elite Member

Detector Nut

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