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“Monte's my hero kinda thread”
Posted by Aaron
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Appreciative of Monte and those like him . . . February 18, 2019 04:39PM |
I met Monty decades ago. Monte was always going out of his way to help others interested in detecting and still is. 
I appreciate him and others like him.
For anybody bagging on Monte and his detector selection for the places he hunts, (he's typically starting with a Nokta Fors CoRe or Relic) come join him and have a go with your favorite detector and see how long you last hunting these places before you move out to the perimeter where the nails and rusty tin are less dense.
Rich (Utah)
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Just one more good target before I go.
I appreciate him and others like him.
For anybody bagging on Monte and his detector selection for the places he hunts, (he's typically starting with a Nokta Fors CoRe or Relic) come join him and have a go with your favorite detector and see how long you last hunting these places before you move out to the perimeter where the nails and rusty tin are less dense.
Rich (Utah)
------------------------------------------------------------------
Just one more good target before I go.
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Re: “Monte's my hero kinda thread” February 19, 2019 12:51AM |
Well, maybe if I jump in here I can answer a few of the questions I've read, satisfy some curiosities, and perhaps bring this thread to an end. Some of the responders I have met and known for quite some years, others I have had interesting phone calls and e-mails with related to this fantastic hobby we enjoy, and others I have followed on a regular bases as I do a lot more forum reading than I do posting. Besides, this old phart never tried to master any typing (keyboarding these days) skills so all my post responses take me a bit of time since I place the command of all key-strikes and editing in the capable control of two fingers ... one on each hand.
Like Rick and some others, I use my Name rather than some mysterious handle, and at one time long ago I kind of used my Middle Name that was not spelled correctly because, at the time, it didn't accept my name spelling because someone else was using it. I buy, sell and trade detectors via the Internet since the summer of '96 to get something I want, or perhaps just something I want to evaluate. Therefore, many on the Forums know me and my name from those transactions. So, just who am I and what can I share with readers of this thread that might be of any value, tell you a bit about myself, and share some of the inspiration of why I do what I do, and have done, on a number of website Forums for the past twenty three years. Or with those who have attended one of my seminars since 1981, or been involved in some of the metal detecting clubs I have been a part of since 1972. Better still, any of those who I have enjoyed meeting up with to talk detectors and help all of us learn more about how to get the most performance from our chosen set-ups.
My name is Monte Von Berry. Before I changed the spelling of my middle name to Vaughn to take care of the confusion with another poster who is now long gone. Sometimes I tag my name with the suffix of Sr. since my oldest son, Monte Jr., came along a little over 47 years ago. A few know one other 'title' I use on a different subject related website where I go by '840' which was my assigned reference and radio name back when I was a Chief of Police in a small town. Naturally, you and most everyone know me simply as 'Monte.'
I am a religious person and have a lot of faith that living a Christ-like life can help better me as an individual, and because of my beliefs I generally try to avoid such unwarranted behavior such as belittling people or mocking the choices they have made in life. This is a journey we all get to travel and some, I guess, go a little astray at times. Just a reflection on the weaknesses we can all have, but I am comforted that when it comes time they might see the light and 'choose the right' to better fulfill their goals in life. (I guess some might figure out that maybe that means some folks will realize they have been lead astray and followed the teachings and preaching's of someone who seems to have been misguided their self, but finally the followers who read the 'good book' (internet Forum) teachings will know that what Monte uses just has to be some of the best available when it comes to metal detectors.)
Okay, so now you know that Monte also has a sense of humor as well.
As my age ripens I look back to reflect on the behaviors and wanderings of my six children, sixteen grandchildren, and hope for the best for my first great-grandchild who should make an appearance sometime in March. A boy! If I can only hold out long enough for him to grow up a little so I can maybe get him involved in this great sport that would be fun.
