Nexus Machines Are Wide Open 'Phantom Signals'

I've mentioned in previous blogs and videos that Nexus machines run wide open, what I mean by this is, there's no filters on them other than discrimination. Performance wise this has huge advantages, the two main ones being depth and discrimination at depth, both of these elements can't truly be achieved with machines that have endless filters on them. So why do you think the mainstream brands out there use so many filters? That's very simple to answer, it's for ease of use, it dumbs down the operation so your average user/beginner can go out into the fields and with minimal confusion find some cool stuff.

Is there anything wrong with that? Hell no there isn't. 

But don't expect your machine to exhibit much more depth and discrimination at depth than the next one, it's no coincidence that all the current leading tech machines pretty much demonstrate the same performance. You can convince yourself otherwise but, alas, you'll be kidding yourself, now let me be honest here, for your average detectorist, do they really need to be using a detector with extreme depth capabilities? the answer is no, plenty of treasure is found within the capabilities of the current machines. But, just like those hunters that focus on unmasking shallow targets in trashy parks, there are hunters that want to dig as deep as possible and depending on the part of the world they live in and the type of environment they're hunting, there are some amazing treasures to be found at extreme depths.

Also I personally love to see what I can pull off with my machines, one of my main farms has had top soil put on the fields to create the pasture. This means the treasures in the original dirt are still there but they're sitting in the deeper layers. I want to be giving myself the best chance at hearing these items and I know for a fact I'd be wasting my time with the Deus 2 and Manticore, I understand that what I've just said might trigger a few "Detexperts' out there and they might feel the need to start a thread on the 'Not So Friendly' Friendly Metal Detecting Forum. Claiming that, that Paul Warren guy doesn't know what he's talking about, I can set my Manticore to hit coins at 16' inches in my program, that I call "Bills Pro Deep Settings" .... firstly if you think that, then you're delusional, secondly I'd rather scoop my eyes out with a spoon than get into a discussion or argument about metal detecting with a bunch or arseholes hiding behind screen names ....... I digress.

So what about those of us that want to try and focus more on digging deeper beyond the realms of the mainstream machines? we have to look elsewhere and to find a unit that can exhibit this performance we might find ourselves having to grapple with a few conundrums that need to be understood and learnt. So what's the downside to using a detector that's basically wide open? it's not going to exhibit the same predictable performance as the rest out there. This is turn can make the learning curve longer ... but .. hey learning's fun .... right! ..... only if it's easy .. right!

There's a few main points that I want to cover in this blog, the first one I've mentioned before but I want to mention it again, which is, even when ground balanced there will be some days and conditions where you will experience ground noise as you swing the coil, this doesn't mean the machine is unstable or not balanced correctly 'it's simply wide open'. I've explained that with the right coil height and swing technique you can mitigate the ground noise, this has to be understood and practiced, not just read on this blog with a quick nod of the head. If you're use to swinging super quiet machines that are filtered to F**K then Nexus may come across as a little 'loud' but the more you use it and master the operation you'll get use to what you're hearing and you'll be able to interpret what the machine is telling you. It takes time to learn any form of new language.

Secondly, following the theme of 'noise' you might get the odd phantom signal, what do I mean by this? let me explain, you're going to be swinging with baited breath waiting for that deeper signal to sound. So you're intent on listening to almost every perceived target response. Doing this is going to lead you into digging phantom signals because you're going to find yourself over-listening closely to everything. Until you've dug what I would call a deep target 16' inches and above, you're not going to know what they sound like. Even when targets are super deep they'll give off a strong signal response, obviously they'll be softer than the shallower signals but stronger than most would expect. The target has to be really really deep to give off a really soft and quiet response. You'll come to understand that an actual target has a punch or 'indentation' within the audio, it gets louder as you swing over it, as opposed to a meandering audio with very little indentation that 'Phantom' signals have a tendency to produce.

Why don't I get this happening on my Deus 2 or Manticore? because they have filters on them, Nexus are wide open. Why If I'm ground balanced correctly I might get phantom signals? because Nexus is wide open. "I'll keep repeating this until it's understood". One thing to be aware of, with continued use, Phantom signals will start to be ignored, the more targets you dig at varying depths the better because your ears will tune into their characteristics, you'll reach a tipping point where you know exactly what you're listening for and you'll be recovering targets as opposed to thin air.

Stitched closely to Phantom signals is noise over an open hole, this is something that can confuse you, it did me when I started using Nexus. Let me explain a scenario that can be common when you first start out. You find what you perceive to be a really deep signal, you dig a plug, you might put your handheld pin pointer down the hole but nothing is detected. You then get your machine and swing it over the open hole, the machine sounds off so you dig deeper and use your handheld pin pointer again.... still nothing, so you repeat the process. You've now dug crazy deep and recovered nothing, it's more than likely you've dug a phantom signal and the response of the unit over the open hole makes you think you've got a target down there somewhere, when, in fact there isn't one, all Nexus machines make noise over an open hole. Trust me, once you have some experience using the machine you'll know when you're on to something stupidly deep and you'll know when to keep on digging. I've said it before, do not underestimate these machines in regards to the depths they can detect.

How Do We Solve This Problem?

Simple, you use the machine and you apply your mind to learning it, now let me explain something, until you've dug targets your ears aren't tuned into what they sound like. Until you've hit on super deep coins and relics your ears don't know what they sound like, so to remedy this, you have to dig a lot of targets over a long period of time so your ears are tuned in. Until you know what super deep targets sound like, you will find that you may dig some phantom signals mistaking them as deep signals, but that OK! when I first started I dug plenty and I still get caught out now and again. It's just the way it is with Nexus, remember, they're wide open.

I'm going to make a video demonstrating my next point, there's a difference in audio response when swinging over an open hole and an open hole with a target in. What I'm going to do, using my dual 12' inch coil, I'll find a deep target and dig a plug and then I'll dig a plug of a similar size and depth next to it. Then I'll swing over both holes so you can hear the difference between the empty hole and the one with a target in. There is a difference and once this is sussed out then things become easier. 

A Remedy When Going For Potential Super Deep Targets

I stated in my last blog that I don't film every time I go out so no one has seen me doing this, when I'm using my dual 12' inch coil I'm going for deep stuff. When doing this I will investigate a lot more 'iffy' type signals as opposed to the signals I dig with my other coils. To make life a lot easier I'll bring one of my other machines with me, usually the Equinox 800 with the 6' inch coil or my F19 with the 5' inch coil. I make sure that I dig a plug deep enough 'starting at 13' inches', and large enough to be able to put either of these machines coils down the hole to check if there's a deep target there or not. Lots of guys using the V3 with the dual 31' inch coil normally use the GPX machines to confirm potential deep targets once they've initially been found with the V3 because it makes everything so much easier. 

The second remedy which can really only be done on certain hunting grounds is what Georgi explains in the Super Deep Roman Coins video. When you have located what you believe to be a deep signal, start by scrapping the ground away a few inches. If the target response increases then repeat the process, when you start actually digging down make sure you dig a hole wide enough so you can swing the coil comfortably. Doing this will help to locate the target far easier than swinging your coil over a pothole. This whole process and behaviour of Nexus units might sound like too much hard work, if it does, don't consider buying one because it's clearly not for you. But there are plenty of Nexus users out there that put in the extra effort and reap the rewards. Remember you have the ability to go deeper than pretty much every VLF machine out there so the right mindset and series of approaches mentioned in this blog should help you recover treasures and relics that are resting in the deepest layers of the soil.

Patience & Persistence Is Needed