EMI at the beach

Another reason I love my Minelabs for beach hunting, is rarely having to worry about EMI when beach or water hunting. 

EMI stands for Electromagnetic interference and there are plenty of sources of EMI at a beach that can effect your metal detector.

You may mistakenly think you have a problem with your metal detector or search coil when you encounter a source of EMI at the beach, especially if you are using a metal detector or search coil you are not yet familiar with.
EMI is one of the first things you should look for if your metal detector suddenly starts acting up. 
There are several things you can do to cancel the effects of EMI on your metal detector at the beach. 

A noise cancel or frequency change often solves the issue of EMI straight away, simply lowering your metal detector sensitivity control is another easy solution.

If those actions don't help, try running your metal detector in Auto sensitivity.

I know Auto sensitivity often reduces target depth, but better to be able to detect than head home early. 

A few common sources of EMI at the beach, are lighthouses, coastguard stations, offshore shipping, high rise construction cranes, other metal detectors, lifeguard towers, buried cable or power lines on the upper beach, piers and cell phone towers. 

A cell phone in your pocket or a pin-pointer carried on your belt, may also cause a problem with your metal detector. 

If you must carry a cell phone or a pin-pointer with you at the beach, make sure they are turned off when not in use.

There are so many more different ways your metal detector can be effected by EMI at the beach, especially if you detect around crowds on the beach.

Imagine how many people are using cell phones, tablets and blue tooth sets at the beach. 

I find it really amusing seeing everyone with their eyes on their smart phones or tablets at the beach, instead of enjoying the sand and surf or the people by their side. 

Several beaches I search, I know where EMI is going to mess with other people metal detecting plans.
Offshore shipping is to blame for one area with large container ships waiting for high tide to come into port and off load. 

It's no surprise to see people scratching heads and checking knobs, before walking away from areas, instead of looking out to sea and seeing a line of EMI anchored a half mile offshore.  

I use a Coiltek AI ( Anti interference) coil at one beach site I recover Spanish shipwreck artifacts at, that has a coastguard station not far away. 

If everyone has trouble metal detecting at certain beach sites because of EMI, you are going to clean up once you figure out a way to successfully search areas known for EMI.
Heres a little tip when encountering EMI from other metal detector users, as you both move away from each other quickly, carefully go back over the area you both moved away from.
I get at least one or two pieces of gold a year from areas I kind of accidentally meander too close to other beach or water hunters, who move away because our metal detectors are talking to each other. 
May the force be with you!