Need some thoughts

[1goldsniper]

I am detecting an old ghost town and the trash is so thick the detector is in a constant nulling ( no threshold at all) I can throw down a quarter and it cannot pick it up. So I know I am missing good targets. Any thoughts? Or is it a hopeless case?

 

[Digger]

I've not found a site that I'd consider "hopeless". However I will say that I hunt several I consider to be very challenging. Knowing that most other detectorists gave up on it (due to their considering it to be hopeless) only makes it more challenging. With that said, nulling of the Threshold is caused when a target contains either ferrous or conductive properties (or both) that have been set to reject. (discrimination). To reduce nulling, reduce the amount of discrimination. Other suggestions would be to use a smaller coil. Smaller coils have a smaller "footprint" and will not analyze as much soil at any-one-time. Analyzing a smaller area allows for better target separation. Lowering the Sensitivity in an area will cause the detector to be less sensitive to all targets under the coil, including the trash. Keep in mind that this can also result in a loss of detection depth for the good stuff. And lastly, read some of the many discussions on this forum about 2-tone ferrous. Running with minimal discrimination, using 2-tones in the ferrous mode will provide a low tone on those ferrous targets with a ferrous value greater than 17 and a high tone on the targets with a ferrous value of 17 or less. This allows you to filter out most the targets with a high ferrous content "by ear" and verify the high tones with the conductivity number on the TID. The levels of discrimination vary by user and by site. And there are some discrimination suggestions that will assist in filtering out the "wrap around" signals of large, deep ferrous targets. There has been a very thorough discussion of the topic of 2-tone Ferrous on this forum, in recent weeks. Scroll down a few posts or do a search. You'll find plenty of good information on how to approach these types of sites. JMHO HH Randy

 

[NebTrac]

Randy hit the nail on the head! Just some thoughts as I was reading his post. If you're running Auto Sensitivity, you might decrease the numbers to the minus side (-1, -2, or -3). A smaller coil should benefit you too.

NebTrac

 

[surfdog]

Hello,
I too am hunting sites with lots of iron and trash. I as well agree with Diggers assessment, First, one has to open up the discrimination to find the masked stuff.
My personnel settings for a high iron/trash site is to hunt with the Iron Mask screen (as my primary screen) opened up with no discrimination. I use 4 tone, ferrous tones. I set ground to difficult, fast response and high trash. When I get a high tone mixed in with the low tones, I then try and isolate it and switch back and forth between a discrimination smart find screen (to check depth) and the opened up iron mask screen. I have been pulling silver at 7" in the same hole with ferrous trash using the 8" minelab FBS coil.I am pretty pleased with this setup.It can be a little noise busy but it eliminates the masking and allows me to pull out some good stuff. Don't give up on your machine.You own the best one out there for coin hunting. You just got to get er dialed in. IMHO.
Good Hunting
Bill Tracy

 

[1goldsniper]

I have been running deep off, fast on, 4 tone, but have been running with disc set at 25 blocking out the lower half, sensitivity I have been running just a little above where the machine is automatically assessing the ground. If one runs the sensitivity in the minus #'s how depth do you get? Most good items found have only been about 3"-4". Even though I find a few coins they are not what I am hunting for but tokens. They will still come thru above the 17.won't they?

 

[tmanly]

What size coil are you using? You may do better with a 5" coil. I love mine and use it often in high trash.

 

[Mosley]

What brand of smaller coil would you recomend?

 

[1goldsniper]

5" stealth.Would be nice if there was a 3" coil

 

[utahshovelhead]

Just an odd note to you but don't be afraid to rake off the top few inches of soil in the hot spots. This may seem like a lot of work but occasionaly if I can I will do this and just getting rid of the surface iron helps. I realize that you cant do this on the whole area but it has worked well for me at times when there is not much else to do. In one area I just dig a foot off over a 10x10 area and am always surprised to find more targets down there.

good luck
utahshovelhead

 

[Ohio bud]

Lots of very good suggestions. You may also try to set the threshold down to about 13. Also try some iron mask on the bottom. Try "pitch hold" this seems to eliminate the thumping as the machine nulls out.
Ohilo Bud