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Lost By The Public => Success Stories => Topic started by: darrrren on December 21, 2013, 08:22:54 PM



Title: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: darrrren on December 21, 2013, 08:22:54 PM
So as a few people know i ordered my garret ace 150 about 2 weeks ago and it took a while to arrive but finally did 3 days ago. After much anticipation i ran over to homebase and got myself one of thier "value" trowels as i couldnt justify the 7 quid they wanted for the other ones, i was later to find out the meaning of "value". So last night i set it up, read through the manual and much to my girlfriends amusement paced around the bedroom scanning about the floor with it and listening to all the different noises. Anyway, she was in work thismorning 9am til 1pm so i dropped her off, grabbed a cup of tea, threw some boots on and off i went out the back door into the field behind the rear garden.

So i turned the machine on,set it to all metal mode and off i trotted. Almost instantly im getting a signal, an iron one, so i started digging.......and digging.....and digging, and i just coulnt find anything,so i gave up and moved to the next bit. Same again, iron signal,digging,digging,digging, nothing. Again i moved along and again i got an iron signal, this time however when i did dig i done things differently. Instead of just digging the soil and it all breaking up and being loose, i sort of turfed off the top so i had a nice big clump in my hand. I then scanned the clump quickly and it was signalling, so i broke it in half, scanned it again, then broke the clump down handfull by handfull until i located somthing. WAYYYYY! My first find, a bit of iron scrap. The place was littered with iron i dug about 10 different pieces up, digging a plug first,which was my first lesson really, it makes it alot easier finding the target.

Whilst diggin my iron the handle pulled off the trowel, very annoying but i managed to make due with it for the rest of my venture. So, as i walked along i got a different tone, and it was showing as "P/ring" on the detector. I scanned over and over, it was definatly showing ptab,and a different tone. I dug, and as i turned over the plug, i saw a round green looking thing. As i picked it up i had a little grin, it was a coin, and looking at it, it looks like nothing ive seen before. I have had trouble photographing the finds theyre coming up blurry but will try again tomorrow. The coin is flat on the back, and on the other side it has writing and a symbol in a circle, right in the middle of the coin, but there is lots of unused space all around th eoutside of it and the edge of the coin. A while later i had another target come up as coins, and dug up an old bell shaped button with 4 holes in it, looks like alot of old button finds ive seen on here. Before finishing up i found another coin, badly encrusted but i can see a few letters and its definatly saying victoria on there, so im well chuffed with that. Im trying to clean them a bit and will try to get some decent photos up soon but i cant wait to get back out again, Hooked!


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: 150aceboy on December 21, 2013, 08:39:08 PM
Well done on your first outing m8, you'll soon get used to the tones and know if its worth digging or not, but at the moment if in doubt dig it out  ;)
All the best Paul  ;)


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Chef Geoff on December 21, 2013, 08:49:14 PM
Well done Darren you're off and running. You'll find that 99.9% of detectorists in the UK don't bother with trowels they use spades so invest in a spade, they last longer and save you a lot of bending, digging and time.
Many use the Draper mini shovel like this;
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-57569-Round-Point-Shovel-Fibreglass/dp/B0002GUME6 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-57569-Round-Point-Shovel-Fibreglass/dp/B0002GUME6)


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Dryland on December 21, 2013, 09:01:05 PM
Well done darrren, now you've made your first finds you're well and truely hooked.


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: darrrren on December 21, 2013, 09:39:24 PM
thanks for the comments guys im gona get out tomorrow aswell hopefully now i got 2 weeks off. Just  quick one, if i dont dig iron targets am i going to be missing much, what things can be missed by not digging iron? Thanks.


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: dances with badgers on December 21, 2013, 10:30:23 PM
ah hes got the bug welcome to the green coin gang


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Val Beechey on December 21, 2013, 11:09:24 PM
Well done on your 1st outing Darren. Ah, I remember it well, coming home with a bag full of Iron bits. It can be good fun identifying some of them, it's amazing what you do find. You want to know what you might miss. Well you could miss anything from the Iron age. Like arrow heads for instance.
Try not to take the green coating off your coins. When that comes off it usually takes any impressions with it.
I agree with Geoff, invest in a small Draper shovel. They are good value for money and will last a long time and help your back last a bit longer as well.
Happy hunting.

