you guys said ask,so...

[Gator]

I think,kind of, sort of narrowed my choice down to a Tesoro Vaquero for my first detector. Curious though. Since it doesnt have an ID screen, is it difficult to learn the tones. And maybe Im crazy, but it seems if you were familiar with the tones(machine talking to you??) you dont really need a screen. I mean just because a detector doesnt have a screen doesnt make it any less of a detector does it?? Ill ask on the Tesoro forum about the tones on the Vaquero.

[JCWhite]

I do not know the Vaquero but on detectors the have tones and readout I have found that the tones are more impotant but that I use both to get the big picture of what is underground. Many of the users here have said that you should practice with your unit until you understand what the tones are saying. the other readouts give you feedback towards this understanding, Listen to the tones and look at the unit when you get a good signal. once you think you know what it is, dig it up and go on. By doing this you will train your brain. I am new to detecting but have been learning lots on here so I could be wrong.

[LeoinPA]

Hey Gator

What JC said. I use a Whites MXT with a lot of information on the LCD. I was concentrating on interpreting the screen too much . It was suggested I ignore the screen, watch where the coil is and use the sound changes. It took only a little to get used to it and now I won't go back. Now I only use the screen to only MAYBE confirm what I hear , and that isn't all the time. I'll bet it works that way on most machines.

Best suggestion I got

Thanks
Leo

[IronClad]

I'm the " BEEP " - " DIG " type of hunter. I like the display screens on detectors and use them only to help verify a uncertain tone. The displays on todays detectors provide a wealth of information and they are nice to have. However, I'm old school, and if it beeps, I dig, and one fact remains with this type of hunting. I've found alot, and left very little.

[MinelabMan]

I think the tones are also the way to go, after digging everything for a while, you'll know what's worth digging and what isn't.

I do have a screen and sadly I rely on it most of the time, the few times I don't is when I'm able to detect regularly and the tones come back to me. But with the intermittent detecting that I do, I usually look at the screen and dig, because I don't trust my memory of the tones.

[EPC Guy]

I agree with what everyone else has been saying about tones...I started off constantly watching the screen...but now, I listen for the tone as much as anything - and verify with the screen...

[johnj45586]

I search mostly at the beach in the dry sand. Invariably sifting or blowing sand cover the screen almost all the time. It is tough to keep the sand off. I use an ACE 250.
I search with full sensitivity (or whatever the sand allows) and no discrimination. (All metal mode). I practice listening to the tone and guess what is beneath the sand. When I can see the screen I take the ACE 250 vote then look. I am right more often than the ACE 250. The human ear can discriminate very slight nuances of the tones that a microprocessor doesn't have nearly enough power for.
I think it would slow the searching process down too much if you had to refer to the screen. The microprocessor in the ACE 250 can't really know the effects of special things like a silver bracelet that is not closed (clasp engaged).
If you want to cover a lot of area you have to swing fast and interpret quick little bleeps. If you don't dig every signal you won't know what you missed.
The ACE 250 usually has a "bell" tone for good stuff.

[rip]

I just got an extera-70 but have been useing a fisher cz-20.The CZ has no screen and with one click of the dis.has only 2 tones.Now i got's to figger out all them alien noise's on the minelab ! So far it's lookin like i will like having the screen to double cheak and get an idea of depth etc.before i dig,but with the fisher there was no reason to double cheak,as i usualy could figger it out by sound.But my pinpoint on the fisher is busted and the ex-70 does pinpoint very well.Also i took the x-70 out for the 1'st time yesterday and wouldent ya know it started to rain ! The fisher is completly waterproof so i ended up uesin that all day ! So I guess the extera will be my backup till i can figger out all them noises and numbers ! Going to an old house site today to give the x-70 another wirl so i got's to go ! HH !

[toye026]

I listen to the tones. then look to confirm. I dig most sounds. Good exercise.

[mtpockets]

Well I Too Find myself looking at the Screen quite a bit. I guess it was just a bad habit from learning with my first detector "Whites XLT" and I moved onto a Explorer SE and I'm still looking at the screen..

But I guess if I learned from a Unit without a screen I sure would have learned differently..
But... Then I would be saying to myself "Self" having a MDer with a screen sure would be nice...
Then ofcourse you find yourself staring at it most of the time....

Honestly !!! If you have a Screen your going to look at it Period....