To Dig Or Not To Dig

[Chase Goldman]

The ability of a detector to give you enough information to make a reliable determination of trash vs. treasure is about so much more than visual target Id's generated for various trash and treasure sample targets in a controlled single-mode air test.  That information is useful to have, to be sure but to extrapolate from that information and make conclusions about detector capabilities is like making conclusions and car buying decisions based solely on published government mpg data. 

You need to understand the audio signature, what happens when the coil crosses the edge of the target, mode settings, ground conditions, site conditions and context, and a host of other factors. 

You can't make solid conclusions based soley on partial information be it, pictures, text, diagrams, or from watching videos.  These are all pieces of the puzzle but you really need to be swinging the machine under real world conditions to make a credible assessment of detector capability. 

So when this information is graciously provided upon request, IMO it should be taken at face value and restraint should applied to making extrapolated conclusions (positive or negative) or criticisms until you have the machine in your hands and can confirm or refute your expectations on your own terms.

Just my $0.02.

[Ridge Runner]

Goldman

Back in the day you had to dig everything I found more rings than a lot of us have hairs on our head.

That’s no brag that’s just facts. The only bad thing is that shiny silver stuff wasn’t silver.The good side you didn’t pass up a rind.

Chuck

[MineBlab]

3 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

The ability of a detector to give you enough information to make a reliable determination of trash vs. treasure is about so much more than visual target Id's generated for various trash and treasure sample targets in a controlled single-mode air test.  That information is useful to have, to be sure but to extrapolate from that information and make conclusions about detector capabilities is like making conclusions and car buying decisions based solely on published government mpg data. 

You need to understand the audio signature, what happens when the coil crosses the edge of the target, mode settings, ground conditions, site conditions and context, and a host of other factors. 

You can't make solid conclusions based soley on partial information be it, pictures, text, diagrams, or from watching videos.  These are all pieces of the puzzle but you really need to be swinging the machine under real world conditions to make a credible assessment of detector capability. 

So when this information is graciously provided upon request, IMO it should be taken at face value and restraint should applied to making extrapolated conclusions (positive or negative) or criticisms until you have the machine in your hands and can confirm or refute your expectations on your own terms.

Just my $0.02.

It's all been said a thousand times. Never hurts to hear it again because in the heat of the hunt it's easy to forget.