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Tip #1
Always use headphones when metal detecting. Small variations in tone will go unnoticed when drowned out by background noise.
Tip #2
Anytime headphones are used, and your hunting anywhere there is the POSSIBILITY of poisonous snakes, wear sturdy leather boots and snake chaps. Nothing will ruin a great day of metal detecting worse, than ending it with a nasty rattlesnake bite.
Tip #3
Use a small, strong garden pick for digging down to targets, and attach a strong magnet to the digging blade. This will grab onto ferrous (iron) targets and expose them quickly, so a minimum amount of time is wasted.
Tip #4
To search an area known for having a lot of nails and other ferrous trash, rake the area first, pulling out most (or all) of the nails. Make a magnetic rake out of a 4-prong garden rake and cow magnets (available at any feed store). Attach the magnets with small hose clamps.
Tip #5
Carry digging tools, nugget bottles, magnifying glass, and other accessories on a tool belt. Use a carpenter's single nail pouch on a 2" web belt. This can have additional hooks and loops attached to "customize" it for your own personal tastes.
Tip #6
Wear hard-cap knee pads. There is a lot of bending and kneeling involved in metal detecting. Hard-cap knee pads are well worth the few bucks you pay for them.
Tip #7
Don't coil the cable from the control box down to the search coil. Instead, tape the cable in a single line up the shaft to a point above the collapsible joint. Start the coil from there. As you swing the coil from side to side, a loose cable coiled around the shaft, and near the search coil, can give false signals.
Tip #8
Always use a protective cap on the search coil. Protective caps are cheap, search coils are not.
Tip #9
Carry water, or have water available in your vehicle, if your vehicle is close. You may not be physically exerting yourself too hard, but in the heat of the day, you will sweat out lots of water.
Tip #10
Unless you know the area you will be working in very, very well, take along a map and compass. Make sure you know how to use them. (See also Compass and GPS)
Tip#11
Once you get familiar with your machine lower the discrimination and you will find deeper and smaller targets. Remember to go slowly.