Using a metal detector

Using a metal detector means different things to a wide range of different people. For some it is an addicting hobby, others use them in the workplace as club bouncers, airport security agents, or archaeologists. The military uses them to find and disarm deadly land mines and other weapons.

Metal detectors got their start as instruments of airport security in the 1960s. Easy fabrication of the technology saw it become quickly widespread as hobbyists and professionals in many walks of life saw the potential of the technology.

As a hobby, using a metal detector is labor-intensive and habit-forming. Serious hobbyists searching for historical coins and other relics of the past involve lots of research before ever breaking out the metal detector.

Coin hunters look for events in history where large amounts of people might have gathered and dropped the occasional coin of the time. Prospectors search long-fabled streams and rocks hoping to find gold and silver.

Treasure hunters might do some research to give themselves ideas about where to look with their metal detectors. Beach combing is another popular activity for metal detector hobbyists.

Archaeologists have recently begun using metal detectors to probe historic battlefields, just as one example. The metal detectors help archaeologists piece together the facts of the battle based on found shell casings and other scraps of metal.

Using a metal detector for security purposes is just standard these days. Schools and clubs are often equipped with rectangular walkthrough metal detectors, handheld metal detectors, or both. Needless to say, so are airports.

There are three main ways metal detectors work:

• Very low frequency (VLF)
• Pulse induction (PI)
• Beat-frequency oscillator (BFO)

VLF is the most versatile and commonly used metal detector technology. VLF technology can discriminate easily between different types of metal, unlike the other technologies. PI is commonly used in salt-water applications, and if you have access to the simple components, BFO-style metal detectors can be made at home.

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