My New Hobby-Metal Detecting

My New Hobby- Metal Detecting
Metal detecting has always been a fascination of mine. Ever since I was a young person, I have been interested in learning the techniques of how people pull jewelry or coins or even trash out of the ground. Of course, when a person is young, different things tend to happen in life, for me it was the US NAVY, then onto college, a career, marriage and then children. The point I am making is this, it kept me from learning and experiencing this hobby for myself. Now I am in my fifties, a grandfather, and retired, I am suddenly blessed with the time to learn my new hobby. So I have decided to write about it.

This is not a product review however I would like to talk about the metal detector that I am using to kick off my new hobby. I am using the GROUND EFX STRYKER SERIES MX400.
This particular detector has videos installed within the unit to help anyone get started in the hobby. This unit also has quite a few features such as, ground grab which is used to discriminate ground metals out from the objects that you want to find. The discrimination settings allow me to pinpoint desirable objects from trash and are very helpful because of less digging over time. Settings also allow for specific searches such as coins or jewelry, of course it can also be set to detect everything as well. This unit comes with a 5 in tilted LCD screen and the menu can be changed from classic to traditional views. It also comes with a trigger to pinpoint hits. This detector also has a headphone jack, LED light and an 11 inch water submersible coil. These are just a few features as this detector comes with many more features too numerable to name in this article. Only time and experience will really tell what type of metal detector this turns out to be. I will also be using a small hand held detector to help pinpoint finds, a small shovel, and a collection bag. If I get to do some beach detecting, I have a special sand scoop for those ventures.

I believe that this hobby will never be boring as a person just doesn’t really know what to expect from day to day. Of course it could slow and monotony could be a factor overall, but hopefully finds from time to time will help break the monotony up. Different locations and the potential to find historical objects also make this appealing to me. I live in an area rich with Revolutionary and Civil War history, the problem with this as with practically any location is to get proper permission if the target area is on private property. In order to start with promising results, I will first make a list of areas to search within my area of the United States and if needed seek permission. It is extremely important to let the people with whom you seek permission know that you will be respectful with their land and that you will take off any trash you find and restore their property back to its original pristine condition you found it in. Offering to split your finds with the land owner may also go a long way to either getting permission or not. Only as a last resort I may be able to rent a location for a day or two, remember, this IS a hobby and as such, I don’t want to spend more than necessary.

At this point I will go anywhere I am allowed and take anything I find, whether it be trash or treasure just to get the experience and the feel of the machine for over the long term. I have also been watching videos of others who do this as a hobby and they really motivate me even more to get out there and find something I have never found before. I live in a part of the United States that has rich history and beaches are not too far away. In just one state over, I can go gold prospecting with my machine over a week-end. The possibilities are out there and although they may not be endless, there are enough possibilities out there to make this a very worthwhile hobby to pursue. So far, the only expense is the original outlay for my detector as well as a couple of accessories that I will be using. If I have to travel to a location, depending upon where that location may be, there are other expenses involved. With this hobby, you can spend as little as you want or as much as you want. You really don’t need something expensive to get started and then as you progress then you may want more features, but a simple easy to use detector will get you started finding objects.

Again at this particular point in time, I know no others in my area who also metal detect as a hobby. With due diligence I may be able to do some research and find more individuals and with these new contacts, I am sure other locations would become available for me to detect. As with anything that you want to build, networking does play a key role many times in an individual’s success in whatever they choose to pursue. Getting the word out is another thing that can be done easily when you have a network of other like minded people who share your passion for your chosen hobby. Groups of people may be able to get discounts for hotels and restaurants while you are traveling for your hobby. Again, you can spend as little as you want or as much as you want, this will be different for everyone.

You may be asking yourself what the benefits are from a hobby such as this. For me, personally, I like being out of doors when the weather permits and breathing in fresh air and exploring. I also like finding long lost objects as there is certain romanticism to that sort of thing. I may find something quite valuable. I may meet new people and make new friends in the process and maybe learn something new. I may even pass along something worthwhile to a new generation of people wanting to pursue this. Who knows? I hope you will join me as I start with my new hobby and follow along to see what finds I make as I plan to do more articles on the subject in the future.

Is this something you may want to do in your spare time? Although this may not be for everyone it does appeal to me. Not just because I may find something valuable or unique, but because I can get out and enjoy nature and meet new people and explore new locations and new places. I think it is a well rounded hobby because it involves history and locations and making finds and also involves getting exercise which is another added plus especially for people my age who tend to stay in much of the week for work or whatever. The main thing to remember is to have a good time while respecting others and their properties and to ALWAYS get permission to be where you are.