Garrett and I are having a trouble relationship

[bcurrey]

This post will contain some frustration and whining, lots of sarcasm and a plea for help.

I've had my Garrett 350 for 2 months now. Took it to the beach within a couple weeks of getting it and found some beer tabs. Dug lots of holes with no finds. Understandable given i just got it. Came home search my parents field. Found a couple parts off a tractor but still dug lots of holes with no finds.

After reading on here I decided to get the garrett pinpointer. Went back out to my parents field and had about the same results. Several holes with beeps but no finds.

Last weekend I went to an old farm about a qtr mile from major civil war battlefield. Hunted for about 2 hours. Found 3 pieces of metal. Probably dug 10 holes.

This week I found the spots where the old house and barn had sat on the land. I went back out. I went to the barn first. Started swinging and got some random beeps. It would beep so Id start swing the 350 to try to zero in, but could never get and more reliable beeps. After a while of no luck I left for a field practically across the street from the battlefield. I'm sure it's been hunted alot but I just wanted some practice.

Found some good beeps with 350. I dug my initial hole. Stuck pinpointer down in and got some beeps. Started feeling good. I dig. And dig. And dig. And dig. I keep checking with the pp and its beeping more. I found.....NOTHING.

I can dig up loose dirt and put in my hand and stick the pp in the middle of it and it beeps. I know nothing is there though.

I hunted for 2 hours today. I dug what I feel we're pretty big holes from chasing pp beeps and I did not come up with a single speck of metal today. LITERALLY NOTHING!! I don't think I could find a quarter laying on top of an asphalt driveway at this point.

Here's a video I tried to take of one of the holes I dug. Any ideas what I'm doing wrong?

I tried turning it off and sticking it in the hole and turning it back on. Didn't really help.

I've watched videos on YouTube. I know I need more practice, but I just don't know I'm doing wrong. Any help would be appreciated!



https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B0PZQ2m9_Aniall2TkxWLXByVzA/edit?usp=sharing

 

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[Jay In NewKen]

I read your post a few times and tho others may have a different opinion, it sounds like you're hunting in heavily mineralize soil. It could be setting of your pp too. Since that model of Garrett doesn't have a manual ground balance feature it might be reacting to the mineralisation. I might suggest turning your MD on while the coil is flat on the soil you're going to hunt. I also would suggest contacting a local detecting club and see if they could give any advice.

 

[cudamark]

You're not wearing a ring are you?

 

[marh415]

You're not wearing a ring are you?

I was thinking the same thing, I sometimes forget to take off my wedding band! Anyway, the 350 does not like wet sand at salt beaches and will false like crazy. I normally don't dig anything over 4" when on the beach in dry sand of course. Other than that it sounds like it could be the soil in the area your hunting. Have you tried a test area? I would bury some random targets at different depths and see how your machine reads them. Also, make sure your sensitivity isn't cranked all the way up too. I hope this helps... good luck!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

bcurrey, I hate to say this, but your type question/problem is only going to be solved by hooking up with a proficient user, in person, and going out and practicing on flagged targets. Have him flag something he hears (even if only shallow clad in an easy modern park or sandbox). Or conversely, you flag something for him to hear. Each of you swings over it. Watch the way he swings, listen to what he's listening to (have him un-plug his headphone jack). The you guys take turns digging. Watch how he pinpoints, let him watch how you're trying, etc..

Because there's no way questions like this can be answered in printed text. This is because detecting is so "sound specific". No amount of reading about something in printed text, can convey "sounds". Can't be done. It has to be "heard".

Example: One time a newbie in my area emailed me to complain about "disappearing signals". I tried and tried to diagnose the problem via emails. To no avail. Finally we decided to meet up. By this time, the poor fellow had sent his machine back to the factor 3 times for "repairs", and each time they sent it back saying "nothing's wrong". He was about ready to wrap it around a tree in disgust.

Within 60 seconds of us meeting, and beginning to share flagged targets, I immediately spotted the problem (and it was something that no amount of emails for forum-reading could have revealed): Each time this fellow would hear something, he'd slow down his swing to "hear it better". But then it would "disappear". So he'd move on, and get another signal. Then slow down to isolate and hear better, and IT TOO would "disappear". This happened over and over again, except on perhaps some shallow easy gimmees. But you see, the problem was, he had a 6000 Di pro., which is a fast motion machine (ie.: the faster you swing, the deeper you go, but if you "stop on top of the target", the signal "dissapears", because you now have no motion!!).

