16/ Accuracy
This is another machine value that can be effective–but not in any situation. As with any of these tools there is a trade-off to be mediated. An accurate machine is not necessarily the one that will go the deepest. It may also mislead you due to sand or soil conditions, target inclination, masking or any number of factors. An “accurate” machine may also mislead you due to the similarity between what you are looking for and the junk that’s present. Targets are more likely to be masked by iron as well. Under the right conditions though, an accurate machine can save you a lot of needless digging—helping you to zero in on middle range responses, high silver signals or even help you to knock out the most common tabs.
Just how effective this machine value will be is wholly dependent upon how much site knowledge you have gathered—and how true your assessment of the location is. The point here is that your need for accuracy has to be weighed against other site factors. Let’s look at some of these factors:
Question: Will an accuracy-based approach be effective?
This can vary–and it’s here that the decision making comes in. If you are using a metered machine (especially digital), checking your targets in all metal and on the cross sweep, you are accomplishing a pretty good level of accuracy.
However, if you are trying to “cherry pick” signals out of iron, or from fast, rushing salt water–a more “wide-open” search method might acquire targets better.
How much potential does the site or section have? An area that has proven itself to produce good targets might also warrant an all-metal (or pulse) search.
How much time do you have? A short hunt might require that you do try and “cherry-pick some key areas”
How much more effective can you be by taking the time to conduct a slower, more concentrated all metal search? I’ve never seen a detector that didn’t get more signals in all metal, but for the beginner there’s also the question: “Do I have the patience (yet!) to examine a large number of targets in all-metal mode?”
A pulse machine will for sure be more effective in that it not only goes deeper, it also separates small gold from any sand / soil better. If you have that option this brings up the question:
“Does this ground warrant a pulse search?”
Or, in more severe conditions:
Does the amount of junk that’s present demand that you use an accuracy-based approach?
While this may seem like an involved set of questions–some maybe better answered by just “getting in there” the point is that not every site can be effectively hunted in discriminate mode–at least not thoroughly The mark of a seasoned hunter is to be able to recognize that something else is called for–and to be able to operate your machine this way if need be.
Automatically responding to difficult sites by adding more discrimination to your search method can be a costly mistake.
Ed. Note: The new one is about letting the conditions dictate–understanding shoreline conditions fully and bringing to bear what’s need to respond effectively.
Context: Discussion of machine (capability), hunter skills and equipment choices as “values” to be mediated in relation to site requirements. “Accuracy” represents a machine “value.”
From: “Water Hunting: Secrets of the Pros, Volume II” (2017)
By Clive James Clynick