Whites DFX

[LJ]

I will be purchasing a new metal detector very soon and have a question on this particular model.

Can anyone tell me what the max depth for the Whites DFX with the factory coil? Does it depend on if it is gold, silver or iron? Also, if I get a bigger coil, will that enhance the depth capabilities?

Any information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

LeJeuene

 

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[BuckleBoy]

Finding a good hunting buddy takes some time. Back when I started I had a great friend that got me into the hobby. Then after I moved away from where I grew up in Virginia, it took me 10 years to find another good hunting buddy. It seems to be a touchy subject for some people--usually people who have gotten burned by bad detectorists doing everything from exploiting their sites to stealing their finds. It just takes time. You'll find a fellow detectorist you wholeheartedly trust.

Every Good Wish,

Buckleboy

 

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[patpall22]

I had the same questions you had when buying my DFX. what I have learned In gaining depth, is that is mostly hindered buy either electrical interference, or ground condishions. If you are detecting away form ay traffic, powerlines and houses then you can just bump up the amp to 4, then up the AC sensitivity a few more. Basically the DFX can go as deep as any in optimal condishion. the problem is that if you automatically set the DFX pre-amp to 4, the outside condishions will make the machine go haywire even with a ground balance. It will go as deep as the machine is stable and resonates a clear audio threshold. My Experience is that I am usually limited to a PAG of 3 and can still find coins in lawns 6+in and 15 at the beach. I Have been hunting beaches allot lately in san diego, and have been able to utilize the most out of my machine. The PAG from 3 to 4 is quite nautical and a blessing when I can run a smooth program with it.

 

[dewcon4414]

Pat... i think you made a typo when you said on the beach you were finding things 5" deep with the DFX. ive found small toe rings at 14" with the stock coil.

 

[patpall22]

Pat... i think you made a typo when you said on the beach you were finding things 5" deep with the DFX. ive found small toe rings at 14" with the stock coil.

Thanks dewcon441, their should be a 1 infont of that five. I'll change that

 

[texas hunter]

Saw on here somewhere where you were looking for a more "hand friendly" digging tool. I have been using this one for some time now---very sturdy--very comfortable in the hand, and ( according to the wife) looks like a womans gadget !! Got it at Home Depot--garden dept. for $10.00. Edges have some serration on them--I touched mine up with a file to sharpen them. Works VERY well in dirt and on lawns--at least in my area.
Just thought you might want to check it out.
HH--Lou

 

[camb1]

I got my DFX about the same time as you. I was ready to pull my hair out at first, but went to a local White's Dealer and he gave me a few leasons with my detector. This helped me out a lot. He even said he would go out with me to show me a few more things. Local dealers can be be helpful and very knowledgable.

 

[Mike Silver -gold]

I own a Whites specturm and I have just ordered a DFX. I hip mount all my detectors. You can hunt a lot longer and do a lot better just swinging a rod and coil. They also sell a swing device where all the weight is on your shoulder and waist. Good luck.

 

[Iskuli]

Lejeuene, Congrats on your new machine! As I was reading all of these posts, I kept thinking about the wisdom of learning "how" to use the detector......whatever detector anyone may choose. I have a golden olde'. A White's 800 classic id. I received it two christmas' ago from my dad who has a minelab (he loves his explorer). I talk to a lot of detectorist in my area who have newer, more expensive, state of the art machines, and I find as much, and in many cases MORE treasure than they do. Why? I know my machine and I have a great work ethic. I like to find coins (turned in almost $300.00 in clad last year). I LOVE to find jewelry! Last year I found 72 rings, 5 silver crosses/1 gold. This year I have found 5 rings so far. I am sure the following is WAY more than you actually asked for; however, this is what works for me:

1. Choose a place to hunt that you know for a fact LOTS of people go for recreation.

2. Check the hole after finding a coin or jewelry. Yep, nothing will put your underwear in a bunch more than having your metal detecting buddy find a quarter(s) in a hole you dug with your blood, sweat, and tears, because you were in a hurry to detect the rest of the area. Not that has ever happened to me personally….ehem…..

