Metal Detecting Terminology and Slang Glossary

Technical Terminology

Technical terms are easy to remember as soon as you get used to them. You will find them everywhere in texts and videos, and there is no way to get rid of them when explaining features, functions, or specifications. So make sure you know what every term means, exactly.

Air test (Bench test/Field test): - check for metal detector sensitivity by checking signal to objects laid on the ground (not underground)

Alkaline battery: - non-rechargeable changeable battery

All Metal: - search mode that makes the metal detector react to any metal object regardless of the type of metal

Alloy: - metal composed of two or more metals mixed together

Artefact: - man-made object, usually an old one

Audio ID: - a mode of metal identification by the tome of sound signal

Backreading: - signal given by ferrous metals despite discrimination, because the metals are too close to the coil

BBS: - Broad Band Spectrum technology that transmits from 17 to 28 frequencies at the same time

BFO: - Beat Frequency Oscillation, one of the oldest metal detecting technologies; it is the cheapest and also less effective. Today, mostly used for metal detectors for kids

Black sand: - grounds with high level of magnetic iron oxide

Bodymount / Hip mount: - a setup when control unit is removed from the shaft and is mounted on the belt attached to the body, for better maneuverability

Butterfly: - DD coil variation

Camlock: - lock for detector assembly components

Chatter: - noise and interference because of highly mineralized soils, salty sea water, radio signals, power transmission lines, other metal detecting machines nearby, etc.

Coil: - also known as Search coil, Loop, or Antenna - metal detector part that senses the targets

Concentric coil: - search coil that has two wires situated in a concentric manner

Conductivity: - amount of current generation created by the coil electric field on the surface of the target

Control box/Control panel: - control and regulation unit of the metal detector; contains battery, control panel, display, etc.

Crosstalk: - noise caused by two metal detectors operating in proximity

Custom mode: - an “empty” slot search mode (in contrast to factory modes) that can be customized by the user, to meet their specific needs for unusual settings

Cut back: - loss of depth of reach of the search coil due to high level of mineralization

Depth: - the depth to which the electric field of the search coil can reach, or the depth of the target location

Depth potential/Maximum depth: - the maximum depth of reach by metal detector in non heavily mineralized soils

Digger: - a specifically shaped trowel to dig out the finds

Discrimination: - the feature of metal detector that allows to ignore reaction to unwanted targets; then the machine discriminates, it means the coil finds the objects, but does not give signal about them if they meet the set criteria for discrimination

Double D (DD): - shape of a search coil than looks like two D letters

Drift: - change of depth and sensitivity due to heat, battery charge, etc.

DVT: - Dual Voltage Technology patented by Minelab; implying using two different voltages from one coil. This improves ground balance, sensitivity, and depth

Electromagnetic field: - an invisible field created by search coil’s generated frequencies

Elliptical: - search coil shape

Factory programs: - search modes designed and incorporated by the manufacturer

False signal / Falsing: - signal that looks like a worthy object, but it is not; can be caused by junk, mineralized soils, chatter, faults of the coil, etc.

FBS: - Full Band Spectrum technology with multiple frequencies

Ferrous metals: - iron

Frequency: the measurement of current cycles in the wires of search coil

Frequency shift: - metal detector feature that enables the device to alter the applied frequency a bit, in order to avoid cross talk with neighboring metal detector, other sources of noise, or highly mineralized soil

Gold prospecting: - search for gold nuggets or gold dust; a separate niche of detecting that requires tech specs and additional tools

Gridding: - disciplined search according to a pre-set scheme on a limited area of search, with the purpose of scanning this area as thoroughly as possible

Ground balance: - the feature of detector to tune the sensitivity of the coil in order to neutralize the reaction of mineralized soils to electric field, and therefore to find metallic objects easier

Ground effect: - loss of depth or sensitivity due to level of soil mineralization

Ground reject/Ground compensation: - neutralization of ground effect by the metal detector

Grot: - corroded bronze or copper coins

Halo effect: - the case when metal detector sees target as bigger than it really is, due to high mineralization of the soils directly around the target

Hand held/Pole mount: - metal detector that can be used only when the control unit is mounted on the shaft (in contrast to bodymount)

Hearing fatigue: - due to fatigue, the detectorist may experience a decreased ability to differentiate the signals

