Dried lake bed, how to hunt it??

[KinTN]

Prep, of course it makes a difference where there is strong electromagnetic interference. What I said was that unless that is the case, it just doesnt make that much of a difference. Think about it; in the absence of significant EM fields(which are easily recognizable), what is getting in the way electromagnetically? If you are thinking, well the ground conductivity varies against the Earth's magnetic field, well yes thats right. It varies every foot(or inch) of the way to a tiny degree. But do you NC every foot? Of course not, thats silly. You only noise cancel where there is a reason to believe there is a significant change in conditions. There simply are no significant electromagnetic sources (the Earth's field is essentially a constant at ground level) in an open undisturbed field.

What got me to thinking like this is that I once forgot to noise cancel because as soon as I turned my Safari on over a favorite spot, I started finding good targets and just plain forgot about noise canceling. 4 hours later, I had had one of my best days on the same ground I had previously hunted a couple of times. I know this is anecdotal, but now I usually dont even bother with it unless I see a noticable electromagnetic source and I almost always outfind my hunt buddies. If I radically change environments, like going to the beach, or if I am not finding as much as I think I should, yeah, I do everything I can to change my 'luck', including noise canceling. But most of the time I think its a waste of time and it hasnt hurt my hunts a bit.

The Safari is a powerful machine. Think outside the manual and experiment with ALL the settings. You may be able to put a new tool in your bag of tricks.
But the bottom line is that after you do all the experimenting, you have a set of tools that works for You with Your machine in Your hunt area.

 

[SAGITTARIUS]

Noise Cancelling is about eliminating EMI by finding the quietest operating frequency.

Ground Balancing is done automatically in FBS detectors as explained by Minelab Technologies.

Full Band Spectrum (FBS)
Automatic Sensitivity & Ground Compensation for Maximum Depth

"As you sweep the coil in search of targets, Automatic Sensitivity and Ground Compensation monitor the full band of frequencies for changes in ground mineralisation. Whenever the level of ground mineralisation changes the sensitivity is automatically adjusted to maintain maximum depth. The ground compensation circuitry removes false signals caused by fast changing levels of ground mineralisation. Both of these advanced features work together to maintain maximum detection depth and sensitivity, allowing you to concentrate on listening for targets"

 

[Prep1957]

You really need to read Andy's Book page 8 will help you a lot to understand.I was just like you at one time.First off if you believe that you are using 28 frequencies while you are hunting you are not.It was a shock to me when I first found out too.The only time it scans all 28 Frequencies is when you manually push Noise Cancel.First off in 3 years I have only found one spot that even had any EMI.If you are using Auto Sensitivity you are losing depth.I agree with you Ground Balancing is done automatically.

Andy's Book Quote:

The FBS circuitry could select 1 of 11 possible sets each providing a slightly different spacing between each of the 28 frequency's and the upper and lower limits.This is done automatically in less then 30 seconds by the use of Noise Cancel.


If you find EMI can be eliminated by raising your coil in the air and pushing Noise Cancel it will sound nice ,operate great ,may only go about 6 inches deep..Noise Cancels main function is to select a set of frequencies by reading the ground so the FBS circuity has a starting point. This is preformed by pushing Noise Cancel with the coil on the ground,in clean ground.You are trying to read the ground so the FBS circurity can subtract the signal that the ground is producing so it can be ignored.

I once was like you until I read Andy's book.I had to re-hunt all my sites that I used the Safari on you would not believe all the stuff I missed. Just because I followed what the Minelab manual said that came with my Safari.

 

[KinTN]

Prep, are you speaking to me when you say to read Andy's book? I got it shortly after it came out and have read it completely (studied it actually) at least 3 times, plus all the referring to it I did early on. It is a VERY good book and I consider it a Must for new Safari owners. But it isnt the Final Word; that is still being written by those that experiment with new ideas and techniques.

Ground varies and you can never get away from that. Everyone knows that. Getting everything just perfect for one metalfree spot helps on nearby ground....or maybe not, depending on a lot of geological and geomorphical factors. I'm not saying not to do what you believe to be the best tweeking for your spot (by all means, Tweek Away, I stand solidly with those that like to experiment and push the limits of knowledge), but realize that there is more variability in the ground than you can ever account for and there comes a point where you are wasting your time for a specific spot. You have to find what works for You, Your machine, and Your hunting ground. One size may fit most folks, but it doesnt fit everyone.

