AIR GAP TESTING

[reds]

Hello. Does anyone understand the relationship between aip gap testing a detector and the actual in the ground depth, for example how close would the depth actual be? tks..reds

 

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[Monty]

I'm a novice too but what I have read on" air gap testing"....if I understand what you mean by that, each machine may be different. The only way I know to check would be to bury an item at a known depth and check it. Then air gap check the same item and compare the two? JIM

 

[bakergeol]

There can never be a direct relationship between air testing and ground testing.- It all about ground mineralization. In bad ground your depth will be pretty bad with a VLF. You can air test a coin at 10 inches with a VLF but it may be only be detectable at 4 inches in real bad ground and 6 inches in a less mineralized area.This is why PIs have such an incredible depth advantage over a VLFs- because they are not effected by ground mineralization as VLFs are.

The Minelab folks say you really can't air test an Explorer- that it really needs ground.

It is best to do what a lot of folks do- plant your own coin garden(some folks have had these for many years)- So you can test new machines when they come out. Just bury known coins at know depths.

George

 

[Lowbatts]

When I am playing with the machines I use air testing only for the purpose of seeing the ideal pinpoint under the coil. I don't use a test garden because you simply cannot account for the variables in the many varied mediums you will hunt. I advise everyone new to put a test board together to try out their pinpointing skills but again, this ideal. A tilted coin affects pinpoint and target signalling.

Soil mineralization, moisture, temperature and humidity are all factors, not to mention external RF sources from any of a bazillion points of origin. That noisy overhead transformer may be putting RF out across the spectrum, from DC to light. It's gonna affect your detecting too. But all those factors do not overwhelm you, they are just points you need to account for in both your choice of equipment, site selection and detecting discipline.