Best way to recover DEEP targets

[MrPoptop]

I am under 40 but have some injuries from an accident. I use a smallish shovel. My holes clean up nicely do to the rounded edge on said shovel.
On DEEP targets I lose the continuity of the earth.
Have a harber freight PP.
Any advice besides a new PP?

 

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[batcap]

I am under 40 but have some injuries from an accident. I use a smallish shovel. My holes clean up nicely do to the rounded edge on said shovel.
On DEEP targets I lose the continuity of the earth.
Have a harber freight PP.
Any advice besides a new PP?

This is my theory: Sometimes when you break the halo around a target, it reveals itself to be something that was discriminated out. You notice that the dime target has disappeared because you're no longer getting a beep, but you don't notice the cursor blink over the discriminated out iron area. I think this is because once I identify, pinpoint, and start digging. I stop paying attention to the detector screen and concentrate on the hole. I tend to not push the pinpoint button on the detector again, but just wave it over the hole, usually holding it by the shaft. A pro-pointer is a great tool, but it these instances you could lean back and look at the screen when you search in and around the hole.

 

[Joe(TX)]

...If you lose the target signal...just keep digging until the target is out of the hole...if you are using a coin notch program...you may have to change it to zero discrimination until you locate the target...........Joe

 

[Born2Dtect]

Pin pointers are all metal, (exception in line Sunrays use the detectors disc. settings). If metal is near the tip the sound off. So if there is a signal and you get the PP tip close enough you will find it. This is theory, in practice I still have totally lost a good signal before. Just not as often as I used to.

Ed D.

 

[gleaner1]

Poptop, are you talking about the mysterious, ever-deeper target, the one you can't find even if you dig to China, but you still get a good signal no matter what? If you get a good hit and it's not in the hole 6 or 8 or maybe 10" deep, let it go.

 

[schlepprock]

Poptop, are you talking about the mysterious, ever-deeper target, the one you can't find even if you dig to China, but you still get a good signal no matter what? If you get a good hit and it's not in the hole 6 or 8 or maybe 10" deep, let it go.

I always wondered if everyone else was getting these signals as well. I've gotten many targets that were supposed to be at a certain depth and after digging down twice the depth my GTI tells me that it's supposedly still there at the original depth that it told me it was, even though it's a hole twice the depth. I don't believe it's a pinpointing issue, it's just another one of the Garrett quirks I've never figured out.

 

[Joe(TX)]

.....The problem with the depth meters on all detectors is that they are calibrated for finding coin size objects.....so if it says its is a quarter at 6 inches but in actuality it is a large copper or brass plate 10 inches across....so the meter will continually say that the depth is 6 inches when it is really 2 foot or more down......most people will not investigate the signal if it persists more than a foot or so....also for objects like this it may be a good idea to use something like a bottle probe that is at least 3 or 4 foot long....at least one could get the feel of the shape and how deep the target really is.......also if one knew that it wa a was a very deep target most would stop digging....at least it would save the aggrivation and the lawn....I guess that it depends if one is detecting the back 40.....or detecting the public park.......HH.....Joe

 

[gleaner1]

Poptop, are you talking about the mysterious, ever-deeper target, the one you can't find even if you dig to China, but you still get a good signal no matter what? If you get a good hit and it's not in the hole 6 or 8 or maybe 10" deep, let it go.

I always wondered if everyone else was getting these signals as well. I've gotten many targets that were supposed to be at a certain depth and after digging down twice the depth my GTI tells me that it's supposedly still there at the original depth that it told me it was, even though it's a hole twice the depth. I don't believe it's a pinpointing issue, it's just another one of the Garrett quirks I've never figured out.

This is by no means a Garrett specific thing. It's a metal detecting phenomenon. Depth meter not withstanding.

 

[relicswinger]

I was using a 1350 with a 9X12 DD coil in a park and had found several larger iron items (big fireplace poker, 3 inch iron pipe, etc) and I got a strong signal (by strong I mean, audibly sharp and repeatable, no changes in type of material) and showing 6 inches deep. Depth indication can be off due to the object being large and deep or being small and shallow. It wasn't small and shallow since I had already dug down 10 inches. So I dug straight down using my small digger until I was elbow deep. The was no "cannon ball" and the appearance of the soil was undisturbed (looking at the sides of the hole the layers of dirt were clear and not messed up). Since the dirt had not been disturbed there could not be a previously buried treasure chest or cannon ball! So there had to be another answer to the signal. I went back to the vehicle and got my small coil. My "forensic investigation" (cleared away the dirt pile onto a tarp, and checked every square inch of ground around the hole very slowly and methodically, marking every target with plastic bingo chips) found two small "iron" targets (one was a lighter striker wheel, the other was a small stainless steel nut) on opposite edges of the hole and only about an inch deep. After I dug up one of the items and rechecked the hole with the the mystery object was no longer present. The two objects were as wide as the 9X12 DD coil and were seen as one large item and deep.

What did I learn to do in future instances of deep objects when using the 9X12 DD coil? Mainly, not to blindly trust it. When using the DD coil there is a place behind the front edge where the narrow search field begins. This is where you can use it to pinpoint the object by swinging it over the item from different angles and get the digging spot narrowed down. Now I use that capability to look around an object to see if I get multiple (usually two) hits. If I do I dig up these items before I dig to China for something.

A whole different take on deep objects is when I had a clear "Money Ding" from the 1350 (using the stock coil) near and old statue in a park. I dug eagerly! I was looking forward to finding what was lost when this statue was placed. I dug down without finding anything at the indicated depth. I marked the spot with a small flag on a plastic stick (bought at Lowes) for further "forensic investigation" before I left. I found several of these types of targets. As I was placing the third flag it occurred to me that they were lining up. As I sighted along the path they pointed out, I found my self looking at a lake in one direction up hill and another lake in the downhill direction. I had successfully found the overflow pipe that prevented flooding in the lake at the higher elevation. Boy was I excited! NOT!!!