Separation
Separation in metal detectors is one of the most important features when searching in areas with high concentrations of waste metals, especially ferrous metals. Its main goal is to accurately separate signals from unwanted objects from desired targets such as coins or jewelry, which tend to be non-ferrous metals.
Technically, the separation is a result of the speed and sensitivity of the detector to process the signal. The recovery speed is crucial because the detector must quickly evaluate each target. The faster the recovery time, the better the detector is able to distinguish nearby targets from each other.
Another important part of separation is phase shift, where the detector monitors the change in phase of the signal as it comes into contact with different materials. In iron, there is usually a larger phase shift, which allows for better identification and subsequent filtering. Some advanced detectors use multi-frequency technology, which allows them to process signals at multiple frequencies simultaneously, and thus more effectively detect differences between ferrous and non-ferrous metals.
Choosing the right search coil is also important for better separation. Smaller coils are usually more effective at discriminating targets in environments with many metallic objects, whilelarger coils tend to cover larger areas but may lose accuracy in more challenging environments.
Successful separation combined with modern detectors allows searchers to more accurately determine the location and type of metal, minimize digging for unwanted targets, and focus on valuable finds.