Coil Swinging. Better fast or slow?

[skylarking1970]

See what you guys think. Is it better to swing the coil fast over an area twice, or just once at a slower speed?

I did some testing with my Spectrum, and I found out that I would get better hits on deeper targets by swinging it fast over an area twice.

Often times, I would not get a beep, but the bars would register on my screen.
In trying it slower over the same target that I had buried, I would not get a beep or even any bars. I did this test with a dime buried about 8 inches.

The reason why I am asking this, is because when I was hunting with a group, one so called expert told me that I needed to slow down my swinging.

After my test, I have thought that you can get deeper targets to register by swinging faster over an area twice.

What do you guys think?

Thanks

 

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[jb7487]

Interesting topic. I've been wondering the same thing. I need to do some of my own testing like you did. I would expect the answer is dependant upon your detector. But I'll let the actual experts give their advice. I'm anxious to hear it!

 

[John (Ma)]

I think it depends on your detector and how you learn it. I tend to swing a little to fast in my opinion at times and slow it down a little. It also depends on the area. Parks I tend to go a little faster than a cellar hole as there are fewer targets. If I hear a sound from my detector that I do not immeadiatly recognize, I go back over it. Around the cellar holes, there can be so many targets, I go slower to better isolate any targets that may be there. Thats my 2 cents.

 

[deepskyal]

Exactly what they were saying...depends on the detector and the settings you use. Older machines had a set speed that worked best. You figured it out after some practice and time. 1 or 2 second sweep speed, back and forth.
Newer machines, you pick your speed depending on program, mineralization, and a whole host of adjustments. But it still boils down to time and patience and what works best for you in the area you're detecting.

I'm kinda set on the 2 second sweep speed.....just a habit from the old TR days. My Vision is a lot lighter than the older machines and I want to swing faster...but I like slow and steady. To get a better ID once I get a tone, I swing a lot faster...but I have my response time set to a quicker speed.

I think you are doing the right thing...bury some objects and see what works for you.

Al

 

[johnnycat]

I think the particular size coil will also come into play.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

As others have stated: It depends on what machine you're using (it's electronic setup, mode of detection, etc....). The "so called expert" you talked to is wrong: The Whites Spectrum is a fast swing machine. Ie.: the faster you swing it, the deeper it will go. Other machines, like the Explorer, can be slowed to a crawl (but still require some motion, or a "wiggle"). So it just depends on the machine.

 

[Born2Dtect]

The only thing I can add is this. You can cover more ground swinging your coil faster. You can cover ground more completely if you go slower , more controlled, and overlap swings. I have seen both work well. I tend to lean toward slower and complete, unless I am searching an unknown large field. I go faster to test the area, do an x pattern and check corners or large trees . I slow down if I get a good find. I guess it comes down to personal preference. As long as you are findings targets to dig that's what speed you should use.

Ed D.

 

[U.K. Brian]

Neither !

The main key to the sweep speed that should be used for a motion machine is the filtering the detector uses. In the past it was simple. Four filter like the Spectrum/XLT needed a faster sweep for best depth and discrimination performance.
Most detectors are two filter so you can sweep far slower without loss of performance.
Vari Filter (some Compass detectors). Not a variable filter system but three filters. This was intended to give the best of both worlds.

So you would think that two filters would be the best idea but four filter machines allow more ground to be covered in a set time and handle ground minerals better.

( Motion detectors don't really have filters they have poles set up in different ways. "Filters" was a term that got adopted. Detectors also have more filters than stated by the manufacturer so a two filter should really be called a two filter type, four filter a four filter type).

So find out if your machine is two, three or four filter type and the higher the number the faster swing is needed. Same applies if you have an adjustable filter machine.

Then see how the coil size/type relates. With an XLT for example (four filter/fast sweep) if you have an iffy target then a even faster sweep should improve I.D. with iron tending to drop out. With other two filter machines the best I.D. and depth is likely to be if the coil is slowed over the target.

So its not really down to preference. The oft given advice to sweep "low and slow" can be the opposite of what you should be doing. A coil near the ground is picking up the maximum ground effect. Lifting it a inch or two makes the target response a little less but the ground effect is reduced even more leading to better performance.

 

[ldablo]

I've found with my detector (Garrett Master Hunter CX Plus) when I'm using discrimination a fairly fast swing is best. On the other hand, when in full metal mode a nice slow search is much better.

Probably different for different detectors--don't know.

LD

 

[luvsdux]

I'm joining the "depends on the detector" crowd. Personally, I usually swing medium to moderately slow, but if I'm really trying to do a thorough search I'll go over the area the long way, the cross way and then each diagonal and possibly both directions before I feel it's well covered. I try to overlap swings by at least half and keep the coil parallel to the ground for the full swing. Remember that the detecting pattern is much smaller than the coil diameter at depth and that coins at an angle or on edge may not respond in one direction but will in another. My two bits.
Bill

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Another vote for "depends". My F-75 likes it very fast in a discriminating mode. I get much better target seperation.

Some spots (like in among saplings) just don't allow for a fast swing. In those spots I switch to all metal that seems to take things in well a bit slower.

 

[Newt]

I find more when I walk slower.
Newt

 

[fmerg]

i started out with the bh xl and also the bh 505
with the xl if you dont swing at just the right speed it misses most weak targets and does not id the targets well at all
the 505 is a little slower but still requires just the right speed on the swing you have to dig a little to get the id to work right if the target is below 4 inches and dont bump the grass