The article gives you details about hand held metal detectors, where they are used and some do and don’ts when you are confronted with security staff you think are offensive

Hand held Metal Detectors

Hand held metal detectors obviate the need for hand patting, that many feel are offensive and unwelcome. In a society where the rights of individual and the decency demands that an a human body should not be touched without the permission of individual, patting is considered offensive

Everyone has a zone around his/her body that he/she regards as personal. This zone can extend from about 1 inch to 1 foot. Persons feel uncomfortable if anyone unknown comes within this zone.

Security persons have to intrude within this zone very often just to make sure that you are not carrying any article like a gun that can endanger safety of other individual around you. Hence the need for hand held hand held metal detectors.

Typical Hand held metal Detector

A typical hand held metal detector will be a smaller version of a walk through metal detector. It will have a handle for holding the electronics and the battery. It will also have the place where the sending and receiving coils can be placed. The sending and receiving coils are placed in the longer portion of the metal detector so that the hand doing the checking is at least 3 to4 inches away from you and there is no unwanted personal contact. The batteries are placed in the handle as they are the bulkiest part of the metal detector.

Things to look for in a hand held Metal Detector

If you wish to buy a metal detector for your own use, you will be looking for a small one. Of course you will not be able to do any souvenir hunting or gold prospecting with a hand held metal detector. In fact a hand held metal detector is not of much use for an individual or a household. But if you wish to teach your child the basics of metal detection, is it a good investment. The specifications of a good hand held metal detector can be summarized as follows

Detection sensitivity
Razor blade 2.5 inches long
Pen knife 5 inches
Pistol 5 inches long
Operating frequency 25 to 50 KHz
Battery 9 V or 12 V
Weight around 1 lb
The detector should have an audio alarm and possible a built in LED that will be lit when close to a metal object. With this you can teach your children the basics of metal detection before you can introduce the metal detection as a hobby.

Use of Hand held Metal Detectors at Public Places

The hand held metal detector is used in public places to avoid personal contact with your body. If you are sensitive to touch, you can demand that the search be done by a person of your own sex and without touching your body. Even then, the search cannot include private parts.

Even a hand held detector cannot be pressed on the body. The detector should just glide over your body without touching. Of course, if some thing is doubtful, you can be asked to step aside for further search.

So when someone is searching your body with hand held metal detector, know your rights. Those are your rights as individual and no one is allowed to violate those in the name of combating terrorism.