Noobtastic...

[Dodqe]

I've been given a metal detector (White's Goldmaster II, 9" 'Longscan' DD (I think, it's oval)) by a friend a couple years ago and have been getting into it over the past year or so. I have searched my 2 acre yard about 10 times over. Seems every time I search I wind up finding something I previously missed. So far I have found a key, an indian head wheat penny, a radiator cap/ornament, two silver-looking buttons (not sure what kind of metal they are), and three King George II half-pennies. Also some trinkets like a watch band buckle, about 10 bullets, and tons of foil and nails.

My questions are....

Is there a better coil for searching cut-grass fields (for the Goldmaster II)?

Do my sweeps have to overlap, or is it okay to move forward one full coil length each pass?

Sometimes when I'm in discrimination mode, it says 'Ferrous' in one direction, and 'Non-Ferrous' in the other. Is that normal?

How much easier is it searching with a newer detector? Should I upgrade?

Is there a 'n00b' forum that I should be posting these questions in?

Sorry if I posted this wrong, or if I've asked too many q's...



After re-reading before posting, I realize now that I should've posted most of my questions in the Analog forum... I think...

 

[plidn1]

The gold master 2 is a tremendous, older detector, for gold. It is a specialized detector with not many, if any coils available.
You need to post in the whites section of the forum. Lot's of knowledgeable people there.
They will steer you straight.
You can also get an owners manual on the whites web site for it.

 

[Dodqe]

Thanks for that link. I had a manual for a different detector but was able to fudge my way through. This machine seems pretty straight-forward.
I'll repost my questions in the Whites forum in a few... After I read the proper manual, LoL...

 

[Ed in SoDak]

We all had a lot of questions to start. At least with detecting it's often possible to do some tests and learn things that way, too.

I don't know the Goldmaster as I've never tried one, but some things are similar one make or model to the next and you can draw generalities. Small coils fit tighter spaces and inbetween junk to find good targets. Depth can be lost compared to a larger coil, but in bad soil or in rocks, a small coil may end up winning the contest. Large coils cover more ground, not always deeper, but usually provide at least a little more depth.

I did some tests indoors that are easy to duplicate with your own coil and detector: http://www.findmall.com/read.php?60,1743621

That may help explain some poor or shifting IDs you might see, like ferrous/non-ferrous readings. It also shows how far a given coil's signal radiates beneath the soil. My coils tested on a quarter as having a fairly broad and flat-bottomed detection pattern. But put the same coin on edge instead of flat and the detection pattern changes radically, becoming donut-shaped with poor ID outside of that. There was a big difference in not only depth but width as well, going from a no-motion All-Metal mode to a disc mode where I only logged signals that gave a correct ID, as opposed to merely hearing a signal of any type in all-metal.

Other coil designs may behave differently, but I'd guess we're seeing the basic electromagnetic response that governs all wound-wire coils.

But shifty signals might also be explained by multiple targets under the coil or maybe some odd ground effects, a target on the edge of the coil or in one of those "iffy" spots shown in my tests.

So you could theoretically widen your sweep to the outer edges of the detection field, but that pesky tilted coin or nearby junk shows that we need to sweep from more than one direction or angle. If you hunt east to west across a property, follow up next trip by going north to south or southeast to northwest, ect. Coming at an unseen target from one way or another may put it in a better angle to be found the second or third trip around the hunting locality. Seasonal soil moisture, changing vegetation, etc. always insures we'll never, ever find it all.

A new detector can be harder or easier to learn, depending on which one you choose. Now wasn't that helpful advice? LOL! I have a newer detector, but still really enjoy using my 12-year-old discontinued model and I probably understand it a lot better. Knowing your machine is more than half the battle.

You seem to be off to a good start! That's more cool stuff than I've found in my own yard.

-Ed

 

[Larry (IL)]

Owners manual for the Goldmaster ll http://media.whiteselectronics.com/manuals/Goldmaster%20Manuals/GM%202%20Instruction%20Manual.pdf

 

[Dodqe]

Thanks, Larry. I read that and learned a lot. Now I know how to properly balance it. World o' difference... I have to go over my entire yard again.

Also, yeah Plidn1, you're right. This thing is great for detecting tiny pieces of gold, but kinda gets difficult in the coin department. It gets 6" in open air testing with a silver ring. I think I might go shopping soon... Probably in the $500-$800 range. I'll look around this weekend. Any suggestions? I plan on mostly field/lawn detecting, some old fairgrounds sites, and pavillions. I rarely go to the beach.

Ed, your thread has me thinking. I am going to do some comparisons with my machine too. I haven't mapped it yet but initially I am seeing a very similar field on my coil. I also noticed a curious effect that I think will help see the big picture... I think I'll map it now, and try to get a better understanding of what is actually happening. Thanks tons for pointing me to your research. I am looking at it very differently now.

Is that thread still open? Is it okay to post my results in it?

 

[plidn1]

Dodge,
The reason you can't get the depth with the gold master is the KHZ's that it runs at. The higher the KHZ the less depth you will get but more sensitive to gold. A good balance is a machine that runs in the 10 to 15 KHZ range for most hobby situations.
Without knowing what your hunting preferences are and how your ground measures up, it is hard to guide you.
I suggest you start with an easy to learn and inexpensive detector until you know what you want.
Tesoro has some very good starter detectors as well as Garrett, fisher and whites.
Look them over good, they are all different and can be confusing. Find one that will do pretty much what YOU want it to do.

I dig a lot of jewelry and coins and you will find, that most of your targets will be in the 4" to 7" range normally with a flyer once in a while a little deeper. Don't worry too much about the depth as they all will get you where you need to be.
Have fun, and remember, if you don't dig it, you'll never really know what it was.

 

[Ed in SoDak]

That would be great to see other coils and machines tested and added to my thread. I have more to add to it myself, but it wasn't getting many responses.

-Ed