15 Stages in the Life of a Novice Detectorist
15 Stages in the Life of a Novice Detectorist
In this edition of the Metal Detecting Life, John Rapp, author of gives us his take on the 15 stages in the life of a novice detectorist, and let me tell you, there is SO MUCH truth to his article (in a satire kind of way) as I know I have experienced many of these feelings. Even if you’re not a metal detectorist, I’m sure you can find yourself in one of these stages in another facet of your life. I hope you enjoy this fun read and be sure to leave a comment on what stage you’re currently in and why.
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1. Dreaming Stage
This is when you wished you had a hobby that would get you out of the house away from the chores, wife, husband, kids etc. You have ruled out golf and boating (too expensive). You have ruled out a mistress, even more expensive! You didn’t even consider running or buffing up in the Gym (too hard). Metal detecting looks easy and very profitable with all those guys on YouTube finding all those rings on the beach, especially a guy in California named Ted the Beach Hunter, no it was Ed the Beach Hunter. My gosh he finds thousands of dollars of rings each week! Heck, I live only 40 miles from the east coast of Florida.
2. Research Stage
This is where you Google the words metal detecting and discover the metal detecting forums, prices of metal detectors, or YouTube metal detecting videos with Relic Recoverist, She Detector and Digging Britt. The videos pretty much firmed up your decision to jump into this hobby.
3. Serious Research Stage
This is where you are trying to decide which metal detector is for you and seek to find a good deal. To your dismay, almost all detectors are sold at suggested retail prices set by the manufacturers. You say “to heck with it” and go to Amazon and buy a metal detector for $73. Wow, what a deal for all these features:
Rugged metal detector ideal for detecting treasure in extreme ground conditions
Motion All-Metal mode, Discrimination mode, and 2-Tone audio mode. Larger objects up to 3 feet.
Preset ground balance neutralizes response to mineral content in the ground
Disc/notch control distinguishes between targets and unwanted metals
6.7 kHz operating frequency
Rugged metal detector ideal for detecting treasure in extreme ground conditions
Motion All-Metal mode, Discrimination mode, and 2-Tone audio mode
Preset ground balance neutralizes response to mineral content in the ground
Disc/notch control distinguishes between targets and unwanted metals
Ships in Certified Frustration-Free Packaging
You especially like #10 and #2 with the idea of finding large sacks of gold coins buried 3 feet deep. And you think #4, this is going to be easy!
4. Waiting Stage
This is where you eagerly await the delivery of your detector in the mail and continue to read about the joys and rewards of metal detecting and view the YouTube metal detecting videos with Relic Recoverist, She Detector and Digging Britt.
5. First Hunt Stage
Your detector has arrived in the “Certified” frustration-free packaging. Hmmm, what organization certifies this type of packaging? The UN? BBB? FTC? You turn it on and wave a quarter in front of the coil and it beeps. Man this is going to be so easy!
6. Disillusionment Stage
This is after two weeks and six hunts; you have found 39 pull tabs, 63 pop tops, 37 aluminum screw caps, 29 rusty nails, 22 rusty bottle caps and 15 memorial pennies, two nickels and a dime, and one broken piece of a horse shoe.
Where are all the rings, silver coins, and caches of gold coins that are three feet deep? You watch some more metal detecting videos by Relic Recoverist, She Detector & Digging Britt and get back your enthusiasm for the hobby. Plus you found out about some humorist post by a member named dirty kitty, no it was mud dog, or was it poodle puppy… anyway, that kept you grinning like you did when looking at videos by by Relic Recoverist, She Detector and Digging Britt.
7. Upgrade Stage
This is where after the disillusionment stage, you decide that you did not spend enough time or money on buying a decent detector like one from Kellyco. You just got your year-end special performance bonus from your work, so what the heck, go all the way in and buy the very much touted Equinox 800.
My goodness, those guys using the 800 are finding everything good and no trash! I need to get out there before all the good stuff is gone.
