Whites DF ?????

[mickfin]

Is it just me or???? See iv ben using VLF Units for 22 years now and the Whitws Surf DF PI is my first PI unit i need some direction from PI users Like yourself who know PIs
I got Clives Book An Advanced Guide, First off i think im thinking to mutch????? I need a Lesson of what to lesion for????? So can someone who knows PIs Help Please,
I dont think im the only one maby your Info will help someone else also, In advance Thank You for your time, Mickfin

 

[therover]

Mick,

I have been using PI's on salt water beaches for awhile now...using many different brands/models ( Whites PI Pro, DF, HH PI, Infinium, Goldquest). The only thing I am SOMEWHAT sure of is shallow, elongated iron or other elongated targets ( like knives, fishing lures, etc.) that sound wide and double hit on the ends. Other than that, I am always digging smaller iron washers, deeper iron, etc. The deeper the target, how big/small and how it's positioned, will sound off with a possible small footprint regardless what it is and for me, extremely hard to tell if it's iron or not so I dig it. It's the really wide signals that are really loud or the ones that double hit, that I leave behind IF I am hitting a lot of them continuous and have dug a few and know what they are. If I am on a beach that does not have a lot of targets, I am digging them all anyway.

I have come to realize the main advantages of PI's are the depth and super smoothness on most all beaches.

You WILL dig more junk...but you will not miss many targets. I was on a really iron laden beach the other day ( LOTS of small pieces of iron, wire, etc.) and although some targets I could tell were junk, I still was digging a lot of them, so I had to switch off to my VLF unit just so I could save time and dig more reliable, 'good' targets. Ended up digging more coins in the last hour then the other 3 hours with the PI. There was just too much junk.

The only way you will get your ear trained is to use the DF exclusively for awhile, dig everything and then start to actually guess prior to digging to see if you start to hear the subtle differences. It's not easy. For me, when I go out with my PI, I just come to the conclusion that I am digging most everything and I am not going to miss much.

One thing I did learn is to sweep the coil from ALL angles to try to get an idea the size/shape of the target. A lot of the elongated targets will single beep when sweeping across the middle of the target, but when you continue to move around the target and get the coil going over each end, that is when you get the double hit and can tell it's an elongated target. Could be a nail, piece of wire, or guess what...and nice bracelet with big clasps on each end ! Never found a bracelet when digging a double hit, but on the flip side don't know if I ever left one in the ground by NOT digging up a double hit !

Just keep using the unit...it's a good one. Learn it, dig everything and I bet one day you will get a really nice target that will surprise you.

JC

 

[Cupajo]

Hi JC,

You and I have similar view-points on using the PI machines and my experience is virtually identical to yours.

I really like the DF and have found enough goodies to pay for it.

Have you any experience with leaving the "pulse-delay" knob turned off?

Recently hunters are posting that they do better leaving it turned off and I haven't tried that yet.

GL&HH Fellow Hunter,

CJ

 

[therover]

CJ,

When I use thed DF, it was a friends. I used it a few times, and had the delay turned on, but at the setting right before it is off. Never tried it with it off. I liked the unit a lot. It was light, even in the stock configuration. Since I had several other PI's, I never purchased one.

I think in that position, it is set for the optimal delay for low conductors. Can't remember what the delay range is for the DF, but I think it's 15uS - 25uS.

I have much more experience with the Goldquest SS V2 and HH PI...and since getting an Infinium a few months ago, been using that unit exclusively. The Infinium with the 10 x 14 mono coil is an excellent beach set up.

JC

 

[Cupajo]

Thanks for your reply JC!

 

[amberjack]

anyone care to share what the best PI machine in black sand would be don't want to spend over 900 if possible.

thanks heaps!

 

[Cupajo]

I think that the White's machine is about your only choice for a PI machine under $900. (a little over a year ago)

Over two years ago my Infinium was over $1,000 and I'm not sure about the other ones availible and their cost today.

Black sand isn't a problem where I hunt, but I have run into hot rocks and red bricks that cause my PIs to sound off!

Some areas have lots of hot rocks and I stay clear of them.

CJ

 

[amberjack]

Hi
thanks!
am going with the whites seems like a turn on and dig machine will get fit if nothing else!!

 

[Lake Hunter]

Add the 10x14 mono coil to the Sea Hunter and you have a winner PI unit hands down.

 

[UK Brian]

Just look for an adjustable SAT control. The problem with Whites detectors for years has been that they have had to limit the amount of useful controls due to constraints of the control box size thus with the Surfmaster's you either had a pulse delay or a gain control when you really needed both.

Even with the Dual Field, though having gain and pulse timing adjustments, you still lack a SAT control so have to advance the pulse timing control to increase the delay of the pulses to reduce the ground noise caused by black sand. This reduces the sensitivity of the detector, especially to small gold.

A detector with SAT gives you the option of using it to help deal with beach mineralisation without the drawbacks the use of the pulse timing involves and as a plus tightens up the audio reponse making it sharp enough to enable better size I.D. of the buried item. The only drawback is in finding a detector in your price range. I think you would have to look at buying secondhand.

 

[therover]

One of the reasons my Goldquest SS will always be with me...SAT control.

 

[Mr.Bill]

There's no reason why a SAT control couldn't be installed in the Surfmaster. I have done them in the past for those that requested them. They are potentiometer's than can be fitted in that limited space case.

Mr. Bill

 

[amberjack]

thanks guys for the info!

i have paid for the whites DF its on the way will see how i like it-was thinking use my gold bug clean out the coins and what ever else i find then run over it with the DF might make life a bit easier?

how much would it cost to get a SAT installed am i allowed to ask that?

thanks again!