5/17/20 Report - One of the Time Factors in My Formula For Success. Talking About Two Metal Detectors.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

Tropical Storm Arthur.

Source: nhc.noaa.gov

So we had the first named tropical storm of the year - Arthur.  Unfortunately Arthur didn't do a lot for us and is heading north and away from us.

I was glad to recently put in a few hours of metal detecting time, even if it wasn't the most productive.  My weak spot in recent years has been the amount of time I've spent on metal detecting.

As you probably know, the TreasureGuide formula for metal detecting success has several factors, and the one that I rank as the second most important is the time factor.  The time factor is second only to the location factor.

I posted my most recent version of my formula in my 5/4/20 post.  The formula is Amount of Success = L + T + Sk + E + D+ N + A.  I won't go over all of the factors again now.

My time factor can be broken down into three factors: time scouting (Ts), time detecting (Td), and time gathering and assimilating information (Ti).

Not being able to spend a lot of time in the field, I haven't done much scouting around.  When I was doing my most serious detecting, which was between my consulting and teaching jobs, I spent a lot of time detecting, but I also spent a lot of time scouting beaches.  I closely monitored a lot of beaches along nearly a hundred miles of coastline.   When I decided to detect a beach a few miles away, I would stop to take a look at some of the other beaches in between, and might detect beaches several miles apart on the same day.

If you are metal detecting during low tides, you can still do some scouting during high tides.  Although you might not be able to see the lower beach at high tide, you will be able to see enough to give you a good idea if the beach is cutting or how it is developing.  

I was glad I got to put in some good time metal detecting this week, but I am not sure I was at the best location because I had not been doing a lot of scouting.  I didn't know what some of the other beaches were doing because I didn't spend hardly any time other than the time I spent metal detecting.  I did take a look at one or two other beaches, but not many.  I would have liked to have known what some of the other beaches were doing.

---

The other day I mentioned using both the Equinox and ATX.  One person essentially asked if one is better than the other.  It is not that simple.   It depends upon a variety of factors, including where you are working and what you are trying to accomplish.   How well you use your detector is another important factor.  Sometimes it is more about how you use a metal detector rather than the detector's capability.

To give a quick answer to the question, for doing a quick scan on a Treasure Coast shipwreck beach I'd choose the Equinox over the ATX, but if I was focusing in on a small area I might choose the ATX.  I might also use more than one detector on the same hunt  (See my post on 7/24/14 post, for example.).

The ATX is in my opinion a very good metal detector, but it is very heavy, and when I was having a lot of back trouble I decided to get a lighter detector with the thought that it might not put as much strain on my back.  Well, this year my back has been doing fine and I'm glad about that, but the Equinox has proved to be a good detector.  I've heard other people say that they didn't like the Equinox or that it wasn't very good, but I have no problem with it.  As I've shown, I've found a variety of targets with it, including a very undersized half reale and other very small objects.  I feel confident when using the Equinox, which is important.  You have to feel confident with your metal detector.  That, of course, means learning to use it well and using it enough to know what it can do.

I also like the ATX, but the ATX, besides being heavy, will respond to the smallest and deepest pieces of iron.  You can turn the sensitivity down if you want to.  It also has an iron check feature, which works, but takes a little extra time.  The sensitivity to iron can actually be a good thing in some situations.

I found a lot of cobs before I ever found a shipwreck spike.  I'm sure I went over them but never dug them up.  Back when I was doing mostly jewelry hunting, I was usually using metal detectors that nulled over iron or were not very sensitive to iron.  That didn't bother me much then, because of what I was doing.  In fact most of the time it was a good thing.  There are times, though, when I do not want to miss iron.

To sum it up, I like the Equinox, especially for covering a lot of ground and doing a fast scan.  The ATX I might use when I tighten up and focusing in on a smaller area and certain types of targets.  I might use it when targets are scarce.  You will not be digging a lot of junk then anyhow.

