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DD and depth readings?

A

Anonymous

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Out again today guys. About 3 hours in two different places. An old small park with little action and one of the cities first high schools that is no longer a school, it has been sold and rentavated by the city. I spent a few pennys on this DD and don't want to give up on it yet. Someone else mentioned something about 4" depth before. Everything that I find says 3 or 4". Today there were 4 or 5 pennys on top of the grass. I didn't notice them until the 1250 with the DD put out that positive sound. I pinpointed and took a look at the depth reading. Yes, the 4" normal. This time the coins were on the top of the grass! Is there something wrong with my DD or is that just how they work?
Two dimes and 11 pennys for 3 hours of my time. NO silver - as expected and no wheat pennys either. It's just a matter of time - I feel it.
 
This thread is more about the depth discrepency and that is why I posted it differently than the previous thread. What I was looking for is it common to get inaccurate depth readings with the DD? Thanks
 
I used my 10x14 DD on the 1500 today and found several shell casings at 2" depth. They showed as 2" on the 1500
 
Are you sure that your detecctor was not 4" above the ground surface?
 
When pinpointing I go side to side until I can keep the meter all of the way in the center of the highest meter reading. I like to test to see how wide the highest meter reading is because it gives me some clues as to the size of the object that I am digging. If the highest meter is just a blink and soon goes back down it is probably a coin. It's those signals that stay at peak for 3 or 4" that usually are some chunk of iron.
When I find the center left to right I push the coil all the way to the ground and make sure that I still am in the center of the highest meter reading then pull back straight at me until the signal drops to one or two bars.
So no the coil was definately on the ground. No matter what the depth it reads 4 inches. This was repeatable since there were more than a couple coins on the top of the ground. I'll call Garrett today and see what they think.
 
Keep the coil on the ground when pinpointing. The way you are doing it you are detuning the coil when you change the elevation to make the final pinpoint. Then drag the coil straight back until the instant the signal stops, then your target will be under the front center tip of the coil. You can't detune the coil and expect to get accurate readings.
Another way to accurize pinpointing: When you locate a target move the coil all the way off the target, press pinpoint and move back over the target and center it.
Bill
 
Thanks for the response Bill. Talked to the people at Garrett today. Told them about my experiences, they asked me to send the coil back into them for replacement. I never see a 5" or 6" target on my DD. They all read at 4" or 3". Do you think that this detuning effect would bring this about? I don't want to waste the Garrett company's time or mine sending something back that works per design. I'm thinking of making a test garden and burry quarters flat at predetermined depths. Trying all three coils over this test plot and see exactly how all of the coils perform. Haven't been out today, but I could cut some simple plugs of 3", 5" and 8" and run the three coils over them. I'll do just that and make sure that I am not going crazy or something and duplicate my results. I'll report back later. Lee
 
Coins that are just put in the ground are often hard for the detector to find. So don't think that there is something wrong with it if you can't find the deeper ones. Just a tip to maybe help you some.
Good Hunting !
 
Out for an hour or so again today. Sorry that I did not do the experiment that I said that I would do - too busy digging finds. I'll try tomorrow. Held the DD on the grass more and did not drop it down to the ground to pinpoint. I finally saw a 6" reading and a 5" reading. I was above the ground that extra inch or so. I found a quarter which showed up as a penny - it was on edge and another coin an inch down that showed 4 inches, but I was off the ground more tonight. It got so that I was going to have to turn the backlight on to continue hunting, but the mesquitos thought that I was the only blood bank in town so I closed up shop. Thanks for the tips and will continue to report back findings tomorrow. Lee
 
Try it for a bit as I suggested before sending it back. The test garden is a good idea but don't expect great results right away as due to an effect known as "metallurgical phenomenon" freshly buried coins are difficult to impossible to detect until they've been in the ground awhile. Keep me posted on your pinpointing results.
Bill
 
A test plot is an absolute must for really testing how detectors and coils behave. Like the others have told you though, freshly buried coins may not pick up as well as those that have been in the ground a while. You can also learn a lot from simple air testing. It is not the same as testing in the dirt, but it does remove all variables so you can tell how your detector and coils really operate. It is also so easy to do, and a quick way to tell if your 10x14 DD can get a reading other than 4". Whether air testing or building a test garden though, clear the area first with your 1250 in Zero Discrim. mode with the sensitivity cranked as high as you can get away with. By the way, I use the 10x14 DD extensively with my 1250. It takes a long time to learn how to use that combination well. The 10x14 can give accurate depth readings, but only if the target is precisely under the X on the coil. There are several ways of pinpointing with the DD, but it takes practice, and the best way to learn is in the controlled environments of test gardens and air testing. Bill is absolutely correct in that you won't get accurate depth readings if you detune the detector by lifting it off the ground before you hit the pinpoint button. The problem becomes worse if the soil is highly mineralized. Just slide your coil completely off the target, but still in contact with the ground, then hit the pinpoint button. If you use Bill's method of pinpointing by backing off the target, note the pinpoint spot then move the X on the coil over that spot to get the right depth. Another thing to remember about the depth reading in real life, grass often keeps your coil 1-2" above the ground. HB
 
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