Heel: - the part of the search coil behind the attachment point of the shaft

Hertz: - frequency measurement, cycles per second

Hoard: - coins or valuables buried to keep them safe, but obviously never digged out

Hot rock: - rock or rocks that are more highly mineralized than soils around them, and cause noise and false signals

IB: - Induction balance, the condition of zero current flow between the transmitting and receiving loops of the search coil before detecting

kHz: - currency frequency measurement, one thousand of cycles per second

LCD: - Liquid Crystal Display

LED: - Light Emitting Diode

Littoral: - seashore mineralization type from magnetic black sand to conductive salt water

Loop: - loop of wire in the search coil

Masking (target masking): - mixed signal caused by valuable find located behind junk

Mineralization: - the level of minerals contained in soil or seawater

Mode: - state of metal detector, usually search mode meaning certain settings switched on for certain search parameters to be met

Mono Coil: - search coil configuration where both transmitting and receiving wires are combined in a single loop

Motion Discrimination: - discrimination mode that requires motion of the coil in order to activate discrimination feature

Motion Ground Control: - ground control can be achieved only when the coil is in motion

Multi-Frequency: - detecting technology that allows to scan the location with several frequencies at the same time

Neutral Ground: - soils with little or no conductive properties

NiCad: - Nickel-Cadmium battery, rechargeable

NiMH: - Nickel-metal-hydride composition rechargeable batteries

Non-Motion: - any feature possible only when the search coil is still

Noise Cancellation: - feature that allows to shift the operating frequency to avoid noise

Notch Accept: - mode of discrimination that accepts only targets which have conductivity falling within notch width indicated

Notch Discrimination: - discrimination against conductivity segments; one can activate or disable certain segments of conductivity rather than simply ferrous metals altogether

Notch Level: - the tool to set the notch width

Notch Reject: - discrimination that rejects only targets the conductivity of which falls within the notch widt

Notch Width/Notch Window: - a preset segment of conductivity discrimination to accept or reject

Null: - a phenomenon of metal detecting with ground balance feature, when the audio threshold disappears immediately when the coil passes over a potential target, or a large quantity of iron

Numismatist: - a person who researches and collects coins and / or currencies

One Touch / Turn on and go: - switching the metal detector on and off with one button or switch

Overlap: - when the scanning is improved by sweeps overlapping

Overshoot: - when the sweeps are too quick, the detector has no time to identify the discrimination, and shows rejected segment with positive signal

Phase Response / phase lag / phase angle: - the time between current emitted by transition loop and response from the target caught by the receiving loop of the coil

Pinpoint: - a search mode, or a separate tool, able to locate the target more accurately

PI: - Pulse Induction. A technology able to ignore mineralization

Plugging: - a method of search when plugs of soil are digged out to explore deeper layers of soils

Quick Response: - time between the coil sensing the metal and full audio response of the detector

Recovery time / recovery speed / reactivity: - the time needed for the metal detector to adequately respond to the next target after it has produced a signal for the previous target

Reject: - the ability of metal detector to discriminate unwanted signals

Rx / Response: - electric field that is received by the coil after contact with the target, and is used to process data and provide relevant signal

S handle: - control shaft designed for more operator comfort and less fatigue

Salt Elimination: - discrimination of signals from very salty water

Scan: - search coil movement or effective detection of targets

Scrubbing: - pressing the search coil against the ground, usually to gain depth

Search head: - coil

Search coil cable: - cable connecting search coil and control unit

Sensitivity: - tech spec of metal detector combining depth of target location, target size, and qualities

Signal: - audio signal or vibration

Signal Width: - feature of signal for long or wide target

Scuff cover / coil cover: - protective plastic cover for the search coil to prevent damage

Silent search: - ability of detector to produce signal only when spotting a target

Single Frequency: - detector that uses only one frequency at a time

Skid Plate: - the same as Scuff cover

Slow Motion: - a rate of search coil sweep speed necessary to use discrimination effectively

Slow Response: - measure of time between metal sensing and peak response of the coil

Stability: - characteristic of a detector to produce adequate signal without noise

Sweep: - movement with the search coil upon the surface

Target: - object that gives signal

Target ID: - display that shows what your target could potentially be, according to its previously assessed characteristics

