L-rod technique and tips

[Mike(Mont)]

I hope everyone can keep their posts on this subject.

Top #1: L-rod spacing. If you are not getting response from L-rods try widening the space between the rods. I know it sounds counter-intuitive but actually you get a stronger signal with wider L-rod spacing. I like about 16 inches (40 cm) apart but as wide as comfortable gives the best response.

Tip #2: Try shortening the L-rods. I know some say 17 inches (43 cm) but I like just under 13 inches (33 cm). Longer rods react slower. Not all bad as it might eliminate spurious signals, but you can angle the tips down an inch or more (3 cm +) .

Tip #3: When performing a sweep, the rod will lock on better when angled down a little.

Tip #4: If you keep the rods exactly level you will pick up many more spurious signals. I know it is tempting to be able to get a response, but if you have the rods wider apart you should not need to hold them level.

Tip #5: When doing a sweep, do not let the rod get ahead of your hand, or "pushing" as it is called. If the rod is angled ahead of the sweep it will not be able to swing properly. Keep the rod pointed straight ahead of your arm. Put another way, if you are sweeping to the right, do not let the rod be angled even more to the right. It is okay to have it angled slightly to the left on a right sweep and visa versa.

Tip #6: Sweep very slowly. No more than 3 or 4 inches (10cm) per second.

Tip #7: Sweep multiple times, at least six passes to determine is a target is present.

Tip #8: An ion wrist band might help you. Natural clothes might help you. Leather-soled shoes might help you.

Tip #9: ground yourself often. Some people carry a walking stick/grounding rod. You can find grounding shoes on line. Harmony 783 has been in business for a long time. Note: Don't wear these in an electrical storm!

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #10: Keep the rods "fluid". I see video of people look like they are scared stiff. You have to be relaxed and loose. When I am walking with two L-rods they swing back and forth with each step. They move together the same amount. This small movement gives them a boost when the signal line is crossed--they already have some momentum and the movement breaks free any friction. This movement is horizontal and not any vertical. Vertical movement will prevent the rods from closing so try to avoid that . Sometimes I will actually shake the rods a bit to get them free of any friction that might by binding them. When I get near the target the rods will start to close then open up. The instant they open up they are already starting to close again. Kind of a momentum effect. On the third time they close completely. Now these are old rods and not all that good of movement. Nicer rods have less friction and don't need much help.

Tip #11: Walk slowly. Some people say you have to walk fast to get a surge when crossing the signal line. If you have nice rods it’s better to go slow, take small steps, but keep it smooth.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #12: Back in the 1980's I bought a book titled "How To Build And Use A Molecular Frequency Discriminator". It said the way you can determine target size is to find the signal line and stand on it with the L-rods closed and count how long before the rods open.If they open after a short time the target is small or insignificant. Flour gold 7 seconds, Grains (5) 20 seconds, 14K gold Wedding Ring 14 seconds, 1/4 oz Gold Coin 60 seconds, etc. Not sure I agree with these times, I found much longer times so test yourself.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #12: Back in the 1980's I bought a book titled "How To Build And Use A Molecular Frequency Discriminator". It said the way you can determine target size is to find the signal line and stand on it with the L-rods closed and count how long before the rods open.If they open after a short time the target is small or insignificant. Flour gold 7 seconds, Grains (5) 20 seconds, 14K gold Wedding Ring 14 seconds, 1/4 oz Gold Coin 60 seconds, etc. Not sure I agree with these times, I found much longer times so test yourself.

These times are for gold at 5kHz. Higher frequencies like 8.7kHz is much shorter time. And speaking of gold frequency, gold alloys in this range: natural gold 4900 - 5100Hz, 5200 - 5300Hz man-made of karats 18 - 22, 5400 - 5500Hz for lower karats. Then go back and check at 5000Hz, if it still hits, it is probably mineralization. Remember to turn off locator for five minutes, then turn on and wait 15 minutes before checking.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #13: Increase your body conductivity. Before ingesting anything, talk with your doctor. Electrolyte drink or powder to your drinking water. Or add a pinch of sea salt to a glass of filtered water. Dry skin does not conduct well, Use moisturizer or moisturizing shower wash. I have added some olive oil to bath water. Dry, rough feet might need some work.

Tip #14: When using two L-rod while circling the transmitter pick a spot out in front of you a ways and look at it as a distraction. This is very helpful to take your mind off the rods. Don’t be cheating and watching the rods. When they move you will know it.

Tip #15: Healey Double-Crosser sweep technique. When doing a sweep put your thumb on top of the left L-rod so it will not move. Put hands together so they are touching each other and as you sweep in a right direction just keep 100% of your attention on the left, dead rod. Watch where it is pointing. When you are aimed at the target, the right rod will move and start to cross the left rod. If you sweep in the left direction the free rod will open up more when you are aimed at the target. This is my favorite technique. Because your hands are locked together it keeps the rods very stable and it is easy to see when there is a response.This has been very reliable for me. Yes, I miss now and then and sometimes I do not get an exact aim, but it is a real confidence builder especially when things get bewildering out in the field. This is fairly easy but you really have to put 100% of your attention into the left rod. The right rod is right there in your vision so it is easy to cheat and peek at the right rod. Remember you will be cheating yourself and nobody else is going to know or care, but you will be losing if you do.

