If you can’t ship it shove it!
The manufacturers are playing daringly with their new model previews/announcements and hype. For example Minelab just announced “another” new model (X-TERRA PRO) that’s supposedly killing it in the Asian marketplace, and I’m thinking aren’t there a whole lot of pissed off tekkies still waiting for their Manticore?
Have they considered that this type of marketing, this delay in delivering is killing the models priced just below, as in the Equinox line? Thinking the new 700 and 900 were introduced to combat that but the ploy doesn’t seem to be working from what I hear and what I observe on social media.
Tekkies are anxious and impatient when it comes to having the latest and the best so you better be able to back up your hype by having the product tested and ready to ship.
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Brainfarts
Chicago Ron is now Aruba Ron in the winter and Commonwealth Ron in the spring and fall. Jeezus I’m envious!
When someone posts a photo of a find the response is almost always “I have one (or more) of those too”, usually with an even more impressive photo. It’s the ingrained art of the detectorist, always having to one up the other dude.
How in the world do YouTubers find something to video and share each and every week? I mean seriously…
You might think that having 50 videos on YouTube is your ticket to Tekkie stardom. It’s not. It’s your ability to offer quality content, your persona and your ability to BS that counts. A well filmed and edited production goes a long way toward having the viewer like and follow your channel. I’m only one person but I find there are way, way too many detecting vids to look at and many turn me off just by their title.
Wish there were some way to make the pastime more mature but I think it’s too late. Too many sideline influences, too many hustles and way too many tekkies looking for fame and fortune.
No question, marketing the pastime to the masses has been successful but the law of diminishing returns is slowly but surely countering that progress and the manufacturers don’t seem to care.
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Money Sites
The notorious Willy Sutton, who stole an estimated 2 million dollars over 40 years was once asked why he robbed banks and he replied “cause that’s where the money is….” Well if you want to find coins you need to do the same. You need to seek out areas that necessitated the handling of money. A place where sticking your hand in your pockets enhanced the enjoyment and ambience of the site, a.k.a., athletic fields, amusement parks, fairgrounds, carnival sites, flea markets, famers markets, drive-ins, resorts, rodeo grounds, rural dance areas, roadside stands and beaches to name a few.
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Hang in there with me…
2022 was a year that brought big changes to my life. In January I had triple bypass surgery and in April I lost my wife Fay, the love of my life and my partner for the past 55 years.
I miss here dearly….
It has not been easy moving on, accepting and dealing with the new norm. Things have lost a little of their luster and that includes detecting and writing. Bear with me please. It’s going to take a little time….
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Stout Standards 
Sorry to hear about your wife Dick.
I always read your blog links when they drop in my mail box but I rarely comment. Just felt compelled to comment this time. More power to you.
Thanks WB. Appreciate it….
Hang in there? Take all the time in the world. No one knows the trauma till they’ve walked that same mile in your shoes. No need to apologise for (perceived) lack of writing lustre. Quite the opposite, matey!
Thanks Bubba…
Dick I am so very sorry to hear of your feelings and struggle with memories. In our autumn years we don’t have a lot to look forward to. You are doing the right thing plodding away with your blog, keep your chin up. God Bless from Randy Dee
Randy, my regulars and my advertisers expect interesting, useful material here and I struggle to provide it. Hoping things will get better over time. Thanks for your thoughtful comments.
I don’t always comment, but I always read. Considering what you have dealt with recently I would think everyone would cut you some slack. Hang in there. I still find your blog quite interesting.
Lisa they all pretty much hang in there with me. I think I’m harder on myself for not getting motivated….
Thanks for being a good friend.
You could write about faulty batteries or the price of dog chow variables, I’ll always be one of your fans… As I look at these YouTubers I often wonder a lot of these finds seem like I’ve seen before. I wonder if some moron is using the same bucket of silver coin finds and rings, and vary their “finds” every week. I rarely see them actually dig a hole and pull an actual metal doodad out of their plug or hole. It’s always some cut to scene. Just like Tv & movies, YouTube videos are edited. It’s the same with my local Treasure Hunter club – for about 3yrs I volunteered for our find of the month club, over time many of the goodies look similar. I recall one such member who routinely rotated the same 7 coins, rings, and tokens he had found. Although I chimed in that he had been scamming our FOTM he vehemently scoffed at my suggestion, only a few times did some folks back me up. I quit volunteering soon after, was no longer interested in seeing same shit different day. I don’t believe 75% of the stuff these yahoos claim to find.
SE Michigan is getting hit with ice storm. No detecting for me for another few months.
Luke I can’t speak to the validity of the finds in YouTube videos because I don’t watch enough of them. The titles usually turn me off.
I think every club at sometime had a member or two that loved to use the same coin, ring or relic from time to time. I remember a few conversations about it over the years.
Hope the weather breaks for you soon.
Hey Dick,
You can have the best gear and still come home disappointed. The challenge here in Connecticut is to find a spot to hunt that still might have some targets. The parks are pounded to death, beaches too. With the advent of lidar all of the cellars have been found.
Right now I have the Deus and the Nox 800. If I got the Deus II and/or the manticore would it bring these sites back to life? Perhaps, I found a lot more with the Deus at the same sites i had pounded with the White’s DFX. I was wondering what commonwealth Ron was in? Massamachussetts?
Hang in there Dick
We love you
Finding a spot to hunt is indeed the challenge. All over….
New machines always find more but I believe it has more to do with slowing down to learn the machine, listening more carefully and scanning more precisely. JMO.
Frank thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts and for the love. Miss the northeast a great deal….
dick! come springtime,i want to know you are “headed out da door” to do some detecting! I “know” this is NOT you, but there is a saying, and I quote: what’s the greatest indoor sport of all? feeling sorry for yourself. a sport enjoyed by EVERYONE from time to time!” no worries dick! we have ALL been there!.. “time waits for no man!” .you take yours dick! you have “earned” it!
(h.h.!)
j.(waitin’ on the weather!) t.
The detector releases are staggered so folks all at once don’t start digging 12 inch deep holes all n the same weekend! Ha ha ha