Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of treasurebeachesreport.blogspot.com.
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| Gold Ring Beach Find. |
I seldom look at YouTube detecting videos but was bored the other night and had a few minutes to waste. The first video that I looked at drove me absolutely crazy.
First, the video was made using a detector that had a very annoying signal. It sounded something like a mosquito or maybe a cheap child's toy meant to drive a parent crazy. I think detector companies should put more thought into how signals sound.
But the thing that really drove me crazy about the video is that the guy continued to show his meter as it jumped around as he passed the coil over one undug target after another. It obviously was a very junky area. I quickly got tired of watching the meter jump around. I wanted to shout dig the dang thing if you want to see what it is. He was detecting in a shallow creek that had little soil covering flat bedrock and could have easily exposed most targets in almost no time.
I felt a little better about the fellow when I found out it was the first time that he had used the detector. I could then understand why he was spending so much time watching the meter, however he would have been much better off doing his first tests in a controlled environment.
If you don't have a clean area of ground you should find an area that you think might be clean, get some test targets and do your first tests there. And before that you should do some air tests.
I've mentioned before that I wouldn't use an air test to see how deep a detector will detect a particular object in the field. Detecting in air is different from detecting an object in the ground, but an air test still can be very useful for becoming familiar with a detector, its different settings and different signals.
If you want to learn more about your detector, start in an environment and situation where you can control most factors. Don't start with a lot of unknowns.
And when you are ready for a field test, start with the simplest situation first and then gradually work into more complex situations.
For example, on a beach, start in the dry sand. After you've got a handle on that, move to wet sand, and after that, maybe move into shallow water. Go from simple to more complex.
As you've probably noticed, I do a lot of experimentation with detectors and objects. I don't put much stock in what other people say. I rather test something out and prove it for myself. I guess that is just the kind of person I am. I spent a lot of my professional career doing research and conducting experiments.
I've found some commonly accepted knowledge about metal detecting to be wrong. I recently tested a detector coil that was supposed to provide excellent target separation. It didn't. You can't always go by the theory of things or what you hear or read.
I highly recommend doing a lot of air tests and tests in a test garden, as well as field tests with any detector, especially when you get a new detector.
The fellow that made the video I was talking about would have been much farther ahead if he had done his first tests in a test garden rather than a junky creek. I understand the temptation to run out and and see what you can find with a brand new detector, but for me I'd rather have some idea of how it works and what to expect before I take a new detector out for a field test. If you just can't hold your britches, at least pick a fairly simple environment like a dry sand beach for your first tests, preferably one that has been pretty much picked clean.
Another thing I want to say is, Dig it! If you want to know what is causing a signal, put it in your hand, hold it and look at it. When you really know how to use your detector and what it is saying to you without spending five minutes studying at a meter, then you can strategically pass over targets, but until you reach that point you'll learn a lot more by digging. You'll also avoid some big mistakes.
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Divers discovered the ancient city of Heracleion while searching for Napoleon's ships. Use this link to read the article and view the video of divers exploring huge stone monuments and statues.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2336723/Ancient-Egyptian-city-lost-1-200-years-begins-reveal-secrets.html
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I completed testing of one of the newer detectors and expect to have that written up before long.
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As you know I often post various kind of photos in this blog. I often post pictures of the beach and various finds. I also once talked about how it is a good idea to take photos of finds for your personal detecting records. Not only will that help you remember your finds, but photos might also be necessary for insurance purposes.
There is one camera that I've found to be especially reliable and effective in most situations. It is my Sony Handycam.
You've seen beach pictures that I've taken with that camera. It also did the best job of taking pictures of flourescent fossil shells under black light. That wasn't easy, but the Handycam did the job better than any other camera I have.
It has a still photo button, but I more often take a video and then select clips from the video.
Here is a photo that shows the camera's versatility.
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| Dragon Fly Photo Taken With The Sony Handycam. |
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On the Treasure Coast we have some very nice weather. The surf is still around two feet, but we have been having some nice low tides.
No change is expected this week.
Happy hunting,
TreasureGuide@comcast.net
