Anyone else to paranoid to wear headphones?

[Dustyloins]

Originally Posted by Dirty Money

I hunt the old parks in the city that for the last 10 ears has had the highest per capita murder ratio in the US. I use full headphones. Being paranoid does you no good. It makes you a target. Being aware keeps you respected and left alone. Also, hunting at sunrise cuts your risk down.

Yup, sunrise hunting is good for parks and tot lots, especially.......

Dusty

[arkansasboy]

Originally Posted by treasurebum

You've got all the good threads tonight blkcloud. Have you spent some time in the Sandbox? I just assumed it was me and the PTSD out of control again. Its never a bad idea to be aware of your surroundings. I probably push the envelope to the edge of paranoia, not quite delusional yet, but close. When I first started to MD, one of the first questions I asked on this forum was, why don't more detectorists use ear buds rather than headphones, so we can hear around us as well?

As usual, I had a lot of replies, but none of them kept me from going out and buying a decent pair of Skull Candy ear buds. They lasted about an hour and now they're with my Ipod. Nobody had mentioned it, but it turns out they fill your "ear holes" so well, they do better than headphones at masking out ambient sounds.

So, now its back to some really nice Studio Sony headphones and a Glock Model 19 or, as I have come to affectionately refer to it,
"Combat Tupperware "

Thats an interesting observation, as far as PTSD and wearing headphones goes. I can see where having someone startle you being a real problem, and even worse, if they get in your "zone".

[DixieSweeper]

I now wear headphones all the time. I hear too many good things with them on. I feel like more of a weirdo with my machine making loud annoying noises than with my headphones on, just how I feel. Let someone mess with me, lol.

[usafaviator]

This guy has a good idea, but I just carry a Glock 19

[Coyote65]

I guess it all depends on the individual, I wear my headphones but keep my head on a swivel and always looking around, I hunt with my wife so I'm always looking to see where she is and if she is digging a target or not.

Reminds me of that song by Rockwell, Somebody's Watching Me.

[mgo]

On private property, tot lots, and local small town parks I have not been to paranoid...I still look around once in a while while wearing headphones.....which I do even when not detecting because I like to be aware of my surroundings, etc.

When I do finally go to some city parks...I will not wear headphones and will be packing my Glock 19.

[DirtyHarry]

Chicago... that's dead people

I multitask.....listen, swing and look around.
Besides carry the lesche open, no one gone give that one a grab.

[grouser]

the ones I wear you can hear everything around you, all the time,,, don't use the sealed type get some with foam pads

[Curbdog]

My detecting time during the day is usually at the park, while my 3 year old (almost 4) daughter plays. I like to use my headphones but it is a hassle keeping an eye on her and detect too.

I make sure to keep close and never have it to where I couldn't heat her, even with the headphones on.

[Burien]

when i am with a buddy i have no problem using both ears on the headphones, but when alone i tend to let them hang on my neck and turn the sound up.

[eli]

I'll add that when I hit a signal I will zero in with the coil then move 90º to my left (usually) and re-zero. This not only helps reading the signal better but allows me to have a quick look at my blind spot.

Now that I'm using Pro Pointer, I spend a lot less time focused on the ground/dig and look up more often. IMO, if for no other reason, that's reason enough to buy one!

[Banemorth]

I kind of like having both ears covered though because it seems like people bother you less when you can't hear them

[Bonesquat]

Originally Posted by DirtyHarry

Chicago... that's dead people

I multitask.....listen, swing and look around.
Besides carry the lesche open, no one gone give that one a grab.

I carry the lesche open with a good grip on it too. When cops drive by I tilt it so they can't see it.

[Darkman]

I use my Ipod headphones and I only wear 1 of them
and my gator digging tool will do the job of protection

[Wild Bill]

I like the foam pad type headphones but I don't care for the type of cord that is usually on them, just a straight wire. I like the coiled wire, does anyone make foam pad style headphones with a coiled wire?....Wild Bill

[Texaspast]

Originally Posted by Wild Bill

I like the foam pad type headphones but I don't care for the type of cord that is usually on them, just a straight wire. I like the coiled wire, does anyone make foam pad style headphones with a coiled wire?....Wild Bill

I have a coiled 'extension' for those foam pad type headphones. I use an adapter to make the mini plug fit the 1/4" hole. I've had it for some time, as I would rather hunt with the smaller headphones also. Actually, the best setup I had was some old Sony headphones that were not as tight as those sold by the MD headphone makers, and I turned them up high and wore them around my neck. They were loud enough that I could hear everything the detector was doing, but not loud enough to attract attention. I've found that the constant beeping attracts people - especially kids who want to see what you've found, ask you questions, dig your holes, keep what they find, etc. My Sony phones finally died and I haven't found any as comfortable since. (I hate anything tight around my neck!)

[PuddleJumper]

For anyone that can't afford those rattlers, this is the option I went with. Find a setup like seen below at an office store that is meant to be used with a computer, look for one that has two plugs on the cord, one for the speaker and one for the mic, cut off the end of the cord for the mic and tape up with electrical tape. I also cut off the mic too.

[Kolby72]

I have headphones and I turn up the threshold volume and target volume and then put them around my neck, you can still hear what is going on and will not be suprised by anybody

[mrshufflr]

Have done both headphones on and off when hunting in inner city Indy parks. it sort of depends on where I'm at. In the bigger open parks I generally use headphones and look around a lot. In some of the smaller or less open park area's no headphones. I usually hunt parks during the middle of the day on my lunch hour so not so much riff raff around.

[JerseyMike]

Originally Posted by CreepyCrawler

You don't see deaf people constantly paranoid and looking around.

If you can't focus entirely on what you're doing, then it's truly time for
a partner or find some other location.

I agree. I spent 30 years as a cop and it never occurs to me that someone may be sneaking up on me while MD. Particularly in the woods or beach, now if I were doing it in, let's say a "marginal neighborhood"..........Maybe I'd feel that way but then again I wouldn't be MDing there.