Dealing With Surface Targets?

[Cal_Cobra]

After what felt like weeks of rain, Sunday was a beautiful warm sunny day, and I was able to get out with some detecting friends and get a solid 8 hours of detecting.

Something that's been bugging me, is those darn surface, or near surface targets.  Amazingly something as large as a flattened beer can sounds pretty darn good, coming in at a solid 26, the same as a silver dime.  Now most machines would overload on a beer can an inch or two under the surface, and you'd likely move on, especially after digging several

As the site that was loaded with said beer cans has been known to produce some good old coins, it was hard to pass these, but I gotta tell you that after digging well over a case of them (some were 12"-18" deep, many were shallow), it was defeating.    Interestingly for the most part, I did not get that double blip signal indicating a surface target, one or two perhaps, but not the majority.  I did raise the coil on a few, and sure you could raise the coil 8" before loosing the signal, but what if it was a rare quarter or barber half (which understandably should register a higher TID# then 26)

I should mention that on Saturday a 1907-D $10 gold eagle came out of this site, and last fall a AU condition (PCGS graded) 1913-S Barber Quarter came out of this site, for those that don't know coins, let's just say you could buy a decent used car with that one, or pay for 12 EQ800's with change for gas and a few coils  :
http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/5666

Don't get me wrong, I dig my fair share of trash, especially in relic sites, where you're usually rewarded (eventually) if you dig all conductors, but there has to be a better way to deal with these cans or like nuisance targets??

HH,
Cal

 

[Guest Tnsharpshooter]

Might try this.

Push pinpoint button, here that stinging sound?  That's a big target.  So folks get some cans, etc. even a silver dollar and experiment using pinpoint.  Pinpoint has some modulation.  I use it.

Now on a ft deep can it won't help much.

[canslawhero]

Sunday/Monday were nice days up here in the far north also so got out for about 2 hours each day. Note that by the time I hit 2 hours I'm very tired (probably have a few years on you Brian @ 67). I've been working on that issue exactly but from the standpoint of better utilizing my time, ie how not to dig newer copper pennies and try to differentiate toward the deeper ones that could be older. Audio volume nuance is critical and I've become a fan of using the coil lift to try and gauge depth (provided meter is pretty useless). I am getting better though I'm sure I'll probably eventually get most of the obvious copper pennies. Not many silver dimes here but I got one that was a softer 22-23 (trashy area). nearby was a nail and the ubiquitous copper penny. So moral of the story is don't believe what you see (ID's) and any doubt investigate. I'm pretty certain I wouldn't have dug any of those flattened cans (or at least I hope so). cheers and hope you get on another gold coin to show Tom, lol

[Cabin Fever]

You should be able to hear the size difference in the signal audio..  Because of the poor depth modulation, I rely on the pinpoint function on the Equinox more then other Detectors I have used.. Between the wide audio signal and pinpoint audio, you should be able to cut down on the can digs considerably..

Bryan

[canslawhero]

I'll add that I don't use pinpoint....feel my time is better spent just digging it....ymmv

[Norm S]

I have only hunted in a cpl of parks and not really a relic hunter. I dug $5.82 this morning in clad and I pulled out more than one quarter in a hole that also had a can in it. I got a jumpy 28 so  dug and when I scanned the hole after I pulled the quarter I still had a strong signal but found it to be a can. I have only been tricked by cans when they been over 8". Most dimes ring up at a 24 -26 and I have dug over $9.00 in dimes. On occasion a penny will pop up at a 25 but most often 19 -23. I have has several 32 -38 signals  but all have been trash and every time I knew before I dug because my Whites pin pointer sounded off up to 10" away from the center of the signal. I have dug bunches of coins in the center of other trash such as tabs, nails and iron. I haven't dug many nickels because I have yet to find one that rings up anything but a solid 13 and even then a pull tab keeps me honest from time to time. I only dig 13 for nickels. 

Most quarters ring up 28 - 29 but on occasion I will get one at 30 and a few at 27- 28. 

The funny thing is I found about 4 surface dimes this morning and they rang up at 23

 

[bado1]

What TNSS and Cabin Fever said.

Use the pin point function. It helps some.

 

Dean

[Cabin Fever]

26 minutes ago, canslawhero said:

I'll add that I don't use pinpoint....feel my time is better spent just digging it....ymmv

That works great for relic hunting,  but in a nice city park with lots of nails and surface trash, the pinpoint function is a fantastic tool to shape, size and judge depth of deep old coins, or nails that sound like coins.. You cant just tare the place up digging everything..

Bryan

[GB_Amateur]

17 minutes ago, Norm S said:

I have has several 32 -38 signals  but all have been trash and every time I knew before I dug because my Whites pin pointer sounded off up to 10" away from the center of the signal.

Which White's pinpointer, the latest (Bullseye TRX)?  I'd like to apply your technique myself.

[canslawhero]

16 minutes ago, Cabin Fever said:

That works great for relic hunting,  but in a nice city park with lots of nails and surface trash, the pinpoint function is a fantastic tool to shape, size and judge depth of deep old coins, or nails that sound like coins.. You cant just tare the place up digging everything..

Bryan

good advice Bryan, I'll give that a try next time I'm out....if depth can be judged it would indeed be very useful (I am a very neat digger btw and right now it's all deadsville in the parks due to the big freeze)