Digger said:
Ya know, I've been called a lot of things over the years. But I don't recall having ever been called ignorant. Nor would I quit the hobby if I weren't able to detect the red Georgia clay to the same "depth" as I do my moderately mineralized Midwestern soil.
I didn't directly call you ignorant. I don't think you are an ignorant person. I thought I skirted the edge of being derogatory. I just don't think many experts have a clue what our conditions are like here! And why would the experts? They are cleaning up in silver in the heartland, or getting large cents in New England. If I sound a little jealous, well I am! It is very frustrating that we can only find clad, a good number of wheats, and one or two silver coins every few months, all under 5 inches deep. I am gathering information to help the red clayers. (I am not talking about the desert clay either.) Now I do have a friend in the Tennessee Valley that is finding a silver coin weekly, but he is finding them at 4-6 inches mostly, and I am thinking his soil might be a little better in a river valley and limestone region. (less infused with tiny black pebbles and grains that stick to magnets.)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultisols
Digger said:
I've met many challenges in life that are far worse than detecting in mineralized soil. (and I'm not just talking about moderating this forum
) Since I don't live in Georgia, I don't consider myself to be an expert about detecting in red Georgia clay. But I have a good friend who has been detecting the area north and west of Savannah, GA for 25 years. In recent years, he's used several X-TERRAs, as well as an E-TRAC, Advantage, Tejon, MXT, F-75 and T2. He has told me about finding coins and buttons at or near the depths I described, using several of those detectors. Even his X-705. Now I haven't been there to analyze his soil. But I know he wouldn't lie to me. So you can go on and on about me being ignorant or thinking I'd quit the hobby if I had to hunt down there. I happen to disagree with both statements. I believe if I were to hunt the areas my buddy hunts, my results would be similar to his. As far as letting you know where those sites are..... not a chance.
Savannah and the area to the Northwest of it is in an area known as the coastal plain. Detecting there is a lot like detecting at the beach, except that the ocean is not near by.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_coastal_plain
Digger said:
Anyone who understands how metal detectors work will recognize that depth of detection has too many variables to think that what works for one person will work for everyone. A point I was trying to make is to properly set up your detector. Those familiar with the functionality of the 705 realize how implementing Tracking GB Offset will enhance the operation in areas that are heavily mineralized because the X-TERRA 705 has functionality to compensate for the effects of both magnetic and conductive mineralization. The second point was that a DD coil will better neutralize the effects of mineralization than concentric coils. So I suggested that if he bought an X-705, he consider getting the pack without the stock concentric.
In the future, if you want to disagree with something that anyone posts to this forum, please refrain from using derrogatory comments. If your "opinion" is different, explain your point of view in factual terms and how you may have overcome the situation. Don't simply tell the poster he is ignorant and would quit the hobby if he had to hunt there. Posting those types of comments really serves no useful purpose. HH Randy
I agree totally the 705 Gold Pack would be a great choice and would allow him to approach, or who knows, exceed the ETracs depth in red clay. A contact in Eastern Tennessee suggested that the multi frequency machines could do a better job of getting through red clay with using only one selected frequency manually. I don't know the details. This can't be done with an E-Trac, unless you figure out what NC channels use a more optimal mix of frequencies. What a waste to get an E-Trac (hypothetically) or a V3i and only use one frequency though. So maybe one of the 3 frequencies of the 705 would be that frequency. I know the experts would recommend the lower frequency for mineralization in general, but is this right for red clay? Who knows? On the other side I know the ETrac would not be a total waste, because it has see through and good ability when dealing with iron, and junk. Not that the OP is considering an ETrac is he?
The guy would be wasting his money if he got something other than a DD coil down here, and a close second on my list would be excellent GB.
I hope my comment draws attention to the fact that the experts are not addressing red clay and whatever is making it so difficult here, ignoring it, and sweeping it under the rug. I honestly think that there are tons of silver coins 6-14 inches down that can't be seen, and the detectorist here are content just getting the ones caught in tree skirts and rocks, or otherwise happen to just be 3 inches deep.
I am a fan of your writings and books, they are great, but I just have to disagree with your comment that your dirt is almost as bad as ours!
When I started the hobby, one of the older and wiser gentlemen at Kellyco answered the phone at Kellyco and consulted me on a potential purchase of a $200 metal detector.
THE FIRST THING HE ASKED ME was "Where do you live? Because if you live more that 100 miles or so from the beach you are going to need manual ground balance and that puts you in a higher price range" Very wise advice, and he may have said something about getting a DD coil, I was little green then, and I would argue that the DD is slightly more important, maybe because I have had manual GB for so long.
Too many times I see the experts not you, on forums, recommend units without even asking where they live.
(I know nothing about ML machines by the way!)