I enjoy the outdoors in any way I can, to include a wee bit of fishing when my Dad was around, or when I get a chance to join any of my kids or grandkids for a day of fun. I have enjoyed hunting since I was 8 years old and especially enjoyed those years when I was a firearms instructor for my departments or a county-wide instructor and the police competition matches we used to hold. Like other things I enjoy doing, it was a way to master my knowledge and skills, and share time with fellow participants who also enjoyed that dedication of time and effort to better their skills, and naturally to have fun.
Next month I start my 55th year of enjoying this great pastime. I started out building my first (and second and third) Metal / Mineral Locator in March of '65. In the summer of '68 I started using my first factory-built Metal Detector, a White's Ghost Towner BFO, and the only slack time I had was during my duration in Viet Nam when I was limited to R&Ring in Hawaii. By late '71 to early '72 I started keeping 2 or more detectors on-hand that could complement each other, and by late '73 and on to the present I have generally maintained an 'Outfit' of four or more Regular-Use Detectors along with a selection of the favorite coils for them to handle my search needs.
In 1974 I started doing prototype evaluations for a detector manufacturer, and to date I have done so at the request of six or seven different manufacturers, and have enjoyed the time spent personally or by other communications with a number of detector design engineers. I have served this industry as a dealer, distributor, manufacturer's marketing rep and dealer coordinator and have provided some post-evaluation input on several design projects. I have been doing metal detector training seminars since 1981, taught a few classes on Recreational Metal Detecting at a college level, and have been a guest speaker at numerous detecting clubs over the past forty-plus years.
Some of the things I stress in any discussion with an individual, a small gathering or in a large group presentation, are these:
• There is no such thing as a 'perfect' metal detector.
• No one, and I mean NO ONE from design engineers down to the beginner, 'knows it all.'
• I personally prefer to have a detector that satisfies the three important elements of: Being 'Simple,' having 'Functional' adjustment features, and providing 'Performance' to satisfy my wants and needs.
• We should always be willing, and ready, to learn. Every time I turn a metal detector on, in a dealer's shop, at home, in-the-field, or just anywhere, I want to accomplish 3 things:
#1.. Refresh my memory of things I have learned in the past
#2.. Learn something new about a detector's features or performance behavior.
#3.. Have Fun and be successful.
----- The harder I work at #1 and #2, the more likely I can accomplish #3. -----
• Unless we search in All Metal, recover each and every signal, and then dig and screen a potential area to really clean it out, we are never going to "find it all" when out metal detecting.
Everyone, no matter how good they believe they might be or the detector selection they make, is going to always clean a site out and leave nothing behind. That's why we always have the opportunity to hunt a place and find a keeper or two because others have always missed finding something. I enjoy hunting behind others just to enjoy finding something others have missed. Equally, I enjoy others who hunt behind me and make a discovery of something I might have missed because from that, not only have they made a good find and learned that things can be missed, but I learn something myself. 'Simple' things like perhaps I was a little sloppy in my sweep coverage or didn't overlap enough? Learning is important .... for all of us.
I have my favorite makes and models, and have preferred smaller-than-stock search coils the bulk of the time since '72. I've only found one US gold coin, a 1913 $2.50 in 1978 in Yamhill, Oregon, and my oldest US silver coin, an 1836 Capped Bust Half-Dime I found almost 28 years ago this date in my all-time favorite ghost town of 'Twin Flats' Utah when on a detecting trip with Rich (Utah) aka 'Gonebeepin' who also had a successful time. With over a half-century of avid detecting under my belt, Coin & Jewelry Hunting, actively Relic Hunting ghost towns and military and pioneer encampments since 1969, and moving to a dedicated Relic Hunting attitude since July of '83, all I can do is assure you that while we still have a lot of good opportunities to get out and make great finds, it is nothing like the glory days some of us got to enjoy way back in that early era of 'having fun.'
