PI DF hunts differ from my Excal hunts

[MDC]

Personally, I'm going to keep going with the learning curve logic.

What a fun hunt. Talk about a work out. When beads of sweat drop into my target holes after three full scoops I know it was all worth the gas clad.

Right about now I wish I had a glass of wine and some roses.

[cntrydncr1]

yes the PI hunts are very different. I switched back yesterday to my excal and got gold. go figure.

[Cfmct]

Its knowing where and where not to hunt with any PI... listen to the width of the tone... dig the narrow stuff... that big iron should have given you a big wide bellowing tone... pass them by they aren't going to be some chain or bracelet.. learn the tone

[Surf Master]

Get a bigger scoop before you have a stroke, or dig to China:laug hing: Every machine has a purposehappy hunting,just remember that the pi goes deeper,the df 12inch coil with a 6 in the middle can't be beat with a Excalibur,i know,GOLD sink's deep,,so get used to it ,happy hunting Earl

[Crumble]

Yeah, I feel you on the iron thing...

I have the problem where if I hear 2 beeps, I think maybe its 2 gold rings next to each other! It never is... I just end up wasting energy digging a bunch of nails/bobby pins. I'm at the point now where if I hear a beep, and I scan in a circle around that target and hear another beep, I keep walking... easier said than done, but whenever I do that, I dig much less iron... hard to walk away from a beep though.

[MDC]

Originally Posted by cntrydncr1

yes the PI hunts are very different. I switched back yesterday to my excal and got gold. go figure.

Congratulations on finding gold. I'm using all my willpower to keep the Excal holstered until I feel confident that the PI machine was a wise purchase for specific beaches. Then again, if I don't feel confident with it then it'll go up for sale. A real nice thing about detectors is, if you take care of them, the resale value is quite good.

Originally Posted by Cfmct-PI

Its knowing where and where not to hunt with any PI... listen to the width of the tone... dig the narrow stuff... that big iron should have given you a big wide bellowing tone... pass them by they aren't going to be some chain or bracelet.. learn the tone

So far, after about six hours total using the DF in wet, water and dry sand, to me the difference in tones is extremely subtle. Double beeps are obvious, of course, but I could swear a couple coins I've scooped up have had slight double beeps. And that hard, narrow frequency isn't always there for small round objects. Maybe it's the conditions I'm swinging in that seems to lead to inconsistency in tones. Still, it is very fun learning the new machine.

Originally Posted by Surf Master

Get a bigger scoop before you have a stroke, or dig to China:laug hing: Every machine has a purposehappy hunting,just remember that the pi goes deeper,the df 12inch coil with a 6 in the middle can't be beat with a Excalibur,i know,GOLD sink's deep,,so get used to it ,happy hunting Earl

That beach I was at yesterday is full of rocks and they catch a lot of metal. When I'm there I use a less expensive RTG travel scoop because I know the rocks are going to affect the metal. Actually I've been holding off on getting a Sunspot Stealth 8 for rocky beaches because I saw PIJoe's was badly damaged in his videos on YouTube. Suppose it would be much easier to have a pointed scoop there though.

Originally Posted by Aka Nameless

Yeah, I feel you on the iron thing...

I have the problem where if I hear 2 beeps, I think maybe its 2 gold rings next to each other! It never is... I just end up wasting energy digging a bunch of nails/bobby pins. I'm at the point now where if I hear a beep, and I scan in a circle around that target and hear another beep, I keep walking... easier said than done, but whenever I do that, I dig much less iron... hard to walk away from a beep though.

Wasting energy. That's just it. When I use my Excal (DISC mode, yet at lowest DISC level) I'm expending energy moving through the water, with digging, BAM good target then onto the next. So far with the Surf PI DF I've found my energy is spent much earlier during an outing. Too much time re-scooping and sifting to finding that nail or screw I dug up. Like you said it is hard to walk away from a beep.

Until I get the hang of the Dual Field I know that if I'm going out for fresh air, the sights, and a workout it will be the machine of choice. If I want an easier but longer hunt then I'll grab the Excal. Both seem to perform similarly when it comes to depth. The Dual Field has actually had issues in black sand for me, yet so far it doesn't seem as affected by it than the Excal.

[chrispua]

I have the exact same MD as you PI DF. After 7 to 8 hunts, I'm still learning to hear the different tones. Yes, the longer drawn out tone are usually iron and the double beeps; nails and pins, but as you have said it, when you hear a beep, it's hard to past them by. I have yet to hear the repeatable breaks in the threshold. Not sure if I'm using the wrong settings or I just haven't learned what it should sound like or don't sound like.

One thing is for sure, I know before I master the tones, I will be getting a pretty good workout every time I head for beach. I usually get a trash to coin ratio of 7:1, I'm still waiting for my first gold.

All the best to you. Hope you master your PI DF soon. Do share your tips if you learned sometime new form the machine.

Cheers.

[Crumble]

Originally Posted by MDC

Wasting energy. That's just it. When I use my Excal (DISC mode, yet at lowest DISC level) I'm expending energy moving through the water, with digging, BAM good target then onto the next. So far with the Surf PI DF I've found my energy is spent much earlier during an outing. Too much time re-scooping and sifting to finding that nail or screw I dug up. Like you said it is hard to walk away from a beep.

Until I get the hang of the Dual Field I know that if I'm going out for fresh air, the sights, and a workout it will be the machine of choice. If I want an easier but longer hunt then I'll grab the Excal. Both seem to perform similarly when it comes to depth. The Dual Field has actually had issues in black sand for me, yet so far it doesn't seem as affected by it than the Excal.

Yeah, our black sand is really bad. My Sand Shark went crazy at some of our beaches, it saw the wet sand at L.J.S. as one big target... so I had to sell it. Main reason I went for the Infinium is because it has ground balancing.

[Raphis]

Actually I've been holding off on getting a Sunspot Stealth 8 for rocky beaches because I saw PIJoe's was badly damaged in his videos on YouTube. Suppose it would be much easier to have a pointed scoop there though.

Mike, I think Joe's damaged Stealth scoop was an earlier model made of aluminum he got from Chuck. The SS Stealth is much more durable.

Keep hunting with your DF in sections of the beach that don't have a lot of iron. I remember going to a beach with fire pits, and the iron was everywhere.

Good luck!
Raphis
Dan

[Cfmct]

Originally Posted by Raphis

Mike, I think Joe's damaged Stealth scoop was an earlier model made of aluminum he got from Chuck. The SS Stealth is much more durable.

Keep hunting with your DF in sections of the beach that don't have a lot of iron. I remember going to a beach with fire pits, and the iron was everywhere.

Good luck!
Raphis
Dan

Joe's damage to his scoop ismy fault for bringing him hunting in rocks which I prefer over fairy sand hunting

[imalookin2]

Double beeps. Many of those wires will double beep by circling the target. I saw you mention it. I used to dig all and those double beeps for ME were always junk. I circle the target with my PI and if I get a solid double beep I walk away. I know someone will say HEY YOU WILL MISS SOMETHING. The odds of it being something good are against you by a lot. To me it is like a null with the Excal or GT. I don't dig them either. I now maximize my time on the sand by being more selective. I am just a newbie with the DF too, but lots of digging with my Sand Shark taught me well. Don't be afraid to walk away from double beeps. Just my way.

[Terry Soloman]

Glad you are here. Enjoy the ride!