Frequently Asked Questions

1. What kind of detector should be used for gold, relic or coin hunting?
2. Is there a machine that only finds gold?
3. How can I overcome interference from other detectors when I am at a rally or detector gathering?
4. How will I know I’m getting interference?
5. Are multi-frequency detectors better than single frequency types?
6. How deep can a good metal detector be expected to find coins?
7. What is the purpose of Notch Discrimination?
8. Why are there so many types of searchcoils?
9. Which coil size is best?
10. What is the best way to pinpoint a target?
11. What is Target ID and how does it work?
12. What is “ground balancing/cancelling”?

 

Further Q & A

 

i. How much affect does the moisture of the soil have to do with detection depth?
ii. Are there any good places left to detect?
iii. My VLF metal detector sometimes detects rocks and tree roots. Is this normal?

 

Frequently Asked Questions answered:

 

1. What kind of detector should be used for gold, relic or coin hunting?

For gold, the better detectors are single, high frequency machines such as the ones pictured below:

Teknetics T2

XP GoldMaxx Power

White’s TDI

 Garrett Scorpion Goldstinger

Teknetics G2

 

For relics or coin hunting any of the above would be suitable but additionally any machine with a target ID meter, this is useful in park or beach detecting to help identify the target.

 

2. Is there a machine that only finds gold?

No, this is often claimed but is simply not possible.

 

3. How can I overcome interference from other detectors when I am at a rally or detector gathering?

The simple answer is to move away from the source of interference. Some machines are more prone to hearing or giving off interference & whilst many top end machines have frequency adjustment available or noise-cancelling you are only getting rid of that immediate source, the next detector may well cause you a problem, this leads to the next question.

 

4. How will I know I’m getting interference?

Interestingly, whilst most interference you can hear in the form of strange sounds as you near other detectors, some machines you cannot hear anything but this doesn’t mean that you aren’t suffering from interference. The problem you have when you can’t hear it is that effectively the two machines are either reducing detection range or worse still leaving you with zero detection range.

 

5. Are multi-frequency detectors better than single frequency types?

Multi-frequency machines are no better or worse than single frequency machines, they are simply different, both having advantages and disadvantages. Multi-frequency machines tend to work better than single frequency machines on salt wet beaches whilst single frequency machines have a lot faster recovery speed which is all important on high habitation sites where there is a allot of iron present.

 

6. How deep can a good metal detector be expected to find coins?

There is no answer to this question as there are too many variables involved, what size coin, what metal, orientation relative to the search coil, how long it’s been in the ground, how much mineralisation in the ground, how much ground effect, is it dry or wet, what detector, what settings for sensitivity, ground, discrimination etc.

 

7. What is the purpose of Notch Discrimination?

This is the ability to reject or accept an exact object as opposed to rejecting everything up to that object on a discrimination scale.

 

8. Why are there so many types of searchcoils?

There are two distinctly different types of search coils, Concentric and 2D (sometimes referred to as DD or double D coils), there are different sizes and also different shapes. Each coil type, size & shape will have slightly different characteristics in terms of ability to cover ground, sensitivity to large or small targets and recovery speed.

 

9. Which coil size is best?

This is difficult to answer but to start with we would advise sticking with whatever the manufacturer has supplied as standard, this is often best to start with, once you have a reference point you can then work out what you are trying to achieve with the detector and then look at which coil will give the best results.

 

10. What is the best way to pinpoint a target?

If you are using a concentric coil, the target will be in the centre of the coil, imagine an inverted cone, point down, simply lift the coil until you just get the signal, the target is now under the centre.

For 2D coils simply imagine a straight line from front to back down the centre line, when you get a signal is must be down that line, make a mental note of it, now turn you and the coil (most important you don’t ‘hoover’ the coil forwards & backwards, it won’t work) through 90 degrees and do the same again, you now have an imaginary X on the ground, X marks the spot.

 

11. What is Target ID and how does it work?

Target Identification is the ability to suggest what the target is most likely to be, this can be in the form of little symbols for coins and other metals or it may be a scale of 0-100 or similar.