(and note that Andy and Minelab even differ on the height of the coil when Noise Canceling- there simply isnt One Way to do everything)

 

[Prep1957]

Not speaking to anyone just trying to tell people not to get hung up on what Minelab Manual tells you to do. I have very mineralized ground in places here where the Pro Coil will not even work.In auto sensitivity your Safari will find a silver dime at 7 inches no problem if you are happy with that no problem.A lot of my problems digging a lot of Iron went away when I went to after market coils.If you want to gain that 3 extra inches you will have to be in manual.I went hunting yesterday we put golf tees down on our targets before we dig.each hunter has his own color golf tee then we go over each others target that we marked to see if the other brand detector agreed with the Safari or other brand.I had a target yesterday that I got with Safari that that came in good but was reading 14.Most of the rest of crew did not even hear the signal most were Minelabs nothing wrong with the machine was the operator who set them up.A operator with a 10 year old Fisher got it to come in louder than I could with Safari he really know his machine.Cut the plug and my ID jumped to 35.Was a Spanish 2 Reale with a hole in it at 9 inches on a 45 degree.This is the 3rd I have pulled from this church yard.Just saying.

 

[KinTN]

Now thats a good idea, golf tees and various machines/operators checking what each other think. Agree that you have to go outside the conventional comfort zone to find the elusive ones too.

 

[SAGITTARIUS]

Maybe Prep1957, you are speaking to me. I reject your ideas that newcomers or oldies should have to throw away the Pro coil, never use the pinpoint or noise cancel with the coil near the ground to find deep coins. Believe what you want, don't let the fact that others are also having success, get in your way.

 

[DirtAngler]

It's really quite simple and a true golden rule.....What settings work well in one area may be completely different in another area. Use what works for you. Sure, try the settings and technique that others use and have success with, but with all detectors, ground conditions from locale change dramatically and require different settings. GL and HH.

 

[KinTN]

It's really quite simple and a true golden rule.....What settings work well in one area may be completely different in another area. Use what works for you. Sure, try the settings and technique that others use and have success with, but with all detectors, ground conditions from locale change dramatically and require different settings. GL and HH.

This ought to be stamped onto every single detector sold.

 

[kscowgirl]

I had got my new SEF 8 X 6 Coil at the end of March and have been using it full time until today. I put back on my pro that came with the safari and whow what a GREAT difference I can see in how I now use it. With getting better with using the machine (or at least I think I am getting better), and after having the SEF coil on for awhile allowing me to hear just one target at a time and now knowing what to listen for. When I put back on the pro coil I dug up 78 cents, 1 X .25, 4 X .10, and rest penny's all common coins nothing all silver or anything but NO JUNK, and only 2 holes where I was going for hopefully a ring (was hitting 3) and came up with nothing. I have been detecting with 3,4,5,6,7,8,14,34,35,36,37,38,39 open the rest blacked out. My idea with those open is I detect in parks so hope for women rings and coins but hopefully miss the tabs. I've not got back to the lake yet to try it again there might try for it tomorrow on my day off. I was starting to get worried that I was going to fill my 5 gal bucket with junk before I fill my little cup that I'm putting my coin finds in but now the tide might be changing in my favor. I'm also tons better at pin pointing the target with the coil now, using the tip of the pro coil with it flipped up to find it was working for me today. Anyone have any new tips or see other things that I need to change to improve? I've only found one pure silver coin, hoping to find more of those but that is not the machines fault, that is my fault and not knowing where to go to find those older coins. Thanks, and good luck to everyone.

 

[KinTN]

Thats great!
I fondly remember when I first stopped digging all that trash- that was almost as good as finding Treasure!

As to advice, I'd add more open #s as you become confident in your tone-fu. I find things at odd #s but with the same tones- like I found a nickel the other day at 28 and regularly find dimes at 14-15(but the tone is the 'correct' one). Folks often recommend opening up the lower 30's for Indian Head pennies, but I've never found one so I cant personally say. What I did as I gained confidence was to open up more of the gold range, and I still open and close that depending on how much tolerance I have for trash on a given day.

I dont know how many hours you have on the Safari, but you seem to be coming along VERY fast with it.

 

[kscowgirl]

Found my second silver dime on Monday. 1944 mercury in great shape. Just got permission on what I'm hoping to be a un-detected piece of History. I can't wait for a day off to go out and give it a try. Now that I'm getting use to the machine, I'm starting to love it and know that I'm not even close to using it to its potential is VERY exciting to me. Good luck digging to everyone.

 

[Prep1957]

The 8X6 to get full depth potential sensitivity must be in manual start at 16 go up until gets too chatty then come down as all SEF coils.If you run sensitivity in auto you will lose over 2 inches using 8X6.In Hutchison Kansas Indian heads were coming in between 29 and 33.In good soil the Pro Coil will go about 1 inch deeper.In trashy soil or high mineralized soil the 8X6 will go deeper.I am glad your pinpointing has gotten better more time you use that method it will become second nature.It has been colder in Kansas than Illinois and you can keep them Ice Storms.