Metal Detecting Tips

[petethedig]

A few tips for beginners;

Get a decent detector (one you have confidence in that you can master and can swing all day)
Read the manual and learn your machine (to get the most from it)
Discuss any queries you have with others, ask here on the forum (to resolve them)
Carry out tests to hear and see what signals different metals give
Learn the sound of iron

Improve your detector set up (get the settings right and ground balance before you start)
Use the least discrimination possible (for maximum depth and not to disc out good finds)
Make sure the detector will pick up foil and all higher conductivity materials (so as not to disc out small silver and other good finds)
Don't use Relics or Coins modes (they disc out some of the goodies)

Improve your swing technique to keep the coil parallel to the ground
Swing slowly (the detector needs time to react to and evaluate a small signal)
Brush the ground (every inch of depth achieved improves your chances)
Detect in or after the rain (for maximum depth)
Detect for longer (every inch of the field covered improves your chances)
Consider a bigger coil (they have a bigger foot print so cover more area)
Consider a higher or multi frequency machine (as they may find more of the smaller items)

If you find something, re check the hole and concentrate on that area for a while (in case it was lost with other items)
When in doubt, dig (often an iffy signal can become a good one as you dig)
Dig every signal that isn't iron (if you have the energy and will power)
Get better land (you will not find it if it's not there)

Seek out hot-spots I.e.;
Field entrances and gateways (places where people would gather)
Near signs of habitation, activity, earthworks, broken pottery, iron, lead and coke in the ground, dark patches of ground
Areas where others are getting signals, digging and making finds (useful at rallies or Club outings)
High ground especially plateau's (where buildings may have been located)
The bottom of hills (as finds tend to move downhill with ploughing)
Alongside footpaths (don't dig up the footpath), field boundaries, streams, rivers, lakes, ponds & ditches (routes that were used in the past)
Avoid areas that were under water in the past
Research the history of the site

Remember detecting permission is always required.
Avoid protected archaeological features, such as Scheduled Monuments and Sites of Special Scientific Interest and respect the conditions of the Stewardship Scheme that applies to the land http://www.magic.gov.uk/website/magic/v ... le=6329349

Stewardship Scheme Handbooks http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com ... Shop/NE226

Avoid Battlefields as many of these have yet to be surveyed and any removal of objects would corrupt the results http://www.magic.gov.uk/website/magic/o ... le=6316048

Where ever possible work on land that has already been disturbed such as ploughed land or land that has formerly been ploughed (and only within the depth of the ploughing)If detecting takes place on undisturbed pasture, be careful to ensure that no damage is done to the archaeological value of the land, including earthworks, as per the voluntary Code of Practice agreed by the National Council for Metal Detecting https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B1 ... OWJk&hl=en

See also the UKDN Welcome Pack http://www.atoz.forumukdetectornet.co.u ... 20Pack.pdf

Please record your finds with the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) who are recording finds and find spots for the benefit of future generations http://www.finds.org.uk

PAS prefer 10 figure National Grid References (NGR's), (with the Landowners permission) recorded with a GPS, should you not have a GPS an NGR can be obtained from this site http://wheresthepath.googlepages.com/wheresthepath.htm

Any queries, just ask on the UKDN forum, there are lots of members willing to oblige.

Thanks to PhilD for this.