Big Boys Hobbies

Pinpointing with the "detune" method.

Diga

Diga

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Mar 22, 2022
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Accurate pinpointing in public areas, is a critical skill. Yet, when I posted about the detune method for pinpointing on a metal detecting Facebook page, I was taken aback at how few detectorists have even heard of this method.


The typical metal detector manual says to move off of the target, press pinpoint....well, you know the rest. Thing is, this is the worst way to pinpoint for two reasons:

1) In a trashy park, you're probably going to be pinpointing on some junk near the good target, because you have moved off of the good target.

2) Even if #2 doesn't happen, you'll still get a long and annoying audio response.

With detuning, you press the pinpoint button while you're on the target, not off of it. This results in a very short blip, is deadly accurate, and a lot quicker than the aforementioned method.

Why does it seem that a lot of detectorist don't even know about detuning for pinpointing?
 
Because most experienced detectorists use the wiggle method and pinpoint off the front (or back) of the coil. My pinpoint button goes largely unused.
 
Stiffwrists said:
Because most experienced detectorists use the wiggle method and pinpoint off the front (or back) of the coil. My pinpoint button goes largely unused.
Click to expand...

Yes, that's fine, but that was wasn't my "point":)

In every detecting manual I've seen, it instructs the user to use the worst possible pinpoint method.
 
Stiffwrists said:
Because most experienced detectorists use the wiggle method and pinpoint off the front (or back) of the coil. My pinpoint button goes largely unused.
Click to expand...

I went to that method long ago too. It is mostly important when using a DD coil. A concentric coil is solid for detuning with the machine.

To add though. Detuning your handheld pin pointer after the initial dig is imperative in itself. It all adds up as skills.
 
I think they mean just off the target enough that the coil isn't directly centered on the target. In other words, once you're coil is centered on the target, move it over about two inches and retune. This will ratchet it down to a much smaller area without the risk of detuning the target altogether, which can happen if you're directly on the target when detuning.
 
Rattlehead said:
I think they mean just off the target enough that the coil isn't directly centered on the target. In other words, once you're coil is centered on the target, move it over about two inches and retune. This will ratchet it down to a much smaller area without the risk of detuning the target altogether, which can happen if you're directly on the target when detuning.
Click to expand...

I find it's pretty tough to detune the target completely.

Regardless though, by the amount of people I see complaining about how hard it is to pinpoint, I think the manufacturers need to do a better job in explaining pinpointing. Heck, I've never even come across a manual that mentions the detune or coil wiggle method.
 
I prefer the wiggle back method on most detectors. Unless they have a trigger style pinpoint button. Those are pretty quick and easy to use.
 
I loved the trigger pinpoint on my 1266X.

You know, I also see a lot of detecting YouTubers (well known ones too), that use "the manuals" method. They're going back and forth, up and down, and the detector is just screaming with this long and drawn out high pitch squeal. I cringe every time, and think, "What the heck are you doing"?
 
Most of my old Whites machines had a trigger pinpoint button. My CTX has it. Much better than the thumb activation IMHO. I wish all detectors came with it.
 
Rattlehead said:
I prefer the wiggle back method on most detectors. Unless they have a trigger style pinpoint button. Those are pretty quick and easy to use.
Click to expand...

Every one of my metal detectors has a trigger or button for pin pointing. Yes they are quick but if it is a DD coil, the final result will be "predictably" out of center. I have followed lots of threads where the actual target location, with a certain detector setup, using a DD coil...the actual accurate target location will be predictably skewed moved to a general off center spot besides actual center.

I still use the wiggle, every time unless it is obviously shallow and my handheld better handheld pointers reads it quickly, pre-dig. It is a science and technique. Just sayin....
 
Martin_V3i said:
Every one of my metal detectors has a trigger or button for pin pointing. Yes they are quick but if it is a DD coil, the final result will be "predictably" out of center.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. I haven't encountered that. When I use the detune method, the target is directly under my coil ears (centered on the coil), pretty much every time.