Tip #16: When standing on the signal line it feels like a smooth wind or very smooth water flowing through you to the target. Actually it is electrical current.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #17: Don't work too long a time. Twenty minute per session is plenty. You should be grounding yourself often. Place hands on the ground for thirty seconds--it is not instant because your skin is like a resistor and it takes time to discharge. You can rub the palms of your hands together for sixty seconds. You can turn on water faucet and hold the palms of your hands near the water flow but not touching.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #18: Get a good set of L-rods. For many years I used L-rods that were not all that good. Recently I bought a pair I really like. They are very smooth. When I approach a signal line they slowly start to close/converge. I might take four, five, or six steps before they close completely. For me this is very reassuring. I got the Telerods as they are adjustable length. A case is nice to have to keep away dirt. They are not cheap. I got fast shipping. They sell other rods with various accessories. Check their menu. Http://gdi-detectors.com/set-gold-dowsing-l-rods/

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #12: Back in the 1980's I bought a book titled "How To Build And Use A Molecular Frequency Discriminator". It said the way you can determine target size is to find the signal line and stand on it with the L-rods closed and count how long before the rods open.If they open after a short time the target is small or insignificant. Flour gold 7 seconds, Grains (5) 20 seconds, 14K gold Wedding Ring 14 seconds, 1/4 oz Gold Coin 60 seconds, etc. Not sure I agree with these times, I found much longer times so test yourself.

It is best to practice counting lock times with a visible target at first. Your rods might be sticky and may require you to wiggle them a bit to break loose the friction. Typically for me the rods rachet open, one step at a time. It is tempting to try and hold them closed so the practice can help you avoid this problem. Once you get this to work you can try it on a hidden target. Dell Winders said nine out of ten targets are insignificant size so this one is quite important to learn.

[waltom0798]

Hello Mike, what could it be when I run with my GDI rods, after a short time my hand burns as if I get a small electric shock, then I have to put on my hands otherwise I can't continue running. It's a strange feeling, whether that's not unhealthy , my conclusion, otherwise everything was good and exciting, good evening and had fun

[Mike(Mont)]

GDI says you can feel a slight shock when on the signal line. I guess it depends on how much moisture on your hands. Any broken skin can give a stronger shock feeling even when not on the signal line. I’ve had to disconnect them one time. If it?s that strong you don’t need the Power Module.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #19: Chances are you are not relaxed enough. When one goes out in the field the heart starts racing. People in a hurry just can?t take the time to get relaxed. Bad plan. Here is an easy exercise to help you calm down emotionally and mentally. HTTPS://m.YouTube.com/watch?v=0bBOgmc45Cs

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #20: I already touched o this but warm temperatures are much faster for the signal line to develop. Yesterday it was 74 F (23 C) and it was perfect conditions. The signal line developed in about thirty seconds across my yard. This morning 43 F (6 C) it took a longer time about five minutes or more. So if you have to work in cold weather plan on waiting. Longer distances require more time. Fifteen minutes is not abnormal. And it's always good to put out a visible test target especially out in the field. Conditions are probably going to be different than in your practice area.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #21: If you stand on the signal line to count the time, you will need to demagnetize the rods by holding them down at your sides while standing away from the line afterwards. About thirty seconds. It?s not a problem if you are not immediately doing another search. Otherwise the rods will respond to false targets.

[rxlock2]

Tip #21: If you stand on the signal line to count the time, you will need to demagnetize the rods by holding them down at your sides while standing away from the line afterwards. About thirty seconds. It?s not a problem if you are not immediately doing another search. Otherwise the rods will respond to false targets.

For all these techniques there is a category on the forum
<<Dowsing & Passive Locators>>.
It is good that they are published there.

[Mike(Mont)]

You need to go back and read the heading for this page. Here it is: “Discussions on LRL's of the electronic variety which also utilize L-rods or other swiveling methods”. You might be confusing this page with the All-Electronic LRL's that don't use L-rods. If you are referring about the Vagus nerve video, well, relaxation is essential to L-rod useage.

Maybe you couln't understand the language. The vagus nerve runs right along the vocal cords and the humming vibrates the nerve to help relax the person. My guess this is a big problem people do not overcome. So I am trying to help.

[waltom0798]

Hello Mike, I didn't understand what it means to demagnetize, it's not translated correctly, it says hold on to the side and then let go for 30 seconds, you can easily explain this in writing, I hope that didn't happen, thank you all the best

[Mike(Mont)]

Hold L-rods down at your sides for thirty seconds.

[Mike(Mont)]

Demagnetize the rods after standing on the signal line while counting. You do not need to demagnetize if you are not doing another search directly after standing on the line. SO if you wait a few minutes before the next search you don't need to demagnetize.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #22: The signal line always extends past the target depending on signal strength by as much as 200 feet (60 M). But usually several feet. If you have a weight cancelling device attached to the rods set it just before the target is eliminated and you will be able to get a more accurate pinpoint. Or you can connect a 100K - 250K potentiometer between the rods. For a gold ring I set mine to about 40K and still give a good signal. Don't go any lower than a 100K potentiometer or you might get a weaker signal during weak conditions. 250K is better. At full resistance you get the strongest signal. Practice with a visible test target before attempting this in the field.

When you have it adjusted close to eliminating the target the rods will only close partially. This way you know you have it adjusted correctly. Only do this after you have located the signal line. It depends on locating conditions as to how you set this. If conditions are weak you might not even need it at all. Once you find the line you will need to make a few passes while adjusting so the rods partially close. Conditions are different every day so you need to adjust each time you go out. If you have too many targets you can adjust it to eliminate some of the small stuff before you find the good line.