8. Waiting Stage Part 2
You occupy your waiting time by viewing more videos by Relic Recoverist, She Detector and Digging Britt. Darn those girls really know how to detect. I wonder if I will ever bump in to any of them on any of my hunts?
9. No Excuses Stage
This is where you have spent the money for a great detector and there is nothing going to stop you now. This is a very brief stage…
Smelted gold from ARA using various rings I had found over the previous year.
10. Unboxing Your First Real Metal Detector Stage
Darn this thing looks great. Nothing like my first detector. Lookout gold and silver, I am here to hoover you up with this beauty.
11. First Hunt Stage Part 2
You go to your local park that is packed with people every weekend, just dropping coins and jewelry left and right on the tot-lot, volleyball court, and around the picnic tables. You fire up your Nox and put it in “park one”, noise cancel and ground balance, and start swinging!
Whoa! What are all these different tones and numbers coming in like it’s machine gun fire? So now what do I do? You noise cancel and ground balance again. It is still going crazy when you swing near the picnic table. They must have shipped me a broken detector. This cannot be right. After the hunt, you call your detector dealer.
They explain that the Nox is not broken but rather it is a hot machine and reports every little piece of ferrous and non-ferrous object under each swing of the coil. They suggest you not start out in old public parks. Hmm, what is non-ferrous? Sounds bad…
12. Oh My Gosh, What Do I Do Now Stage
You put a post on one of the metal detecting forums describing your problem with your Nox 800. You get lots of replies, and some not the bit helpful telling you why you should have purchased this or that model metal detector.
You got one serious reply from a member that has the name of an expensive sports car in his member name. He carefully explains you need to learn more about metal detecting in general and the Equinox 800 in particular. He suggests you get some books on detecting as well. You order three books, one on Guide to Modern Metal Detecting and two books on the 800, one by Clive and one by Andy, all of which can be found for a good deal on Amazon.
13. Confusion Stage
You are reading the books and some things are clear and some things are even more confusing. What have I gotten myself in to? These modern metal detectors are far from simple to use and all these new terms I need to understand. It was a lot easier to learn to drive a car or learn to sail my sailboat. Do I just forget my dreams of gold and silver and take up woodworking? Ok, I will give it one more chance…
14. Light Bulb Stage
After reading and studying the metal detecting books, you just start hitting some volleyball courts near your area. You find a handful of modern coins and two small rings. Hey, this is a neat hobby if you know what you are doing. Next take your 40 mile trip to the beach and find some lead weights, a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses, but you also find a .925 silver Pandora bracelet out in about 3 feet of water. Yeah man, I am the boss of this hobby and my wife was so happy to get that silver bracelet, she has urged me to get out and spend more time metal detecting!
15. The Mature Stage
You realize that this is a great hobby, but you need to equip yourself with the proper knowledge as discussed in that blog post, so you can get the most out of a sophisticated modern metal detector or at least the one you own so you can truly enjoy the hobby to its fullest.
Summary
I hope you enjoyed this light-hearted, guest article. For additional content by John Rapp, be sure to check out his fully published book, Guide to Modern Metal Detecting, available on Amazon or where other books may be sold.
Would you like to be a guest writer or featured in an upcoming blog? Please submit your story or idea below and remember to always Swing4TheRing!
Giveaway
In the next blog for the March 15th edition of the Metal Detecting Life, I will be hosting a giveaway for all of my Treasure Box newsletter subscribers, so be sure to enter your email address in the form below to gain access to extra content and click “Dig It” to officially enter the giveaway!
The winner will be randomly selected from subscribers on March 14th, 2020 at 10am EST. Any subscribers after that will not be eligible for this giveaway. The lucky subscriber will win everything seen in the photo (minus the cloth of course) which includes silver coins, a 925 ring, detecting patch, and a trio of V-nickels! Good luck to all of you pirates out there!
One lucky Treasure Box subscriber will win everything seen in this giveaway package!
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