3. Trash is good (when you have a small coil). Yes, you read correctly, trash is good! Trash tells me that people have been in the area I am hunting. The amount tells me HOW many people go there. The KIND of trash has helped me date the area I am hunting (old pull tabs vs. new, old popbottles, etc). I especially like to see beer, or wine trash! Those folks don’t know how NOT to lose their money and jewelry at the beach. Twisted, I know, but it works for me!

3. I usually find more at the beginning of a hunt than at the end. I think I have an idea of why that is true for me. At the beginning of a hunt I swing slow and low. At the end of the hunt I am kind of making a happy face with my coil, know what I mean? At the beginning of the hunt I dig EVERYTHING. At the end, just the “good sounds.” I usually grid the area out in the beginning. At the end of the hunt, I just kind of willy-nilly it.

4. Speakinig of Gridding the area! I have proven it to myself time and again that I will find more coins and jewelry when I take the time to grid out the area I am going to hunt. When I grid, I miss less treasure. The number one thing my fellow detectorist don't seem to want to do, is grid. I was hunting an area a treasure club hunts a lot and one of the detectorist told me to not waste my time (he wasn't being snarky...he really was trying to be nice), because they have hunted it out! I smiled and said thank you, but continued to hunt in a grid. I found a gold ring by a bunch of poptops......Notice I didn’t say I would get ALL treasure! Which brings me to number 5....

5. No place is ever hunted out. I tried to hunt out an area, and what I found was that nature can cover, and uncover treasure. An area that has 2 or 3 inches of sand or soil removed WILL equal more coins and treasure. People will also continue to lose things in a hunted out area. Case and point: I found my 2nd gold ring last year in an area I would have bet $$$ you wouldn't be able to find coins, or jewelry becuase I hunt it once a week. I have pulled cans, tabs, tokens, coins and silver; and yet, this week, there it was under a rock I had been avoiding with my coil. Which brings me to six...

6. There is treasure by trees, bushes, and big rocks. I have found many a coin and ring by, and under this stuff. If I am in a good area (one that is producing coins) I will move these things if I can. If not, I swing all around them and listen for tone or whisper.

7. Finding lots of quarters or keys means I have found an area that is not hunted much by other detectorists! They will miss dimes, and nickels; but, they don't consitently miss quarters or keys. Has anyone else surmised this as well? I have also found that when I find a lot of quarters in a hunting area that I find jewelry too.

8. Treasure is in the eye of the beholder! I never, and I mean NEVER have a bad hunt. I have hunts where I find more, or better treasure than others; however, just being outdoors in the fresh air is wonderful. I like the physical activity, and the joy of the hunt. The anticipation of the dig. That's what keeps me interested in the MDing.

9. Turn down the discrimination. I remember how excited I was to have a machine that would cancel out/discriminate trash. Woo-hoo! I would only find coins and treasure. Not true....I have an older whites classic. When I use high discrimination, I lose depth. Plus, trash will mask the good stuff. PERIOD! The only time I use discrimination is when I have less than an hour to hunt, or I am feeling discouraged from digging to much trash. I flip over to discriminate, find a few coins or whatever, and back to no discrimination I go! I will also put the detector on discriminate to case out a new hunting area. If I find clad and/or silver, I turn down the discrimination and start digging trash.

10. Gold sounds and looks like foil or a nickel! Did I mention to turn down the discrimination and dig everything? Enough said!

11. Depth. I think how much depth you need is based on what you're hunting, where you are hunting! For me, because of my dad's machine (explorer: which by the way can hear sounds at the center of the earth's core), I know I may be missing some deeper targets (8 inches or more)... However, most of my good finds have been no more than 5 to six inches deep......I hunt at a fresh water lake that has sand and rocks.

12. Hunting alone. Being females we have to be very careful when hunting. I walk tall (I am about 5' 10") and carry a wicked looking knife for digging, or if need be, carving me up a little "would be" threat to my metal detecting day. Seriously.....I never go out without letting my husband know where I am. I carry my cell phone at all times. I have a detecting buddy. When she can't go out with me, I only hunt when I know some people will be where I am hunting. Safety in numbers......I do get a few more questions from folks, but I have also found some new places to hunt by talking to them.

Hope this was helpful! HH