Be honest ...

[Elexander]

So my wife surprised me with my first Machine for my B-Day last week, been wanting to try this for years but just didn't pull the trigger, so she pulled it for me with a Bounty Hunter (Quick Silver). Just wondering if it's a decent starter, ready.. set... go. :dontknow:

[Lowjiber]

Just wondering if it's a decent starter, ready.. set... go. :dontknow:

It's not the wand. It's the wizard.

There is so much to learn in this hobby that just about any machine that will light up and go beep can allow the user to get started. So, my quick answer to your question is yes.

Since it's 3:30 am, and I'm finished with the first cup of Joe, I'll ramble a bit...

Get busy learning the basics...

Start by learning the Rules of Ethics posted somewhere on the forum. That'll get you started.

Get familar with your machine...

1. Read the manual, twice.
2. Take the machine outside and scatter a few coins on the ground.
3. Back the sensitivity off to about middle position and swing the coil slowly over some coins that you can see. Since your machine doesn't pinpoint, make a mental note of where the coil is when it passes over the coin to give you an idea where the target is when it's detected.
4. Repeat #1.
Now that you have a feel for it, I suggest taking it out to a sand volleyball court. Start by planting a few coins and recovering them. (Remember, the key word is slow when it comes to swing speed.)

By now, you've become familiar enough with the machine to go out into the dirt. Digging a hole is not as simple as it sounds, and a really good digger makes it possible to recover a target from a park, or someone's yard, without leaving a clue that you were there. (I don't often make brand recommendations, but when it comes to diggers there is only one...Lesche.)

You're gonna need a hand-held pinpointer. My advice is to buy as good as you can afford. There are several threads here about the pros/cons of various pinpointers. Just remember that whatever one you choose, it will be with you for a long time and a perhaps many more detectors.

That'll get you started. If you want to talk about it sometime, PM me with your phone number and time zone.

[OxShoeDrew]

John has got you covered. As he said your machine doesn't have a pinpointer, but it also doesn't have a target depth meter. So this will train your ear to listen. When you locate a target swing over it from different directions and listen carefully. It will give aural clues. You'll learn to zero in on a target before digging. This foundational skill will transfer to other detectors later on when you upgrade. Good luck |:cheering:

[tanacat]

Also it can be helpful to make a 'coin garden' ... bury some coins at different depths in your own yard (make sure you dig all metal/esp iron items or find clear area) and mark them with flat wooden stake at grass level or measure with footsteps from a tree, etc...

My garden contains a silver (pre-1964) dime, quarter, indian head penny and buffalo nickel at depths 7-10 inches. The longer the coins are buried, the better signal you'll get, due to the 'aura' the metals exude into the soil over time lol I guess that's a good way to put it. Maybe John or someone can elaborate on that, better than I...

I've had my coin garden for several years and have put many detectors and coils over it, experimenting to help learn my detector.

If you're searching for much older, deeper coins & relics it may take several small sweeps (few inches back & forth) over the same spot to pick up a good deep signal. At least with the White's machines I use, but I think it's prob universal... Wide sweeps tend to pick up larger deep items or smaller closest to the surface. It may show in your BH manual the 'cone' shape, (or we could use this letter V )where the detector reads deeper items with just a very small area at the tip of the cone and items on the surface a larger area.

It's really fun hobby and I'm sure you'll be hooked after you find something really neat! :detecting:

Keep us posted |:cheering: You found a great place :grouphug:

[Elexander]

Yes tanacat I did find a great place |:confused:) everyone is so helpful with Outstanding advice and I'd like to thank you all so much for the awesome tips, Lowjiber I'll definitely be in contact :poke: i'm not the most patient person in the world so I'll probably be upgrading sooner than later. Thanks again for the awesome responses, I'll be practicing every chance I get.

[Epi-hunter]

You received some great advice above. Have fun learning your machine and let us know how you are doing!

I agree that the skills you will acquire with this machine in learning to estimate depth and location of the target will do you well when you upgrade. Experience and a good ear will serve you better than relying on depth gauges, etc. Those extra features can help, but they should be used as a tool rather than relying on them solely.

I would add to the above that I would recommend learning this machine thoroughly before you upgrade. You will know it's time when you are getting results with your machine but you are very knowledgeable about what additional features might help you do even better. This is the time to upgrade - and you will know when you have reached that point. Some people don't take the time to really learn the machine before switching to another one, and as John said, It's not the wand, it's the wizard. Learning what the machine is telling you is key.

By the way, you have a great wife for surprising you with such a thoughtful gift! |:cheering: Good luck and keep us posted.

[Elexander]

Thanks Epi-hunter You made some very good points, I will definitely hold onto this machine for a while and learn the basics, I'm pretty sure that a high dollar one would only confuse me at this time so thanks again for the Info and yes I do have an amazing wife, she really knocked it out of the park this year, this banana is a pretty good description of my reaction when she presented it to me :bananadance: Happy hunting....

[Fire Fighter 43]

Welcome to the hobby. There is not much I can add you've already gotten some great advise. Just stay patient in the field and the finds will come. Good luck.

[pocketsofdirt]

My wife got me the same one for Christmas last year ,I soon found out I wanted something better ,so I went to hobby lobby .com and bought a bounty hunter tracker IV . found this to be a decent detector to learn off of, after several weeks I figured it was not up to par with the good or great detector so I took my tax returns and got a 600$ at pro and I love it would do it again.
Just a added comment my 14 year old son uses my trackerIV and on shallow coins he kicks my but because of the analog on it,my at pro goes deep and finds small targets. I wonder how good the top model of bounty hunter is .I don't know , but think you could save a lot of money a get a good detector for less.
good luck I hope you love the hobby as much as I do

[POKIE73]

my advice would be to get the one that fits your budget if you decide to stay in this hobby their will be plenty chances to upgrade i would try to get a pin pointer along with the detector it will help you a lot good luck dennis

[coinnut]

Hey, congrats on your new machine!!! How about you make a game of it and make yourself save up at least half of the price of your next machine with your clad coins found with this machine. That way you learn the machine and also pay for some (or all) of your next machine. Clad adds up pretty quick. I agree on getting a pinpointer if you can. Or at least learn how to pinpoint with only your machine in your yard lol.

[Elexander]

Good advice and Info everyone, I hope to be posting pic's real soon thanks a lot.

[Boulder]

Congrats on you new machine you have a wonderful wife.
A pin-pointer would make recovery a lot easier, but the old timers used to pass a handful of soil at a time over the search coil till it sounded with your find, then rescan the hole and continue some more if lucky enough. A good quality spade will make your life digging a more enjoyable task.
Take your time researching your next machine as there is a lot to consider, analog or digital - Land, Beach, Salt water, Fresh water. Impulse buying (like me) can slow down progress and tie up funds.
For an intermediate machine that is very versatile for all the above, I have hear many good things about the Garrett AT Pro with land phones for under 600.
Whatever you decide to do I wish you good luck and many hours of wonderful finds. :groovy:
John.