The Safari learning curve is starting to arc

[The Fog]

I got my safari a month ago and was confused and disappointed at first, now its all starting to come together! Today I found 4 musketballs, an old spoon, a frock button, seated quarter and a 1828 King George IV half penny. The seated quarter is in AMAZING shape, I only cleaned it with mild soap and water.

 

[hollywood13185]

Congrats on that quarter, what a beauty!

 

[ngrelic]

Nice finds!!!!!!

 

[MR.SCOTT]

That's great news! I hope I get the hang of it soon.Nice finds Fog!

 

[James N.D.]

Now that is a once in a lifetime find! Make sure to get that into a 2x2 so it doesn't get scuffed. Congrats on a very nice find! Continued Success, Good Luck and HH.

P.S. I wouldn't use any kind of soap for cleaning Silver, since some products could have abrasives that could scratch the coins surface. I would run the coin under the faucet to rinse the majority of the dirt away and then take a soft toothbrush and ever so gently rub the area's that have dirt still in them. Just a thought! Again, congrats on a Super Seated Quarter!

 

[The Fog]

Yep old silver is nice, That was on the side of a steep hill in the woods about 6-7" deep, rang loud and clear. Ironically its in just as nice a shape as the seated dime I found. But check out the Draped Bust my buddy pulled yesterday... unreal shape. He only had 10 minutes to swing the area because it got dark, I'll have my Safari there all day come Saturday... I'm really starting to love this machine.

 

[James N.D.]

The ground must be very kind to the coins in that area, since it's wooded I would think. That Large Cent sure is a beauty! What a find! Very nice Silver also. Looks like a great spot to hunt at. Thanks for sharing the pics and I hope many more keepers are waiting for you guys. Continued Success, Good Luck and HH.

 

[1relichunter]

OK, I bought the Safari, after using the Whites Prizim 5 for a while. I am ready to throw this Safari in the lake. I did a test garden, marked the spots. I can't pick up a silver dollar, a large cent, silver dime, and others. Out at a known park loaded with modern coins I have found with the Prizim, I'm really racking up bottle caps. Despite entering my own program just to find modern coins, as a test, my readings are way off. I get a bottle cap at 35. Pinpointing is non-existent , really having a lot of problems using this detector. I didn't expect it to lead me to the next big find, I know there is a learning curve, but after a month, this is ridicules, am i the only one who has over paid for a machine that does nothing except give me a headache? I have Andys book, but so far it's not helping. HELP!!!!

 

[ngrelic]

Let us know how you have the machine set up. It sure aint a "beep-dig" detector.

 

[1relichunter]

OK, I just came in, went to the test area with settings at Reject -10 to +12 and +17 to +22 and +40. Set it at Low Trash, and Sensitivity at 20. unable to ind the silver dime, silver dollar, large cent, I then set to high trash and located all coins. Drove to a nearby park where I always find clad stuff. The machine goes nuts, registers almost everything at 40, start digging, nothing. Go back to Low Trash, same thing. Switch to factory coin setting, noisy as heck. Ready to toss this sucker and go back to the reliable Whites Prizim. I have Andys book, threw out the factory manual, it's useless. I have tried many of Andys tips, nothing seems to work. It's me, isn't it!!!! I can't believe I spent this much for so little pleasure. Any advice??

 

[ronaldj2]

Yes I agree this is a very busy machine, I personally have found clad, silver coin, silver rings, a gold ring, nickles stacked up on top of one another, pennies in the same manner. The machine stayed at a steady 40 one time, and that was the silver dime 8" deep. You may have a problem with the machine if it reads 40 at almost everything. In some of the trashier ballfields or parks the machine does go nuts, but I have learned to slow down and start to pinpoint mutiple targets within the swinging radius. I marked them with sticks, and almost everytime dug multiple targets. Example: A dime and a penny close to each other, or trash within inches of a coin. I ignore the plunk sound on items that are scrimmed out, and the outtings get more productive. My brother was out with me he was using the BH 505, and getting multiple signals and was getting frustrated because of the pinpointing issue. I would go to his target area with the safari, get multiple readings, and slowly pinpoint and dig the targets. which in most cases were more than one coin in the same area. I have only used the factory settings, and its usually coin/jewelry as I don't want to miss anything. I always do a noise cancel, especially if I feel the machine is going nuts. Try another area or slow down a little, and try doing the noise cancel in a few different area. It is my opinion that the machine is way too expensive to just give up !!! So hang in there 1relic hunter. I haven't gotten Andy's book yet, but I've read it has helped some people out. I will be doing a repost on soil conditions. Hope this helped. Ron

 

[ngrelic]

Good advice Ron............I would also lower the sensitivity from 20 down to around 16 in a trashy area. The Safari will find the good stuff, deep, just hang in there and learn the machine.

