Often novice diggers after a couple of departures lose interest in the device search. In most cases, this is due to the lack of interesting finds, despite the high expectations. That is, I wanted to immediately find a valuable coin, and dug only a bunch of traffic jams or other garbage. Let’s look at the main mistakes of novice search engines.
The place of search. Interesting finds are everywhere where once lived or live people. But somewhere almost every color signal – a coin or some other old interesting thing, and somewhere – a cork or wire. It depends directly on the history of the particular place. It is best to look for the once-existing settlements, which were deserted no later than the middle of the 20th century. There is relatively little colored garbage and you can find at least early coins, among which quite a lot of valuable. In general, choosing a place for a cop is an extensive topic to which I have devoted several articles. You can find them in the “Treasure Search” section.
Search technique. It’s not enough to know where to look. It is still important to know how to look. For example, if you wave a reel at an altitude of 10 cm from the ground where you can zoom it close, you lose that 10 cm depth of search. And this is a bunch of interesting signals, especially if the device is simple and takes shallow. And there are many such subtleties. At first glance – little things, but they strongly affect the overall effectiveness of the search. At first, everyone makes mistakes, but with experience it usually goes away.
Ignorance of his device. You can search for coins even with the simplest device, able to distinguish black metal from color, for example, Garrett ACE150. The situation is aggravated if the metal detector is far from the entry level and takes a long time to master it, which the beginner is not always given easily. You should at least read the instructions to your metal detector and test it for various purposes by air. This will provide an approximate picture of his work.
Wrong choice of device. The first metal detector doesn’t have to be very expensive or cheap. In the first case, it is likely to be a professional model, which will be difficult for an inexperienced person to master. And in the second – a very simple, unstable and unreliable device of Chinese or artisanal manufacture. Such metal detectors can be suitable for looking for scrap metal, but not coins, jewelry and other valuables.
A frivolous attitude to instrument search. This paragraph partially combines all the previous ones. For a full and exciting search you need to spend a lot of time, effort and, of course, money. If you are seriously interested in this, then only the purchase of a metal detector, which in itself can cost a lot of money, it will not do. Sooner or later you will want to buy another coil, expanding the capabilities of the device, or generally change your metal detector to a more advanced one. Spade, pinpointer, various equipment, buying or refining off-road equipment, gasoline after all – it is not all the costs of a more or less serious digger.
If you decide to try yourself in this case, then take it seriously. It is not enough just to buy a metal detector, this is only the first step. Even if in theory to fully master the advanced device, but to look for the wrong or not so, the cop is unlikely to be effective. Success here is achieved comprehensively and does not depend only on one factor.
There are several reasons why someone might struggle to find anything while using a metal detector. Many beginners become impatient, which can lead to ineffective searching. Swinging the detector too quickly, which reduces the chances of detecting targets. Giving up too soon on a location, assuming it has been thoroughly searched when it may still hold hidden treasures. Fields and areas can yield new finds over time due to natural changes like plowing or erosion.
A common issue is not fully understanding how the metal detector works. New users often rely on initial instructions or videos without gaining practical experience. Learning how to interpret signals and adjust settings takes time and practice, which is crucial for effective detecting.
The environment plays a significant role in metal detecting success:
Ground mineralization can interfere with signals, making it difficult to detect targets. Items buried deeper than the detector's capability may go undetected. Additionally, the orientation of objects (e.g., flat coins) can affect detection.
Not all metals are easily detected by standard metal detectors. For example:
Stainless steel is particularly difficult to detect due to its low magnetic permeability and poor conductivity. Other metals may also pose challenges depending on the detector's specifications and settings.
Even after receiving a signal, users may fail to retrieve the target effectively. Dig carefully and check the soil plug again with the detector to ensure that the target isn't still in the hole or has been displaced during digging. By addressing these factors—impatience, equipment understanding, environmental conditions, metal types, and digging techniques—users can improve their chances of finding valuable items with a metal detector.