Of the twenty or so metal detectors that I've used, they are all good for something, but not ideal for everything.  They have their advantages and disadvantages, or as you might say, indications and contraindications.

---


 I think I mentioned that the COVID data is not much good.  According to CNN, Birx agrees.

Specifically, Birx believes the way the CDC gathers data on the coronavirus is antiquated, causing inaccurate and delayed numbers on both virus cases and deaths...

Here is the link.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/05/16/politics/white-house-cdc-tension-birx-coronavirus-tracking/

You can't do good science with bad data.



Happy hunting,
Treasureguide@comcast.net

5/4/20 Report - TreasureGuide's Formula For Metal Detecting Success. Tragic Treasure Coast History. Analyzing Your Goals.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.

I developed a formula for metal detecting success. I presented the first version a few years ago but have continued to improve upon the formula.

The previous version of my success formula looked something like the following.

Success = L + T + Sk + E + D

I defined Success as the number of finds. I suppose it would be better to define success in terms of total value. Value, of course, is subjective. 

How you define success is very important. You should be very clear about what you want to accomplish so you can quantify and measure your progress. Keep track of what you accomplish as it relates to your goals. That feedback will help you improve your level of skill. It might not seem like it is very important, but you will be surprised by how much it helps to measure and monitor your success in a very precise way.

In my old formula, L represents location, T is time spent detecting. Sk stands for skill level, D, the detector used, and E is amount of effort.

I discussed those factors to some extent in previous posts. I talked about the effort factor in my 1/9/18 post, for example.

Extreme effort can really pay off. It refers to really pushing the boundaries in a variety of ways. I've discussed that before and won't get into it again now. Extreme effort can be limited by your determination, physical fitness, and courage, or should I say stupidity.

D is for the type of detector you use and its capabilities - not how you use it. How you use your detector is part of the skill factor.

I wanted to revisit the formula because I am going to add a couple new factors.

The most important factors are listed first. The two new factors were added to the end of the formula but that might change after I more carefully evaluate their relative importance.

Location is the most important factor in my opinion. If you are not where the targets are, none of the rest matters much. And time is definitely right up there at the number two spot.

Factors can interact. I suspect that most of them do. If you have a quality detector, it still doesn't matter much unless you know how to use it well. So the skill factor definitely interacts with the detector factor.

Not long ago I mentioned the importance of the time you spend scouting around and how that time can be as important as the amount of time you spend detecting. Time spent on the beaches and time spent scouting the beaches can dramatically improve your chance of being at the right spot at the right time. The time factor therefore includes time spent in the field scouting as well as time spent actually detecting. It also includes researching sites. Therefore to be more specific, my time factor includes three factors: time scouting (Ts), time detecting (Td), and time gathering and assimilating information (Ti).

The new factors that I am adding today are networking (N) and access (A), so the new revised formula is  Success = L + T + Sk + E + D+ N + A.

Networking, like employment networking, includes relationships that provide you with important information. It helps you find out what is going on where. That includes internet as well as other relationship networks. This blog has a networking component.

The other new factor that I am adding to the formula today is access. Some people have more access than other people. For example, if you are a park ranger that can metal detect in a park while others can not, that gives you an advantage. Or if you have access to restricted areas because of your employment or occupation or other reasons, that can als be an advantage. Or if you have access to the beaches when others do not, such as having a beach-side residence so you can get on the beach while the beaches are closed, that is an advantage too. Perhaps the most obvious example is having a state lease to shipwreck site that excludes others from being able to detect that site.

So that is my new and improved version of my formula for metal detecting success. Expect future adjustments to the formula.

---

The Treasure Coast was the scene of some very gruesome 20th century history as mass murderer Gerard Schaefer tortured and killed along South Hutchinson Island and A1A in the 1970s. One incident occurred at Blind Creek. If you have a weak stomach, you might not want to read anymore about this, but here is the link in case you do.

https://murderpedia.org/male.S/s/schaefer-gerard.htm

----

Definitions are important if you want to communicate clearly or think clearly. I highly recommend using "operational definitions," but I won't attempt explain anymore about that now.

