glacialgold

Interesting plan, and something I might have to try out. The oldest park in my town dates back to the 1820s, but for the last 5-10 years has served mainly as encampment spot for homeless folks and an open-air drug market. I'd really like to detect it -- and I have permission from the city parks dept authorizing me to do so -- but haven't worked up the nerve to go out there yet. Otherwise, I've been lucky so far and haven't had anyone challenge me. Should that occur, my plan is to A) demonstrate written permission, and B) show all the nasty can slaw I'm pulling from out of the ground and on the surface.

Anecdotal, but I've been running the 1.10 betas here, exclusively on Park M3 (soil is soggy AF per rain/snow/melt), and it is hitting quite well. Clean signals, minimal chatter close to EMI sources, etc. Digging the soggy muck, however, is a brand new deal for me. Still yanked out a couple nickels today and a costume necklace on a brief hunt. Last week, did a 30 minute hunt between errands and 6/8 targets were coins. The two Al results I dug on that hunt were definitely iffy signals -- lots of variation, reading between 11 and 43 depending upon the angle of approach.

Welcome! Those are some dang nice finds for a newbie -- you've got me beat, for sure! Keep on learning and sharing what you find, and don't hesitate to ask questions because the folks here are super-friendly and helpful.

Excellent info and very comprehensive -- thanks!

This is the level I need to get to. Using the Legend (and at least in my area), the depth indicator tends to read deep on relatively shallow targets. I spent alot of time digging 6" - 8" starting holes for targets reading 3-4 bars deep, only to find them more like 2" deep. And especially true for actual coin targets. I don't see quite the same discrepancy with the Nox 800 on the same ground/targets. For whatever reason, foil, pull tabs, etc. tend to read more accurately on the Legend depth indicator for me with the settings I use. Those settings are mainly simple Park M1 or M3, 5 recovery speed 5, noise cx'd and ground balanced, and 15-25 on sensitivity depending upon how close to the power lines I am.

This is exactly what I keeping telling myself I'm gonna do... But seriously, I do need to start a Google Sheet project like this to better track finds. I have about 40 hours in now between the Nox 800 and Legend, and I'm expanding beyond just my yard, friends' yards, and local parks and schools. The finds are diversifying in terms of count and content, and it will be super-useful for reference and planning to formally track variables like machine used, weather, and time spent.

OK, so this totally lines up with what I've been seeing with the prior 1.09 update, switching to PARK M3 once the wet season hit -- cleaner and more repeatable signals, better seperation. If 1.10 improves, call me a happy, happy customer.

Like, for real. Curious to hear from anyone who has installed the 1.10 beta version and tested it out in the field? Thoughts, experiences, anticipations? I'm cooped up in the lab and am in bench-test only mode...few noticiable changes in the air test environment on my side. I'm especially intrigued by the PARK M3 update since 1) I detect alot in parks, and 2) M3 is supposed to be good for wet soil, and 3) my area finally started getting precipitation here in Nov. and I've been rocking PARK M3 for the most part ever since the wetness. Also quite curious about the Bottle Cap Rejection and Ground Suppressor adds. Man, also curious about the bass change in 60 tones, since that's what I've been running lately in PARK M3. From Nokta's software update page at https://www.noktadetectors.com/metal-detector/the-legend/#yzlm_gncelleme regarding the 1.10 updates: Updates Made: 1. M3 multi frequency in PARK mode has been updated to prevent coins from being masked by aluminum foil. 2. Bottle Cap Rejection setting has been added. When the device is in multi frequency, select the Recovery Speed setting and press the pinpoint button. When you navigate with the right and left buttons, you will see the letters "bC" appear on the right side of the screen. You can adjust the bC value between 1-8 using the + and – buttons. When the bC is 0, it means that it is off. 3. Ground Suppressor setting has been added. It is used to eliminate false ground signals in tough terrains. To access the setting, select the Recovery Speed setting and press the pinpoint button. When you navigate with the right and left buttons, you will see the letters "GS" appear on the right side of the screen. You can adjust the GS value between 1-8 using the + and – buttons. When the GS is 0, it means that it is off. It is recommended that you leave this setting at off position unless needed. 4. The audio emitted as the Tone Break points are changed while in 60-Tone, has been modified with increased bass. 5. Audio Gain setting has been activated in the Gold Field Mode. 6. Warning tones have been added to the buttons. The buttons will now emit a warning tone in the following cases: a) To indicate the minimum and maximum levels of settings. b) When an inactive setting in a specific mode trying to be activated. 7. The brightness of the Backlight Level 1 has been reduced. 8. Bluetooth Chip Version will now be displayed. When the Bluetooth headphones are paired with the device and the Bluetooth setting is selected, press and hold the Discrimination button. The Bluetooth chip version will be displayed in the clock section. When the button is released, the clock will be displayed again. 9. While in Automatic Ground Balance, the auto backlight will now be lit until the ground balancing is completed. 10. The loudness of the Volume Level 1 has been reduced in PARK, FIELD and BEACH modes. 11. A new level 9 has been added to the Iron Filter (IF) setting. There has been no change to the levels 1-8. Level 9 will become handy when trying to discriminate some unwanted mid-conductors such as shotgun cartridges as iron. 12. General improvements have been implemented.

Nailed it here, GB. For me, it's about both the escape and the challenge...and with detecting, sometimes there is even a tangible, valuable reward during or after completing the escape/refresh and challenge. (Or at least the tantilizing promise thereof -- that's the biggest selling point of the hobby, IMHO.) Also 100% in agreement with (and 200% guilty of) the concept of "knowingness". Part of correcting that mind-set is a mixture of experience, humbleness, and open-mindedness. But dang it sure burns to feel like you really, really know something and have someone poke a hole in that balloon!

I've been having better results lately using Park M3, but maybe that's just because my area started getting precipitation within the last month after three months of drought. Running in M3, I felt like I dug less junk and had even clearer/stronger signals on viable targets. Should also note I've been running in 60 tones, which I feel gives more information about what is in the ground. That said, better results might not be so much due strictly to a particular SMF setting, and more associated with being a more experienced user with more hours on the machine itself. Regardless, I'm quite happy with it's performance! *For background, my detecting "training area" is the local elementary school one of our kids attends. It was built in 1959, so theorectically has the potential for dropped silver. Haven't found any silver there yet, but a decent amount of clad, costume jewelry, and other odds and ends (like a one hitter pipe meant for cannabis consumption!)...with pencial erasers and their little metal bands being the bane of my existence.