DIV Blog - Day 1: Where's the DFX?

Day one of DIV XXIX at the New York Excelsior Camp has wrapped up, and perhaps the most common thing I heard all day was - "Hey Tony, where's the DFX?"  Don't get me wrong, I do love the duct-tape wonder, and I've done pretty well with it at DIV and elsewhere over the years.  But when my good friend Keith from Fort Bedford Metal Detectors gave me the opportunity to use a Minelab GPX for the hunt, I jumped on it!  I've avoided using one when I've been offered to try it in the past, mostly because I didn't want to get spoiled on a new detector.  Well, suffice it to say, I'm spoiled!!

I was afraid of the learning curve, but Keith and I spent the first part of the day comparing signals, and I took to it pretty quickly.  The "whale songs in fast-forward" tones can be a bit overwhelming in some places, and it will be a long time before I can use one as skillfully as many of my DIV friends.  But I'm very happy with the outcome for today, especially at a farm that has been hunted so hard in the past.  I'll have more to say about the detector later, but for now, on to the finds so I can rest up for tomorrow.

My  finds today included three-ring Minie Balls (including a cool half-melted one), a ringtail Sharps, two Williams Cleaners, a knapsack hook dug at over a foot, and several button backs and miscellaneous brass pieces.  I also dug not one, but TWO wormed Gardners.  The strange thing about it is that they came from opposite ends of the farm!  I was already pleased with my finds at the end of the day, but I got an extra surprise when I cleaned them up at home.  I knew several rare US base Minie balls have been found on this farm in the past, and today I was lucky enough to find one!  That's one I've wanted to cross off the list for quite a while!

Wish us luck as we hit it again tomorrow.  Until then, goodnight all!