Having some meaningful measure of success will help you assess how well you are doing, but first you have to know exactly what it is that you want to accomplish.

If you just look at detecting as a hobby or a form or relaxation, you don't need anykind of measure, but if you want to accomplish something specific, it will help to have good data.

First, ask yourself what you want to accomplish. Is it old coins, modern jewelry, artifacts or whaat? Are you going for quantity or quality? Or are you going for total value? Just what is it? You'll often find that quality is sacrificed for quality or vice versa, but you need to be clear about your goals.

If your target is something really big, you'll probably need a lot of a patience. Maybe you don't have the patience to do that. Maybe your personality would be better suited to something that makes it easier to see occasional success. That is something to consider.

Your personality will determine to some extent the types of goals that will best suit you. If you can't tolerate long periods of time without any clear successes, you might mix types of hunting, You might find yourself taking time off from your big target to do a bit of something that provides more frequent feedback.

If you watch Gold Rush on TV you'll see guys spending huge amounts of money on big equipment and land and then processing untold amounts of paydirt to accumulate a decent amount of flour gold. That is not for me. First, I'm not going to make a huge investment out front and then work a long time trying to make back my original investment. Secondly, processing endless yards of dirt to get that kind of gold just doesn't interest me. It requires a lot of repetition.  It might be profitable, eventually, but it is just not my style.

It is important to know yourself, and it can be very helpful to be very clear about your goals and keep good records that will provide feedback on your progress. But that also requires you to be a certain type of person.

---

The tides are big, but the surf is getting smaller. Tuesday and Wednesday the predictions say we will be getting a one foot surf.


Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net

1/13/18 Report - Beginning Discussion on Factors That Determine Success With Metal Detecting. North Winds Coming.

Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreports.blogspot.com.

If you ever wondered why some people find more than others or why you aren't finding more, the discussion I'm going to start today will help you answer those questions.

I once developed a rough formula for metal detecting success.  Today I'll start with that rough formula and in the future refine and expand on it.  That will provide a framework for discussing the various factors that determine success.

Here is the rough formula I threw out there a few years ago.  S = L x T x Sk x D x E.

S is the measure of success. L is location.  T is time spent detecting.  Sk stands for skill level.  D, the detector used, and E is amount of effort.  I talked about the effort factor in a recent post (1/9/18).

In the above formula, the factors were listed left to right in order of approximate importance.  Location, time on task and skill are therefore all shown as more important than the detector (D), which comes fourth in the list.  There might be some changes to the order in my revised formula, but the detector is one of the most overrated factors.  Yes you have to have a detector that works, but if you have a detector made by one of the major brand names, how you use the detector (skill) is more important than the detector you use.  I don't want to get into this too deeply now, but as I've said before, I'd trust the wise old Indian with a bow and arrow to come home with the bacon over the city slicker with the best rifle money can buy.  When people are not finding much, the first thing they wonder is if there detector is good enough.  I have to move on, but I'll return to this some time in the future.

Where was I?  I hope you can see from that little discussion how the formula forces you to think more clearly about the factors involved in success even if it all seems very obvious at first glance.  Things seem obvious until you are forced to think about them more clearly and precisely.  You might agree or disagree, but thinking it out can be helpful in either case.

The first thing I need to do is talk a little about success.  It can be defined in many ways.  When I originally developed the formula, I was thinking of long term success as measured by the total number of finds, but as you know, not all finds are equal.

While quantity can be relatively easy to define, quality is not as easy.  It can be the total economic value, but even that is a bit of a guess.  But some people do not seek the most economically valuable targets.  They might be more interested in history, for example.  Some might like to find "old" things or things that tell a story.  So success can be defined in many ways and in different ways for different people.  One person might highly value a find that has no real economic value and might routinely target things that are not at all interesting to other people.