 

12. What is “ground balancing/cancelling”?

Metal detectors are all affected by the minerals within the ground, these are detrimental to the performance or depth of detectors and for that reason we need to either cancel them out or balance the ground with the air hence the two terms. When perfect ground balance is achieved you will have maximum detection range in the ground, some detectors have a manual control for this whilst most modern machines are fully automatic ground balancing.

 

Further Q & A

 

i. How much affect does the moisture of the soil have to do with detection depth?

In very dry conditions (typically the end of a hot Summer) we tend to get around 10% less detection range, as water is conductive it gives better detection range when the ground is damp.

 

ii. Are there any good places left to detect?

With an average 9” diameter search coil it would take months non-stop detecting to cover a square mile properly, with England alone having over 50 thousand square miles there are plenty of good places left to detect

 

iii. My VLF metal detector sometimes detects rocks and tree roots. Is this normal?

No, some older VLF detectors will pick up what we refer to as hot rocks, these are large lumps of iron ore, the more modern ‘motion’ detectors do not pick these up , no detector can detect tree roots, maybe something metallic under the tree root?

 

 Hobby Metal Detecting:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rare silver button found

West Sussex County Times, Published on Thursday 23 June 2011

 

A RARE 16th century silver button was discovered in a field by metal detector user Anthony Gill in February this year.

“The button was sent to the British Museum for examination and experts there confirmed it had at least ten per cent precious metal which qualified it to be classed as treasure.”

Click the link to read the full articel

http://bit.ly/ktlQSV

Badges and Buttons Books from Regton Ltd: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Leeds Gatecrasher to re-open with Metal Detectors

BBC News Leeds & West Yorkshire, 22nd June 2011

A Leeds nightclub is being allowed to re-open on condition customers are searched with metal detectors if the police request it.

“At a hearing at Leeds Magistrates’ Court, Gatecrasher agreed that staff would use either hand-held metal detectors or “knife arches” to look for weapons at the “reasonable request” of West Yorkshire Police.”

Click the link to read the full Article:

http://bbc.in/lsd4oh

 

Security Metal Detectors: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Detectorist from Lancashire finds Medieval badge

By Maev Kennedy, The Guardian, Monday 20th June 2011

 

Kennedy once again reports how Metal Detecting has added to British history. King, a member of the South Ribble metal detecting club, found a silver badge of one of St Ursula’s companions’ plaque at the end of April in a field some miles from his home in Walton-le-Dale

 

“A scrap of twisted silver found a few weeks ago by a metal detector in Lancashire will take its place among masterpieces of medieval art at the British Museum”

Click the link bellow to read the full article

http://bit.ly/mfNSBj

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3lWrQpDsGg]

Hobby Metal Detectors:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Medieval Books for metal detector finds and identification: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beach detecting gains a bigger fan base…

By A. Pawlowski, CNN, Wednesday 17th June 2011

Pawlowski, reporter for CNN, reports how through the Skyrocketing price of gold the hobby has gained a bigger fan base.

The article also discusses how detecting on beaches can become a very lucrative hobby.

 

“It’s probably one of the only pastimes that pays for itself.” Dan Berg, detectorist.

 

Click to follow the link to the full article:

http://bit.ly/mn3po1

 

Beach Metal Detecting: 

 

 

 

 

 

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Metal Detecting ‘Helping to preserve Britain’s History’

By Jenny Hill, The BBC, Friday 3rd June 2011

This report talks about how metal detecting finds are helping us learn more about the UK’s history.

 

Metal detecting used to be seen as a slightly eccentric pastime but high-profile discoveries of long-lost treasure are giving it a new image.

The amateur archaeologists are gaining respect as they are credited with playing an increasingly important role in helping us learn about the UK’s past.”

Click the link to read the full article:

http://bbc.in/l97uFA

Hobby Metal Detecting:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Garrett Euro Ace

Accessories

  • All Purpose Backpack
  • Volume-control headphones
  • ACE Environmental Cover-Up

 

Garrett latest metal detector,which was designed specifically for international detectorists, including those of Europe and the UK. Users who have enjoyed the power and performance of an ACE 250 will certainly be interested in the new technology offered by Garrett’s new EuroACE. This detector provides powerful new search advantages for coin and jewelry hunters, prospectors and relic hunters.

