Message:

<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Hobo, post: 998695, member: 11521&quot;]To repeat what has already been said, buy the best MD you can afford. If you go cheap you will regret it. I have used a White&#039;s Spectrum XLT since 1999 and I would recommend it. I&#039;m not sure if they still sell that model but, if not, you should be able to find a used one. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>I would recommend that you:</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Learn how to use your MD before heading out to search an area. Make a point of learning how to use the Discrimination Feature on your MD. It is used to block out certain signals that are normally trash so the signals you receive are in the range of coins (or treasure). But the Discrimination Feature can be a double-edged sword - it can also block out signals that could be coins (or treasure). </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Make a practice area in your yard so you can get some hands-on experience. Bury some cull coins - different coins at different depths - so you can fine-tune your detecting skills. You might want to bury some of each of the following coins - Indian Head cent; Steel Cent; modern zinc cent; standard nickel; War Nickel; silver dime, quarter, half, dollar; clad dime, quarter, half, Ike Dollar; SBA; Sac Dollar. If you expect to search areas with obsolete coinage you might consider including a few of them, too. Bury the coins at different depths so you can perfect your detecting skills, especially on the small coins and coins buried deeply. Don&#039;t dig up the coins in your practice area. You want to practice your detecting skills here, not your digging skills. Plus, the longer your coins are buried the more they will be like the coins you will encounter in the field. Make a map so you know what is buried where. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>In your practice area bury different types of trash you will encounter so you can learn how the different trash appears on your MD. You can acquire all the trash you need simply by swinging your MD in any park - pull tabs, bottle caps, gum wrappers, cigarette pack foil, nails, washers, bolts, screws, buttons, etc. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Get creative with your practice area. Bury a cache of coins and see how your MD detects it. Bury a coin with a pull tab. Bury a coin with a pull tab above it. When you are out in the field you will run across every conceivable situation. You want to be able to sniff out the coin (or treasure) from the garbage. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Practice, practice, practice. Learn how to swing the MD. Learn how to zero in on a target. With practice you will have a fairly good idea of what your find is and how deep it is before you dig it up. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Get a pinpointer. It will help you locate your find in a hole and save you a lot of digging (and patching). </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Learn how to cut your holes, dig them and patch them. One method is to pinpoint your find, cut out a round section of turf and place it - intact - on a cloth (or cardboard, etc. to keep dirt off the lawn), dig the hole and place excavated dirt on the cloth. Once you are done with the hole replace the dirt and compact it with your heel. Replace the section of turf and tamp it down. If you do it right the hole will be almost undetectable. Be sure to take any trash you find and dispose of it properly. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Invest in rechargeable batteries and a charger. They will pay for themselves many times over.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Buy (and use) headphones. With headphones you can hear very faint signals that you might otherwise miss. This is especially true when you are detecting beside a noisy street or in a noisy park. Plus, with headphones the kids that your activities will attract won&#039;t be able to hear your signals and pick up your find before you can get it. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Do your homework. Scout out locations that might be promising. Existing old schools and parks have probably already been hunted out but an old school, park, swimming hole, fairgrounds, etc. that is no longer existing (and might never have been hunted) could be productive. You can locate promising locations on old maps, from old newpaper articles, etc. Be creative and scout out the places no one else has found. </p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Make sure you get permission to hunt. Be sure you have an understanding with the owner regarding your finds. Do you get to keep everything? Do you split the finds with the owner? If so, what is the split? You don&#039;t want to negotiate this part after you make a significant find.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

Your name or email address:

Do you already have an account?

• No, create an account now.
• Yes, my password is:
• Forgot your password?

Stay logged in