I'll continue to do my best to get out and enjoy this great sport as long as I can, but my physical condition and impaired mobility have taken their toll and slowed me down. However, I'm still alert and dedicated to doing what I can to help others learn and understand and enjoy this great undertaking, and I just hope that any suggestions or help I offer or answer can be of some benefit to anyone so that they can get as much satisfaction and enjoyment out of metal detecting as I have.
Lengthy? Hey, it's Monte! What did you expect?
Seriously though, now you know a bit more about me as an individual, my interest and involvement in the metal detecting sport, and please accept my best wishes that you, as well, can get all the enjoyment possible out of time well spent learning and getting out hunting.
Monte
(PS: Please pardon typos or oversights. My two fingers and I spent 3+ hours getting this down and trying to proof read and edit. Plus a break to move aroun and put wood in my wood stove to counter the cold and high windy late-winter weather.)
Like Rick and some others, I use my Name rather than some mysterious handle, and at one time long ago I kind of used my Middle Name that was not spelled correctly because, at the time, it didn't accept my name spelling because someone else was using it. I buy, sell and trade detectors via the Internet since the summer of '96 to get something I want, or perhaps just something I want to evaluate. Therefore, many on the Forums know me and my name from those transactions. So, just who am I and what can I share with readers of this thread that might be of any value, tell you a bit about myself, and share some of the inspiration of why I do what I do, and have done, on a number of website Forums for the past twenty three years. Or with those who have attended one of my seminars since 1981, or been involved in some of the metal detecting clubs I have been a part of since 1972. Better still, any of those who I have enjoyed meeting up with to talk detectors and help all of us learn more about how to get the most performance from our chosen set-ups.
My name is Monte Von Berry. Before I changed the spelling of my middle name to Vaughn to take care of the confusion with another poster who is now long gone. Sometimes I tag my name with the suffix of Sr. since my oldest son, Monte Jr., came along a little over 47 years ago. A few know one other 'title' I use on a different subject related website where I go by '840' which was my assigned reference and radio name back when I was a Chief of Police in a small town. Naturally, you and most everyone know me simply as 'Monte.'
I am a religious person and have a lot of faith that living a Christ-like life can help better me as an individual, and because of my beliefs I generally try to avoid such unwarranted behavior such as belittling people or mocking the choices they have made in life. This is a journey we all get to travel and some, I guess, go a little astray at times. Just a reflection on the weaknesses we can all have, but I am comforted that when it comes time they might see the light and 'choose the right' to better fulfill their goals in life. (I guess some might figure out that maybe that means some folks will realize they have been lead astray and followed the teachings and preaching's of someone who seems to have been misguided their self, but finally the followers who read the 'good book' (internet Forum) teachings will know that what Monte uses just has to be some of the best available when it comes to metal detectors.)
Okay, so now you know that Monte also has a sense of humor as well.
As my age ripens I look back to reflect on the behaviors and wanderings of my six children, sixteen grandchildren, and hope for the best for my first great-grandchild who should make an appearance sometime in March. A boy! If I can only hold out long enough for him to grow up a little so I can maybe get him involved in this great sport that would be fun.
I enjoy the outdoors in any way I can, to include a wee bit of fishing when my Dad was around, or when I get a chance to join any of my kids or grandkids for a day of fun. I have enjoyed hunting since I was 8 years old and especially enjoyed those years when I was a firearms instructor for my departments or a county-wide instructor and the police competition matches we used to hold. Like other things I enjoy doing, it was a way to master my knowledge and skills, and share time with fellow participants who also enjoyed that dedication of time and effort to better their skills, and naturally to have fun.
Next month I start my 55th year of enjoying this great pastime. I started out building my first (and second and third) Metal / Mineral Locator in March of '65. In the summer of '68 I started using my first factory-built Metal Detector, a White's Ghost Towner BFO, and the only slack time I had was during my duration in Viet Nam when I was limited to R&Ring in Hawaii. By late '71 to early '72 I started keeping 2 or more detectors on-hand that could complement each other, and by late '73 and on to the present I have generally maintained an 'Outfit' of four or more Regular-Use Detectors along with a selection of the favorite coils for them to handle my search needs.
