[Rockhounds] metal detector question

[Alan Silverstein]

Following up a week later (I'm behind on my emails)...

A while ago, just to play with one, I bought a cheapo $25 metal detector
from Harbor Freight, and took it out numerous times while rockhounding.
I never found a gold nugget or a meteorite (hah), but did learn that
there's magnetite schist on them thar prairies.  (Which, after you
collect enough of it, which doesn't take long, precludes using the
detector for anything else!)

Using the toy model was educational, and a lot cheaper than shelling out
say $800 to get started.  I learned if I was buying another metal
detector that...

- Having a normal state of silence, interrupted by tone, is essential
  for your sanity.  This one must use some cheap alternate heterodyne
  circuit because its normal state is whining, no matter how you adjust
  it.  The whine varies upon metal detection, but silent, it is not.  So
  you fiddle with the volume a lot.

- Ergonomics matter; how comfortable is it to carry, hold, and sweep the
  detector for long periods?  While surface hunting for rocks?  How hard
  to stop and pick up a rock while still holding the detector?

- Having a headset/earphone is good (this one does).

- Beyond that, sensitivity, simplicity of interface, ruggedness, battery
  life, etc, all worth considering.

I like the idea of finding a quality one used.  If I ever have time and
interest to get more serious, that's what I'll do.

Cheers,
Alan Silverstein