[Mike(Mont)]

It's best to set up the transmitter at a different spot and where the two lines cross will likely not be at the end of the first line. If you set up at a third spot you will probably end up with a triangle area. Even then the target might not be in the middle, so check the surrounding area. Remember the more time you spend checking the signal you will save energy ans frustration digging a false target. Only persue the good solid signal lines. Important!

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #22: The signal line always extends past the target depending on signal strength by as much as 200 feet (60 M). But usually several feet. If you have a weight cancelling device attached to the rods set it just before the target is eliminated and you will be able to get a more accurate pinpoint. Or you can connect a 100K - 250K potentiometer between the rods. For a gold ring I set mine to about 40K and still give a good signal. Don't go any lower than a 100K potentiometer or you might get a weaker signal during weak conditions. 250K is better. At full resistance you get the strongest signal. Practice with a visible test target before attempting this in the field.

When you have it adjusted close to eliminating the target the rods will only close partially. This way you know you have it adjusted correctly. Only do this after you have located the signal line. It depends on locating conditions as to how you set this. If conditions are weak you might not even need it at all. Once you find the line you will need to make a few passes while adjusting so the rods partially close. Conditions are different every day so you need to adjust each time you go out. If you have too many targets you can adjust it to eliminate some of the small stuff before you find the good line.

Another important note: The amount of weight filtering you get from the potentiometer or power module depends on how much you angle the L-rods down at the tips. I know it is tempting to hold the rods level to get a response,but you need to angle them down or you will be detecting insignificant targets and mineralization. So angle the rods down 10 - 15 degrees for best results. It will likely take much practice to achieve this. Good, smooth-working rods can help along with a light, relaxed grip.

Also note that when the rods are angled down it is easy to prevent them from moving so you have to watch out for this. Once the rods start to move you want to relax your arms and allow the rods to move, but don’t force them.

Even with weight filtering the signal can still extend 10 - 15 feet (3 - 5 m) past the target.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #23: This is part of #22 but... When doing a weight chek/measurement keep within 50 feet (15 m) of the suspected target. Otherwise the approximate weight will appear to weigh more. Also the approximate weight will depend on the signal strength at that time. Solar magnetic interference will make the target appear to weigh less. Use a test target to get a relative figure. Or another technique is to place a test target near the suspected target about 30 feet (10 m) away and stand in the middle and the rods will pull to the larger target.

Always use a test target to help judge how much interference/signal strength. Important!

[Mike(Mont)]

I found some older info from Dell Winders says the signal line extends between a few inches and 50 feet (15 m) past the target. Later info said 10 - 15 feet (3 - 5 m) and 200 feet (60 m). Quite a difference there and I think it depends on how much power the locator has and locating conditions. I walk along the signal line with one rod and look for a response at the target. But it is best to set up the tansmitter at another spot and find where the two lines intersect. You should be close to the target at this point.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #24: I already mentioned this, but it’s very important to keep the rod tips angled down. You will have to practice this to get the rods to respond. Start out the first time with the rods closer to level and when you see the rods start to move consciously relax your arms and tilt your hands inwards a bit. Practice this until you do it without thinking. This is one of the harder things to get right. so spend a lot of time with it. When you get a good day and the rods are crossing completely now is the time to start lowering the rod tips as much as you can to get to the inch or two down (3 - 5 cm). If you don't learn this you might never have any success. You need a test target set out so you can feel a good, solid response for that signal tength. You can compare targets with your test target. If you dig an empty hole it is a good bet that you are holding the tips down enough to get the nulling.My experience is that a square wave requires more nulling than sine or triangle wave.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #25: Signal strength has little or no bearing on target size. You turn off the transmitter and stand on the line with rods crossed. A big target will hold the signal for a longer time. As already mentioned you can stand on the line with transmitter on and count how long the rods stay crossed.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #25: Signal strength has little or no bearing on target size. You turn off the transmitter and stand on the line with rods crossed. A big target will hold the signal for a longer time. As already mentioned you can stand on the line with transmitter on and count how long the rods stay crossed.

I realize this might sound confusing, but you are looking for RELATIVE signal strength--compare the suspected signal to your test target. As stated earlier you can place a test target about 30 feet (10 m) away and stand in between the two and see which way the rods turn. Or you can adjust the weight filtering to see how it compares to you test target, or you can stand on the line and count how long the rods stay closed, or you can turn off the transmitter and stand on the line and count to see how long the rods stay closed. Also note: if the rods do not close at least three-fourths of the way you cannot determine target weight to any accuracy. So you do need good signal strength to judge target weight. If the rods only close one-third of the way you can still get the direction of the target. If the rods close one-half the way you can trace the line to the target, but if the rods do not consistently close at least three-fourths of the way you cannot judge target weight. If the rods do not close three-fourths of the way you are probably experiencng magnetic interference. Usually it doesn’t last long but sometimes it can. But none of this will be of nay help if you do not hold the rods angled down. Don't give up! You have to learn this, it's not something that just happens.

[Mike(Mont)]

Just to clarify here, all this is after you have learned to get the rods to cross when they are tilted downwards. You have to practice turning the tops of your hands inwards with the rods level at first.Once you can do this without thinking then you angle the rods downwards. This might take a few weeks practice. Don?t expect to learn with just one hour is week practice, it?s not going o happen. As I have said, you gotta want it. Practice twice a day every day. Don?t get upset if things don?t go perfectly?they won?t.

