White’s Electronics Sierra Madre - Manual (Page 8)

8
Tuning and General Use
Fine Tuning & General Use,
Continued
5. As searching begins, the sweep of the loop plays
a critical role in how well the detector works.
Sweep the loop close to the ground, from side to
side, overlapping each pass. One pass from left to
right should take one and a half to two seconds.
Moving from right back to left, where the sweep
first started, should take another one and a half to
two seconds. The maximum detection depth will be
in the center of the loop, thus if loop passes are not
overlapped by at least 50%, some deep targets may
be missed. Do not arc the sweep at each end. Keep
the loop close to the ground throughout the sweep.
6. Once a solid abrupt "beep" is heard, (indicating a
metal), sweep the loop over the areas several times
so as to roughly find the center. Consult the meter
indication which will indicate the furthest positive
(to the right) when the loop is directly over the met-
als center. Further pinpointing assistance may be
achieved by squeezing and holding the TRIGGER
on the handle. Squeeze and hold the TRIGGER on
the handle, and "X" the loop over the area. Note the
loudest sound and furthest meter movement to the
right. This pinpoints the metals precise location and
by sweeping the loop over the general area gives
some idea as to its size and shape. Shallow targets
may be difficult to pinpoint. Lifting the loop a few
inches higher and again sweeping over the area will
improve accuracy in such cases.
7. Pinpointing and digging take some time and
practice. Many different types of digging tools
are available to help you. If you donʼt yet have
a digging tool, contact your dealer. The type of
digging tool best for your area, your type of
searching, and best for you personally, is a matter
of opinion. The important thing to remember
is consideration. Fill in all holes you dig. Be
thoughtful regarding where and when you dig.
Obviously midday on a beach crowded with
sun bathers, is not a good place to search. Early
morning or late evening is more appropriate. If
someone cares for a lawn (keeps it looking nice)
and yet gives you permission to search, be equally
thoughtful by taking extra steps to minimize any
damage digging may do to the vegetation. The
use of a small drop cloth (to place dug soil onto)
is suggested in such areas. This minimizes soil
smearing around the hole, making such diggings
less noticeable
Center of Maximum Signal
equals
Center of Target.
8. A location to search, and getting permission, is a
major part of a successful metal detecting. Research
always pays off. It may mean digging through old
newspapers at the local library, documents at city
hall, or just talking to a lot of longtime citizens.
You will be surprised what you can find out, and
research can be half the fun! Do not be discouraged
if someone has already searched an area even with
multiple searches. Take a little more time and dig a
few more targets. Often areas replenish themselves
either through use, such as a beach where jewelry
is continually lost, or through naturally occurring
shifts in the soil, frost heave, erosion, etc., which
bring previously undetected targets within reach.
Sand and soil movement in many areas makes each
season a new ball game.