Each person has to define success for him or herself.  I do think you should try to quantify success though.  There should be some measure of value, however you define that for yourself: not just a total number.  You can find tons of low value finds that are not as valuable as a single high value find, therefore your measure of success should probably be a weighted quantity.

I once conducted a poll on what people wanted to find.  A few people told me they weren't looking for anything in particular but hoped to some day stumble onto an amazing treasure, maybe like a chest of gold coins or something.  That is like winning the lottery.  If you are seeking one of those once-in-a-lifetime finds, that isn't what I'm talking about today.  You can still increase the odds somewhat by putting in a lot of time (or buying a lot of tickets) but chance plays a bigger factor than the type of long term strategic hunting that I'm talking about today.

It seems I've never been able to convince people of the importance and effect of simply keeping a good running measure of success of what they are trying to accomplish, whether it is weight control, blood pressure, or metal detecting.  Regularly monitoring performance has a definite effect upon performance.  People who weight themselves every day will be aware of where they stand and any trends, and that will have an effect on behavior.

You might be aware of studies such as when the lighting was changed in a factory, and they wanted to see if improved lighting led to improved productivity.  It seemed to.  When people knew there was a study of their performance (that they were being observed) their performance improved.  I forget the name of that.  I think it might be the Hawthorne Effect.

Anyhow, I encourage you to keep track of your performance in some quantifiable way that is meaningful to you.  When I began detecting, I kept track of the number of coins I was getting. I posted some of my early records not too long ago.  I could see the totals increasing over the weeks and months.  Later I quit recording clad coins and started recording only gold and precious metal finds.  That is what I was targeting then, and I kept good records of the number and type found, where and when.  I've shown some of those records too.  But that goes to show how success might be defined differently not only by different people but also different years for the same person.

Your measure of success might include multiple types of targets.  Hunting treasure coins and shipwreck artifacts on the beach is very different than hunting modern jewelry on a resort beach.  I'll get more into those types of differences some other time.

Things can change a lot over a few decades of metal detecting.  There have been times when I went hardcore and times when, because of a change in circumstances, I only hunted infrequently and very casually.  The time of my most intense detecting ( Perhaps I should say extreme detecting, although not in terms of the amount of time spent because that was very limited due to my teaching and consulting work) was quite a few years ago.  There were years when I detected often, andalso many years when I didn't detect much at all.   It varied a lot.  There were years when I picked up hundreds of pieces of gold and others when I only picked up a few, but the amount of time spent was  different.  Total number of finds or a total value of finds is not a very meaningful number when you are not spending much time.  Since I now spend so little time detecting (because of a variety of factors that I won't get into now) a measure of efficiency seems like a more relevant measure.  How much is accomplished per unit of time?  That is what I would want to know.

Just to illustrate what I mean by that, I have probably not detected much more than a couple hours so far this year.  I actually spend more time checking beaches and taking photos for the blog than I spent detecting.  Most of that was targeting modern targets.  Some of that was on a mid 1900s site.   Less than an hour was on targeting shipwreck coins.  In those two hours I picked up two pieces of gold - both modern jewelry.  They were both on the small side and not too valuable.  Was that success or not?  In terms of total finds, I'd say no.  If the amount of time is considered, it wasn't bad.

You'll note that the second factor in my original formula was T (time spent detecting).  If success is defined as some total number of finds, total time spent detecting is definitely one of the most important factors.  For comparing success for times when a lot of time was spent with times when little time was spent, I took time into consideration, by comparing success per unit of time.  How much was found per hour of detecting.  That makes it somewhat, though not perfectly comparable.

I'll quit there for today and pick up with the factors determining amount of success in the future.

---

The surf on the Treasure Coast will not be big this weekend, however the wind will be from the north on Sunday and Monday.  That is good.  On Monday the surf is supposed to be up to 5 - 7 feet.  That combined with the north wind might do us some good.

Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net