[Mike(Mont)]

Also another way for weight checking/filtering is once you have a good signal line you can adjust the frequency up or down until you lose the line. Depending on how far you adjust you can approximate the target weight. Adjusting up frequency is less sensitive. It depends on what type of equipment you have as to how far you can adjust and still detect the line. So you have to experiment. Wait about five minutes after adjustment before checking to see if the line is still there.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #26: Calculating efnmr frequencies. First you need to get the magnetic field strength for your area. Go to: https://ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/calculators/mobileDeclination.shtml and in the lower right click on Calculator. Then on the lower right click on the site or bullseye icon and it should fill in your coordinates. Note the altitude will need adjusting. Then click Calculate! Then click Table. Now write down the F(nt) amount. Example 53123.4 Now go to: http://www-usr.rider.edu/~grushow/nmr/NMR_tutor/periodic_table/nmr_pt_frameset.html and click on the element you want. On the left column write down the Frequency factor. example gold(Au) is 0.01754 Now to calculate 2.3488 divided by the magnetic field strength in Tesla (add four zeros in front)
2.3488/0.0000531234 = 44214.037 Write this down.

Now convert frequency factor 1754000
And divide 1754000/44214.037 = 39.6706 Hz. This is the gold efnmr frequency. NOTE: this is just an example. Do not use this frequency. Some people multiply this by 100 so you get 3967.06 Hz buy you can try either one. Lower frequencies penetrate better like if target is near to large metal mass.

If you don’t have a smartphone, look on the calculate page and click on Go to full site.Click on Magnetic field. Enter your location and it will retrieve your coordinates. Enter your altitude. You can also manually enter the desired coordinates if you like. In lower left click on Calculate. On far right look at Total Field

[Mike(Mont)]

You can try to multiply the frequency by 10 or 100.

If you find the frequency for hydrogen, you simply multiply it by the desired element?s frequency factor. Hydrogen F.F. Is 1 so

1/44214.037 = 2261.73 Hz (hydrogen frequency)

So gold in this fake example would be 2261.73 x 0.01754 = 39.67 Hz

So you can try 396.7 Hz or 3967 Hz. These are not the right frequency—you need to calculate for your search area. Also note the magnetic field strength changes, usually not by much. ANyone having trouble can send my a Private Message. I can calculate for you.

[Mike(Mont)]

Just to reinterate on the rod tilt, once you have calibrated your Weight CHeck unit for your test target so the rod tips just barely cross (you can feel a little pull and know that the test target is being nulled) you still might have to adjust the rod tilt depending on the magnetic field strength for that time. So if the rods are crossing too much you will need to tilt the rods a bit more and visa versa.

[vagpol]

Hi, Mike, all your tips are excellent !!!!!
But still ,i have a questions for you....
When you find a magnetic line, with 11 cycles...lets say..you reject the 10 and you find the correct one .
Which his diameter is about 250 meters.
Inside it there is no signal...
What is the best way to shrink it?

[Mike(Mont)]

I assume you are using some type of frequency generator? I don?t understand your question about 11 cycles. Lower power is important. Also if you can change wave form to Triangle wave it should help. What equipment are you using? Do you have some type of Weight Check? If not you can connect a 100 k ohm potentiometer between the L-rods. Start out at 100 k ohms resistance then lower it until the L-rods just close at the tips.

[Mike(Mont)]

Is the ground soaking wet? It sure sounds like you are using too much power. Did you angle the L-rod tips down. Go back and reread my posts. I really don’t understand your question about 250 feet. No sense in me trying to guess what you talking about.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #27: Remove electronic key fob from your pocket. Don?t put it near you search area.

[Mike(Mont)]

I know I sound like a broken record, constantly repeating myself. Always use a test target so you can judge the magnetic field strength in your area. Learning to use a visible test target is probably the hardest thing to learn. In my early experience I would always force a good response from the test target. You just have to learn to let the rods work without influencing them so you know if conditions are good or nonexistent. If you can?t learn this, you will need to come backs at a later time and recheck the area. Best to work early morning and late evening during this time of near solar maximum.

Most of the instructions I have posted are not optional—they are essential. You really have to follow them, don’t just pick and choose.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #28: Carbon is the frequency for diamonds. I use diamond powder used for faceting gemstones. Don?t know if it matters but I found some natural diamond powder. And BTW, diamonds hit hard with the frequency locator. You might think car tires would be a better target, but the diamond is so tightly formed it gives a strong signal. Many jewelers carry diamond powder. I think I found some on ebay. I would get a larger grit, but anything should work.

[waltom0798]

Hi Mike, what do you use diamond powder for, do you use it for practice, how do you use it?This also works with chemical diamond powder or not,

[Mike(Mont)]

I have a small amount in tiny zip lock baggie then fold it up and tape it from unrolling. I don?t usually hunt for diamonds but I would set it out maybe 6 meters away from the transmitter and check to see if I get a good signal during the search. But usually I just toss it out in my yard and search for it in practice. I have only used natural diamond powder/grit but I think synthetic would work also.

[Mike(Mont)]

Hi, Mike, all your tips are excellent !!!!!
But still ,i have a questions for you....
When you find a magnetic line, with 11 cycles...lets say..you reject the 10 and you find the correct one .
Which his diameter is about 250 meters.
Inside it there is no signal...
What is the best way to shrink it?