 

Key Features

  • Powerful, large 28 x 22 cm PROformance Double-D searchcoil. new DD configuration coil provides greater detection depth and performance by significantly reducing the negative effects of heavily mineralized ground and saltwater interference. Garrett’s blunted tip and tail design further extends the coil’s search area and offers improved searching along obstacles.
  • Enhanced Iron Resolution™—Coin and relic hunters will appreciate the more precise control over how much iron discrimination to apply. This feature is used to help separate good treasure targets from adjacent iron trash.
  • Higher Frequency—New 8.25 kHz frequency offers improved ability to detect small, conductive targets (such as small gold nuggets) than previous ACE detectors
  • Improved Audio—Tone ID optimized to indicate distinctions between ferrous and non-ferrous targets.
  • Volume-control headphones—Garrett’s ClearSound Easy Stow headphones are included.

PROformance Double-D searchcoil

  • Powerful, large 28 x 22 cm PROformance Double-D searchcoil,
  • Double-D configuration provides greater detection depth and perform performance by significantly reducing the negative effects of heavily mineralized ground and saltwater interference,
  • Long, narrow detection field provides excellent scanning coverage and target separation ability, as compared to conventional coils,
  • Garrett exclusive: blunted tip and tail design further extended coil’s total scan area and offers improved searching along obstacles (walls, fencing, etc),
  • Optimized for maximum detection depth on small relics and coin-sized targets,
  • Excellent ground visibility through coil,
  • Rugged, Rhino-Tough epoxy- filled construction,
  • Waterproof design; near-neutral buoyancy in water

[tabs slidertype=”images”] [imagetab width=”406″ height=”226″]http://www.regton.com/news/img/euroace%20back.png[/imagetab] [imagetab width=”406″ height=”226″]http://www.regton.com/news/img/euroace%20front.png[/imagetab] [/tabs]

 

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ci_JrD5WolU?feature=player_embedded]

 

Garrett Hobby Metal Detectors: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Knife arches in London Schools

By Lee Husson, North London Newspaper, Wednesday 8th June 2011

Knife arches are to be installed in some Enfield secondary schools in a new police offensive on gangs and knife crime.

 

Chief superintendent Dave Tucker, the borough’s leading police officer, said “I have been to a number of knife arches at schools and I have never got the impression from students that trust has been damaged.

 

They have always been very open to being searched and it gives us the chance to talk to them about the issue. For us it’s all about keeping people safe.”

Click the link to read the full Article

http://bit.ly/mUqsqs

 

Security Metal Detectors:

 


 

 

 

 

 

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Appeal for lost keys…found by local detectorist

By Stephanie O’Connor, Champnews.com, Monday 6th June 2011

 

O’Conner reports how Mrs Vernon posted a message on the internet appealing for anyone with a metal detector following a fall causing her to lose her house keys. The message was picked up by the National Council of Metal Detecting and referred to metal dectectorist Mike Butler from the Northern Searchers Metal Detecting group.

 

“She was very worried about her keys, which had her car key on as well as her house keys. It took the machine about 20 minutes to locate them as they were about a foot deep in the bushes…”

Click the link below to read the full article:

http://bit.ly/iG5d66

Hobby Metal Detecting:

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Durotrigian type grave found by 44 year old treasure hunter

By Lucy Pearce, Dorset Echo, Friday 3rd June 2011

Journalist Lucy Pearce of the Dorset Echo reports how treasure hunter Mr Walmsley, 44, discovered on April 27 2010 a Durotrigian type grave.

“A TREASURE hunter from Weymouth unearthed an Iron Age grave containing a skeleton of a woman and a number of her belongings.”

 

You can see the full story in the November 2010 issue of The Searcher Magazine

lick to link to read the full article:

http://bit.ly/iBm7Ik

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