 

[zeekeys]

Fog super finds!!! Great work. HH
Thanks for the info also because I dug 9 coins total in 6 hunts (6 pennies) and man oh man the trash filled my pouch time and time again. I also got great signals but couldn't find anything in the holes. Each time I dug trash it confirmed that there was something in that hole. It only took one time when I couldn't find anything in the hole, I just kept making the hole bigger and deeper and out came a BB sized metal ball. It confirmed there was something there but too small for the scoop to pick up. So with those holes I now just cover them back up and say I will be back when I know this detector better and retrieve this treasure.
It is a different detector and not like the other detectors that I have used, but it is a keeper. It is a simple detector, and being a simple guy we fit together very nicely. I have the feeling that the Safari and I will be friends for a long time. It is the only detector since the Compass X100 I had for years and didn't care if I got another one. I have stopped looking for a back up or a new detector since coming back to detecting 3 years ago. I have gone through 6 detectors in three years. Even at $1000 I will save money by keeping this Safari.
I just relax and enjoy the hunt and I am digging deeper than before......Z

 

[ronaldj2]

If I can't see the target after pulling the plug, and checking the plug, and rechecking the hole, I use the pinpointer probe it usually helps alot. I have an old butcher knife that I rounded the point on and I will take the plug and slice layers off it. I always start at the bottom of the plug until I find the target. This way if you are in a park or a ballfield you still have a nice plug with grass attached to cover the top of the hole. No stress here when it comes to detecting I am out to relax and enjoy, even if it means a pouch full of trash. Thats just less trash in the ground for the next time. My safari is definately a keeper, I'm very glad I bought it! Ron

 

[dont know nutin]

OK, I bought the Safari, after using the Whites Prizim 5 for a while. I am ready to throw this Safari in the lake. I did a test garden, marked the spots. I can't pick up a silver dollar, a large cent, silver dime, and others. Out at a known park loaded with modern coins I have found with the Prizim, I'm really racking up bottle caps. Despite entering my own program just to find modern coins, as a test, my readings are way off. I get a bottle cap at 35. Pinpointing is non-existent , really having a lot of problems using this detector. I didn't expect it to lead me to the next big find, I know there is a learning curve, but after a month, this is ridicules, am i the only one who has over paid for a machine that does nothing except give me a headache? I have Andys book, but so far it's not helping. HELP!!!!

I had the same trouble with the Safari I got too! here is a photo of me trying to find a quarter my safari said was here! I am glad the city park guy didn't see me dig this hole in the middle of his nice grass lawn!

 

[The Fog]

Some bottlecaps will read out at 35, or 33, 34 etc, especially those dam nip bottlecaps. The old Square nails are the worst, they make ya think you got something good. And it's not just the Safari. I hunt with a buddy of mine and he has a Minelab Excaliber, we check each others targets prior to each dig so we can each learn more. We usually come to similar conclusions, and each time I think it's a good target and he agrees often times it is trash, bottlecap, nail, iron etc. This machine is not a magic bullet, you will get false readings, you will dig trash, his machine is no different. The more you use the machine you will start to know good from bad fairly accurately. Also keep in mind this is a BIG coil! If you're gonna hunt very trashy areas you may be better served with a sniper coil. Old iron can give you a whole array of signals, from -10 to 38, it's just the property of the metal during different stages of its decomposition. My biggest challenge after I started to move away from the all over the map signals that trash often shows wa trying to pinpoint. I've managed to get a handle it recently. Although last week just before dark I had a good 38 signal and I dug all over for about 20 minutes, roots rocks, and ever widening the hole. It got dark and I refilled for another day. I pulled 2 large cents last week from the same hole, both in nice shape.... unfortunately when I got home there was only one in the pouch I guess it just wanted to stay lost.

 

[1relichunter]

I've tried as much as I am going to, my opinion now is this is a way over priced detector. They advertise out of the box usage, bull! Maybe if you work for the company. I just put the sucker up on Craigs List for sale, better sell it then smash it. If anyone wants a really fantastic Safari, with both batterys, rechargeable and regular, bag, headphones, it's $900.00, two weeks old. Now I'll find a more reliable machine that's works somewhat out of the box.

 

[ngrelic]

Sorry to here that, 1relichunter. Good luck with whatever you end up with. I will stick with the Safari myself as it is quickly becoming the best detector I have ever used, and I have used a buch over the last 30 years.

 

[ronaldj2]

Hey dont no nutin, Didn't you sell your safari to your neighbor for a mere 200 bucks. That hole must be from your other detector. The final test for my safari will be at the beach. Cape Cod this time of year is nice !! Going for a few days, starting in the afternoon April 19th-22nd. I'll keep you posted.

 

[dont know nutin]

Hey dont no nutin, Didn't you sell your safari to your neighbor for a mere 200 bucks. That hole must be from your other detector. The final test for my safari will be at the beach. Cape Cod this time of year is nice !! Going for a few days, starting in the afternoon April 19th-22nd. I'll keep you posted.[/quote ] Just trying to get someone to smile! I dont like it when people are down in the dumps like that! LOL