Post by Digger D on Jul 20, 2013 14:03:07 GMT -5
I've seen this question a lot from people who want to get started in metal detecting. My advice is to check the dealers section but first, read up on what metal detectors do. What features do I want?
You can purchase a metal detector for less than one hundred dollars or more than one thousand. A good beginners range is around two to three hundred dollars. This will get you a metal detector with a decent set of features. If you are not sure the hobby is for you, then you may wish to get something less expensive in the hundred dollar range. If this is your budget then expect to dig most signals as the detector will not likely be great at target identification. It's best to dig everything at first anyway as this is how you will get to know your detector and what settings do what and what readings mean what. Take some time to read over the features of several detectors in your budget range and look up the meanings of each feature using a search on the internet. Briefly here are some common features and what they mean:
Identification - typically an LCD screen or meter that helps to identify the target often represented as a number or metal/coin type,
ID Tones - a specific sound tone to help indicate the type or range of targets,
Sensitivity - how strong the signal coming from your coil is, which in turn becomes how strong the reflected signal is back to your coil,
Discrimination - the ability to ignore certain metals like iron or pull tabs and bottle caps. There are a wide selection of features that your discrimination can have depending on manufacturer,
Pinpoint - a detection mode that helps locate the target more precisely, typically a constant tone which gets louder as your coil gets directly over the target,
Ground Balance - helps to tune the search coil to the ground conditions which makes location and identification more accurate. Most come with automatic and more expensive ones also come with manual.
In the Ottawa area I only know of two places to buy detectors (there may be more), the first is The Source and the other is Canadian Tire. On the Dealers board I have listed a few Ontario or Canadian based dealers. Some include free shipping anywhere in Canada. Take your time to check out these sites, look at the various products available, watch some videos, compare pricing. The extra time you spend before buying a detector will make your new hobby more enjoyable and less frustrating.
Digger D
You can purchase a metal detector for less than one hundred dollars or more than one thousand. A good beginners range is around two to three hundred dollars. This will get you a metal detector with a decent set of features. If you are not sure the hobby is for you, then you may wish to get something less expensive in the hundred dollar range. If this is your budget then expect to dig most signals as the detector will not likely be great at target identification. It's best to dig everything at first anyway as this is how you will get to know your detector and what settings do what and what readings mean what. Take some time to read over the features of several detectors in your budget range and look up the meanings of each feature using a search on the internet. Briefly here are some common features and what they mean:
Identification - typically an LCD screen or meter that helps to identify the target often represented as a number or metal/coin type,
ID Tones - a specific sound tone to help indicate the type or range of targets,
Sensitivity - how strong the signal coming from your coil is, which in turn becomes how strong the reflected signal is back to your coil,
Discrimination - the ability to ignore certain metals like iron or pull tabs and bottle caps. There are a wide selection of features that your discrimination can have depending on manufacturer,
Pinpoint - a detection mode that helps locate the target more precisely, typically a constant tone which gets louder as your coil gets directly over the target,
Ground Balance - helps to tune the search coil to the ground conditions which makes location and identification more accurate. Most come with automatic and more expensive ones also come with manual.
In the Ottawa area I only know of two places to buy detectors (there may be more), the first is The Source and the other is Canadian Tire. On the Dealers board I have listed a few Ontario or Canadian based dealers. Some include free shipping anywhere in Canada. Take your time to check out these sites, look at the various products available, watch some videos, compare pricing. The extra time you spend before buying a detector will make your new hobby more enjoyable and less frustrating.
Digger D