how deep do you go??

[tomkat83]

i know this is probably a loaded question and i probably already know the answer "practice". i gotta ask anyway. how deep do y'all dig before you move on? every once in awhile i'll get a target that pings as a coin and i'll dig, say 8 inches, and find nothing. i still get a ping when i wave my detector over the hole but i find nothing. anyone experince this?

[mlamp20412]

Being new to this myself, I have had the same concerns and have had my share of false signals. I have found that irregularly shaped trash can sometimes give a good signal and be off from where you pinpointed it. I have also found targets in the side wall of the hole I’ve dug, way off from what I had pinpointed. I only found them by using my pinpointing probe. Coins on their side can be harder to pinpoint. And those signal that keep coming up no matter how much I dig and probe? In my own yard I’ll really go to town to figure out what has caused the signal. If I am somewhere else, I’ll just let it go, not wanting to damage the area. My MD does not have depth on it, but if something is reading as a coin, I can’t imagine my MD would go deeper than a foot. Just my thoughts, oh yea and practice, practice….

[pris]

I have found that if an object is large, it will read as being closer than it really is. I end up having to dig and dig and dig and it's just a can. I think Boobie posted something on this just yesterday? I don't have a pinpointer, so I just figure it's junk and keep on movin'. I also don't want to mess up the park too much. I'm not that good of a digger, yet.

I tend to have at least 3 or 4 of those false signals while I'm hunting. I just try to look at what it's reading at and if it seems like it might be something REALLY good, I don't give up until I reach China. That's only happened once, though and it turned out to be a big statue of Buddah!

[rip]

Depending on what machine you have,With my Fisher i have found that nails can give a dissapearing signal,also large pieces of iron give a good coin tone sometimes.

[ECACE]

As previously posted, the problem you're describing can be caused by:
A) Larger object that is much deeper
B) Irregular shaped piece of junk (further down or in the side wall)
C) Coins on edge can sometimes cause this
D) Though you have pinpointed it as tight as possible, your PP may have been off
E) Highly mineralized ground or moist ground causing a 'Halo-effect' of the object

All are common problems that can get all of us. As you stated, practice is the main thing to avoid it. Like Rip said too, nails can give some rather odd responces. I have found that with all my detectors. Just keep practicing and if you still can find it, go get the back-hoe and find that thing. I know there is nothing worse than having a perfect sounding target and no matter what you try, you can't find it! Best of luck.

Eric

[cchughs]

Something that has helped me is the Vibra Probe. I think I might have been missing some targets and digging right on past them. With the probe you can probe around the hole and I am finding that a lot of times I am just off a little with my pinpointing and the target will be right on the edge of my hole. I could dig to China and would have never hit the target. You might try making the hole larger in diameter instead of going deeper. Good luck.

[INDY]

Here's something else to consider......Look above you, are you under some power lines? They will give off a darn good signal everytime with my Ace 250. And I have seen my sister under powerlines once too, just digging away until I told her not to bother, its the power lines.
hope that helps
HH

[bigjohn]

a square nail bent in a u can play h#ll with ya and deep.

[mlamp20412]

TomKat,

It happened today just like I described to you earlier. I had a good signal, pinpointed and kept digging and digging. I have to admit my plug gut away from me a bit, but what the heck, my neighbor was out of town. Finally my pinpointer sounded on an object next to my hole, must have been off a bit. I was rewarded with a 1974 D Lincoln penny! That’s what it’s all about!

JK, I was actually planting a new tree in the front yard. I could not resist checking the hole with my MD for kicks. I came up empty, but as I looked at the sight I figured I must look crazy, as the new tree was out of sight on the side of the house. Could not resist taking a picture and spinning a yarn.

[Boobird]

OMG Mlamp...That one pic floored me... I said to myself...Look at this nut, he must have used dynomite...Very funny...
Tomkat...I've come across the same situation, quite a few times...When I pinpoint, I take my time and am usually right on the money with the target...A few days ago I found my first silver, a 1952 quarter, then very close by I got an outstanding strong signal and the MD read a half 4" down...Turned out to be a little off to the edge and was a small ultra light Shakespere fishing reel, damaged beyond recognition...Anyway I've had these experiences and the target ended up being a smashed soda can, usually deeper than what the MD read...From the looks of these replies it happens to everybody...


Boobird...