Should the search coil touch the ground while scanning?

[T.A.L.LasVegas]

What have you found that works best in parks, do you let the coil touch the ground/grass while scanning or do you just keep it close to the ground?
What about tot lots, do you do it the same as the grass?
I have always kept it off of the ground but I am not sure if that is the best technique.
Thank you for any advice you have, I just want to get the most out of my new X-Terra 705 when it arrives in the mail.
Once again thank you for your help and have a great day digging.
Todd

 

[Digger]

I don't really swing the coil. I make an effort to "work" the coil. Working the coil allows me to control every movement. On smooth sand, I let my coil ride the surface. In dirt and vegetation, I work the coil as close to the ground as possible, without actually touching the soil. When you bounce the coil off of dirt, clods, weeds or other "obstacles", it will cause the detector to produce a false signal. There are typically two solutions for eliminating or reducing false signals...... one is to lower the sensitivity. The second is to keep the coil suspended a little bit. I prefer the second as it allows me to maximize my depth of detection AND minimize the number of times I have to go back over a certain spot, only to learn it was a false signal that made me stop in the first place. JMHO HH Randy

 

[DirtAngler]

If it's a relatively smooth grass area, I let my coil rest on the surface and don't get false signals unless bumping it against rocks or stumps. Even a half inch off the ground could miss a faint signal you might get with the coil on the ground.

 

[T.A.L.LasVegas]

Swinging the coil was a bad choice of words because that implies not keeping it level to the ground I just could not think of the correct words. I have always held my could around three inches off the turf/grass but after some reading thought it might be better to let it kind of glide across the grass instead. The parks I hunted in the past where well manicured no rocks, stumps, weeds etcetera and when my new detector shows up I will be hunting the same parks, all the parks here in Las Vegas or newer and manicured even the soccer fields I search.
If you where hunting treasures on well manicured grass without obstacles, weeds, rocks and roots would you let the coil glide across the grass or hold your coil slightly above the grass?
I wish I was lucky enough to hunt older areas for coins, jewelry and artifacts but the majority of Las Vegas was built in the 90s to present, but I still find some silver coins, jewelry and the ever present pull tabs that we all love.

 

[Digger]

Let her glide! HH Randy

 

[Gaz]

.....even though the XTerra's are light......I use a very simple harness that hardly feels like you're wearing it.
I've adjusted it perfectly so my coil has a very slight clearance from the ground. All I need to do is move side to side and not take the weight.
It glides lovely!!!

Gaz.

 

[chuckciao]

Gaz,
Could you post a photo of this harness. Is it store bought or hand made? I would love to have one since I am experiencing some shoulder pain with my 10.5DD MF.
Thanks
chuckciao

 

[mapper65]

I always have my coil right on top of the ground slightly lifting it enough to make it easy to search back and forth. Only in an area where there may be stones that could excessively scratch the coil cover will I raise it above the surface.

 

[Gaz]

....sure thing Chuck....I'll take a photo and post it.

To be honest....I bought an original from a guy who was making them. They looked really easy to make so I made few as spares.
Club members loved them so I've lost lost 2 already!!

The closest thing I can describe it as is that it fits like a shoulder holster for a side arm. Very very simple to make but the best harness I've ever used.
Harnesses can tend to get a little too complicated and restricting. I found them restricting the width of my sweep.
This one doesn't do that....you basically slip your arm through the looped end and drape it over your shoulder. A bungee cord attaches to the end with a clip on.
I've used a toggle that you typically get on a jacket cord. The ones where you push the top, feed the cord through and let go as it has a spring inside. This adjusts the bungee length so you can fine tune the height....you just then need a velcro or cable tie with a ring on the handle....

Gaz.

 

[DDazzzle]

I also use a harness which sounds exactly like the one Gaz has, I was once mistaken for a member of a Police armed response unit in my all blue detecting gear, it does look like a shoulder holster.

 

[bruce1036]

Hey Gaz,
It's http://www.dmobx.com/swingy_thingy.htm the swingy thingy

 

[Gaz]

......it's similar Bruce but even more simple......

Gaz.

 

[TURNMASTER]

I pretty much ride the grass when hunting the tall stuff, after stomping it over, and glide the surface in the parks. The bumpy, clumpy dirt I, maybe brush the high spots without hitting them and causing falsing. The bigger bumps I work a bit to get good coverage and still maintain a stable height to the ground.

Jeff

 

[Gaz]

.....here you go Chuck.....picture as promised......as I said.....arm goes through the loop.....strap drapes over your right shoulder. Hook onto a loop put onto your machine handle.

Gaz.

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