DetectingWales.com

iv'e been beach detecting for a while now and usually find some good coinage, also some silver rings , but the gold still eludes me !
i think i am missing the signals. i am finding silver ok, i research the beach well, so i have a good idea where things were dropped or move to with the tide.i dig everything so are the signals very weak ,i can tell by your finds that some people have the knack of finding gold,  any ideas ? ;)

You don't say what detector you are using.

A higher frequency, such as 17 to 19 khz tends to pick up the small/thinner gold better but the thicker stuff
you should pick up anyway.

Ground balance is all important especially on wet salt sand.

Pulse Induction machines will find all stuff under the coil !  ;)

it's a minelab quattro,a good detector ,i'm pretty sure it's me missing the sound or perhapse it just ain't there ! :-\

Time put in, luck and never giving up most important.
Busy beaches,Posh beaches and again luck.
If your really keen and do not mind giving up the silver and pound coins.
Only dig the low (Foil) to mid tones to maximise gold finding opportunities.
Go two hours before low tide and look for depressions cuts or where the water has washed
in up the beach more than the rest.
That means it is a lower part of the beach.
Tidal drift where I am goes clock wise so look on the left side of rocks to see what gets caught.
Look for sand areas where there are lots of stones mixed with the sand(Hard digging but rewarding)
If you hit lead fishing weights grid that place hard.
Where the sloping beach hits the flat beach try a few meters up the slope to a 10 meters out in a w pattern.
Buy a minelab lol if not all ready owned or a PI if your popeye   with big arms.
My best investment was a good scoop 3-4 times quicker than a spade so more targets taken with less effort in the same time.\
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/sandscoopphoto002-1.jpg)
The best tip thou when the summer comes back the best stuff is in the water.
In all my years detecting and seeing loads of detectors on the beach I have never met any one else in the water.
Walk out at low tide on most beaches and it gets deeper then shallower again hunt in the trough and the top of where it gets shallow again.
Having said that I have found rings on the dry but think wet to water better.
Never leave a sh*t signal 1000 will be s**t but one will be that stoned small ladies ring $$$. BLING
Go when the weather is rough big waves and big tide will take meters of the top a beach then hunt the top(Best days ever)
The real biggy thou if you ever go on holiday take the tector.
France Australia Spain have all been good to me but  it is here in the UK if you put the time in.
Never give up My worst stint was more than a 100 hour with no bling
Then one day you might get a hand full.
Happy hunting
Some photos to keep you keen
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/firstgoodring004.jpg)
plat
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/detecting1005.jpg)
 (http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/beachsilver006.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/widmouthafterstorm001.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/widmouthafterstorm007.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/widmouthafterstorm005.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/ringmarks003-1.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/Luckybeachday.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/IMG_4827.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/IMG_4825.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/Beachcain.jpg)
(http://i595.photobucket.com/albums/tt36/chipmonky/plat1-1.jpg)

superb answer

I dont seem to have any problem finding where all the 'stuff' has washed to. The problem I have is having too many signals in a smallish area. It is just too much to take in. 1 inch to left or right and you get another signal and another and another. Which ones do you dig. They're all a poss. You dont need a detector in some spots, you know there's going to be loads there. But you cant dig the whole patch so what do you do.??
I end up walking away, glad of a bit of quiet.
Thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Val

Work a grid pattern Val and in doing so your keeping it simple. Don't let multiple signals confuse you.
Place some stones forming a two or three meter grid square, then 'only work that patch that day'.
Got to be better than walking away from possible good finds. Also as you dig these signals your going to learn from the finds what each set of figures represent.
That way you can be a little more conservative in future when deciding what to dig for.

Happy New Year

Mike

i dont do a lot of beaches but as to figures on targets ,with the xs i run in advanced , get a good signal, flick to digital for a number just to double check then back to advanced , many times i have noticed the number can be different for the same item
ie shotty cap , medicine tube , old penny , this i think is down to levels of corrosion or shape/damage to item and of course depth , so i dont rely to much on the numbers , if its a good un' DIG IT

The e-trac is pretty consistent as far as figures go. Not in all conditions I grant you but I was recently searching a hilltop/mound
and was pulling loads of WWII brass cases out at a reading of 12-26.
Foil tends to be in the mid teens on ferrous with a hight conductivity reading and so on.
I totally agree with the "if its a solid signal - always dig" but if an area is consistently delivering a specific signal then its likely that most
responses within those parameters are going to be the same result from that area and consequently be ignored.
Its a chance we all take when we walk away. We never really know - we can just use our judgment from past experience to try to maximise our time
to best effect.

Happy New Year Mike.

Yes walk a couple of paces in front of Mike (Dance with badgers) should do ok then

i agree with everything goldie said but mainly persistance is the key,i went out for 8 months before i hit gold,was getting frustrated because i saw others getting the yello stuff. i go to the same beach so often that i can see what the sand is doing but dont think i will fully understand it lol.
 as regards the etrac i can grid an area one day and only get grubby signals then grid it again next day and all good signals are clean with consistant numbers.my etrac hits rings at up to 14 inches when sens is up around the 26 mark.
 i sometimes zigzag the beach looking for patches of weights that are giving me consistance signals then i grid that area,seems to work lol.
 it does get frustrating at times but you must believe they are there to spur you on.
some people think im mad for posting my finds because loads of people end up on aberavon next day but if it inspires others to get out there and get some gold why not.
 plenty for everybody.all over the place.if you cant find it theres just too much sand on and try again after some bad weather conditions.
 good luck,happy new year and pqarty on till its all gone weehee ,mork signing out NANOO NANOO

I do try to walk in front of him but every time he sees me he heads i the opposite direction. I think its a 'skylark' thingy...  ;D ;D

no mike i watch you and when i see the lack of holes i move on.when conditions are right at aberavon you should be getting signals every 4ft ,theres loads on there,bullets espescially.if your not getting signals move on to another bit,next time you see me follow me lol.
 im not alway right but i do o.k :)

thanks for the replies,there are loads of tips there and i will be trying them all.sorry i havn't replied sooner my laptop screen went blank on new years day and I've lost everything ,i can't get at any of my saved stuff ??? anyway to cut A long story short I've had to get another laptop  :'(