Guide for Starters
The club are regularly contacted by potential new detectorists and we are more than happy to give advice if you attend a social evening. This page is also provided as a useful guide.
Do I need a licence or insurance?
The hobby is not currently licenced and you can attend your own personal permissions with agreement of the land owner. The possession of 3rd party insurance will be at your own discretion but it is a useful tool when seeking permission. The Wessex club, as with other detecting clubs, requires members to hold insurance to protect both the club and land owners interests. This is obtained annually for a modest fee from one of the national governing bodies (see links below).
What equipment do I need?
Apart from a metal detector you will need a robust spade/digging tool, headphones (wireless becoming more common) and a finds / rubbish pouch.
A pinpointer probe is also recommended. Winkling out those small targets can sometimes be awkward without one and is a good time saver.
What is not recommended
Please avoid any work boots with steel toe caps or steel reinforcing in the sole. I have seen many excavations dug chasing a phantom signal.
Wearing a finger ring on your hand that you normally retrieve finds with is also another common mistake. Swinging it near the search coil will result in another phantom signal that you will be chasing.
What detector should I buy?
There is no quick answer to this question. Everyone will have a different budget and different user requirements. For example a detector bought for inland searching may not work so well on the beach. We will do are best to give advice but this would be better in person.
What is the Treasure Act?
This is something that all detectorists must be aware about as it places a legal obligation on you to report any finds that may fall under the Treasure Act 1996. The Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) is provided for members of the public to report archaeological objects both treasure and non-treasure items. Their website provides a definition of Treasure and a guide on the process to follow should you be lucky enough to require it.
Welcome to the Portable Antiquities Scheme Website (finds.org.uk)
Whatever detector you use spend the time learning the machine to get the best from it. Don't be disheartened by the amount of rubbish you dig up. Even experienced detectorists will dig and remove a huge amount of trash from the fields.
