Christmas is right around the corner, so I’ve haphazardously tossed together a metal detecting wish list.  Take a look and see if Santa needs to add something for you:

“High-Dollar” Metal Detectors

• Minelab E-Trac ($1500)

• Whites Spectra V3 ($1500)

• Fisher F75 LTD ($1300)

• Garrett GTI 2500 ($1000)

Less Expensive, But Can Still Be Pricy

• Minelab X-terra 705 ($800)

• Whites MXT ($800)

• Teknetics T2 ($800)

• Garrett GTi 1500 ($650)

• Tesoro Cortez ($650)

• Fisher F70 ($650)

Even More Affordable

• Fisher F5 ($450)

• Most Tesoro’s (Example = DeLeon $450)

• Teknetics Gamma 6000 ($450)

• Minelab X-Terra 505 ($500)

• Garrett GTAX 550 ($400)

Get Detecting For Less!

• Minelab X-Terra 305 ($350)

• Garrett ACE 250 ($250)

• Many Bounty Hunter/Pioneer (around $250 and less)

• Whites Classic 4 ($275)

• Tesoro Compadre ($150)

• Fisher F2 ($199)

Other Metal Detecting Goodies:

Headphones

• Detector Pro ($50 – $150)

• SunRay ($110)

• Killer B’s ($100)

• Most detector manufacturers also make headphones.  Check out phones by Fisher, Bounty Hunter, Whites,  and Garrett.

Pinpointers

• Check out the Metal Detector Pinpointer Roundup!

Diggers

• There are TONS of digging tools available, more than I’m prepared to discuss.  Check out Lesche products!

So there you have it, a basic guide to some goodies that “md’ers” might want to see under there tree this year.  I didn’t cover everything possible.  Why?  Because I’d LOVE feedback from you.

What metal detectors did I leave out of the different price areas?

Want to recommend a great digging tool?

What’s the best metal detecting headphones?

Anything else that no self respecting detectorist should be without?

The Metal Detecting Code of Ethics is a guide as to what you should and shouldn’t do when metal detecting.  It is printed in most metal detector operating manuals and plenty of sources online.  I’ve revised it a little bit to reflect some of my detecting do’s, don’ts, and pet peeves.

Here’s the iDetectorist.com Metal Detecting Code of Ethics

1. If in doubt, don’t.  If you’re not absolutely sure that you can legally detect somewhere, don’t detect there until you ARE sure.
2. If you have to keep looking over your shoulder while you’re detecting, you’re probably violating the first code.  That, or you should be there with a buddy and not by yourself.
3. Don’t take a shovel onto a park or school ground.
4. Don’t take a knife onto a school ground.
5. Dig your plugs the right size the first time.  A larger plug that gets the goodies is neater than a smaller plug that you have to make larger.
6. If the landowner asks what you found, show him.  Don’t have a secret pocket where you keep the really good stuff.
7. While you’re at it, show the landowner the trash also.
8. Sometimes it’s OK to leave it in the ground.  That ten food pipe doesn’t have to come out.
9. Don’t bust on the guy with a low cost detector.  All detectors are toys – the $150 one and the $1500 one.
10. Leave the place like you found it.  Go back later and assess your damage.  Hopefully there won’t be any.
11. Just dig up a piece of trash?  Don’t toss it into the bushes.
12. If you’ve dug a foot down and a food wide, and the detector is telling you it’s a coin 2 inches deep, its probably not a coin.  Get your back-hoe and move on.
13. Found a silver coin?  Don’t rub the dirt off.  Wait till you get home and soak it in water.

So there you have it.  Surely I left off a couple and that’s where you come in.  What would you add to the list?

A pinpointer is a must-have when metal detecting.  In fact I would consider it the most important metal detecting accessory after a good digger.  Yep, even more important than good headphones if you ask me.

Why do you need a pinpointer?  Coins and such can be hard to see!  Not to mention they can be hiding in the wall of a hole while you’re digging to China.   Turn on the pinpointer, scan the hole or the clump of dirt, and beeeeeeep, you have your goodie in-hand in no time.

Here’s a roundup of some of the more popular metal detector pinpointers on the market today.

• SunRay In-Line

Some would consider the SunRay In-Line Probes to be the cream of the crop.  These pinpointers work as a secondary coil on your detector.  Flip a switch and the pinpointer is active rather than the main coil.  This gives you all the tones and readings that your detector would normally have, except with a tiny coil. Somewhat pricey compared to other pinpointers at around $170. More on Sunray at their website here: Sunray Detectors.

• Garrett Pocket Probe

The Garrett Pro-Pointer is a relative newcomer in the pinpointer market, although Garrett is one of the oldest names in metal detecting. This handheld probe is getting some excellent reviews.  The Garrett Pro-Pointer will run you about $140.  More info at Garrett’s Website.

• Automax Precision V4

The Automax V2/V4 has been on the market for a while.  Its long length allows the detectorist to really get into the hole to scan for elusive goodies.    Some users do report cumbersom ergonomics.  Available at Kellyco.

• DetectorPro Pistol Probe

Great reviews on this one.  The pulse induction DetectorPro Pistol Probe has a 6 1/2 probe length and opperates on two 9v batteries.  Kind of pricey at $189.  More at DetectorPro.

• DetectorPro UniProbe

The UniProbe is a more unusual pinpointer.  It comes paired with headphones and can be converted into a full size metal detector with the addition of a larger coil and rods.  DetectorPro reports 5-6 inches depth on coins in the hole with this PI pinpointer.  $350.  A must-see at DetectorPro.