And I said to the fellow: Didn't you read the instructions where it said "motion required?" And he said "yes, I read that part many times. But I just thought they meant I must swing the coil from side to side as I walk and progress through the field. And I thought, 'that's a stupid instruction, HOW ELSE is anyone going to ever progress through the field, if they're not moving the coil, and walking?' " You see how printed instructions can't always convey, like in that example, what is meant. It's something that has to be seen and heard.

So too do I think you're doing something wrong, that a simple 10 or 20 minute meeting with a proficient user won't solve right up, when comparing several flagged signals.

 

[mercury1]

Bcurrey, others have given some clues that it may be the soil and that may be all or part of the problem. I started detecting this year with an ace 250. I upgraded to AT pro after about 5 or 6 weeks. I had a similar problem at first but as I gained experience it occurs less and less. I would suggest you prepare a test garden, as was already mentioned, which will really help you understand what your equipment is telling you. This is a big learning opportunity and you should do it next instead of going hunting next time. Also you will find it helpful to use a ground cloth to place your excavated dirt. People do this in parks and lawns to keep things neat but it can also help you track down ghost signals. A small piece of metal can be hard to find otherwise, even with the pinpointer. I've heard that you need 100 hours to really get a handle on your detector but even after that, you are still learning. It seems pretty basic, swing detector, it goes beep, dig up your treasure, but the more you do it the more you realize is involved. At least that has been my experience. Good luck to you and keep at it.

 

[Ism]

Unless its the soil, that pinpointer looks defective.
If its the soil, the dirt caked on the tip will make it hyper sensitive. You will have to touch the earth when you turn your PP on to negate that effect.
If its when you put pressure on the side of the tip as you are wiping it around, then it may be a defective PP.
You should be able to recreate the problem by grasping your PP with one hand and pressing the side of the tip against the palm of your other hand.
If it goes off with mild pressure, then you should contact Garrett. Even send them a link to the video.

Your problem with the detector is a plaint I read on the forum about the Ace series. The fact that you are having behavior issues with both detector and PP leads me to believe its your soil.

 

[sandy shoes]

my pointer does this when it gets a overload turn it off put the pin pointer to the ground and turn it back on to ground balance it

 

[bcurrey]

Thanks for all the replies! This helped a lot. Yes, I've had my ring and watch off. Figured that out one of the first times I went out!

I met up from a guy from this site today. It help a lot just watching him. I learned some things I was doing wrong. I found a mini-ball today! So I finally had something to be excited about.

I'm starting to think the pp is defective. I noticed today (thanks to your replies) that is I put any pressure at all on the tip of it, that it will beep like its close to something. I think that's a big reason for all the digging and no finds. It also beeps if I put it in my hand and squeeze it just a little. It helped me find a couple things today, but it also didn't help me a few times. I don't trust it and based on all the positive reviews on here I expected more. I'm going to give garrett a call.

Again appreciate all the help!

 

[mumsituk]

I'm in Woodstock, NY. Where are you?
Gene

 

[dale3fan28]

Try turning down the sensitivity a notch or 2

 

[bowwinkles]

paying good money with high expectations and then finding problems has always bothered me also. My dad use to tell me when he seen me with something that was not working as designed to wrap it up with a dollar and throw it away, so that you could at least be able to say that you were throwing something good away. Just when you needing to have that equipment to work well and go out and play you are now having to go out of pocket and return a faulty piece of equipment. The Gpp has stuck a lot of good folks with that same problem much to often. I am hoping that you may try to select another brand name on the pin pointer when it goes back and I will be looking for those big happy smiles at the end of your future posts.

 

[RobRieman]

The OP posted this almost a year ago and only has 19 posts so I think you guys may be talking to yourselves.

 

[releventchair]

Well then I take it back.

 

[bowwinkles]

Good catch on the dates, Ill just say for him to go ahead and wrap it up in a dollar and throw it away then.

 

[Lores]

I was just wondering if it was at the same spot on the display where you could just notch it out?

 

[RobRieman]

Good catch on the dates, Ill just say for him to go ahead and wrap it up in a dollar and throw it away then.

That's funny right there!

 

[sailoffwithme]

I was thinking the same thing, I sometimes forget to take off my wedding band! Anyway, the 350 does not like wet sand at salt beaches and will false like crazy. I normally don't dig anything over 4" when on the beach in dry sand of course. Other than that it sounds like it could be the soil in the area your hunting. Have you tried a test area? I would bury some random targets at different depths and see how your machine reads them. Also, make sure your sensitivity isn't cranked all the way up too. I hope this helps... good luck!

My Ace250 has been awesome at the beach two gold rings so far started last month.
After I found a wedding band I put it on and found lots more things on the beach mostly money!
My Ace 250 has had no issues with other people' wedding bands