Basic beginner help

Tomshell

New Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2017
Messages
12
Location
Flagstaff, Arizona
Hello forum, Tom From Flagstaff Arizona here.
I have been obsessed with metal detecting since I was a wee lad, but my lack of patience and propensity to neglect reading owners manuals has always been my downfall. I have owned at least one metal detector for as long as I can remember, but have never mastered its use or been happy with the results. I am getting ready to hit the road next spring in a 40ft converted school bus, and a detector that works well and finds things is a goal of mine for the 3 year plus trip.

I have 2 low/middle range detectors, but I read that they are good to cut your teeth on and get a feel for the hobby. I have downloaded manuals,read articles,practiced, and just about lost my mind. For instance, I went out today and found nails,maybe 5 in a row, and then threw a coin down and the damn detector would not make a sound. it was on the surface and yet no beep. What annoys me is the directions I have, for both detectors. Not enough detail. They say things like turn the ground towards normal, or adjust until no change when pumping up and down or.........

So, I have a Micronta Discovery 2(Radio Shack) and A famous Trails MD-7012. I can not get either one to be repeatable and reliable. The instructions don't start out with things like, first,put all knobs at mid point. When
I start tuning, I am not sure what adjustments affect the others,etc.I am not sure what adjustments are critical and what are not. I need someone to walk in the field with me and explain, but that is asking a lot,right?So.....

Can someone guide me a bit? For instance, when I adjust ground, do I want a tone all the time? Or do I want to silence the tone as it approaches the ground? Should I start tuning with disc and sens knobs halfway when setting the ground? Does the autotune button do just what it says? Hold it over a non target rich area and just push the button? I am frustrated beyond belief,again, but really want this to work.

I almost did a "buy it now" on ebay for an ACE 350, but I do not know if that is a better machine or not. But I guess what I need is to understand ,really understand, how to tune and tweak and adjust for both the soil and the hunted. Can anyone help?
 
Tomshell,
You need a more modern detector.

You want to get more serious with detecting pony up some bucks and buy one.

Garrett Ace 400 is a good one.
Garrett At Pro is a good one.
Fisher F5 is a good one.
Fisher F2 is a good one.
Fisher F44 is a good one.
Garrett ace 350 is a good one.

One of the better for the loot right now is the Patriot made by Technetics.
A Technetics T2 Classic another good one for the $$.

Any of these will get you going well.
Lots of info, and folks here with experience to guide you along.

There are some cheaper detectors available too.
I don't know enough about them to render recommendation.

Sponsors here, you can contact them via tele, even private message here, they will help you get into a good detector.

How much you are willing to spend will play a huge part in your overall possibilities.

The 2 detectors you mentioned, I can't give advice.
I do have an old radio shack detectrors I bought back in I think 1988 or so.
I wouldn't be caught dead out with it detecting.
I value my effort and time too much to try and use this dinosaur.

Hope this helps you out.

Maybe more folks here will chime in and help you with suggestions.
 
I've had an ace 250 for a few months now, and I'm satisfied with it for now. Eventually I will upgrade, and I've heard that Garrett AT Pro's are good. If you have the money, I would just buy one of those to begin with, but it all depends on your budget. As for your detectors, they sound really low end and they probably won't find much at all. There are probably people here who could suggest a good machine better than me. :grin:
 
To program your machines... lay a nail, tab, coins on the ground in a row....

Keep turning your disc knob up until the nail is silent and not detected... can further that by turning the discrimination knob up until every target is silent EXCEPT coins... now you are in coins mode...

You will still find brass, copper, larger iron, and aluminum...every detector gets fooled.... but, you will leanr the tones of coins, before you venture out, notice where the needle jumps on coins, notice the tones when you swing over targets you can see...

On your micronta try this

Setting... DISC

Balance.... Try about 2 oclock position


Discriminate...explained to turn that until undesired targets go silent

sensitivity... turn all way up then back off half turn...

I dont know about the other machine....but very similar set up

Interested in buying a new machine? I sent you a private message....
 
Can't go wrong with a Tesoro Compadre and you'd even find things with a bounty hunter tracker iv. Eurotek Pro or Bounty Hunter land ranger pro, etc. lots of choices for 150-300, and the tracker maybe $70

Not to say you couldn't get your detectors dialed in, but man, Compadre is turn on and go!
 
Here's what I used to say to our customers. I was a fly fishing guide and instructor for a couple shops. Guys would come in and tell me they wanted to get into the sport. "I'll just get a cheap, fly fishing outfit from Kmart to try". My response, "if you do that, you'll get bored and frustrated. A decent fly rod will make all the difference in how much you enjoy what your doing and you'll stick with it and be successful".
Detectors have come a long way, sell your old guys and get a decent machine. It'll be easier to use, and much more effective. You'll quickly start finding goodies and enjoy it far more than struggling with an older, less effective machine. Trust me, this is a lot of fun.....with a decent detector.
 
