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Preliminary Wet Salt Sand Test: Update 2.0.1 Iron Bias F2


ColonelDan

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Prior to testing the new Iron Bias F2 update at Daytona Beach this weekend, I ran a few preliminary tests using a silver quarter and a bottle cap; first an"air test", then using my beach sand test bucket. Just to ensure a degree of controlled conditions, I ran Beach 1 and Beach 2, recovery at level 3 in both tests adjusting only the iron bias level.

The first test was simply placing the two selected targets on the ground and running my coil over them using the original 1.7.5.FE settings and then each level of the 2.0.1 F2 settings. The difference was stark. The new update performed as designed by clearly ID'ing the bottle cap with an iron grunt while hitting on the quarter with the familiar high silver tone. I did notice that the closer the two targets were in proximity to each other the tone was a "compromise" between the grunt and the high tone. In any case, 2.0.1 performed the Iron Bias function much better than 1.7.5 FE under those "air test" conditions.

I then moved the test to my beach sand bucket.

The bucket shown here is filled with sand taken from New Smyrna Beach. I also have several gallons of actual sea water taken from that same area that I use to soak the sand prior to conducting my wet salt sand tests. Disclaimer: I've noticed that New Smyrna Beach doesn't appear to have experienced any adverse environmental effects from this lack of sand and salt water since I brought it home! cool.gif

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I used the same two targets for the test as before: the silver quarter and the bottle cap:

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I inserted the bottle cap at the 3 inch level and the quarter at the 6 inch level at angles that placed them close to each other in the center of the bucket...the cap being obviously above the quarter and closer to the surface than the quarter.

I found that under these conditions, I had to adjust the F2 level in order to achieve distinct tonal separation. It wasn't as clear cut as in the "air test" scenario. Under these conditions, I found F2 at level 3 was best at separating the two targets.

Preliminary Observations:

1. The 2.0.1 F2 does ID/separate iron much better than 1.7.5 FE...have no fear there.

2. Given the need to adjust the F2 level in order to achieve the best result, I suspect this will be true when I get on the real beach this weekend...I'll keep that in mind. I'll use my test sticks to determine the best setting for the area I'll be hunting. My test sticks: A gold ring, a bottle cap and an iron washer (not shown)


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I bury these in the wet salt sand and then adjust my settings accordingly to achieve the best level of performance.

3. One important reminder. Leave your phone in the car. I forgot to leave it in the house on my first run and my wireless Quest headphones soon reminded me of my forgetfulness with all the chatter! laughing7.gif

More to come when I return from the beach...the actual battlefield test!

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The purpose of my preliminary test was twofold:
 
1. How much better F2 ID'd a bottle cap than FE...the difference was stark as I noted in the OP.  No question, F2 is much better.  No more pumping or drawing the coil back to see if we get the tell tale iron grunt.

2. How the signal was affected, if at all, when a good target was in close proximity to the bottle cap.  As noted, the closer the two targets were together, a compromise signal was heard.  It wasn't the high tone of silver and it wasn't the iron grunt, it was a single "compromise" medium tone.  

My takeaway from this very preliminary test was if I get any solid tone other than the erratic iron grunt which definitely indicates junk, I'll dig it. I may find a bottle cap in the hole but chances are very high that it will be close to a good target. 

My plan for Daytona Beach is to confirm this test bucket result on an actual beach.  I also plan to initially dig some bottle cap signals to verify and validate, in my own mind, the upgrade is working as designed....a personal confidence builder you might say.

Stay tuned...  

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I have been out the last couple of nights on the West Coast.  I grew up near Daytona but haven't detected it.  Most of the time we have a shorter beach here and it can have a significant slope.

My very first night I noticed the tones were clearer.  I didn't adjust the FE2 because I was holding the accept/reject button in and not just pushing it.  Today I adjusted it twice.  It seems when I started FE6/FE26 was the way I went.  I was on a dead beach so I didn't have much result but when I crossed a jetty that beach had targets.

I dug a total of 100 targets for $6.26 in change.  ($4.25 quarters, $1.30 dimes, $.40 in pennies and some nickels)  I had a little trash but none was tops.  I also got 4 cheap rings.  One came in at 1, another at 14, one at 17 and one at 20.  I know two of those rings started negative.  I have sensitivity at 23, speed at 6 and I use all metal.  Today I dug everything (including a few deep bobby pins) for my 100 targets.

Last night I didn't find much in the low tide except a foreign coin spill.  There were 4 Canadian coins, 2 Ecuador coins, 3 Nicaragua coins,  a one pound arab coin or token, a 20 Euro that all come in with some iron sound!

How is an 800 or a 600 used in these countries or anywhere in South America?  The coins sound scratchy, irony and not clear.

Mitchel

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  • 6 months later...
On 9/28/2019 at 8:55 AM, mn90403 said:

20 Euro

Hm.. did you mean 2 Euro? 20 Euro coins typically only exist as collectables - I have never found one. That would be pretty awsome if you found one overseas.

The 2 Euro coins don't have an iron tone to them. They usually come in at 16 - just like old pulltabs and many other items 🤪. I had some at 15/17, but that's seldom.

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I just found it in my jar of coins and took a picture of the front and back.  It is not in very good shape for a 2002 but here it is!

Mitchel

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IMG_20200420_101115.jpg

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That's a 20 Euro cent coin (i.e., 1/5 of a Euro) - Comprised of "Nordic gold"  AKA as a gold colored copper alloy of the following composition: 89% copper, 5% aluminium, 5% zinc, and 1% tin.  Could be the zinc or tin giving the lower ferrous tones.  Looks like an Austrian mintage based on this pic 

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I've found sh!tloads of 20 cent coins 😁, but I can't remember any of them gave ferrous tones.. interesting. They typically come in at ID 20 +- 1 with multifreq. beach1.

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