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SWINGING THE COIL
Once you are at that site that has all of those coins and valuables in the ground, what is the most effective way to cover the area? How fast or slow does the coil have to be moved over the ground?
Begin by picking out a landmark to start by, it may be a sidewalk, a tree, a bush, the corner of a building, etc.. If there aren't any such markers around, just pick up a stick or use a golf tee to stick into the ground to begin a section. When you reach the end of a section, insert another one into the ground and turn back toward the other marker of the section. Each time you complete a path to the end of a section, move the stick or golf tee over about 3 feet and start again.
Your coil swings should be about 3 feet in width or less. Make a swipe in one direction in a straight line in front of you, then go over the same swipe in the opposite direction. The speed of the swing should be 1 or 2 feet per second, each operator will tell you differently. Some say "Go slow!!", others will "whip it". Its a matter of preference, try different speeds to see which you can tolerate. I use different speeds in different situations. Read your owners manual to see what they suggest.
The height of the coil should follow the contour of the ground. I actually "scrub" the grass with the coils surface. This will allow maximum depth into the earth. HEY, you've actually searched a section of ground, congradulations! Now move your coil ahead approximately 1/2 the width of your coil and take another swipe. If you have a 9.5 inch coil on your machine, you should only move ahead about 4.5 inches! Your coil sends out a signal that is tapered toward the center of it. So by only moving half the width of the coil you are actually covering more ground in DEPTH! This is where the older more valuable targets are buried. Take your time, don't hurry, patience has its rewards.
When you have covered a section of ground to your satisfaction, now is the test of your stamina. Stay in the same section and do it again in the opposite direction. If you went North to South on the first pass, go in an East to West direction and cover it all again. WHY?? I have a neighbors yard that I've covered 5 or 6 times and each time I go back I recover an Indian Head cent or a "V" nickel. I try to do something different each time I go back, slower speed of the coil, different settings on my machine, soil conditions are wetter, different direction of coverage, different size coil, etc. all have an impact on the machine.
WHEN YOU MAKE SOME GOOD RECOVERIES IN AN AREA
KEEP AT IT!!