Testers Are Scaring Off Newbies! Maybe?

[PhaseTech]

I've lost count of the number of detecting videos I've watched where the user is cranking up the detectors sensitivity to very erratic levels. And in some of the testing videos, they are leaving multiple detectors on at the same time and they are all chattering away like crazy.  Sure there are times where running your detector hot can be an advantage, but I can't help but think that when a person who's just thinking about taking up metal detecting, is lurking on YouTube and comes across video after video where the detectors are chatting away like crazy that they just get put off. 

I've even had the odd comment or two on some of my gold detecting videos, where to me the threshold was humming away beautifully, as if it was one with nature 😇 and I'll get a comment along the lines of...."nice one, but how do you deal with that annoying noise?". If that's what they are thinking after hearing a soft smooth hum, what would they think when they come across one of the detecting videos that sound like C-3PO after a case of Red Bull!?? 

[mh9162013]

I don't see many videos that you describe. 

[MSC]

I agree with you PhaseTech, I have watched many youtube videos of some folks did not know what they are doing. 

[midalake]

1 hour ago, PhaseTech said:

I've watched where the user is cranking up the detectors sensitivity to very erratic levels. And in some of the testing videos, they are leaving multiple detectors on at the same time and they are all chattering away like crazy. 

Yes there are people who do not have enough experience and go around calling themselves "testers" 

Hopefully the new people get to some of the more experienced people to make their decisions. I thought my Equinox was over chatty yesterday and it even drove me nuts. 😁 

[CPT_GhostLight]

Many of us old timers were taught early on to develop critical thinking, however I feel like many of the younger generations grow up believing everything they see and hear on social media and that can be problematic in and of itself. Maybe Youtube and the other platforms should come with disclaimers, but nobody would read them anyway.

When I got back into detecting in 2019, I did watch a lot of detecting videos (and still do) as I researched different metal detectors to try to determine the best "bang for the buck" that I could afford. There were (and are) many outlandish videos to wade through but there were (and are) some very good ones as well. Even some of the craziest, most over the top videos had some nuggets of useful information hidden in them that could be recovered with some discrimination to eliminate the garbage. In the end I was able to find the detector that would work best for me and it has served me well for the last 3 years.

I also feel that the proliferation of detecting videos and TV shows over recent years has helped to move the detecting community from the realm of that crazy old guy hobby to an almost respectable action adventure category in many peoples eyes.

We are a unique breed with unique traits and, just like in any other persuits, if a newcomer to the detecting world is willing to use common sense, do their research, put in the work, and learn their machine, they will be alright.

[strick]

My favorite is when the put the shovel a foot away from the target and swing over the target....wtf. ?  Or they  have two detectors within 3 feet of each other while doing their “tests” I’m waiting for a guy to duct tape two detectors together and see how that works...Lots of stupid stuff out there from self proclaimed experts... the whole silent emi thing with the Deus2 and the Nox....did they really think that when you had two detectors that close to each other they wound not interfere with each other? The guys that swing PI’s as well as vlf’s seem to have a little more “Detector Common Sense” then most. 

strick 

[Rick N. MI]

I had a friend try to throw his shovel into the ground when he was getting a target but the shovel hit his big toe instead. He took his shoe off and his toe was still there and bleeding some. It was hard not to laugh.

[DanU]

I qualify as one of the newbies.  None of the videos turned me away from the hobby.  A few did turn me away from watching more of their videos.  It doesn't take long to figure out who is knowledgeable and good at what they do and who is not so good.  I have many more hours watching videos, reading articles and forums than my mere 18 or so hours of swinging.  I had almost 3 months of watching before I received my Deus II.  I learned a long time ago not to rely on any one source and to be a critical thinker.  
 

On 3/8/2022 at 5:57 AM, strick said:

I’m waiting for a guy to duct tape two detectors together and see how that works.

Wait.  You can do this?  Maybe get a dozen or so and mount them on the back of an ATV and cover ground much faster!!!  🙂 

[F350Platinum]

I'll admit I have driven my golf cart slowly down a dirt and gravel road holding the detector out... 🙄 Maybe I should do videos. 😁

[PhaseTech]

3 hours ago, DanU said:

I qualify as one of the newbies.  None of the videos turned me away from the hobby.  A few did turn me away from watching more of their videos.  It doesn't take long to figure out who is knowledgeable and good at what they do and who is not so good.  I have many more hours watching videos, reading articles and forums than my mere 18 or so hours of swinging.  I had almost 3 months of watching before I received my Deus II.  I learned a long time ago not to rely on any one source and to be a critical thinker.  
  🙂 

Thanks for sharing, and that's encouraging to hear.