Nice flash of silver surprise, Trusty old Sovereign back to land use.

[Old California]

Went out this morning to a local park, very tough to get a wheatie from here and a piece of silver even tougher. Within an hour, one wheat penny and a deep 1901 Barber dime. A good 9" inches down, measured it with a Periscope probe before digging the coin. The wheat Penny, only 6" inches still down there deep enough to give that famous Sovereign audio. A little heart gave a deep coin signal, was down maybe 4"-5" inches. The nickel was down about 5"-6" inches, not that old but always a treat digging nickels.

Minelab sure knew what they were doing with the Sovereign and Explorer, Audio is amazing especially on deep coins you know when it's deep from it's audio. Even if the Equinox audio is half as good on deep coins, it'll be a winner for park turf hunters.

Recently, Converted my waterproof Sovereign back to land use. Been sitting in the closet for year's, Coil was hard wired and a good 15" inches of coil cable started to unravel starting from the control housing coming apart exposing wires.

Always wanted to convert it back to land use, figured now was a good time especially with getting a nice Patriot meter from Fisherfinder. Added a headphone plug and female coil connector to housing, before was limited to one hard wired coil and a hard wired headset. Now, Can use a wide range of different coil sizes and different types of headsets.

Managed to salvage the coil, cut off a good portion of damaged cable and soldered on a connector. Length was perfect, barely enough length to connect to back side of meter assembly. This is my second Patriot meter, My GT has a modified Patriot but with this recent meter from Fisherfinder will remain stock. Works great, already mounted to my sovereign and today was its first hunt for both meter and old waterproof Sovereign in year's. No longer waterproof but that's okay, Prefer the waterproof XS over the GT due to being to operate at higher sensitivity in areas the GT can operate as high.

Hopefully get out again tomorrow, These old Sovereigns still put out. Thank goodness too once you learn the Sovereign language, It never leaves you.

Thanks for looking and a big thanks to Fisherfinder for making the trade.

Paul

 

[pan4au]

looks like a good day.... Congrats

 

[Tired Rooster]

Great finds with the Sovereign. They sure are good machines that will pull the goods outa the ground!

 

[Rick(ND)]

Paul,

Good to see you using the Sovereign again as it is quite the detector, I even preferred it over the Explorer for better ID and how the Sovereign hates iron, but yet can pick up a good target right next to iron once you know the Sovereign. Myself I really like the Sun Ray DTI 2 or 3 meters over the Patriot meter, but that is me I guess.
As soon as I heard about the Equinox I got one on order as I feel it may be the light weight detector and yet still do as well as my Sovereign will.

Good luck
Rick

 

[Old California]

Thanks Pan,

Sure was a good day, didn't get a chance to use the Sovereign today maybe tomorrow.

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Old California]

Thank you Rooster,

Yes indeed, Sovereign can still get those deep coins. I'll try and get out tomorrow, was hoping to use the Sov today but ended up using a TDI instead. Scored an 1892 Indian penny with the Pi, At an old park.

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Old California]

Thank you Rick,

You're not kidding, Sovereign can get coins with a piece of iron in the hole. One would think not with all the nulling, Then all of a sudden there's that deep coin signal.

Still remember my first Sovereign silver, A Rosie and I didn't have the slightest clue what I did to make the Sovereign find it. I'm sure everyone else felt the same, the torture we went through learning the Sovereign. Those that hung in there with the long learning curve, Were rewarded with gobs of silver. My learning curve was a good year, and to think most of use weren't using meters we hunted by audio at first.

I haven't ordered a Equinox yet, Will surely get one soon right behind you Rick.

Thanks again Rick,
Paul

 

[Old California]

Went back to the same park today, not more than 20 feet from the last barber dime another one surfaces. 1905, then same general area dig a Maverick token, 2.50 with stars circulating the token on both sides.

Two hour hunt, no other coins just these two both 7" inches deep.

