After waiting what seemed like eternity I was finally able to afford my Tesoro Compadre metal detector today. It being in oxnard I hitched a ride with my mom and my sister along on their shopping trip. Being totally stoked on it I whipped it out as soon as we pulled into the target parking lot and started hunting.
First target: an active sprinkler head
My first dig yeilded an old bolt and threading, kinda cool.
I started getting a lot of hits and it took me a lot of digging to figure out it was little bits of foil strewn all throughout the soil. My next target turned out being a small piece of scrap.

I turned up the discrimination on my unit hoping to see through all the crap the little parking lot island was contaminated hit. I picked up a strong signal...very strong. I hauled up a layer of wood chips that had obviously been laid down then subsequently buried. I took a large dirt clod from under the blanket and held it over my sensor. Sure enough it rang out loud and clear.
Broke it up and there in the matrix was an obvious outline of a ring! I was so stoked I did the happy dance! At first I thought it might be broken but the main feature is divided into two parts. One side is the free mason symbol and the other looked like it once contained a stone. Inside the band "Kes" is inscribed along with "from C luister" or something to that effect. Very awesome way to start the hobby.

It took quite a while to get home what with the lunch and more shopping so I only got a couple minuets of detecting in on the property before it got dark. Did manage to find a 1971 quarter along with an electric motor and some trash metal. Overall sweet day and I cant wait for beach combing tomalz.