Maybe you can draw a picture.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #29: The frequency generator in ground mode will not travel through dry sand. Dig down until you reach moist ground. You might try to compact it before inserting ground probes.You can aim the ground probes up for the "air mode". This is the recommended mode until you get near the target then switch to ground mode. The signal travels farther through the air and is not blocked by canyons, ravines, tunnels, etc. like ground mode is. AIr mode works for targets on the side of a cliff, inside houses,,etc. Do not let the ground probes touch anything metal or conductive while in air mode.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #30: Rod length and spacing. Long rods better for distant targets. Shorter rods better for pinpointing. Long rods react slower, so by the time they cross completely you might be a little past the signal line. Good idea to back up one step and see if you get a stronger response. Shorter rods usually right on the line. Rod spacing I have heard that in highly charged air a wide spacing is better. I even heard to wear long rubber gloves. So if the rods are not responding as you like, try wider spacing.

[waltom0798]

Hello Mike, in air mode you hold the probes upwards in your hand,How am I supposed to hold routes if I keep the probes in the air?Can I attach the probes to my backpack?Do I have to change something on the device from ground mode to flight mode?

[Mike(Mont)]

Hello Mike, in air mode you hold the probes upwards in your hand,How am I supposed to hold routes if I keep the probes in the air?Can I attach the probes to my backpack?Do I have to change something on the device from ground mode to flight mode?

Set probes on the ground. Lean them against some non-conductive object so they are pointing up. You could try to stick Rayfinder probes in the ground first and get a ground balance before turning upside down with probes point up.

Suppose you could carry Rayfinder in backpack if you like but that is not as good. You will not be able to stand on signal line and count lock time.

[Mike(Mont)]

Place Rayfinder probes in the ground and do a ground balance. Now take it out of the ground and turn it upside down and lean it against some non-conductive object so the probes are pointing upwards.

[Mike(Mont)]

Probes in air mode. For Rayfinder just turn entire unit upside down after ground balancing.

[Mike(Mont)]

I suppose you could try to carry the Rayfinder in your backpack. You can perform the box-in method--walk around the perimeter of the area and wtch for rod to turn towrds the target when it is directly to your side. But you won't be able to stand on the signal line and count lock time.

[waltom0798]

Hi Mike, in air mode it is important that the solar probes point north ?

[Mike(Mont)]

I think something was lost in translation, but the probes are pointed up (vertically) in air mode. You can try to angle the probes according to your azimuth. . I don't know if it matters much. If you look on the NOAA "Table" page with the calculation results, it is the second amount from the top I(deg) about 70 degrees North here. That is tilted to the North about 20 degrees. I don't do this but you can try.

[waltom0798]

In vertikal air mode, it doesn't matter where and in which direction the probes point?

[vagpol]

Hi Mike..i wanted to ask you ...on previous post you explain ,how to calculte frequency of specific metal.Ok with that,but is there any way to calculate frequency at spesific location by combining and other materials. example gold and iron or gold and ceramic?

[Mike(Mont)]

I do not have any formula for combined elements. According to Dell WInders, gold is gold even if in a chemical compound. But Tim Williams is a member here says he has some formula and will sell you the frequencies. His website is lrlman.com The other option is to stand on the line between the transmitter and the target and have another person slowly adjust the frequency until you get a rod response. Then recheck it again a couple times and adjust.

[vagpol]

Thanks Mike for your advices.You have my respect.

[Mike(Mont)]

GDI-Detectors.com says 4900 - 5100 Hz attracts natural gold minerals.

[Mike(Mont)]

If you haven't noticed, I think rod tilt angle is probably the most important thing. When calibrating the Weight Chek control with your test target (preferably one-ounce) adjust the tip angle so to use the least amount of nulling to null out the test target. This way you will get a stong,weak or no crossing depending on how much solar interference at that time.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #30: One handed pinpointing. This is a variation og the box-in method. I walk around the perimeter of the suspected target area with one rod pointing inwards. I walk anti-clockwise sort of a sideways walk. In this directioin it makes it easy for the rod to respond compared to the normal box-in where the rod is parallel with the perimeter. This way the rod is 90 degrees with the border. When I get a good rod response I sort of turn my body so the rod makes a full 180 degree turn. That is a good response. I walk very near to the signal line but try not to be exactly on top of the line. So I walk to the right of the signal line with the rod pointing towards the line at 90 degrees. Let's assume the signal line is north/south. I would walk in a north/south direction. Once I get a rod response I now walk east/west so the rod is either pointing towards the transmitter or away from it. So when I am walking to my right with rod in right hand it is easy for the rod to swing closed toward my chest. This is my go-to pinpointing method.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #31: Ground probes for very dry sand. Please note you need quite a bit of wire in the coil or else add a resistor between the leads. You could severely damage your equipment if you don’t do this correctly.

[waltom0798]

Hello Mike, always excellent tips from you, it's fun to read,Your tips help us a lot, thank you very much :)

[Mike(Mont)]

Thanks to all who enjoy this. I hope something good comes out of it for you. I'm about tapped out on the tips but when I remember one I will post it.

BTW, the one rod box-in method I guess I walk a combination of sideways and backwards. My legs are going backwards but I am facing about 45 degree towards the search area.

Didn't have any luck with the other cell phone for cleaner photos--dead battery won't charge.

[waltom0798]

The strange thing is that at the moment everyone is having problems charging the battery and the batteries don't last long,Strange things are happening here in Europe at the moment,

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #31: Ground probes for very dry sand. Please note you need quite a bit of wire in the coil or else add a resistor between the leads. You could severely damage your equipment if you don?t do this correctly.

One schematic shows 47k resistor parallel with the coil (across the two output leads).