Target Separation: - the ability of the metal detector to respond separately to different targets in close proximity to each other

Threshold: - the threshold is optimal level of tuning after which a faint signal can be heard

Tone Control: - audio tone adjustment

Tone discrimination: - the feature of detector to give different tone to different targets; as a result, the user can choose what target to dig, by the tone it gives

Tracking Mode: - not a search mode, but an automatic mode of the detector to scan and check the level of mineralization during the search, with the purpose of adjusting the ground balance

Trash: - junk on or underground

Treasure trove: - the rule according to which ancient treasures belong to the state

Turn On and Go: - detectors that have mostly preset search modes and other tuning. The detectorist has to basically turn on the device with one button and can start searching

Variable discrimination: - discrimination that can be modified by the user

Visual ID: - indications on the display that show the potential value of the target

Visual Indicator: - LED or other signal on the display that tells of a target spotted

VLF: - Very Low Frequency metal detectors of transmitter and receiver type

Volume Control: - audio signal loudness regulation

Wireless Headphones: - headphone set compatible with metal detector, doesn’t need a cable for operation

Wireless Metal Detector: - no cable is needed between the detector and the headphones, and also between the search coil and control unit

Zero Discrimination: - same as All Metal, mode when the detector reacts to ferrous metals

Slang and Jargon

Now, slang words will be of much use when you talk to another detectorist, online or offline. So make sure you understand the basic slang vocabulary below.

Archie, Arkie: - archaeologist

Audio gain: - a setting to increase or decrease signal for deeper targets

Black dirt: - dirt rich in organic matter, common for very old sites. Desirable search grounds, as less mineralized

Bling: - jewelry

Bottlecap magnet: - machine that identifies bottle caps well

Cache: - cluster of coins or objects buried together

Canslaw: - pieces of aluminum cans giving various signals

Cellar hole: - typical for very old houses

Choppy signal: - almost rejected signal that can mean a good target

Coinball: - a chunk of dirt with a coin or other object inside

Coin shooters: - detectorists hunting for coins

Crusty: - a target in poor condition

Dighole: - hole left by detectorists previously hunting on the location

Dirt fishing: - detecting in dirt (in contrast to beach or water detecting)

Drop: - dropped bullet

EMI: - electromagnetic interference

Find: - object found

Flag and bag: - finding objects, placing them in bags, and marking the location of find with small flags (typically done by archaeologists)

Freestyling / door knocking: - driving from property to property asking permission to metal detect on their grounds

Gawker: - person watching detectorists detecting out of curiosity

Growl / grunt: - sounds of metal detector when reacting to iron

Hammered site / searched out / hunted out / pounded: - searched out many times

High Tone: - a desired clear high tone signal that usually means quality object

Hockey Puck: - a very small search coil used for very littered locations

Honey Hole: - a location that brings good finds again and again

Iffy: - hard to interpret signal, but probably good

Keeper: - good metal find

Low Tone: - faint signal that usually means low conductivity targets like gold

Machine: - metal detector

Magnet Fishing: - pulling ferrous metals out of the lake or river by using a powerful magnet on a line

MDing: - metal detecting

Nighthawk: - one who detects at night, often illegally

One-way signal: - when the machine gives signal when the coil is swept one way, but not the other

Overload: - too much metal under the coil for the machine to give any comprehensive signal

Permissions: - locations where the detectorist was allowed to hunt

Plowline: - soil on agricultural grounds that is lower than the plows can typically reach

Pocketspill / coinspill: - when several coins fell out of one’s pocket while the person was sitting, and are found together

Probe / poker: - a thin tool used to locate the coins before digging

Rang up: - a signal typical for a type of target

Rubar: - object so rusty it cannot be recognized

Screamer: - high pitch audio signal, but clear and quality

Skunked: - found nothing worthy

Strip hunting: - detecting on the sides of the streets

Th’er: - treasure hunter

TH’ing: - treasure hunting

Tones machine: - metal detector that uses different audio tones and the user has to learn the tones in order to identify the signal effectively

Tot-lot: - park areas designed for younger children; usually rich in lost jewelry

Virgin site: - location that has never been scanned before

Whatzit: - unknown object

Whispers: - faint, barely heard signals, usually indicate depth