In 1974 I started doing prototype evaluations for a detector manufacturer, and to date I have done so at the request of six or seven different manufacturers, and have enjoyed the time spent personally or by other communications with a number of detector design engineers. I have served this industry as a dealer, distributor, manufacturer's marketing rep and dealer coordinator and have provided some post-evaluation input on several design projects. I have been doing metal detector training seminars since 1981, taught a few classes on Recreational Metal Detecting at a college level, and have been a guest speaker at numerous detecting clubs over the past forty-plus years.
Some of the things I stress in any discussion with an individual, a small gathering or in a large group presentation, are these:
• There is no such thing as a 'perfect' metal detector.
• No one, and I mean NO ONE from design engineers down to the beginner, 'knows it all.'
• I personally prefer to have a detector that satisfies the three important elements of: Being 'Simple,' having 'Functional' adjustment features, and providing 'Performance' to satisfy my wants and needs.
• We should always be willing, and ready, to learn. Every time I turn a metal detector on, in a dealer's shop, at home, in-the-field, or just anywhere, I want to accomplish 3 things:
#1.. Refresh my memory of things I have learned in the past
#2.. Learn something new about a detector's features or performance behavior.
#3.. Have Fun and be successful.
----- The harder I work at #1 and #2, the more likely I can accomplish #3. -----
• Unless we search in All Metal, recover each and every signal, and then dig and screen a potential area to really clean it out, we are never going to "find it all" when out metal detecting.
Everyone, no matter how good they believe they might be or the detector selection they make, is going to always clean a site out and leave nothing behind. That's why we always have the opportunity to hunt a place and find a keeper or two because others have always missed finding something. I enjoy hunting behind others just to enjoy finding something others have missed. Equally, I enjoy others who hunt behind me and make a discovery of something I might have missed because from that, not only have they made a good find and learned that things can be missed, but I learn something myself. 'Simple' things like perhaps I was a little sloppy in my sweep coverage or didn't overlap enough? Learning is important .... for all of us.
I have my favorite makes and models, and have preferred smaller-than-stock search coils the bulk of the time since '72. I've only found one US gold coin, a 1913 $2.50 in 1978 in Yamhill, Oregon, and my oldest US silver coin, an 1836 Capped Bust Half-Dime I found almost 28 years ago this date in my all-time favorite ghost town of 'Twin Flats' Utah when on a detecting trip with Rich (Utah) aka 'Gonebeepin' who also had a successful time. With over a half-century of avid detecting under my belt, Coin & Jewelry Hunting, actively Relic Hunting ghost towns and military and pioneer encampments since 1969, and moving to a dedicated Relic Hunting attitude since July of '83, all I can do is assure you that while we still have a lot of good opportunities to get out and make great finds, it is nothing like the glory days some of us got to enjoy way back in that early era of 'having fun.'
I'll continue to do my best to get out and enjoy this great sport as long as I can, but my physical condition and impaired mobility have taken their toll and slowed me down. However, I'm still alert and dedicated to doing what I can to help others learn and understand and enjoy this great undertaking, and I just hope that any suggestions or help I offer or answer can be of some benefit to anyone so that they can get as much satisfaction and enjoyment out of metal detecting as I have.
Lengthy? Hey, it's Monte! What did you expect?
Seriously though, now you know a bit more about me as an individual, my interest and involvement in the metal detecting sport, and please accept my best wishes that you, as well, can get all the enjoyment possible out of time well spent learning and getting out hunting.
Monte
(PS: Please pardon typos or oversights. My two fingers and I spent 3+ hours getting this down and trying to proof read and edit. Plus a break to move aroun and put wood in my wood stove to counter the cold and high windy late-winter weather.)
