Novice detecting Questions

davids5104

I just bought my second metal detector. It is the Garrett ACE Apex. Here are my questions if you all would indulge. I am exclusively interested in Coins, silver, jewelry, and gold.
1. If it has multi-frequency, when would I not just use them all?
2. It seems for what I am targeting, I should only be digging numbers 80 and above. when I dig targets in the 70s I do get pennies but I also obtain a lot of soda cans.
3. I am nervous about finding places to detect. It seems, now that I am going past my own yard, there are less places to search than expected. How do permits work? I get they give you access to detect, but is all private property require permits? how long do they take to get?

Namvet69

Hello, I've been detecting for 30+ yrs. Try to answer each one in order
1- Know your unit. Try a test garden of known items. Use all metal types as test items. See what #'s you get and try all frequencies. Then you'll know the answer.
2- soda cans are aluminum, US coins are not. You gotta dig the stuff above other items. One object hides or masks another.
3- you ask permission from a property owner. Private land means you don't have the right to enter no less dig holes. Municipal land is different. Varies greatly. I would stick with cultivating your people skills and ask permission to detect on private land from the land owner.
Good luck. Peace Roy

ricko

I agree with @Namvet69 .... Ask the land owners for permission. First though, I recommend you go to your local library and look at old, local maps. This will give you and idea of what was located on properties in the past, and where buildings were situated. Good luck, Cheers, RickO

Exbrit

Where are you located?

davids5104

@Exbrit said:
Where are you located?

memphis area

davids5104

@Namvet69 said:
Hello, I've been detecting for 30+ yrs. Try to answer each one in order
1- Know your unit. Try a test garden of known items. Use all metal types as test items. See what #'s you get and try all frequencies. Then you'll know the answer.
2- soda cans are aluminum, US coins are not. You gotta dig the stuff above other items. One object hides or masks another.
3- you ask permission from a property owner. Private land means you don't have the right to enter no less dig holes. Municipal land is different. Varies greatly. I would stick with cultivating your people skills and ask permission to detect on private land from the land owner.
Good luck. Peace Roy

thanks to you and @ricko

HiBucky

Take a ring, 10K 14 K , silver coins, copper coins dig a hole and place each target in the hole then cover them up in your yard about 4-5 inches down ,. leave them there and keep going back to them as you learn your detector..

ricko

Excellent suggestion by @HiBucky... Allows you to ensure your machine does not drift and when other MD's are acquired, you can test their performance as well... Cheers, RickO

MJPHELAN

If you bury a ring to practice detecting, I found tying a string to it and leaving the string end above ground reduces the risk of losing the ring.

Mark

ricko

Good tip Mark.... things do move with rain/frost etc....Cheers, RickO