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #32: A you tube channel "Stefan Burns" has some good solar activity info. You can go to settings, captions, and auto-translate to various languages.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #33: Those efnmr frequencies are sensitive to geomagnetic solar activity. Well, probably all frequencies are. LOL A changing magnetic field is just bad for locating. One LRL manufacturer uses a sweep function, a few Hz either side of the frequency. I call it "Beating around the bush". The idea being that hopefully once each sweep it will hit the exact frequency once. It will certainly take longer to build up a signal line. I think he said you might have to wait a half hour. I have not had much success with that but I admit I am impatient.

You can find some of Dell Winders old frequencies on the geotech1.com LRL Reports page for the VR-800. Gold is 612 Hz, silver is 466 Hz. Those work a good part of the time.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #33: Those efnmr frequencies are sensitive to geomagnetic solar activity. Well, probably all frequencies are. LOL A changing magnetic field is just bad for locating. One LRL manufacturer uses a sweep function, a few Hz either side of the frequency. I call it "Beating around the bush". The idea being that hopefully once each sweep it will hit the exact frequency once. It will certainly take longer to build up a signal line. I think he said you might have to wait a half hour. I have not had much success with that but I admit I am impatient.

You can find some of Dell Winders old frequencies on the geotech1.com LRL Reports page for the VR-800. Gold is 612 Hz, silver is 466 Hz. Those work a good part of the time.

I haven't done enough with the sweep to be able to say how well it works during solar magnetic storm. If you watched the latest Stefan Burns youtube video he says storms are coming so I guess I should find out. My experience has been the signal line does not hit the target straight on. I didn't wait a half hour so maybe that is the problem for me. Besides my equipment is different. It's certainly worth a test to see when the storms hit.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #34: Smartphone magnetometer. There are several magnetometers at the App Store. Many are free and some cost a few dollars. I got one called Physics Toolbox that has a five star rating for free. It shows a moving graph of the magnetic fields. You want the total which is a white line near the top of the graph. You can enlarge/zoom it by spreading your fingers over it to get much more detail.

I’m not too schooled on these mags but you probably need to calibrate your phone sensors by moving your phone in a figure 8 pattern. I do this is all three axis. Remember to keep your phone away from metal objects.

After you have watched this several times you can get an idea of how much the magnetic field is shifting and decide if locating conditions are worthwhile.

Also there is a web site called Spaceweatherlive.com that has mag read outs. The DST section shows where the graph goes into storm conditions or you can click on More Info and get stackplot for Europe or America’s that has many mag graphs all together. These are live so it is not just an estimate. Which some research you can find which mag is nearest to your location. Also the Bz graph shows when the field goes South. This means much energy is being pushed into the earth. Not good.

[Mike(Mont)]

The stack plots. Are ordered by latitude with the top graphs more northerly.

The nice feature on the NOAA mobile magnetic field calculator site is the magnetic storm index meter is for your area assuming you have gps coordinate location set on your phone or entered manually.

[Mike(Mont)]

Another note about rod lock times. Silver at 8.7kHz has a much shorter lock time than gold. Many times a bad/weak signal the rods will begin to open almost immediately. If you see the rods start to open that pretty much tells you they are not locked any more. Lock time is a good indicator of good/bad targets. Practice it on a visible target before you go out in the field. Lock time is the same for near or distant target, no difference.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #35: Higher frequencies develop a signal faster than lower frequencies. But they also lose the signal line faster during interference or when you shut off the transmitter and count lock time.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #36: Here is some info on the Gold X-Finder. https://device.report/manual/9140494

[Mike(Mont)]

I haven't done enough with the sweep to be able to say how well it works during solar magnetic storm. If you watched the latest Stefan Burns youtube video he says storms are coming so I guess I should find out. My experience has been the signal line does not hit the target straight on. I didn't wait a half hour so maybe that is the problem for me. Besides my equipment is different. It's certainly worth a test to see when the storms hit.

Early tests in not too much solar activity I was better able to hit the test target using the Contraption all-electronic locator using a one second sweep of four Hz either side of 612 Hz gold frequency. I know better than to make any proclamation until a few days of testing. I have a new name for the frequency sweep "Shake it off". LOL I know many times I get a line and nothing there, but just walking through the area it seems to degauss and next time I get a good hit. This might be what is happening here. So we will see what happens in the days to come. I turned on the transmitter for ten minutes before searching.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #37: I already mentioned this a bit but if you are having trouble getting the rods to respond be sure to tilt the rod handles in towards each other slightly. If the rod tips are angled down you can put a slight amount of pressure to tilt them inwards without them moving. With that slight pressure it just makes it easier for the rods to get moving when you cross a signal line. My guess is some people do not realize they are putting pressure outwards slightly so this can make a real difference especially when the tips are angled down. I would say this is important and it can really help you get a rod response.

[waltom0798]

Do I have to turn off the transmitter when I count the blocking time?

[Mike(Mont)]

No. Leave transmitter on. Sorry got the confusion.

There two ways?you can turn off the transmitter and count lock time if you want, but no need to do that.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #38: Use low power. This is important. Start with low power setting. Too much power creates a large halo effect, and since the field edges are strong you might assume you hit the target but in reality it was the field edge. If you go from high power to low power there is a good chance the target will be masked.

I don?t know if I mentioned this, but when changing frequency you need to turn off the machine for five minutes first.

[Mike(Mont)]

Learn to calibrate and use your cell phone magnetometer. Local conditions can vary. Short of that you can lower the frequency one or two Hz on days when you cant get a rod response on your test target. I am talking about the gold efnmr frequency which for me is 40.2 Hz so I drop it down to between 38 and 39Hz. Higher frequencies would require a much larger drop by a multiple. Some cell phone cars contain a magnet to keep the cover closed. You won?t get a good reading.

