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Metal Detecting: The Spherical Field

Coins on edge are a favorite subject among metal detectorists, and that does provide some good subject matter because many coins actually fall into the ground edge first. It was very difficult to find coins on edge with older detectors, and this was because there was very little coin-surface area exposed to the metal detectors field, by which eddie currents could form and thereby cause the opposition necessary to react with the field. Though it could be done by the adepts, and in clean, worked out, but real good areas, this detection mode has been actively sought by some psychos, to squeeze that last coin of super age and make out of the ground. Gold coins are sometimes deep.


With the advent of the phase analyzation circuit in metal detectors came not only good metal discriminating capabilities but also a more distinct and electronically observable spherical electronic field. A 3D effect. This is how I see it anyway. The simultaneous measurement of the phase which is 180 degrees off the primary signal allowed a greater detection capability for coins on edge. Be aware of those musical flutters! The on-edge coins are certainly at all sites, and this is very fun to think about and do.

Metal Detecting w/ The Transmitter Receiver Circuit

The Transmitter Receiver Mode of a metal detector is a discriminating mode that does NOT require movement for a signal to happen, and it also discerns between ferrous and non-ferrous pretty well. TR mode is a good tool when hunting an area loaded with bottlecaps, to see what is there and if it is worth cleaning the area for the other targets. The problem with the TR circuitry is it lacks depth, and can be erratic under certain circumstances. Knowing this, you can employ it when possible, and it lends that much more flexibility to your efforts.


The TR circuit on Whites Coinmasters is tuned by holding the coil up about waist height and getting a minimal tone from the tuner while holding the reset button/toggle in. Then release the toggle and begin lowering the coil to the ground. As the coil is lowered to the ground, it will invariably go into null sound, no sound. The sooner this happens as the coil is lowered, the more effect the ground is having on the circuit. At about 2-6" above the area of your normal swing, reset the tuners tone with the toggle by clicking or depressing it once, then lower the coil all the way to normal swing height.

This is like tuning it to that particular area of ground, and it will null again as it is lowered the last few inches, and you can work in null easily and to good effect. This can be tested by carrying a nickel around with you and checking the situation at the coil as often as necessary by throwing the nickel down and retrieving it. Once you successfully attain null AND good metal detecting results from your tests with the nickel, and if the discriminate button is set at nails or above, then you can pretty much dig every target because only surface iron and good round non-ferrous targets will set the detector off, for the most part. The trick when operating like this is to go slowly and thoroughly.

There are other tuning and use methods for TR circuitry, especially when working around water, so remember experimentation is your friend. More about that in future entries.


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Recognition is really what treasure hunting is all about. The ability to recognize value amongst the backdrop of chaos which the multiverse seems to be. The metal detector itself is the very first, or one of the very first, electronic recognition devices.

Here is a true story illustrating the importance of recognition.

There was a bottle digger in Tampa Florida who was just crazy for old bottles. Of course the oldest bottles to be had there in Tampa were from the fort period, and many dated well before the civil war.

It was the custom during the time of Tampas fort period to utilize outhouses as trash dumps too. Once the hole was dug deep into the sand for the outhouse, then shored up with wood, it made a functioning facility for quite some time, which through use became filled with trash, then covered back over.

Large buildings of the city eventually covered the old fort site, and all these outhouse sites, and it is only during renovation or new construction downtown that these outhouses of old become available to modern day diggers. There is not much left by now, and most of the bottles are broken, but there are thousands in some outhouses and even a small percentage of whole bottles makes the digging worthwhile.

It was just such an outhouse that attracted the Tampa bottle digger I am speaking of. He recognized it for what it was, even though it was nothing more than a round dark stain on the surface of the otherwise white sand. He dug it all the way to the bottom, and made off with nearly 100 really nice antique bottles, many pontil types, some with dates, and not too few were vandenburg gins, which were highly coveted at that time, and valuable. This had been an outhouse to a very busy bar near the fort, and was a really good find.

The demolition site where this outhouse was found was itself a shambles, and our bottle diggers hole was just one among many, actually even smaller than some others there, so he just did a cursory job of covering up his diggings. Piles of broken glass and sand from his diggings covered the ground around this old outhouse.

The next day another treasure hunter came by, an old duck known around town because he was often seen out and about with his radio shack metal detector, which was so old and well used it was duct taped together. He recognized the bottle diggers hole for what it was, an excavation of an outhouse, and he proceeded to detect there. He found about 20 dollars face value in silver money from the diggings that the bottle digger had brought up from the bottom of the outhouse. He found one nice gold coin too. And many buttons. All dating before 1850.

Recognition. A valuable thing.
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Some of Metal Detectings Friends

November 27th 2006 15:04


Epoxys of the fast setting type, and plenty of them, are the metal detectorists good friend forever. Many bad and dying days have been saved with some quick setting epoxy. And Tape too. And Wire.

Silicone Grease and Underwater Metal Detectors

Please understand this tip may void some warranties, and should only be practiced by the professional who is in total understanding of their equipment and its environment.

In spite of its foul odor, Silicone Grease is the best waterproofing aid for underwater metal detectors that there is. I had leakage problems with my first underwater machines, down in Florida, just wading, even though I changed my o-ring regularly, about every third battery change. Kevin OReilly at OReillys Treasured Gold in Pompano told me about this, and it has been a staple in my toolbox ever since.

Silicone grease is tenacious. It stays where its put, and does not melt too easily, if at all. I learned to totally clean the O-Ring seat on both sides of the detector, then spread Silicon Grease on those surfaces liberally, then ALSO lather it on the new O-Ring itself, so that when the two halves of the detector case go back together, silicone grease squishes out everywhere. Yuck.

What a mess.

Then the excess is wiped off and believe me, you have a much better waterproofing this way, than in any other way for the money. I have gone to 30 feet like this no problem, and regularly. Make sure all sand is removed during cleanup prior to any new O-ring, and repeat this silicone grease treatment at every battery change.

This makes cleanup especially onerous when changing batteries, and is also kind of a pita as far as handling out of the water (Don't get it on ya'), but makes up for it in water tightness.
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This is about a metal detecting trick popularized on the east coast of Florida, between hobe sound and chucks steak house, while hunting the spanish wrecks there. It can be utilized in many other places to good effect. This trick is affectionately known as Kicking Trash. It is Affectionately known as Kicking Trash, because it works, and many times increases good finds.

[ Click here to read more ]
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Metal Detectors -- Tips and Tricks

November 21st 2006 17:35


Metal Detectors And The Disappearing Target

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Treasure Hunting, Metal Detecting

November 15th 2006 14:20


The Round Sound in Metal Detecting
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Using Your Eyes While Metal Detecting

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Shallow Water Metal Detecting

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