Occasionally, an edged coins throws me off, but I have that happen with the wiggle method as well.

Either way, both methods are much better than what the detecting manual's describe for pinpointing.
 
Martin_V3i said:
Every one of my metal detectors has a trigger or button for pin pointing.
Click to expand...

All of mine have/had some sort of pinpoint button too. I meant that the trigger style button is quicker and easier to use than the thumb button. I'd still use the wiggle method more often either way. Its just fast and easy.
 
Rattlehead said:
All of mine have/had some sort of pinpoint button too. I meant that the trigger style button is quicker and easier to use than the thumb button. I'd still use the wiggle method more often either way. Its just fast and easy.
Click to expand...

I understand. I was incorrect in saying all of my machines has a trigger. It is the Whites units having the physical triggers.
 
Waiting on an ATP, sounds as if I'm likely going to need to be send in for "reeducation" .

Having used Tesoros for years, I simply X'd the spot. Target under center of the coil.
 
Where I hunt in very, very trashy parks, with metallic trash literally every few inches using a stock nox or stock ctx coil pinpoint is hopeless. Have to use the heel or toe wiggle method to pinpoint. With the 17" ctx coil forget it. Cannot even find any clean ground to even ground balance with the 11" coil let alone the 17". The only hope for me in my uber trashy parks is my CTX with the 6" coil.
 
Gauntlet said:
Waiting on an ATP, sounds as if I'm likely going to need to be send in for "reeducation" .

Having used Tesoros for years, I simply X'd the spot. Target under center of the coil.
Click to expand...

depends on the amount of metallic trash under the coil whether anything but the toe wiggle will work.
 
My current 8 detectors are lined up on the wall here in my living room for a presentation I'm going to give to some folks tomorrow, and of the 8 units, 4 have Concentric coils and 4 have Double-D. If a coin is laying flat-to-the-coil, I would expect them to pinpoint just about dead center. If canted, pinpointing will be off from dead center.

I have used several methods to isolate a target, and by far a manual PP is faster and more accurate than a wiggle-and-pullback method.

One problem with the latter is that many people are using a larger-size coil. If a site is very trashy it is difficult to use the last method because moving a coil off of a good target can readily work the coil over adjacent trash, and that results in an errant PP.

5 of my 8 detectors have the trigger-toggle to PP which is fast and easy. It is not hard to isolatt. However, if the signal is strong and you want to 'detune' a target, you only need to move the coil off center maybe 1" to 2".

Also, if a site has a lot of modern trash, I make sure I am using a smaller-size coil. That isn't hard for me because 6 out of my 8 detectors have a smaller coil mounted full-time.

Monte
 
I prefer the “ Mind Meld Method” myself. Of course it doesn’t work unless you have a very large “ a brain” :laughing:
 
I think you should be rotating around targets while you are analyzing them, which allows you to pinpoint in the process.

My pinpoint feature is mostly used to determine size and symmetry / shape.

Still, the cross pinpoint ( pinpoint, then rotate 90 degrees, and pinpoint again to X marks the spot) is the most accurate way to get an exact location, and I have no issues using it in areas absolutely polluted with modern trash and old iron.
 
I think this is just another method of pinpointing...obviously there are multiple ways to do it and I too rarely use the built in pinpoint on my detector as the X combined with the wiggle method tend to do the trick 90% of the time, but that doesn't mean the "detune" method doesn't have it's place and, yes, I've used this method as well, mainly in trashy areas, where there are other targets close by.
I think the bigger picture is understanding what each of the methods do and how they work. Most people get set in their ways and fail to learn that there is more than one way to do things and each can offers slightly different benefits pending the target. I feel like only a handful of us really want to fully understand how our detectors work in order to fully utilize the features.
To the OP, thanks for posting this. I think it helps raise awareness.
 
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