There is an outfit Alpha Labs that sells an earth field mag. That would be nice to try. I don?t know if it works any better than a cell phone mag, but my cell phone almost always gives a lower reading than the government mags. So at least it is a good idea to check and make sure you can hit your test target.

[Mike(Mont)]

Gas lawn mowers and two-stroke chain saws can create much interference. Cars, too. I don’t like working near heavy traffic. Diesel engines not so bad.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #3: A couple ways to recharge yourself. Rub the palms of your hands together for sixty seconds. This stimulated the acupuncture meridians. Another one is turn on water faucet and hold the palms of your hands near the running water. There is an ion flow. I think I already mentioned an ion bracelet/power band.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #3: A couple ways to recharge yourself. Rub the palms of your hands together for sixty seconds. This stimulated the acupuncture meridians. Another one is turn on water faucet and hold the palms of your hands near the running water. There is an ion flow. I think I already mentioned an ion bracelet/power band.

Once you rub the palms of your hands together (sixty seconds is a long time) start with your hands wide apart and bring them closer to each other. You should feel some pressure as they get closer together. The distance between your hands at that point is an indicator of how good the locating conditions are. Wider is better. You should get a lot better rod response, but it doesn?t last a long time, but it is worthwhile.

[Speedbird]

Hello Mike,

Thanks for you advises, what kind of frequency generator you recommend i have been tempted by Tim harrison LRL.

Best Regards

[Mike(Mont)]

Do you mean Tim WIlliams EFNMR? His website is LRLMAN.com I’ve never used that one but it is much lower cost than many of those hand-held types. I’m sure he would be happy to talk with you.

[Speedbird]

Yes, I will be in touch with him.
What transmitter do you use or prefer ?

[Mike(Mont)]

Lately I have been messing with a UDB1000S DDS and an NPN amplifier and L-rods. I have been wasting my life away on an all electronic device I call the Contraption. Pretty much drove me crazy. LOL

I used a 2222A transistor. They are cheap. I would advise not to touch the ground probes. Could be electrical shock.

[Mike(Mont)]

DDs and amp

[Mike(Mont)]

Cell phone power bank for DDS power

[Mike(Mont)]

Ebay sells ready-made LM386 amplifiers for under $10. I've never used one but it should work. Get one that has a few more components because the very basic ones might have some interference without any filters.

[Mike(Mont)]

Lately I have been messing with a UDB1000S DDS and an NPN amplifier and L-rods. I have been wasting my life away on an all electronic device I call the Contraption. Pretty much drove me crazy. LOL

I used a 2222A transistor. They are cheap. I would advise not to touch the ground probes. Could be electrical shock.

If you build this you don't need frequency counter or LED. The DDS has the exact frequency. But you will need wiring.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #40: People asked about finding an unknown frequency. Here is a video by Tim Williams LRLMAN.com that explains his theory. If you use metric use 343 meters (and measure distance in meters) instead of 1100 feet per second (speed of sound). Actually you can do a search for speed of sound calculator for you temperature to get more accuracy.

HTTPS://m.YouTube.com/watch?v=TW6aGEpPqck

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #41: Triangulation app for iPhone called Theodolite. There might be other similar apps for other phone types, I don’t know. Here is a video on it.

HTTPS://m.YouTube.com/watch?v=o9ieCuQu-yw You aim your phone camera at the target direction from two different places and it will show you the spot on a satellite photo.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #40: People asked about finding an unknown frequency. Here is a video by Tim Williams LRLMAN.com that explains his theory. If you use metric use 343 meters (and measure distance in meters) instead of 1100 feet per second (speed of sound). Actually you can do a search for speed of sound calculator for you temperature to get more accuracy.

HTTPS://m.YouTube.com/watch?v=TW6aGEpPqck

All this got my mind wondering. Speed of sound is affected by temperature. 50 degrees F (10 C) speed is 1106 feet
per second. At 70 degrees F (21.1 C) speed is 1128 feeet per second. That is almost 2% faster. So an LRL frequency of say 405 Hz would be multiplied by 0.98 gives 396.9 Hz. That might not seem like much difference but I saw two tuning forks one at 440 Hz and another at 442 Hz. They do not resonate each other. Now I might not have this correct but it says higher temperatures make quite a difference in resonate frequencies.

Now I could have this the exact opposite. Colder temperatures make for a longer wavelength so that. I admit I am confused. Guess I will sleep on it study it tomorrow.

[Mike(Mont)]

Logic says that since elements vibrate faster at warmer temperatures it seems the resonant frequency must go higher also, not lower. So if a target resonates at 402.4 Hz at 50 F (10C) it should maybe resonate at 410.4 Hz at 70 F (21.1 C). 1106 feet per second vs 1128 FPS. And at 80 F (26.7 C) 1106 FPS vs 1138 FPS it should maybe might possibly resonate at 414.04 Hz. Okay I am waiting for someone to show me where I went wrong with my "logic".

