I find it difficult to maintain a swing that overlaps the previous one. Unless you can overlap consistently, a lot of real estate gets missed. I was watching one of Metal Detecting NYC's beach videos and he would take a step, swing left, another step and swing right. Assuming a 28" stride and an 11" coil, he was missing a foot to a foot and a half of ground with each step. I suspect that this is very common so when I hear terms like "pounded" or " heavily" hunted sites I take it with a grain of salt. My front yard has been gone over at least a hundred times but I always find a couple of things every time I do It. Moral of the story is don't pass up a "pounded" site. There's still a lot of land there that hasn't had a coil over it.
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Ground coverage with coil
- Thread starter GaryB
- Start date
still looking 52
Well-known member
Agree 100%. I take steps that are less than 6" and move the coil slowly from left to right and I also put red survey flags down 3 feet apart to keep me in line.
In a good area I'll also go back and do what I'll call the 360 circle pattern which will give you a lot more angles.
In a good area I'll also go back and do what I'll call the 360 circle pattern which will give you a lot more angles.
okdirtfisher64
Member
I’ve hunted grids that I’ve setup with tent stacks and Para cord and found it helps me to slow my roll. But even hunting like that I know I still miss a lot of ground.
For the most effective coverage, of a dedicated potential area, I suggest:
• Do NOT extend the rods for a long length. It's best too keep the search coil working about 12" to 18" in front of your lead toe.
• Work the search coil in straight side-to-side sweeps and do not arc the coil.
• Sweep left, right, left (or right, left, right) to make at least 3 multiple-sweeps across the same piece of ground before advancing the coil.
• Take only a Half-Step forward (such as about 6" like 'still looking 52' suggested) as you work a gridded or marked area.
• To help maintain a good, straight-line sweep, try to limit the side-to-side sweeps to 24" to 30" and no more than 36".
• Grid or mark an area to be searched.
• User a small to mid-size search coil.
• After the first three side-to-side sweeps, advance the coil to overlap at least 50%.
• Relax, take your time, and do not be in a hurry to work an area.
• Find the best, most efficient sweep speed for the particular detector, coil, and site environment.
• Do not use too much Discrimination, only enough to deal with the debris and help unmask potential keepers.
Monte
• Do NOT extend the rods for a long length. It's best too keep the search coil working about 12" to 18" in front of your lead toe.
• Work the search coil in straight side-to-side sweeps and do not arc the coil.
• Sweep left, right, left (or right, left, right) to make at least 3 multiple-sweeps across the same piece of ground before advancing the coil.
• Take only a Half-Step forward (such as about 6" like 'still looking 52' suggested) as you work a gridded or marked area.
• To help maintain a good, straight-line sweep, try to limit the side-to-side sweeps to 24" to 30" and no more than 36".
• Grid or mark an area to be searched.
• User a small to mid-size search coil.
• After the first three side-to-side sweeps, advance the coil to overlap at least 50%.
• Relax, take your time, and do not be in a hurry to work an area.
• Find the best, most efficient sweep speed for the particular detector, coil, and site environment.
• Do not use too much Discrimination, only enough to deal with the debris and help unmask potential keepers.
Monte
Only getting 5-6" deep though..
I believe most people have a "favorite" detecting spot that they have hunted over and over. I have one of those spots and I am constantly thinking that it only takes a couple of inches to miss a target. I am amazed at when I find a nice coin in places myself and many others have hunted. A person has to remember that the reason a spot is "pounded" is because people have made many good finds there. Virgin public spots are long gone so if a person takes the time to completely or nearly completely grid an area, there will be more good finds to be had. Excellent post.