Pinpoint Probes

Following on from a previous blog, I am pleased to report that the repair I carried out on my Garrett Pro-pointer has worked and the probe is back in service. There are some YouTube videos which show you how to fix the fairly common falsing problem, which is caused by some bare wires shorting out. So if your probe starts falsing, just search on YouTube for ‘Garrett Pro-pointer repair’.

I picked up this Gold Hunter electronic pinpoint probe as a giveaway when I bought a new Detech Gold Catcher metal detector. It came with pouch and lanyard and you can buy them new, shopping around, for £30 or so, which is good value for money. As my Garrett Pro-pointer was playing up at the time, I put it to use and found it very good on inland sites. Both the sound level and sensitivity are good and the second button allows you to have vibration alone or sound and vibration. It is slightly slower switching on and off than the Garrett, which you may not think is important but the faster you can get your find out of the ground, the more finds you will make. The only real downside I found with this pointer was on the wet beach where it falses so much I found it unusable. But if you are only detecting inland sites and dry beaches, then this probe is great value for money.

Search for pinpointers on Ebay: (affiliate link)

Pinpoint Probes

Garrett Pro-Pointer

An extremely useful metal detecting accessory is an electronic pinpoint probe; a hand-held miniature metal detector, identifying all metal by audio and vibrating. This gadget helps identify the exact position of the find in and out of the ground so you can not only avoid damaging your find but speed up find extraction considerably. Probes have other uses too. You can check the surface for shallow finds before you dig, which is especially useful when searching sensitive areas like lawns or when searching for a recent loss – you usually only need to check the shallow signals. Probes with a limited range, perhaps no more than an inch on a coin-sized object, have been around for a long time but a few years back Garrett brought out the Pro-Pointer which has a greater range and a larger price tag but is so much better at pinpointing than the old style probes. I bought a Garrett Pro-pointer when they were first available in the UK and have had 10 years of reliable service out of it but recently it started sounding-off (falsing) for no apparent reason, even with a new battery, which made me think it had come to the end of its working life.  I had a look around to see what was available and it seems almost every metal detector manufacturer now makes these probes in many colors. But the cost of some of them is bordering on the ridiculous – you could easily buy a good, brand new, entry level metal detector for the price! There are quite a few tests on YouTube and one thing that struck me was that the Chinese had got in on the act and they have a probe available at less than twenty pounds or twenty-five dollars, which includes holster, lanyard and shipping! The model in question is called a GP-Pointer and it tested quite well on YouTube so I thought I would give it a try. It is almost identical to the Garrett in appearance. Switching on takes about 3 seconds; whereas Garrett is instant. The GP is not quite as sensitive, nor as loud, nor vibrates so strongly as the Garrett. I didn’t find any of this to be a problem even when wearing headphones but I do have good hearing and did not need to wear thick gloves at the time. It may be difficult to use in a noisy environment and by anyone with poor hearing but for its price, I found it a great tool for the money.

GP-Pointer

As a footnote, I did a Google search for ‘repair Garrett Pro-pointer’ and found some YouTube videos which show you how to fix the fairly common falsing problem. I have taken the advice and had a go at repairing mine. So far so good, it still works but I have yet to field test it.

Treasure Hunting for Profit: With and Without a Metal Detector

BOOK DESCRIPTION
If your dreams of finding treasure result in next to nothing, then this book is for you. David Villanueva draws on his 40 plus years experience to show you how and where to find, and profit from, many types of lost or hidden valuables in Britain, all year round. Treasure hunting is one of the few hobbies that can actually cost you nothing to take part but potentially bring you a fortune. Terry Herbert, the finder of the Staffordshire Saxon hoard received over 1.5 million pounds for basically a few hours enjoyable work with an old metal detector he bought for pocket change. But money is not the only reward; this fascinating pursuit breathes life into history and archaeology and offers healthy exercise to boot.
This book shows you how and where in Britain you can profitably:

• Use a metal detector
• Beachcomb for lost valuables
• Find Gold, Minerals, Gemstones & Meteorites
• Search for Fossils
• Hunt for treasure in innumerable places

If you dream of finding buried treasure, improving your finds rate or exploring new avenues for fun and profit… You can get the E-book and printed book from the SHOP at www.truetreasurebooks.net (Also available on Amazon, ebay, Smashwords and other online and offline retailers).
Please note: Most of the locations and contacts given in the book are based in the UK so if you live outside of the UK and are not planning a treasure hunting trip to Britain, then you will need to do some local research to get the best out of the book. Nevertheless I hope you all enjoy it and I always appreciate feedback– good bad or indifferent – it helps me be a better writer.

METAL DETECTING MADE EASY: A Guide for Beginners & Reference for All

 

NEW BOOK

​

Metal detecting is a very rewarding hobby in more ways than one. Just swinging a detector on a warm sunny day in pleasant surroundings is a real pleasure in itself. Not only is there the prospect of making a major find in amongst the interesting coins and artifacts you will uncover but the hobby's many benefits include anticipation of the unknown, collecting, education, exercise, excitement, family involvement, fun, new friends. And history – like it was never taught in school!

Over thousands of years, literally many millions of coins and metal artefacts have been lost, mislaid or buried on land and beaches and in rivers and the sea. Armed with a metal detector you can bring history to life. Perhaps you will discover a roman brooch in your back yard or a Piece of Eight, on a beach, from a Spanish wreck or over a thousand Saxon gold and silver artifacts in a farmer's field, like Terry Herbert, who found the famous UK Staffordshire Hoard. And even a humble find can lead to an exciting quest of discovery as to what it is, what it was used for, who owned it and why it was where you found it.

Metal detecting is one of the greatest hobbies suitable for either sex of any age from three to 113, with the very real possibility that at any moment you can change history, or even your life, forever.
However, unless you are extremely lucky, you are unlikely to beg, borrow or buy a metal detector and start making great finds with it from day one -- you need to know a few things first. That is the purpose of this manual -- to show you what equipment you need, how and where to use it and how to overcome any obstacles along the way. And much, much more...

It is not rocket science and with guidance from a detectorist with over 40 years experience in the hobby, you will become a successful metal detectorist in no time.

CONTENTS INCLUDE:

The Basics - What You Need to Know
Code of Practice for Responsible Detecting in England and Wales
Treasure Law
The Treasure Act in England and Wales
Organisations, Clubs and Magazines

• Includes Worldwide contacts.

Equipment:
Metal Detectors and Search Heads

• How to choose the right metal detector for you.

Accessories

• You will also need a digging tool at least and there are a number of other accessories that will improve your detecting experience.

How to Use a Metal Detector

• Like any tool or instrument you need to know how to use it to get the best out of it.

Gaining Search Permission

• The find of a lifetime starts with gaining search permission. Here you will find the easy painless approach.

Search Agreement

How and Where to Search

• If you habitually search where nothing much ever happened then you can expect your finds bag to contain nothing much!

Water Sites
Farmland and Other Inland Sites

Research

• The number one secret to successful treasure hunting.

Identification of Finds

• How not to gain the reputation of being the twit who sold a $1000 find for a $1.

Cleaning and Conservation

• Looking after your finds and cleaning them safely, without wrecking them.

Cleaning Finds

Dowsing

• How to multiply your finds rate without really trying.

Bibliography and Resources

(True Treasure Books, 2014) Soft Cover, 54 black and white illustrations, A5 size (210mm x 146mm or 8.25 inches x 5.75 inches), 128 pages. ISBN 978-0-9550325-7-8

Printed Book £5.47 + shipping. E-book £2.97