[Mike(Mont)]

Sorry for jumping around but some more on cell phone magnetometer. I could be wrong but I think it is more accurate to measure your magnetic field using your cell phone than relying on government estimates. But it is important to calibrate your cell phone magnetic sensor by moving it around in a figure 8 pattern. https://youtu.be/J_cZnPcW-Yw?si=IGaCrahtm2__mRMZ

[Mike(Mont)]

Check your test target to see if the line is right on it. Otherwise if the line is left of your test target lower the frequency 1Hz at a time, and if the line is to the right of your test target increase the frequency 1Hz at a time. Or you can go more than 1Hz if you like.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #42: Rod grip. This not my grip.I saw it on one of Tim Williams YouTube videos LRLMAN. I really like it. I feel like I am holding a wine glass instead of a shovel handle. Very sensitive. You see the little finger is opposite the rod handle. This way I can hold the rods closer to my solar plexus and down near my belt line. It took me not long to get adjusted to it. You should be using this grip.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #42: Rod grip. This not my grip.I saw it on one of Tim Williams YouTube videos LRLMAN. I really like it. I feel like I am holding a wine glass instead of a shovel handle. Very sensitive. You see the little finger is opposite the rod handle. This way I can hold the rods closer to my solar plexus and down near my belt line. It took me not long to get adjusted to it. You should be using this grip.

The beauty of this grip is it only requires a light amount of pressure to hold the rod. It is easy to hold the balance and therefore you exert very little influence on the rods. It took me a few hours to get super comfortable. Well worth the time. I bet many people who never learned to use the rods would be able to do so with this grip. It just makes for a natural balance and the rods respond so nicely.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #43: My memory is failing so excuse me if I already posted this. Residual lines. If you are in your practice area or wherever, if you pick up you test target but leave the generator running the line will stay there until you turn the generator off for a few minutes. Some generators have a feature to eliminate residual lines. but most do not have that feature. And if the old line is there, it is difficult to find a new line. So turn it off for at least three minutes. One locator I had said wait fifteen minutes.

[Mike(Mont)]

Tip #44: One rod or two? I went several years with two rods then I went to one rod, then back to two, now I am leaning towards one rod again. Two rods can be confusing and very easy to fixate on them (bad). With one rod I have a free hand I hold down so my arm is maybe thirty degrees off my leg. I open my palm/fingers a bit sort of like holding your hand to warm it in front of a fire but more aimed towards the lower part of my leg. I must be feeling my aura, with what they call a "recording hand". When I walk through a signal line I can feel an electrical sensation much better than if I am holding another rod. Sometimes the one rod doesn't even move but I feel the electrical "ionic buzz" as I call it and I am alerted to recheck that again. I don’t know but sometime when I am tired I just get psyched out using two rods. Other times they work great. I try to get a distraction and the recording hand works for that purpose.

If I am doing a sweep I aim my free palm towards the search area,

[Mike(Mont)]

I got an L-rod from Tim Williams LRLMAN.com a while back. I have been using the GDI Telerods which I really like because they are so smooth. I tried Tim?s rod and I about gave up on it?I had it set up like he uses in his YouTube videos (YouTube channel ?LRLMAN?) with the heavy end extended out I think five sections. So last night the rod came alive after I changed it to extending the last four thin sections and holding it a bit differently as in the photo. Glad I stuck with it. It is working great! Having trouble with the photo.I give up, can?t get it right. Notice the rod is slightly bent down at the pivot point. This way the rod handle is tilted back towards me and it makes for more sensitivity. The rod length is retracted. I measured what I like is just short of 13 inches or 32.7 cm. This length is much more responsive for me.

[Mike(Mont)]

Try this

[Mike(Mont)]

The bottom end of the handle wedges into a crease on my palm and it binds up, so I ground down the end into a pencil point to prevent the binding. This was after this photo was taken.

[Mike(Mont)]

When you hold the L-rods level you cannot tell any difference between a weakened target field and a full-strength field. Adjust the rod angle by moving your wrists only. Best to test conditions with a test target to see how far down you can angle the rods. Once you find that angle for those conditions stay with it and don't be adjusting it as you search. Rod movement is subtle so you will need to practice until you can get a response with the rods at a lowered angle. Besides keeping your conscious mind out of it, this is the main thing skill you need to acquire. So if you are just searching with level rods you are only fooling youself and wasting time.

[Mike(Mont)]

I know I mentioned this but some days you can get a better L-rod response if you ground yourself--sometimes every pass, for 20-30 seconds I press three fingers into the dirt/ground and let the rod tips touch the ground. No question I get better/more response. SOme companies make a grounding strap that sticks to the bottom of your shoe and routes up to inside the shoe without modifying your shoe. I kinda worry about lightning storms, sounds very dangerous. ANd those straps are not cheap---like over $20 and I imagine they wear out fast. Same with those heal strap types. Long time ago I just wrapped some wire around my shoe then attached it to my ankle. I never noticed much difference, maybe need both shoes. Around here we have quartz sand and when you walk on it it makes a piezo effect you can hear on a vlf receiver. My theory is the air electric charge depends on it's potential gradient. High potential gradient means low air conductivity so the electric charge in the air cannot dissapate and there is a build-up of electic charge in the air that overpowers the LRL signal. All this depends on the amount of cosmic waves that hit earth and create ions. WIthout the fast/small ions the air conductivity suffers. Another cause is air pollution. Tiny dust particles catch the fast ions. Anyway, some days are better than others and grounding won't help much. but other days it is important so best to just do it always. Your body is a capacitor so it can carry a charge and it takes a while to bleed off because your skin had quite a bit of resistance.

[Mike(Mont)]

If conditions are weak and the rods don't cross completely sometimes conditions will improve in a few minutes. Also, a distant target will take long to develop a strong signal line. The strong signal lines are when the rod(s) hit you in the chest. I mentioned this before--breathe. Recall how you are supposed to exhale when you fire a gun, it reduces tension/stress.