has anyone else had this happen?

[v3ikid]

I had something happen the other day that has happened to me before with a different machine and i was wondering if anyone else has encountered it.
I'm detecting and get a signal, one that makes me want to dig the target. I pinpoint and get a lock on it and right next to where i pinpoint is a hole i dug a few days before.
When i dig the new hole next to the previous one it is so close that it looks like a figure 8.
Obviously i hit the signal the day before and the pinpoint was off, no doubt due to junk. I dig down 3 and i find an old wheat penny. If it was a corroded cald penny i could understand the pinpoint being off as this happens sometimes due to the zinc deteriorating.

My question is does anyone else have this happen? And do you believe that by disurbing the ground around the coin it causes the signal to get better there for allowing you to pinpoint the target better?

Mostly when this happens it's with a newer penny but once in a while it happens with a wheat. Can't figure it out unless moving the dirt around next to it somehow effects it.

[danhughes]

I was a little confused by your post, but I do know that sometimes if a coin is in the ground at an angle, it will pinpoint an inch or two off from where it really is. Could that be what happened to you?

[Jeff (or)]

What target did you find in the first hole, and did you recheck the hole and around it for any other targets before moving on? :thinkingabout:

[v3ikid]

There was some junk in the 1st hole, Yes i rechecked the hole and got nothing. I always recheck the hole before i cover it up. i can see where the pinpoint could be off due to trash close by but i don't understand why when i rechecked there was nothing, then a few days later get the hit and it pinpoints right on target.

May have been the coin on it's side. I can't remember if i was using the same program or not on each of the days. That could be the difference. Ground balance may have been an issue. This yard is trashy and will test you on the ground balance.
I just wanted to know if anyone has had this happen, It very well could just be something i'm doing that's missing it the first time. lol

[danhughes]

Another possibility - if the coin was vertical in the hole (standing up; on its side), you might get a beep swinging east to west but not north to south.

Perhaps the second time you were perpendicular to where you stood the first time?

[v3ikid]

Yes, that could be a possible. Never thought of that.

[russellt]

always rescan the hole after digging your target . jus sayin

[CyberSage]

Hey Kid!
I really think you had a coin on edge there. That can throw two false pin points and leave the coin at the edge of both digs. When you dug the first hole you changed the matrix (density) of the soil, and the second time you hit it the disturbed soil on one side countered the coin on edge, and you got a good pin point. Coins right on the surface can be tricky as well. Hunt in that third dimension, raise the coil of the ground a few inches and pinpoint. This will usually do the trick for you. I always check plugs cut buy other detectorist.

Jack

[v3ikid]

Thanks Jack, I believe you may be right about that. I thought the ground being disturbed might have something to do with it. Had a situation today where i was hunting ground that was wet (low ground), it was ok to dig but really damp. Previously i hunted the edge of this (when it was soggy) because it was in close proximity to where i found an IH.
I hit a few coins (when it was soggy) that read 5 to 7 when i dug they were only a couple of inches deep. i figured the extra wet ground messed the readings up.

Today I went back as it has dried up alot and found some modern clad pennys that were giving me fits on pinpoint and i did as you mentioned and lifted the coil to pinpoint from that point on. I had never thought of doing that before and i was getting real tired of not being able to get them. This trick seemed to work very well as the pennies i dug were corroded pretty good. Funny that you should mention it on the day i figured it out. lol

I learn something new every day in this hobby. It sure beats knowing everything doesn't it?

I love learning this machine. Thanks everyone for your input, it keeps my learning process moving right along. Jack I did get a pretty beat up Buff out of that park along with either a 1911D wheat or a 1914D. Can't make it out. Every time i look at it the last digit changes from a 1 to a 4 and the pictures are not bringing it out. I'm hoping for 1914 but so far i can't make a guess. I'll try to get a decent pic to post and see if anyone else can see what it might be.

[CyberSage]

Let's hope for that 1914d !!! It's always a learning process for me Kid, and your right. This is what makes it fun.