Mineralized soil problem - coin dectetion depth max 3"

[Mirage]

Mineralized soil problem - coin dectetion depth max 3"

Recently got permission to detect an 1820's house. It is on a road that was built on a glacial deposit ridge. The soil in Ohio here is usually good dirt. Not at this place - it's like redish and very sandy. We dug some targets and shallow coins but of the 3 metal detectors I tried only the Minelab Quattro would pick up the copper penny buried at 2-3 inches! Even then it was a little iffy. Is the 28 freq minelab machines(Explorer/Quattro) the best for hunting these conditions? Is it better or worse after a rain? Hate to give up on this property.

Mirage

 

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[slow sweeper]

Re: Mineralized soil problem - coin dectetion depth max 3"

Have you tried using a DD coil?

 

[Michigan Badger]

Re: Mineralized soil problem - coin dectetion depth max 3"

Mirage, I never owned the Quattro but I am familiar with the Excalibur/Sovereign.

Last year I was hunting my own yard and I found an area about 6x10 feet where I wasn't getting any signals. That was odd because our ground is full of scrap aluminum and iron.

I buried a cull silver half in that area at 3 to 4 inches deep. I tried every setting possible and couldn't detect that half. About 10 feet away from that spot I could easily get a strong signal at 6 inches.

I'm thinking that spot may have been an old trash burning area a long time ago.

I checked the battery and tried this several times over but never could get a good signal in that area all last year.

I'm no expert on Minelabs but I can say this, like all the other VLF's out there they are affected by ground mineralization.

Hope you get some help for your problem. That sounds like a great site.

 

[neilo]

Re: Mineralized soil problem - coin dectetion depth max 3"

If you turn the Quatro on to manual sensitivity it will detect deeper. When it is in auto sensitivity in highly mineralised ground the machine tends to over compensate and turns its own sensitivity down. Run it on manual sensitivity and turn it up until it gives false signals then turn it back slowly until they stop and you will find it will be detecting a lot deeper. seeya Neilo

 

[Mirage]

Re: Mineralized soil problem - coin dectetion depth max 3"

In regards to the wet ground, if the water is only sitting on top or just under the surface I found it worse for both VLF's and PI's. But if the ground has had a real good soaking that has penetrated deep.....then both units suck up a deep signal like it was surface trash !!!

Great little tip here. I have observed the same. There is one heavily hunted park that we visit that has good targets but most now are deep and out of reach for our detectors....except on those few days where the moisture factors are just right - then we get some of those deep targets.
Thanks for the info. I can tell you are very experienced Ace.

The other detectors I have tried are:
Fisher Coinstrike(around 7.5 khz)
Whites Classic III(5 khz I think)
Whites DFX(two freq 3 & 15 khz)
Minelab Quattro

The Classic III is the only preset groundbalanced unit. Does worse than the others. Although it has a black sand switch which I don't think I tried...hmmmm

I'll also try the auto sensitivity on the quattro.

Badger - There is one area that does have trash and from what I dug there was a trash/burning spot but this is only a small area of the 1-2 acre lot.

Thanks for the suggestions all.

Mirage

 

[Born2Dtect]

Re: Mineralized soil problem - coin dectetion depth max 3"

The Quattro coil is a double D coil. As mentioned the manual discrimnation will go deeper. You will probably get more chatter and false signals but you will go deeper. A larger DD coil should go deeper also. The soil moisture effects my unit. I find the Quattro likes a moist soil. Also you may try a smaller coil and see if you can get better depth by going between multiple readings, just a thought. Final question, Are you sure there are targets deeper then 3 inches?

Ed Donovan