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Gold hunting can be incredibly rewarding—but it’s also easy to make mistakes that cost you valuable finds. Whether you’re swinging a Garrett Axiom or a Goldmaster 24k, knowing what not to do is just as important as knowing what to do. Here are five common mistakes beginners should steer clear of.
1. Swinging Too Fast or Too High
One of the biggest rookie errors is moving the coil too quickly or keeping it too far above the ground. Gold detectors—especially sensitive ones like the Goldmaster—work best with a slow, steady swing just above the surface. Keep your coil level and close to the ground, overlapping each sweep. You want your coil to “scrape the surface” (figuratively)—not hover.
2. Ignoring Ground Balance
Skipping ground balance leads to unstable signals, especially in Africa’s mineral-rich soils. New users often forget to ground balance regularly as they move through different terrains. The Axiom’s auto ground balance is a huge help here, but even with that, you should re-balance when entering new areas. See this video for a quick demo on adjusting your balance:
▶ Garrett Axiom – Ground Balancing in the Field
3. Relying Too Heavily on Discrimination
It’s tempting to crank up the discrimination to filter out junk. But gold, especially small nuggets, can mimic low-conductive trash like foil or nails. Many beginners accidentally block out real targets by using high discrimination. Instead, dig those uncertain signals—you’ll be surprised what turns up.
4. Not Learning the Tones
Each beep your detector makes tells a story. But if you don’t understand what the tones mean, you could walk away from gold. Spend time learning the distinct audio cues of your machine. Practice with test targets before heading out. For help recognizing gold tones on the Goldmaster 24k, check this video:
▶ Gold Nugget Audio with the Garrett Goldmaster
5. Giving Up Too Soon
Many beginners expect to strike gold immediately. But even the pros know that gold hunting takes time, patience, and persistence. Don’t get discouraged if your first few trips come up empty. Stay consistent, keep refining your technique, and keep moving.
Final Word:
Avoiding these mistakes can drastically improve your success. With the right Garrett detector and a smarter approach, your next swing might uncover something incredible. Stay sharp, stay patient—and keep hunting.