New to Minelab, TID question

[Magic Potion]

I have been using a Vaquero for awhile now and got an itch a couple weeks ago to mix it up. I think always being around friends with digital machines caused me to finally break down. I have never owned a digital machine, so I did a lot of research before purchasing one. I was looking hard at the Etrac, Dues and 705. I was able to test all three and I came to the conclusion that the 705 fit my needs the best. I could not be happier with the purchase! Most of the soil I hunt here in Illinois is very mild, the 705 auto GB's in the 50s usually. The stock concentric seems to be excellent, I am surprised at the depth I am getting.

The last couple of times out I have been out I have had some issues with copper pennies. In my limited experience with the machine, I have been starting to get the hang of dimes and quarters. But, copper pennies have be baffled. I have had them hit at 26-28, 32-34, 36-38, 38-40, 40-42. These are pre 82 memorials at a depth of 2-8". Tonight I hit one about 7" that was locked on 40-42 and this past weekend the same thing, but at 3". The only thing I can think of is the ground is very wet, the dirt is like cake batter. This might be causing the higher TID? Clad dimes hit at 36-38 and quarters 40-42 regardless though...

Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Old Longhair]

First of all, WELCOME!
You've just purchased the best kept secret in detecting.
Be sure to download Randy Horton's FREE e-book "Understanding Your Xterra". There are links to it and tons of other useful information in the FAQFAQ pinned thread on this forum.

There are a number of factors that can influence TID, but it really doesn't matter that much. Coming from a Tesoro you know the importance of audio, and the Xterra is no different. Audio rules! The display only provides additional information, should you decide to utilize it. Most of us strive to learn the machine in All Metal w/Multi tones [28], which is more tones than the Vaq, but the basic premise of tonal characteristics is the same.
Ground moisture is most certainly one contributor to the TID irregularity that you experienced, but if you were running any disc, and with a concentric coil, there is a possibility that there was other metal in the detection field that skewed the ID.
I said that it didn't really matter. That's because if it sounds like a coin target I'm going to dig it. Once you've put some time in the field, you'll get to know what I mean by "sounds like a coin". Clean, consistent, repeatable, coin sized tones. It won't take long to train your brain to key on non-ferrous tones, and if you learn in AM you'll also learn proper sweep speed.

GL & HH!

 

[Magic Potion]

OLH, thanks for the Welcome. I have to admit, I have read a ton of your posts and they have been a huge help. I downloaded Randy's book and it has been a huge help too.

I have been running an open disc pattern with the 28 tones. I started off with 4 tones, but once I tried the 28...wow. I am with you 100% on the importance of audio, I guess I am fixated on the screen now that I actually have one. Don't get me wrong, I can definitely tell with a good amount of certainty when I have a coin under the coil as the audio acts very similar to the Vaquero. As I am learning the machine still, I dig just about everything. I like to see where things hit and the tones they produce. I have gone over spots that I beat to death with the Vaquero and I am still pulling coins and even a ring!

Thanks again.

 

[BillF]

Magic Potion, welcome.
In 40 years of detecting I have used many machines. The last detector I used was also a Vaquero. I know some folks seem to love it but honestly, I could hardly wait to sell it.
Not so with the Xterra 705. I really love this detector. I think I may dig almost as much junk as I did with the Vaquero but I have a much better idea what it is beforehand. I try to hunt most times in AM, 4 tones(99 is overload right now) GB tracking on. We have very mineralised soil here and conditions change with just a few feet. I try to hunt by tone and target size, using the TID as just another tool but not relying on it. 46 is almost always a crown cap, 48 a nail but I dig anyway because some forum members have found halfs with these numbers.
Pull tabs give responses in the gold ring range but are usually jumpy. Still, I hate to not dig them because they may be a good target or masking one.
You'll be happy with what the 705 will do. Enjoy and HH.

 

[kevmar]

I think discriminating out the lowest and highest numbers in pattern 1 helps,
I use 2 tone and find it incredible.

 

[pescadore]

Mine will do the same thing on pennies but the TID is usually higher not.lower. i get pennys that ID like quarters at times. I always thought that it was because I have tendencey to run my sensitivity pretty high or maxed out. Longhair is right though, the audio is the way to go.

 

[tjhoosier]

I agree on the audio. They sound pretty much the same regardless of the TID. After using the 705 a while I was able to pick out something worth digging solely based on tone. Not that I won't dig anything else (like Digger says-you never know until you dig it). I also have encountered the different TID on pennies and dimes mostly. I think it's due mostly to soil type and moisture in the ground which will make it register higher. I've dug pennies that I thought were going to be clad dimes. Just chalk it up to the learning curve and it reinforces the dig it rule.

 

[kevmar]

Remember your tones are only as good as your headphones,
I use Koss 30's.

 

[Digdoggy]

The 705 has been really good in high mineralized soil like 9 -17 ground phase with the DD coil, digger or 5x10 DD. If,,,,,,If ,,,I run sens no more than 18, 20. Lincolns 32,34, clad dime 38,40 clad quarter 42 solid.
I do need to work on my audio with trash that id's like clad.

 

[fwcrawford]

Looks like you got some good responses to your question from reading the other posts.
I will add one more thing to what has already been stated.. some older wheat pennies read lower than later dates.
I have read about this and actually found it to be true out in the field when finding wheaties back into the teens, twenties, and early thirties.
This may explain the various ID readings on some of the pennies.