• “Vibra” probes

Treasure Products offers the Vibra-Probe,  Vibra-Quatic, Vibra-Tector, and Vibra-Phone.  Fully submersible, these pinpointers are pulse-induction and give vibration and/or light feedback (depending on model).  They’re priced at around $150.  See the different models at Treasure Products.

• White’s Bullseye

A name as famous in metal detecting as White’s has to offer a top-notch pinpointer.  They do it with the Bullseye II.  This compact pinpointer opperates with sound or vibration and even has an LED to help you see your target.  Available from Whites HERE.  About $100.

• Bounty Hunter pinpointer / Fisher F-Point

This First Texas pinpointer is easy to use with good reported ergonomics.  One of the less expensive pinpointers, it runs about $50.  Interestingly they aren’t mentioned on Fisher’s or Bounty Hunter’s website.

So do you use a metal detector pinpointer?  Have I left any good ones out?  Which pinpointer would you recommend? Comments encouraged!

Another quickie post, but a good one.

In this post I’m going to show you how to find some good historic spots to metal detect using the Yale Peabody Museum website.

Here’s how:

1. Visit the Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) page at Yale Peabody Museum.

2. You will be given the option to enter a search term in the box. If I’m searching for schools I put “school”, if I’m searching for parks…well, you guessed it: “park”. For this tutorial I entered “school”.

3. Select your state from the dop down menu.

4. Select what kind of feature you want to search. Select the same thing you put in the search box. Check out all the features you could search.

5. Enter your county.

6. Click “SUBMIT”.

The results page will give you a long list of schools (or parks, etc). Hopefully there will be some that you weren’t aware existed, even some designated “historic”. My search for “schools” in my county revealed 29 historic schools. Your search will give GPS coordinates for the location.

So now grab your GPS, or look up the coordinates on google earth, and have fun.

Comments welcome. Did you find any possible detecting spots? Many spots designated “historic”? Any other tips for using the Yale search?

Hey folks, a quickie today.

I’ve driven by this drive-in for years and never bothered to pursue permission to detect it. The place closed down in the 80’s after being open since the 50’s. I envisioned the place packed with classic Chevys, guys on dates with the friends hiding in the trunk (ok, before my time, by I’ve heard stories from my dad).

I’ve also imagined the TRASH that must be in a place like this. Old style pull-tab heaven. I’m thinking that narrow, slow sweeps, a small coil, and reduced sensitivity would be the way to go.

What’s your experience with old drive-ins? Ever detect them? Any luck? Any advice?

The Fisher F75LTD and Teknetics T2TLD have a new microprocessor and new “DSP” code with a ‘boost process’ to increase depth. Not to mention a cool camo color scheme (don’t set it down in the woods). $1200.

The White’s Spectra V3 (Vision) has a full color display and wireless headphones. $1600.

You can connect the Minelab E-Trac to your PC by using the detector’s USB interface. You’ll dish out about $1400 first.

So many expensive options, so little time.

My first detector as a grown up was a Radio Shack Discovery 2000, and I was FIRED UP about using it. Seems like everything was going good with it too – until I started researching detectors and their limitations. To prove (or disprove) what I read, I decided to plant a couple of coins in my back yard to see how the detector would respond. Needless to say there was some concern when I couldn’t get a peep from a 4” deep coin.

Then it started.

I needed another detector. Then I met my friend “The forum classifieds” The Discovery 2000 was introduced to another owner, and I made acquaintance with detector number 2. But it didn’t seem to find me any more goodies than the first one. So it had to go.

On to Detector #3, but my finds didn’t improve at all.

Detector #4 didn’t have manual ground balance. I decided I had to have that.

Detector #5 ROCKED! But the tones were confusing.

Detector #6 was supposed to get really good depth in mineralized ground. But it didn’t find me any seated coins.

I decided that I didn’t give #5 enough time, so I got another one. Results were the same.

Detector #8 was REALLY deep in my ground, but it was single tone.

Detector #9 was an “interum” detector until I had enough cash to get one I really wanted.

Thought I’d give single tone another try. Meet Detector #10.

Nope, I can’t do single tone.

Let’s offer Detector #10 for trade and see what kind of bites it gets.

Meet Detector #11.
LOVE IT!

Now, this is a basic summary of my experience with different metal detectors. I’ve changed some of the names to protect the innocent. If you’ve been metal detecting for any length of time, you can see a HUGE problem with this behavior.

I’m not LEARNING my machines.

To be a successful detectorist, you have to KNOW your machine. Every beep, iffy tone, weak tone, half tone, grunt, fart, click, pop, chatter, squeel, whistle, null, ID bounce, tone bounce, and scratch means SOMETHING. The only way to get to know your machine on this level is to get your knees dirty and dig.

Dig pulltabs. And bottle caps. And canslaw. And foil. And iron.

Keep notes about how the detector signaled that bottle cap. Was it just a beep? Or was it more of a quick, subtle nuanced buzz followed by a weak beep with a bouncing zinc/cap visual ID? Did it ID different from different angles? Did it pinpoint accurately? Did switching to all metal mode tell you more information?

Here’s my challenge to you: spend 20 hours using your detector before you give up on it and get another one. That might be a few weeks or a few months, but stick with it and try to learn what the machine is telling you.

In the mean time, I’m saving for a F75 -LTD.