HH, Paul

 

[GeorgeinSC]

A bit over five years ago at the recommendation of my Brother in law I purchased the Sovereign GT. For quite some time I thought that I had wasted a bunch of money as I could not understand a single word the Gt was saying. I was digging Junk left, right and every other direction on the compass. Of course even though I was struggling with it if found a barber quarter, a barber dime and a couple other silver coins. Then I found one of the "Ron's 180 meter" and it did not take long for the light at the end of the tunnel to become much brighter. Now all the meter does is confirm what I think the detector is telling me. One park I worked I kept finding clad coins in the same hole as a nail or other piece of steel and the GT told me that the coin was there.

 

[Old California]

Thank you for sharing your GT learning curve experience George, Ha... You went through the same painful learning curve we went through

Isn't it funny, what was once noise is now music to our ears. But it takes patience, determination the user needs to be committed with learning the Sovereign. Takes a long term commitment, Will have constant let downs but eventually the tough learning curve will come together like a puzzle with that last piece.

Appreciate you jumping in and sharing, boy those are the good old days.

Thanks again,
Paul

 

[Ron from Michigan]

I usually appreciate the Sovereign more after taking a break using another detector. Once back in a well worked park using the Sovereign everything starts coming together with deep coins that were missed in previous hunts. Nice post Thanks Ron

 

[Rick(ND)]

As you notice these are getting harder to find all the time and those that are for sale are not cheap anymore. Those that have a Sovereign and know them are keeping them and looking to pick up more.
Back when I was selling used ones I checked over and fixed up what needed to be and find a 180 meter to put on them before I sold them. Many people had a tough time and all I told them was have patience and use it as much as possible.
One I remember was a guy out east that wanted one for beach hunting and was shocked at the different tones and tried it and didn't do good the first few time out. week later was doing better, but his pals were getting more and giving him crap. Maybe a week later he was doing as good and not digging so much trash as the others did, then a while latter he was getting more good stuff than his 2 buddies together with their detectors could get.
He told me after the first week he was ready to give up on it and sell it, but was glad he listened to me and had the patience to really learn it, many don't take the time to know and learn it, took me a good 3 weeks to understand mine and seem to learn something every time out with it.


Rick

 

[Old California]

I agree Ron,

It's easy to get forget how well a Sovereign can do under tough situations, When going back to the Sovereign it all comes back and we appreciate BBS technology even more.

Thank you,
Paul

 

[Old California]

These are getting tougher to find that's for sure, currently have two working units and a ton of spare parts.

That's a neat story Rick of the fellow out east starting off with his Sovereign for beach hunting, I'm glad he hung in there it paid off. Here on West Coast, Was a time most everyone used a Sovereign for ocean wet sand, nothing could touch a Sov on depth especially those using a 15" WOT or SunRay 12" coil. All metal was extreamly deep, I'd say about 65 to 75% of Beach users were using a Sovereign.

With the Equinox soon to be released, have a good feeling it'll do well in both land and ocean wet Sand and it's waterproof. I'll be getting one too Rick, in no hurry they'll be available even after the release date so I'll be getting one to swing.

Enjoy the Equinox Rick,
Paul

 

[crazyman]

Nice finds Paul! I like how you set your Sovereigns up. Reminds me of my old Whites 5900/6000 detectors. The Sovereigns will never be obsolete to me. I still use mine for both beach and land. My GT gets about equal time with my Deus.

 

[OldBeechnut]

Nice finds Paul! I like how you set your Sovereigns up. Reminds me of my old Whites 5900/6000 detectors. The Sovereigns will never be obsolete to me. I still use mine for both beach and land. My GT gets about equal time with my Deus.

Not seen this name in sometime..

 

[OldBeechnut]

Two fine looking Machines Old California!! Congrads on the old silver too!

 

[crazyman]

How are you doing Beechnut? I'm still out there pounding the beaches and hunting old ghost towns and logging camps. I don't post much anymore but still stop by every now and then to see what folks are up to. Take care my friend!

 

[Old California]

Hello Crazyman,

I remember you always having a Sovereign rig or two on hand, you always kept good care of yours based from the picture they still are in great condition.

Deus is a good model, have one myself and I like the HF coils for my type of hunting. Waiting for latest upgrade, current one has a bug with the pin pointer.

Good to hear from you, take care.
Paul

 

[Old California]

Thanks old beechnut,

Amazing BBS technology open doors for us back in early nighties, from park tuff to ocean wet sand it was untouchable in its day.

Thanks again,
Paul