Val


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Dale on December 21, 2013, 11:34:20 PM
Hi Darrren, If there was a button on my detector what I could press and never dig a piece of iron again id press it...... ::)
Its surprising how much iron is in the fields, I went to a quiet field today what I never detect for that reason, but I managed two romans what wasn't that surprising as there is a villa in the area, I was walking with out a signal so I thought id try something different I put it in all metal for maximum depth, only to be shocked at all the nails, they was every where, god knows why ??? I soon got board of that and turned the discrimination back up .....so id say knock it out mate, good luck with your new hobby ;)   


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: TheLoveDoc on December 22, 2013, 12:27:59 AM
Hi Darrren, i remember the feeling of finding my first coin so well done mate good for you..... try the macro setting on the camara for close up pics of coins mate  ;)


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Tafflaff (Rob) on December 22, 2013, 12:41:22 AM
Well done on your 1st outing Darren. Ah, I remember it well, coming home with a bag full of Iron bits. It can be good fun identifying some of them, it's amazing what you do find. You want to know what you might miss. Well you could miss anything from the Iron age. Like arrow heads for instance.
Try not to take the green coating off your coins. When that comes off it usually takes any impressions with it.
I agree with Geoff, invest in a small Draper shovel. They are good value for money and will last a long time and help your back last a bit longer as well.
Happy hunting.

Val

You should remember Val, it was only last week  :P  :-*


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Val Beechey on December 22, 2013, 09:49:20 AM
Rob, not quite last week. It's been 4 1/2 years since I started detecting.  I could say not much has changed but it sounds a bit defeatist. Only difference is now I don't come home with so much scrap.
After trying out all sorts of settings on my Safari I now detect in 'all metal' and make (I hope) an informed decision whether to dig or not.
Darren, once you've got used to the different sounds of the signals you will have a fair idea if it's worth a dig or not. All metal setting is usually more sensitive and will jump slightly to produce what I call an 'iffy' signal if there's something else, other than the Iron, in the same location.
It's all down to experience and getting used to your machine. Remember slow and low wins the day. A lesson it took me a long time to remember. So, for now, I'd say carry on and dig everything till you think you know what your machine is telling you.

Val



Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: darrrren on December 22, 2013, 10:14:33 AM
yeah there were a few targets that would make the iron signal for a few scans, then a coins on then back to iron,then other times it was jumping all over the place so i would just turn the sensitvity down a bit. I was going to head out thismorning but its pouring it down so i may just go and sort a shovel and some gloves out from the shop today and hopefully its a little less wet outside later......then ill be out haha.


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Johnboy25 on December 22, 2013, 10:44:04 AM
Nice one Darrren , lots more iron to come.


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: darrrren on December 22, 2013, 02:41:27 PM
Ok, so just been out onmy second time with the detector, got caught up in a hailstorm which caused the session to end early but had a good 2 hours. All iron this time, a few nickel signals which turned up a few odd bits, a shotgun cartridge which i think came up as coins on my detector. So i have a question, ive noticed the i can get a signal for lets say coins,scan it and get "coins" everytime,then i turn 90degress and scan again but then i get iron. upon diggin it turns out to be iron,so ive noticed im getting initial identification as one things then it jumps to iron,and ends up being iron. I noticed if i get this,turn the sensitivity right down then increase it til i get a signal,then whatever its identifying it as that seems to be what it is,if that makes sense. Is this common? I now know the different signals, but i am getting a mix somtimes. I guess if its just coins for exapmle ill get a coin signal every time no matter what angle i scan it from?


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: Val Beechey on December 22, 2013, 03:10:52 PM
Darren, A lot depends on the shape and how much corrosion there is.  The more corrosion the 'iffier' the signal. I find the same problem but have discovered that by passing the coil over very slow the detector seems to finally be able to work out exactly what it is. (and it's usually iron)  If the signal still jumps around then I'll dig it, just in case and quite often there will be something there.
That's one of the reasons I'm convinced that if I go over something nice I'll find it.  But it's got to be there in the first place. ;)

Val


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: darrrren on December 22, 2013, 03:51:12 PM
yeah i noticed funnily enoughthat scanning over the iffy signal slowly shows the iron signal,but if it keeps jumping ill dig it. Im convinced theres things to find in there, i got the 2 coins and button, and ive probably done about 1percent of the field if that,. Lots of history here, the pill pilots, not sure if you heard of them? Alot of history. Im going to knock a few farms over the next week see if i can get a few more places to go. Theres loads of land around here so with a bit of luck sombody will say yes.


Title: Re: First time out and this is the story - grab a beer
Post by: probono on December 22, 2013, 10:02:34 PM
That's good work for your first outing.

For the first 20 years of me owning a detector all I detected was my parents' small back garden, and in 30 years I've only found 2 farthings in it! (plus a number of dinky toys!).

Then I got permission on a farm about 5 years ago and again found very little for two years, until I joined a forum and started getting advice! (i.e sweep as close to the ground as possible, if the grass is up to your waist you won't find anything, etc, etc!).

I remember finding my first Viccy penny - still got it!

Keep it up - you'll have good days and bad days, but (hopefully) there'll be some special finds that keep you going :)


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