Full Transcript for Securing Your Metal Detector

especially if it's a hatchback type car where people can easily lock into the back of your car and see it. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:18.399 I stupidly, for a long time kept my detector in the passenger seat of my car, so anybody who looked in could see it and decide to steal it. 00:05:18.399 --> 00:05:26.079 However, I don't believe thieves these days understand the value or the money that's involved in metal detectors. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:30.160 So there is some level of security by obscurity. 00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:32.879 Ah, ignorance on a thief's behalf. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:47.160 However, there's bad actors in all walks of life and there's bad actors in the detecting community who would love to see a day is too readily available for them to pick it up and scarper our way with us. 00:05:47.519 --> 00:05:57.360 I think I don't do, but I do see other people doing and that is putting their detector in a ruggedized case or flight case, for example. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:06:14.800 Now, this is perfectly acceptable if you're taking a flight or if you're going to be putting your detector in amongst a lot of other equipment and you don't want to get it damaged, however, you don't need to have it in a flight case or a ruggedized box for everyday or normal use. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:22.560 All this does is say as to a potential tiff, there is something valuable in this box and I'm going to rob the box. 00:06:23.319 --> 00:06:36.839 So if you do insist on putting it in a box and I do see a lot of people and they take a lot of pride in preparing their box, make sure you have some level of security, type that box so we can get onto that in a minute. 00:06:37.560 --> 00:07:00.279 But make sure if they don't have some level of security that you have that box hidden away in your house, just like it a normal detector, because a box, a mystery box is way more attractive and way more likely to be stolen than a metal detector setting out, because there is a certain level of mystery within that box. 00:07:00.480 --> 00:07:04.079 And people don't understand how much a metal detector has worked these days. 00:07:04.279 --> 00:07:08.279 Like I said, let's assume your detector is going to get stolen at some stage. 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:11.759 What can you do to help when that situation occurs? 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:19.959 Well, the first thing you can do when you buy your detector is take down your serial number and record that away with your warranty. 00:07:20.279 --> 00:07:29.519 That's to ensure that if your detector is found that you are readily able to identify it as your own, because it's very easy for someone to say, No, this is my detector. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:30.680 I bought this myself. 00:07:30.680 --> 00:07:41.399 However, if you have your serial number to hand and you're able to present it to the authorities, 99% of the time, they will automatically be handed over to you. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:42.720 It's just like a bike. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:45.720 In the old days, every bike used use the a serial number under the saddle. 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:53.199 You used to take a note of that serial number and lock it away in your mum's suitcase that she stored all that stuff in which parts are. 00:07:53.560 --> 00:08:00.959 And if the bike got stolen, you were able to pull out that serial number presented to the authorities who could keep an eye out for your bike at the time. 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:02.839 And this is no different for your detector. 00:08:02.839 --> 00:08:06.879 Another layer on top of that would be using a U.V. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:09.879 pen, sometimes called a property marking pen. 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:16.519 And what it is, is a permanent marker that only shows itself when excited under a UV light. 00:08:16.879 --> 00:08:22.560 So what you do is you write your name and your address and your mobile number on this idea detector. 00:08:23.160 --> 00:08:30.399 Nobody sees it there, but when you shine a UV light on it, it can very easily be identified as your own detector. 00:08:31.160 --> 00:08:38.960 It's not going to deter somebody from stealing it, but it will help you identify your property when you go to try and recover it again. 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:43.039 There are some low tech solutions for recovery of your detector. 00:08:43.840 --> 00:08:50.320 There is another layer which I tend to like and I'm about to implement myself, and that is using an NFC sticker. 00:08:50.519 --> 00:09:00.000 So an NFC sticker is NFC stands for Near Field Communication and everybody's familiar with it, especially if you use contactless payment. 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:08.080 So what it is, is you have a inbuilt circuitry within a sticker like a paper sticker. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:11.279 So one inch across by less than one metal pick. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:13.759 And what it is, it has a big antenna. 00:09:13.759 --> 00:09:28.320 And when that antenna is excited by radio waves of a specific frequency that powers the circuitry for it to transmit data back to your device, which has to be at very close range for it to be read. 00:09:28.759 --> 00:09:30.799 So that's how your contactless payment works. 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:41.039 You know, you put your card in the field, your card gets excited and it broadcasts back the serial number or whatever encrypted data that that's within your card. 00:09:41.200 --> 00:09:44.960 An NFC sticker is no different, except you can buy NFC stickers. 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:55.879 You can get ten of them for $2 on AliExpress and what you can do with them is so if you have a smartphone younger than 2012, they will all generally come with this NFC technology. 00:09:56.519 --> 00:10:12.879 So if your phone could do Apple Pay or Google, pay your onto a winner, but essentially what you can do is you can download an app apple have this inbuilt into the iPhone on Android you can download an app called NFC and that will allow you to write and read data of

