New User with an Iron Mask Question

[waseeker]

Hi everyone. I'm a new user to this forum and a relatively new Minelab SE user. After lots of frustration not to mention a couple of coils, I've finally settled on the 11" SE Pro coil. I experimented with lots of different settings and set up some of the specialized programs such as the old coins program as described in Andy Sabish's book.

My interest is in finding coins, tokens and jewelry. I generally don't relic hunt.

After meeting and talking to some SE users they all say that I should be hunting exclusively using Iron Mask to find the deeper coins. If my primary interest is coins and tokens what benefit does using Iron Mask give me, since in my limited experience, using iron mask means I dig more rusty nails.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I don't understand your question. First, what do they mean by "iron mask"? If they simply mean knocking out iron (the left 1/3-ish of your screen), then of course, you probably want to knock out iron (nails, etc...) lest you go mad in a typical land site. What type disc. program are you running now? You can just use the factory preset "smart screen" program, and use your ears to pick and choose which things you want, and what you'll elect to pass. That factory preset screen knocks out iron ok (barring extremely large cast iron pieces, or manhole covers, etc... that overcome it)

 

[Larry (IL)]

After reading most of Andy's book, there seems to be two opinions on using Iron Mask. It seems many of us use just enough discrimination or Iron Mask to let us hear what is in the ground and we let our brain make the decision to dig or not to dig. We think we will hear good targets that might be masked otherwise, plus attain maximum depth. The other chain of thought is that by using low Iron Mask, your detector is more likely to "lock on" to an iron target and not "see" the good target. By discriminating out the Iron, you would force the detector to look for a good target that is masked.

Having not experienced the second theory first hand, I use a very low setting of Iron Mask on my SE Pro, usually just above all metal mode for most of my hunting. I use Fe, Smart Screen due to the high iron content in my ground. This will still reject most nails and larger iron and still let me hear the good targets. Rusted square nails and crown caps will still come through the audio, but the cursor will be buried in the lower right corner of the screen. This is what works for me and the bottom line is, try various settings and see firsthand what sounds you like best and what works for you.

Don't get me wrong, a lot of users use discrimination and do just fine. I'm from the old school of thought that less discrimination is best for depth and unmasking and your brain is the best discriminator.

BTW............Get Andy's Book.................

 

[Mike Bearden]

Using iron mask gives you the ability to select how much iron you want the detector to hear. So what your friends are saying is that when you use a wide open iron mask screen, you hear everything the detector does. The more you open up the screen, the less discrimination.
Why do they suggest it ? Because it also makes the detector re-set much faster between targets and the NULL period between targets is actually GONE with a wide open screen.
The more rejection/discrimination ... the longer it takes the detector to re-set ( null period ) between targets.
Problem is ... for a newby, it's a bit overwhelming for the brain to hear that many targets together in a high target environment !!!
So what's the answer ?
It all depends on the user, because there are many ways to get good results by using discrimination, very little discrimination or no discrimination, it's whatever makes the most sense to you !!!
It all boils down to finding out what kind of site you're hunting, what size coil to use for best results, and of course, how you choose to set-up the detector .... and that will come with time spent in the field.
This site can be a great resource for answers along the way of LEARNING how to get the most of your Explorer ..... but there are no real short cuts that actually makes up for hands-on and taking short cuts may or may not leave you truly UNDERSTANDING what you hear from the detector in the field.
On a positive note, you already have some buddies that hunt with Explorers who can help you see, hear and understand by comparing screens, if they will take the time to do that it will help you more than anything you read here or anywhere else.

Whether or not you're using the smart find screen or digital is up to you. For some folks the digital is easier to learn and associate to in the field, especially beginners.
But ... for those that have spent many hours with the Explorer ... it doesn't matter because they are hunting by SOUND first and foremost because all of those sounds have CLICKED in their minds and they know when they hear what they are looking for and it stops them in their tracks when they hear it ... then ... they may look at their screen and start getting serious.

Anyway ... bottom line is .... the more you use it ... the more you will understand.

Good Hunting
Mike

 

[dewcon4414]

Some great answers. I also approach repeated areas i search different every time. If i use say IM 28 i may use cond sounds because the cond digits lock on better than Ferr and im not dealing with as much high pitch sounds from large iron objects like i would be in AM. If i open up the IM i switch to Ferr simply because the tones for iron are lower which means i dont look at the screen as much. I never miss using a PATTERN search on an area... its always paid off for me. With patterns you have to recognize their limitations on deep targets. Target ID's change from air tests once you throw in EMI, minerals, and size at depth. Its obvious by Andy's book some very talented people hunt differently. Like he said a lot has to do with their styles. Bryce moves very slow thru an area and Mike tends to have limited time and trys to covers as much area as possible... but there is no doubt they both have the knowledge to make some incredible finds consisitently. You need to adapt your settings to the style of hunting YOU do.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

If you are going to open up your entire screen (nothing blacked out), then make sure you're hunting in ferrous mode. Because if you are hunting this way in conductive mode, nails will sound like high conductive coins.

 

[grumpyolman]

I mentioned in another post, somewhere on here, that I got a "Y" headphone splitter for abut $8 at Radio Shack. A friend plugged into his machine and we BOTH had our headphones plugged into the splitter so I could hear what he was hearing and I could watch how he was searching. I followed him for about 3 -4 hours and it made a big difference in the learning curve. I suggest that you may want to give that a try. I think it would be prudent to have a long discussion before you start following and listening, that you know for sure what settings he/she is using. Jim

 

[waseeker]

Great suggestions from everyone. Thanks a lot for taking the time to respond. I haven't figured out how to insert quotes yet so I'll just respond in general.

My biggest frustration with IM on has been the additional noise. I've got it set at 22 right now and that is bearable, especially since I've started to understand some of the coin tones. I've got quarters figured out. Dimes and copper memorials still sound pretty much the same to me.

The faster reset time between nulls makes sense to me.

We tried a splitter and it lasted about 15 minutes. He's returning that one and getting another one so we'll be giving that another try as well.

Thanks again

 

[RONC(OR)]

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