Signal lost

I have one place I detect that about half the holes the signal has disappeared once opened up, even after taking plug apart/turning over pinpointer/scanning and re scanning the hole..whats even more weird once put plug back signal is back.. this property is full of rusty iron, with sensitivity turned up there is multiple iron signals every sweep as in it will drive you crazy listening to them.

Mason, "disappearing signals" is a common lament for beginners. And it's nearly impossible for someone else to diagnose over text print. My suggestion is to hook up with a proficient user in your area. JUST at some spot that has prolific easy clad (ie.: even just at a modern park or whatever). Trade off flagged signals. Watch the way he swings. Listen for what he's trying to isolate (versus what he elects to pass as nothing but random flutter, or iron falses, etc...). Watch the way he digs, etc...

There's no amount of printed text that can convey this type field exercise.

I tried to help a few beginners in my area with "disappearing signals " over emails or texts, etc... Finally we just gave up, and met. And within 15 seconds I could spot their problem. Or within a few minutes "the lights went on for them". And it was always things that no amount of printed text conversations could have diagnosed or solved.

Kind of like music: You can't describe the sound of C major to someone. They have to hear it. Or describing a beautiful women : You have to actually see them, etc....

My signals are gone when you put the plug back. There is a lot of iron and trash at these sites I have had this problem at.

MasonDixonMding said:

My signals are gone when you put the plug back. There is a lot of iron and trash at these sites I have had this problem at.

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I think we jinxed each other, posting at the exact same time. See my answer above.

Thanks for the input. I would like hunting with someone that knows what they are doing, haven’t had the opportunity yet.

A side note. I am camping this weekend with family. We are at harpers ferry Koa campground. Which is located on part of a civil war battle site. The artillery guns where sitting on the ground under my camper. I wish I could detect here.

I'll second what Tom said, really good signals don't disappear unless they are really deep and scratchy. Which, by definition, doesn't make them really good I guess Anyway, the best method I know, is to continue to detecting at 90 degree angles until you've detected four ways in a circle all the way around the hole. It's it's hitting all four ways, 99% of the time, there's going to be something in the hole.

There's lots of reasons for your detector to "give a signal" and it just takes time and practice to learn what's good and what's not.

An iron object that completely rusted away will leave a halo of in the soil that can sound really good. As soon as you dig, you destroy the halo, and the signal vanishes.


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swiftsword said:

An iron object that completely rusted away will leave a halo of in the soil that can sound really good. As soon as you dig, you destroy the halo, and the signal vanishes.


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That is true, break up the clod may still be giving the signal and scatter it on the ground. If there is truly a metal object in there the signal will remain. If it is just iron ions remaining in the soil they will probably show up since you have br broken up the concentration of ions and no longer detectable as they were in a clod of dirt.