A Question - Bad Problem With Iron In The Ground Here !

[E-Trac-Ohio]

I live in Ohio but I'm in Maine for the next three weeks and I hunted at a very old abandoned house last night.

I'd like to go back and hunt this site again soon because I found a 1865 Two Cent Coin ( came in as a FE 12 - CON 40 ) - (4) Wheat Cents and (4) real old copper buttons.

Here's my problem - this site has more iron ore in the ground that any other place I've hunted before - I'm running in two tone ferrous and the machine is continually sending low iron tones - making it really tough to hear the higher conductive tones of the good targets.
Here's my question - Any ideas on how to deal with this problem - go back to conductive multi-tones - lower the sensitivity ???

Thanks in advance for your replies !

 

[Digger]

My initial suggestion would be to put on a smaller coil and slow down your hunt. If that didn't reduce the effects of the overwhelming iron audio, I'd probably shift to -2 or -3 Auto Sens knowing that I was probably sacrificing some depth. As you know, the E-TRAC is going to detect all metal targets within the reach of it's coil. High tone, low tone or no tone, when it detects metal, it will signal the user. Based on how you described your site, your decision is 3-fold.....whether you want to hear the conductive properties or the ferrous properties, the same tone for all targets to a different pitch tone for each target, or whether to reject certain conductive or ferrous properties and hear a "no tone" for those targets.
Personally, I don't mind hearing all the tones and allowing the processor between my ears to do the sorting. The alternative to hearing the continual low tones of the iron targets is to set those properties to reject. Then instead of hearing a low tone, you'll hear the Threshold blank out. But if you are rejecting targets and allowing the Threshold to null out, I'd recommend that you slow down your sweep to provide ample time for the E-TRAC to reset between targets. I find it easier to manage a proper sweep speed by hearing tones for every target, compared to rejecting them and hearing a blanking of the Threshold. But as with the decision to listen to ferrous or conductive, and the number of tones, it is simply a matter of personal preference and responding to what the E-TRAC is telling you. JMHO HH Randy

 

[CONDUCTOR7E]

Just something else to try Mark.Try your ferrous 2 tone all metal with the ferrous 35 or 34 line blanked out.That ''may or may not'' help to deal with the iron ore problems.It will null out a bit but the good targets should still come through.
Just an idea?
Jason

 

[utahshovelhead]

Hi again Ohio,
I also deal with one site that is very hard to hunt like this. In this area the targets are deep and mixed in with iron trash, black sand, mineralized soil. My only positive is that the soil is easy to dig in. If I use a small coil I will get good target separation but then the deep targets are not going to hit ( I mean deep). If you have too much sensitivity then you loose depth as well but if I back it off then I also loose depth, very frustrating. I have used different size coils and different settings. I don't recommend the two tone ferrous in this spot as then any object with copper or brass sounds good. Normally I would like that but not here unless I pick a spot to just clean out, and out and out...it takes a long time. Hot spots I will do exactly that and start with a small coil, then a medium then a 14 inch coil. I still have tons of large iron I cant clean out (too big). I have hunted here for many years and have moved tons of dirt but I still find occasional great targets.
I suggest you stick with your favorite settings (as for multi tone, conduct ect) as that is what you are best at. Try the different coil sizes eash time out and try to max your sens as you find best. Obviously use the difficult ground and try high trash, deep over one area then try it off for another
I realize that I am telling you to test the machine yourself but truth is that you are the expert in that area unless someone else goes out there and trys is themselves.
I hope that that helps a bit.

good luck
utahshovelhead

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Thanks for all of your replies !

I'll try several different programs and settings the next time I go back to this old house.
I run in 2 Tone Ferrous with a wide open screen almost all the time these days - but it just does not work well on this heavy iron site.
I only have one coil - my S.E.F. 10 x 12 - but I also plan on slowing my swing speed down to a crawl so the processor has more time to recover.

HH --- Mark

 

[NH Bob]

2 Tone ferrous all metal use the minelab Relic mode should quiet it down a lot. Most of the constent drumming is small iron bits.

 

[Des D]

I'd be inclined to agree with Digger (Randy) and get a small coil on asap...6" - 8" only.

I'd also work in All-Metal completely open screen
I'd pick Ferrous Sounds
I'd pick Multi Tone
I'd set the Threshold to one point above the null point (you should just about pick it up if you get my drift)
I'd set the Sensitivity to Manual no more than what was allowed by the ground at the location?
I'd lift the coil to "wiggle" interesting signals...

I'd like to get back to Maine...beautiful State

Good Luck

Des Dunne
Minelab

 

[Gaz]

....this is what I would do. I emphasise.....me!!!

You are 90% there. All I would do is black out the top horizontal FE01 line....that's all. Keep the rest open.
This will reduce/eliminate any large iron 'wrap around' and stop the high tone 'blipping' sounds that interrupt your stroke.
Set DEEP OFF, FAST ON and Volume Gain 30.
This will switch off additional filtering and speed up recovery/reaction times. Setting Volume Gain at 30 will increase the sound on deep targets without additional filtering.
The high toned good targets will come through.....honest!!

In this type of ground, it's the only way to go I think.

Don't fight the low tones.....be at one with them!!!.....the high tones WILL come through.

Don't black out FE34 & 35 lines. Most/all iron comes in here. All this will do is null over the iron and drastically slow the recovery speed.
You need speed in this ground.

All the best,

Gaz.

 

[Digger]

If you black out the entire horizontal Ferrous 01 line, you'll miss silver dollars that will typically range from 01-40 to 01-47. JMHO HH Randy

 

[DAN03USMC]

I'm hunting the same basic sites here in Mass. I use 2 tone ferrous but with smooth sounds. This will elongate the good targets and the falses will be short in comparison. this works for me....hope it helps you. HH

Des, next time you are in Mass, look me up. I saw the vid of you hunting the Cape. I have quite a few colonial sites I would like to bring you to. Dan

 

[Gaz]

.........accepted Randy......I was just trying to explain it easy at first.
I have 01-38 to 48 opened up for large silver including Silver Crowns over here.

It will quieten down the machine though.

Gaz.

 

[Detectorguru]

Two tone, ferrous sounds, open screen (pewter buttons register all the way to the left, manual sensitivity, small coil. Relic hunting is all I do. You hear all the iron but you cant miss that sweet high tone to dig. You have the best machine for this task. Turn down your volume if you have adjustable head phones. Dig all high tones. You will be glad you did.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Thanks again for all your informative replies !

I'll have more time to hunt this site when I go back this weekend - approx. four hours.
I'll be sure to try some of the different settings that you guy's have suggested here !

HH --- Mark