these NFC stickers. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:19.200 So what you can do is you can actually write a load of information onto that sticker. 00:10:19.440 --> 00:10:27.080 And what I would suggest you do is you get one of the stickers, you write your name and your address and any other identifiable information you want to have on it. 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:29.879 You stick that to the back of your main box housing. 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:39.799 And if your detector gets stolen, you can just simply come up, touch your phone to it, and that will show whoever it needs to be seen that this detector belongs to you. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:46.039 Now, there is a downside with NFC stickers, their time to come in a garish color like red or yellow. 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:47.639 Really something that stands out. 00:10:47.639 --> 00:10:54.440 So what I would suggest to do is to get a sticker of something else, maybe a mine sticker or not a sticker, and just stick it over the top of it. 00:10:54.440 --> 00:10:57.440 That's not going to affect us or even just black insulating tape. 00:10:57.720 --> 00:11:06.840 And what it does is it will just security, buy up security, and no one will be able to see that you will essentially mark to your detector for recovery. 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.399 Another layer on top of that is like NFC. 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:20.159 However, it uses Bluetooth and as the Apple airtag, there is options available for Android phones, but the AIRTAG is a good one to to talk about and what it is and what it uses. 00:11:20.159 --> 00:11:28.039 It's very similar to NFC, but it uses Bluetooth technology so that allows it to be detected within 30 feet. 00:11:28.240 --> 00:11:29.879 It does have its own power source. 00:11:29.879 --> 00:11:40.679 It is the same size an inch by about four mils or runs on one of those Panasonic LR button batteries, and it has enough juice in that battery to last for a year. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:45.759 But what's interesting about these is that what kind of small form factor are only $20? 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:50.639 What it allows you to do is to high down on your detector. 00:11:50.639 --> 00:12:00.000 Again, you can put it behind a bit of tape or a bit of sticker or maybe a plastic hose on your main control box, something that matches the color of the box. 00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:01.559 But you could potentially put it there. 00:12:01.559 --> 00:12:05.840 And I'm going to experiment with this over the coming weeks, and I'd let you know how I get on. 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:13.559 But the interesting thing about Airtag is that if the Airtag goes out of coverage of your mobile phone, it'll alert you. 00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:15.000 That's the first thing. 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:34.080 However, if it's gone out of coverage, it immediately starts looking for another iPhone to connect with Anonymous to the iPhone user and it will send back its location to your phone using the find me up so your detector potentially could

be tracked to anywhere globally in the world. 00:12:34.320 --> 00:12:42.120 Now, it does have security feature that you may want to disable, particularly if you're using it as a security device. 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:53.720 That is, you can pop open the back, take out the battery, crack it in half and remove the speaker, because what it does do, and this is rightly so, is to prevent creeps from stalking on people. 00:12:54.000 --> 00:13:07.279 So what it does is if it's in the vicinity of one particular person for a long period of time, it will notify that user's Android phone or iPhone to let them know that there there is a tracking device on them. 00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:10.799 It will also create an audible tone for them to find it. 00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:17.159 Now, you can disable that audible tone by using by splitting it apart and just simply by removing the speaker. 00:13:17.159 --> 00:13:26.879 If you're using it for security purposes to track your detector, I would advise to do that because the longer you can leave it under the detector, the less likely it is to be found. 00:13:27.399 --> 00:13:36.440 However, if you're a creep and you're going to start stalking people by using this, just don't don't don't take my advice and remove that speaker. 00:13:36.440 --> 00:13:39.120 Just don't do it, you filthy creep. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:42.360 Yeah, there is options available for Android, but just too many to name. 00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:47.440 And to be honest, the Apple Airtag is the only one I'm really super familiar with. 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:54.799 So to recap quickly about how to secure a detector, don't leave out in plain sight for people to pick it up. 00:13:54.919 --> 00:14:00.759 Don't put all your eggs in one basket like I do, and that's bringing every detector with you on to hunt. 00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:02.480 Bring it back up if you must. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:06.639 However, don't put all your eggs in one basket because the basket can be stolen. 00:14:08.679 --> 00:14:15.960 Three if you're going to put it in a flight case, only do so for long trips or trips on which the detector may get damaged. 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:18.879 Don't leave it in a flight case in the back of your car. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:25.799 That is just a red flag for a potential thief to think or do something valuable in that and fact up. 00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:32.080 They would probably be disappointed if they stole a flight case or a ruggedized case only to find a metal detector on it. 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:34.279 They wouldn't know what to do with it. 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:37.639 So far, it's probably best to assume the detector is going to be stolen. 00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:44.879 So make sure it's included in your either your house insurance or your car insurance taken out of your serial number. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:47.480 You can even add that to your insurance policy. 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:56.519 Low tech solution will be to take a UAV property pen marker details on your detector, every bit of your detector or coil your man housing the whole lot. 00:14:57.120 --> 00:15:04.639 So it allows you to identify your detector layer on top of that security NFC sticker where you can store your data again. 00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:12.879 And then if you want to, if you really want to take it to the next level, you can use an airtag to track your detector anywhere in the world if it's stolen. 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:30.360 Now, I don't believe any thief who doesn't understand metal detecting or doesn't understand what they're taking would actually go out of their way to risk taking or stealing a metal detector because they really just don't understand what it is and what it is worth. 00:15:30.759 --> 00:15:49.240 However, like I said, there's always bad actors in every community and there is potential for a detectorist to see an Expedia's art, a Manticore or Ctcs laying out in the open and the temptation could be too much for them and they could steal that detector. 00:15:49.639 --> 00:15:54.480 So in that situation, you don't want to be in an argument of saying who owns this detector? 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:56.960 You need to make sure you have it correctly identified. 00:15:58.039 --> 00:15:59.879 And that's it for this week, guys. 00:15:59.879 --> 00:16:04.039 Don't forget to send your questions in to duck detectors if you have to coming in, which is great. 00:16:04.039 --> 00:16:05.559 And don't forget to give us a review. 00:16:05.559 --> 00:16:09.480 We're on 63 five star reviews on Apple Podcasts. 00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:15.720 So if you really feel like giving me some appreciation, please give me a positive review on Apple Podcasts. 00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:18.679 Spotify or whatever, a podcast two or three. 00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:24.879 And guys, don't forget, get out there, good luck these down and happy hunting.