complex test-garden scenarios

Using a phrase for Tom, how many have added these to your test garden?

After watching his video some time back I did add some dug nails from a old home place near a known target. On these targets later on I learned more about the units I have as it pertains to target separation or the (lack there of) on some of the units.

My Q is, how complex have you made these test garden targets and how has it helped? My thinking now is why just use nails. Common targets we regard as trash is what I'm wanting to do combined with known targets for my type on hunting. I've learned from you guys in trusting the tone more than the numbers and it's really helped a lot. I'm thinking these complex type test garden targets would help me in the long run.

What's your thoughts and if you have already done this let me know how it has helped you and the units you have used over those targets. Thx for any input

I am in the middle of sorting mine, And I have just ordered a 50Lb bag of black sand just to warm things up a bit, there is no point in making it easy on them Beepers. Lol

John.

Tom41,

Test gardens.

First of all IMO won't do you much good if you don't have a detector that gauges soil mineralization levels.

I am not one that commingles nonferrous or ferrous targets in a test garden.

Basically what I want to see with buried targets,,,is get an idea of depth,,and how settings affect.

I also want to get an idea maybe of how a deeper target may indeed transition into an ion signal.

As far as unmasking and separation,,,,I do all this on top of the ground.

What I am interested in is how the detectors responds to commingled nonferrous--- with different settings to aid me in cherry picking operations.

And I mix good targets,,both lower and higher conductors with ferrous,,,to see how the detector responds.

Now saying all this,,,the best test garden is IMO,,,,,find a very old site,,loaded with nails,,and perhaps a little modern trash,,,and hunt it hard,,and keep hunting.

Far too many possibilities to be had that can't be set up with test garden to get a more true picture.

Also sometimes when we try to do tests in our yards,,,where habitation exists,,EMI too can be above average with modern day living gadgets operating.

I have a test garden that has been established for a very long time,only use few common find coins that i am after at different depths,but i also have much bigger items that emulate what i consider would constitute a hoard these are hoards that have been found and also at the depths that they have been found at.As i am mainly detecting pasture or on ploughed and rolled that has possibly been done before i require a detector/coil setup that will get down deeper,hence the reason why i use a Nexus,TDI Pro and T2 with large coils.

Coin size finds on farmland are gradually becoming harder too find,although these finds do come up after deep ploughing but targets over a 1000+ years will be deeper than a normal VLF machine with stock coil will go,so one must go deeper

It you go through the trouble to do it make sure to consider the z plane and not just x and y. I'm willing to bet iron is above (worst type) or below our targets on the z plane far more often than just x and y. This is when eyes open and Tom's masking articles really hit home. Probably more stuff in the ground in those sites than gets pulled out.

3D concept when it comes to ferrous and nonferrous--- much work yet hopefully can be done in this area.

I do do 3D tests with nails above nonferrous.

For example,,lots can be learned of how a Deus responds when faced with this challenge.

Tone or signal provided,,not textbook by no means,,but can be there.

A little bleed through sound.

I dug a target yesterday with Nokta Relic-- again had a little bleed through coming through the iron tone.

This could be where some folks struggle with says Deus or Relic unit,,,,they may be use to chirps,,,instead of bleed through signals.

Impossible to do but can get ball park ideas....No way to simulate something in the ground for 100 years or so when you consider leaching or other processes that may have happened over the years.....My test garden has been planted 25 years with common coins and I still consider my results ball park at best...

It is very hard to recreate mother nature with dirt relics and iron or trash

LowBoy

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Thx all for the input. The test garden I have has been in just over 10 years...a basic coin, relic, trash type setup at first. As time has went by more has been added as spoke of above. The last group being deeper targets reference the GPX.

I find myself using it more now for new units or before going on a hunt with the units I take just to get my ear right using the unit again after setting for a while.

DetectingMO what you spoke of is things I'm looking for. Beside the target or in the area of is what I've been doing. Above and below is a good idea. I seen the bleeding tone more on the Racer after Keith and other spoke of it and have found it to be a very useful tool with that unit.

With the heat of summer and other summer activities units set and things are forgotten over time. Going out tomorrow with a friend and fixing to take the two units I plan to hunt with out to the TG to get back on track. This is one of the reasons I like having it out there. No need for the black sand auminesweeper lol, pretty hot as it is around here where I'm at.