FUN FACTS ABOUT DETECTING
Certain laws prohibit the use of metal detectors
While finding treasure is indeed a great hobby, it should be noted that you cannot use your metal detector everywhere. There are certain private property laws that you need to adhere to and this encompasses historic sites. There are even laws that state that any discovery you find must be turned over to the proper authorities.
How to choose the perfect metal detector
When choosing a metal detector—whether a walk-through or a handheld wand—it’s essential to buy from a reputable manufacturer and dealer. After selecting a trusted brand, increasing your budget allows access to advanced features, such as programmable detectors with multi-position fields that pinpoint the exact location of metal objects.
Alexander Graham Bell invented the metal detector
You probably didn’t know that Alexander Graham Bell, the same person who invented the telephone, also invented the metal detector. In an attempt to assist physicians to find the bullet in the former President Garfield’s body when he was shot, Graham Bell made the first metal detector. Unfortunately, the device not only detected the bullet, but it also detected all the metal springs in the bed where the president was lying, causing a lot of confusion. In the end, the president perished.
Maintenance of metal detectors
Metal detectors do not operate with many moving parts. As such, they require very little in the way of maintenance. For walk-through detectors, ensure the connections for power, or auxiliaries, are clean and well established. For the handheld type, ensure the batteries are up to date, or charged.
How Do Metal Detectors Work?
Metal detectors work by transmitting an electromagnetic field from the search coil into the ground. Any metal objects (targets) within the electromagnetic field will become energised and retransmit an electromagnetic field of their own.
What can and cannot be detected by a metal detector
Generally, just like the name suggests, a metal detector is designed to detect all metals. However, not all metal detectors can detect all metals depending on various factors like depth and frequency.