Here's what I used to say to our customers. I was a fly fishing guide and instructor for a couple shops. Guys would come in and tell me they wanted to get into the sport. "I'll just get a cheap, fly fishing outfit from Kmart to try". My response, "if you do that, you'll get bored and frustrated. A decent fly rod will make all the difference in how much you enjoy what your doing and you'll stick with it and be successful".
Detectors have come a long way, sell your old guys and get a decent machine. It'll be easier to use, and much more effective. You'll quickly start finding goodies and enjoy it far more than struggling with an older, less effective machine. Trust me, this is a lot of fun.....with a decent detector.

I agree, those "can" find metal... but the discrimination, depth, speed, weight... all leave something to be desired.

You should get an intro machine at/under $300 and start out with some fresh new technology...

As stated above, detectors have come a LONG way since these machines and while they may work... you can save yourself a ton of frustration if you start out with a more modern machine.

Ability to use useful discrimination, notching, depth indicator as well as the other features they have will have you concentrating on FINDING targets as opposed to spending all of your time trying to tweak a detector with old technology and never being able to get the machine adjusted correctly.

All cars drive.. but, the older cars were harder to drive with no power steering or brakes.... would you rather have power steering and power brakes?

Me too... :)
 
How about a whites

I can pick up a used Whites MXT tracker e series,with an eclipse dd coil. Is this a good unit that I would not have to upgrade from down the road?
 
I can pick up a used Whites MXT tracker e series,with an eclipse dd coil. Is this a good unit that I would not have to upgrade from down the road?

That is the machine that opened my eyes as to the difference between a beginner detector and higher end machine. If it is within your budget then get it you won't be disappointed.
 
Here's what I used to say to our customers. I was a fly fishing guide and instructor for a couple shops. Guys would come in and tell me they wanted to get into the sport. "I'll just get a cheap, fly fishing outfit from Kmart to try". My response, "if you do that, you'll get bored and frustrated. A decent fly rod will make all the difference in how much you enjoy what your doing and you'll stick with it and be successful".
Detectors have come a long way, sell your old guys and get a decent machine. It'll be easier to use, and much more effective. You'll quickly start finding goodies and enjoy it far more than struggling with an older, less effective machine. Trust me, this is a lot of fun.....with a decent detector.

well thats funny, my brother bought this complete kit fly rod special from walmart back in the early 2000's, ended up giving it to me to learn to fly fish with a few years later. I still love that pole despite having bought a really nice set up now(which I barely use), and have caught hundreds upon hundreds of fish with it. Its not always the gear holding you back if you know what your doing. BUT in this case yes you need an upgrade to the detector for sure, just makes digging more enjoyable!
 
A lot of finding anything has to do with location. You won't find anything if there never was anything there. Parks, tot lots and school playgrounds are good places to look. Just make sure that there are no regulations against detecting where you hunt. I hunt a lot with vintage machines. They are outdated by modern standards but i still find a lot of coins. Have fun. That's what it's all about.
 
Whites

That is the machine that opened my eyes as to the difference between a beginner detector and higher end machine. If it is within your budget then get it you won't be disappointed.
300 bucks with headphones,case and manual. That seems like a good price, I go look at it this afternoon.
 
Thanks to all on this forum! I picked up the Whites MXT, watched some videos,watched them again,and went out today. I live on an old homestead,well old for out west. I believe the first folks built here in about 1960. Anyways,learned a lot already, and here is my first finds after about 30 minutes hunting. I have the 10" eclipse dd coil, but just ordered the 9.5" round one this afternoon. Thanks again for all the help and advice, see ya around this site in the future for sure.


first hunt.jpg
 
Thanks to all on this forum! I picked up the Whites MXT, watched some videos,watched them again,and went out today. I live on an old homestead,well old for out west. I believe the first folks built here in about 1960. Anyways,learned a lot already, and here is my first finds after about 30 minutes hunting. I have the 10" eclipse dd coil, but just ordered the 9.5" round one this afternoon. Thanks again for all the help and advice, see ya around this site in the future for sure.


View attachment 392751

Nice start to your hunting. If thats not a misprint, and it was homesteaded in 1960 you wont expect to find much old stuff, but you might find a few silvers and wheats. Good luck with your MXT. Not sure what the diff between it and the MXT all pro is, but they are good machines.
 
well thats funny, my brother bought this complete kit fly rod special from walmart back in the early 2000's, ended up giving it to me to learn to fly fish with a few years later. I still love that pole despite having bought a really nice set up now(which I barely use), and have caught hundreds upon hundreds of fish with it. Its not always the gear holding you back if you know what your doing. BUT in this case yes you need an upgrade to the detector for sure, just makes digging more enjoyable!

In a sense I agree but, could you put a fly 2 ft in front of a feeding bonefish at 70 ft, repeatedly?
 
Can't go wrong with a Tesoro Compadre and you'd even find things with a bounty hunter tracker iv. Eurotek Pro or Bounty Hunter land ranger pro, etc. lots of choices for 150-300, and the tracker maybe $70

Not to say you couldn't get your detectors dialed in, but man, Compadre is turn on and go!

Absolutely. If his detectors are the ones I'm thinking about he needs something else and something 2 filter preset g/b like the ones you mentioned will get him started.
 
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