ME and my XLT Today Sunday

[Elton]

If your looking for great finds. Stop now don't read any further.
Because you will not find that in this little article.
Today Sunday I got up and decided I was going to detect a little.
I did not take a Minelab, a Fisher, or any fancy coils with me. I took an XLT with a 5" coil, and a 350 sharpshooter coil. Didn't even go to a good hunting area. (I just wanted to detect) I wanted to go back to the basics. Didn't want to compete with my friends for the best find, deepest find, or even the most valuable find. Just wanted to go out an detect as I did when I first started. The only difference was I now knew what coil I wanted to try. I did not know the difference way back when. What ever came on the detector worked just fine.Thats my point I
was happy to just be out detecting. I have lost sight of that over the years and detcting has become somewhat of a chore. I had to have the best detector(OR what everyone said was) Had to have the deepest detector, had to have all the bells and whistles..you know what I mean and what detecting has come to for a lot of us. Well it wasn't fun anymore. It was a competition not a hobby.Today was different. All my friends went to lake Erie and will hunt to beat the other guy. To find the best, the shiniest, the most expensive ring they can find. Will they have fun..sure. And so would I had I gone with them..but no today I went metal detecting. I had a great time !! dug a lot of junk, dug some wheat pennies and even got a silver dime.Did I find anything great???
You bet I did. I found why I started this hobby to begin with.. I found I enjoyed what I was doing. I found it to be fun just detecting to be detecting. I had fun, and all the little nothing items gave me a thrill again like it used too do when I didn't have the desire to be the best, or find the most, or find the most valuable. I found my hobby again.
I know this was a weird story, but it's true.I enjoyed the day.Just detecting...........
Elton

 

[clondike clad]

Me and a pal Did some clad hunting I found 83 coins one silver toe ring.
I was using mY M6 he had the Prizm 3 and found 29 coins and a timex.
Did we have fun.
He did fall in love with my M6 with the 5.3 coil.
When I can't hsve fun it is time to stop detecting.

 

[Elton]

Thats what I'm saying. Somewhere along the way you get wrapped up in competition, not detecting. You go home a little sad that you were not the best. Sure your happy for the guy who found it all, and you should be. BUT< I mean I had forgotten what brought me to the hobby in the first place. Enjoyment. happy with a penny, or what ever fell under the coil. The thrill of the hunt. It was fun for me today, and I plan on doing it again real soon. I have spent a bundle on detectors over the years and some of my most enjoyable times was with a Used Whites coinmaster years ago.
I tried a minelab Se Why.... So I could be deeper and find better things than my friends. Thats not having fun, it's competition it's forever trying to out do someone else. It was not fun, The detector was heavy, my arm felt like it was going to fall off, and my shoulder ached the next day. Why?? Just so I could detect deeper and hopefully find the best finds. Sure I like great finds, but I think I would rather have fun, enjoy what I am doing and let the great finds be that. Great finds, And why can't the pennies be great finds. They used to be. See my point???
Elton

 

[Gunnar of bradford MN]

ya i think some duds get spoiled , since i got my M-6 in june ive not found one silver coin a junk ring im getting a bit discouraged ive been unemployed for 3 years thats why i bouhgt the detector i was thinking as long as im out of work and cant lift 50 pounds maybe i could find somthing woth some money and at least pay off my detector but my hopes have been disapointing but i have really enjoeyed finding the cladd and getting out its a privlige and im thankfull sometimes i feel like the last guy in line and when its my turn NO MORE left but i will keep searching maybe i will find something i think some of the whites adds are lies why not say ,man finds 200 pop tabs worth 87 cents well no one would be intrested o well i will go back to finding square nails in the rum river what a hot spot

 

[Scottowl]

I started out with an MXT, and had to get every coil for it I could afford. Although I learned alot about detecting from it, everytime I went out with someone else, it turned into a competition. I felt compelled to dig every signal, lest I leave a gold ring in the ground.

Recently I decided I needed a back-up detector that would be good enough to loan out to anybody getting interested it detecting. I got a Classic ID from a great guy on the forums (who happens to be the #1 fan of the Classic series). After using this little detector for a couple of months I find I prefer it to my beloved MXT!

The Classic came with an 8" coil, and I got a 3.5" from a great gal, also on the forum, and I feel I have nothing left to buy, except maybe a makeover from Mr. Bill later on.

Today I went out and spent 1.5 hours in the broiling sun, and came out with $1.79. Included was one hole that netted 2 quarters and one dime.

Most people would not bother with such a meager return. That is fortunate, because if you are into this for the money, did you ever miss the boat!

I detect because it's the closest I will ever be to when I was a little kid.

 

[Monte]

with my mother and the many things we did to pass the time, the types of site we played at, and some of the coins we quizzed over. It's pretty sad when I can remember the first time I encountered a Barber dime in change at the little market on 40th and Adams. The Indian Head cents I'd use from time-to-time to buy 1

 

[Monte]

in many ways. Less stressful and, quite often, you can actually do better than when competing with others.

Glad you had a great time, and thanks for the nice post reminder.

Monte

 

[Elton]

Man...that says it all..So my post wasn't so weird after all.
Lets have fun, be a kid again and go detecting for the thrill of finding what we find..Thanks guys, now I feel a little better.I was almost embarrassed when I posted. But once again you guys proved your the best.
Thanks
Elton

 

[Elton]

Beautifully said Monte....This is what detecting should be fun, exciting
make great friends and go back in time to a better day(Feelings)
Thank you fine Sir. I really appreciate your post
Elton

 

[Elton]

Yes your right.and if you do not do so well.."So What", we had fun and enjoyment.It was great for me just Detecting.

 

[Elton]

Bet you had fun didn't you ???

 

[jmaryt]

this approach can be very rewarding,because you dont feel pressured to "come through" so to speak!to feel like you have to compete all the time actually can be counter productive,and certainly can make the hobby feel like "work" as opposed to fun as it should be!

(h.h!)
j.t.

 

[Scottowl]

I really am enjoying that Classic ID. Just today I went to an older school with the MXT for 1.5 hours, and got $1.33. Later on I hit a new park with the Classic ID and that hockey puck coil, hunted the same 1.5 hours, and got $1.33, right down to the penny! There was a 1952 wheatback from the newer park. I would have figured any wheatie would have came from the school, as I have found them there before. A very unusual coincidence.

The difference was that, early in the morning with the MXT, I was serious about turning up a ring. I was straining, and digging every 'iffy' signal. Try as I might, no ring today.

The afternoon hunt was much more enjoyable. I put no pressure on myself, and sort of let my mind wander. The difference in noise level between the two detectors is suprising.

The more time I get with the Classic the better I like it. I would like your opinion on one observation I have made on it. When I find a nickel, the display blinks on the segment immediately below nickel indication, then lights it up. A fliptop also makes a fluctuation, but it is over three or more segments. Do you feel that is an accurate way to discriminate out jagged chunks of aluminum?

Also, when air testing some of the rings I have found, I notice a fluctuation pattern identical to the nickel scenario. This occurs up to 4" away from the coil. Some rings center on the segment below nickel, and silver rings indicate in the dime or quarter territory. They all seem to give that tight fluctuation, however. Can I use this observation in the field to lessen the 100 pulltabs per 1 ring ratio, or would you still recommend the "Beep=Dig" school of thought?

Incidentally, I have 10 hours on your set of batteries, and a $13 return on the investment so far! No rings as of yet, but that is just a matter of time!

 

[jerr696]

Thank you ELTON.I needed that.HH- Jerry(in Madera)