UPDATED information on the 6-inch "Digger" X-TERRA coil by Coiltek
After corresponding with Coiltek in regard to what I considered to be "less than desired" TID information provided on low conductive targets, Coiltek updated the 6-inch coil to reflect more accurate information on those targets. A big "tip of the hat" to Trevor and the folks at Coiltek for not only listening to my comments, but for responding in such a direct and professional manner. The new coil I received is far better at identifying low conductive targets, with little affect on the higher conductive TID readings.
After putting the coil through a series of "bench tests", I took it directly to the field for a hunt. The location I chose was the site of an old country school house, dating from the mid 1860's to the mid 1950's. Today it looks like any of the thousands of acres of corn or bean fields in my part of the Country. But research had told me that there had been an old country school house there, a few generations ago.
After setting the proper Noise Cancel channel, setting up the X-TERRA 705 in Tracking GB and selecting a modified Pattern with zero discrimination, I began my hunt. It didn't take me long to figure out that the old school house had been torn down on site, due to the hundreds (if not thousands) of rusty old nails in the ground. Not being easily discouraged, I knew this would be the perfect location to test the attributes of a low frequency DD X-TERRA coil. Afterall, we know the 3kHz frequency is best suited for higher conductive targets. And we know that DD coils separate targets better than concentric coils. So although sorting through the "trash" would be a challenge, it was a challenge I had been looking forward to for many years.
In working across the property, I found that I was able to sweep the coil with moderate speed when in areas with few target responses in each sweep. In areas with multiple "hits" within each pass of the coil, I found that I needed to slow down my sweep, giving the electronics sufficient opportunity to recognize and properly identify each target. If I did not slow down the sweep, deeply buried nails would provide a false "high tone", resulting in resweeping the area, and breaking my rhythm. If I swept slowly ( +/- two seconds per sweep), the iron nails would respond more appropriately, giving a low tone as allowed in the multiple tone mode of the X-705.
Without going into the details of the entire hunt, let me summarize my thoughts by saying that the 6-inch Digger coil performed as expected. It is extremely "hot" on both silver and copper coins. And although the new upgraded program did provide more accurate TID on lower conductive targets, this coil does not provide the depth of detection on nickels that the HF coil provides. But those of us who have studied the "inner workings" of the various frequencies utilized in the X-TERRA series understand how one frequency might provide different results than another frequency. In line with that thought, I found the 6-inch Digger coil provided a slight TID variance on higher conductive targets. Particularly on some of the older Wheat and Indian pennies. Typically, when I get a 38 or 40 on the X-TERRA 705 with my other coils, I can expect to see a small shiny silver coin (dime) in the hole. With this coil at this particular site, it was more often than not, an old penny. In fact, the first target I recovered was a Wheat cent from the early 40's.
[attachment 250627 firstcoinwithnewDiggercoil.JPG]
I ain't complaining! I love finding any older coins. I'm just saying this to remind folks to not rely on TID for identifying specific targets, when using any detector. Since the introduction of the CTX 3030, there have been quite a number of reports from folks digging copper pennies that provided a TID in what was typically considered the silver dime range on the E-TRAC. I don't know what to attribute it to.....electronics....... soil conditions.......metallic similarities.....? I just know that it happens with my CTX 3030. And it happened with this coil.
One of the final targets I dug during my hunt yesterday gave me those "pre-dig jitters" even before breaking the soil was a TID 42 -44. Based on the IH and Wheat pennies I had been digging, I had expectations that this target was going to be either larger than a penny, it was going to be silver, or both. Much to my pleasure, I retrieved a pretty decent 1926 Standing Liberty Quarter. I know that isn't going to win any "find of the month" award. But to find a silver quarter on the maiden voyage with the new Coiltek 6-inch "Digger" coil is something that I will remember for a long time. Total for the initial hunt = the 1926 Quarter, 4 IH cents, 6 Wheat cents, 1 Buffalo nickel, a croatal bell, an old lipstick tube and various old rivots and buttons.
[attachment 250628 firsthuntwithnewdiggercoil.JPG]
So in summary, I'll go back to my comments in my initial report.......Is the Digger coil something youd benefit from using? That is entirely up to you, as I can give only you my perspective based on my hunt techniques. As I said, I like to hunt for old coins at old sites. The majority of these sites are now farm fields, with quite a bit of iron trash left over from yester-year's buildings and fences. The 6-inch DD at 3 kHz Digger is a coil that I will appreciate. The small size and solid bottom design allows me to work the coil in amongst the crop stubble and weeds, without getting hung up. It is extremely hot on silver and copper coins. On this particular hunt, one of the Indian Head pennies was dug at a depth of 8-inches. My test garden results indicate that it will go deeper. But since 8 inches is as deep as I've had to dig so far, I am comfortable reporting that. HH Randy
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Initial field test
The 6-inch DD at 3 kHz is a coil that I
