Excal II Questions

[NCGREG]

I have used my new Excal II a few times and I can truthfully say that so far, I absolutely love it. But I have a couple of questions about it and I hope that they don't come off sounding ignorant. First off, .. Lets say that I am hunting on the beach in Discrimination mode, Disc set @ 1 .. with the Sensitivity set at around 10:00 or 11:00 position, and my Threshold is barely audible, just to the point where I can hear it above the wind/surf. The machine is stable and running smooth, and in the existing conditions there isn't any falsing, so that tells me that I am dialed in at the right settings. Then all of a sudden I sweep across a difference in ground conditions and the threshold changes to a louder and different tone. I can move the coil closer to my scoop and the threshold imediately returns to the barely audible hum where I originaly had it set... What the heck is that? .. Is this normal?

The second question is the coil. I called ML and they told me that not using the coil cover would not void my warranty. I prefer not to use a coil cover, I just don't like them. They have a tendancy to gather dirt, water, and other crap under them causing falsing. I took mine off and noticed that I could see the seam lines around the edge of the coil frame on the bottom where it is filled with epoxy. Is there a possibility of these seams separating from the epoxy, and causing the coil to short out prematurely? I am new to Minelab, so I don't know what to look for as far as a possible manufacturing defect in the coil or electronics.

Please chime in and tell me what to look for, or be aware of, before my warranty runs out. I really do like this machine, the performance is absolutely top notch. I think from what I have read so far, I have got a good one, unless these two things that I have asked about might come back and bite me later on, so don't hesitate to tell me what to look for. And if there are any quirks or possible flaws that I need to be aware of with the Excal II series please let me know.

Thanks for any help guys.

Greg

 

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[RustyGold]

Greg,

Funny! I was wondering the same thing! I was out with my "Barely Used" Excalibur II today and for about the first hour it had a very clean even threshold pitch. It hummed along like this until I went up to higher sand around the volleyball nets. I hit on a large metal hook laying in the sand and after that, the Excal switched to a noisier tone!

Like you, I reset it to the more mellow tone by running the coil past my scoop and this reset it for a few swings then it would default back to the trashier tone?
At home, I cleaned it all up and changed out the battery, went out to the back yard and same thing! I also am wondering if this is normal Excalibur II behavior?

If two machines are having the same issues maybe they are just built that way and it's something we can adjust.


Best of Luck NC!

RG

 

[cudamark]

Yup, the varying threshold pitch is normal. As for the settings, put them to where the machine runs the hottest without falsing. Some like to run it in PinPoint as it's supposed to give you a little more depth. When you get a signal, flip it back to Discrimination to see if it's iron or not. Personally, I can't be bothered with doing that way. I hip mount mine and have the controls around in back of me. Once I get the machine setup, I like to just leave it alone and hunt! I you haven't done so already, get a set of aftermarket knobs that attach with set screws. The factory knobs are junk and will break just looking at them cross eyed. You may also want to look into a straight shaft setup like what Anderson makes. If you don't like the hip mount, you can get a straight shaft that also changes the balance for the better.

 

[RustyGold]

Thanks cudamark! It's a relief to know that it is normal behavior!

 

[Fletch88]

Yes it's called a pitch hold threshold. It will alert you to small or deeper targets that are not strong enough to produce a target signal, but just enough to change your threshold and give you a chance to go back and investigate further. It's standard on the Excal, Sovereign GT and selectable on several other Minelab machines. I personally only like it on the beach or a relatively clean area. It will drive you nuts in a trashy park.

As for the coil cover I would keep it on there if I were you. If you're using it right you will brush the sand quiet often which is very abrasive by itself and much worse with shells and rocks mixed in. Good Luck and HH!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

They have already given you the correct answer for the pitch change.

I have hunted with out a coil cover for 6 years and no visible sign of damage. You can spray it with bed liner, liquid tape or plasti-dip to protect if you wish but not till it us out of warranty.

I use reverse descrimination, I have the pinpoint mod on both detectors with a switch on top of the handle so switching between pp and descriptions is just the matter of hitting the switch with my thumb.



We will NOT go quitely into the night!

 

[NCGREG]

Greg,

Funny! I was wondering the same thing! I was out with my "Barely Used" Excalibur II today and for about the first hour it had a very clean even threshold pitch. It hummed along like this until I went up to higher sand around the volleyball nets. I hit on a large metal hook laying in the sand and after that, the Excal switched to a noisier tone!

Like you, I reset it to the more mellow tone by running the coil past my scoop and this reset it for a few swings then it would default back to the trashier tone?
At home, I cleaned it all up and changed out the battery, went out to the back yard and same thing! I also am wondering if this is normal Excalibur II behavior?

If two machines are having the same issues maybe they are just built that way and it's something we can adjust.


Best of Luck NC!

RG

Glad to hear your machine is performing well for you RG. Good news indeed!

Greg

 

[NCGREG]

Yup, the varying threshold pitch is normal. As for the settings, put them to where the machine runs the hottest without falsing. Some like to run it in PinPoint as it's supposed to give you a little more depth. When you get a signal, flip it back to Discrimination to see if it's iron or not. Personally, I can't be bothered with doing that way. I hip mount mine and have the controls around in back of me. Once I get the machine setup, I like to just leave it alone and hunt! I you haven't done so already, get a set of aftermarket knobs that attach with set screws. The factory knobs are junk and will break just looking at them cross eyed. You may also want to look into a straight shaft setup like what Anderson makes. If you don't like the hip mount, you can get a straight shaft that also changes the balance for the better.

Cuda,

That's pretty much the same way I hunt, as far as tuning in the machine goes. I like to run in either mode, disc or all metal, depending on the ground conditions. I like to run the machine as "hot" as I can without it chattering and falsing, with the "volume" turned up as high as I can stand it when I hit a target, and the threshold just barely humming in the background.

I built myself a straight shaft, and mounted everything on it last weekend. That modification in itself, made a world of difference in being able to hunt for 3 or 4 hours without screaming in pain. It's the best thing that I've changed out so far.

"Varying Threshold Pitch" .... Ok.... Does this mean,.... when the threshold pitch changes like what we are speaking of. That there is something that the coil is "seeing"..... waaaay down deep.... and telling the machine that it is so deep that it is not sure whether it is a good target or not? .... and that maybe I should scoop a few inches of sand away and investigate why the threshold changed pitch in the first place .. Maybe it could be something really nice, but too deep to sound off as a target tone?? or am I wrong?

Thanks very much.

 

[NCGREG]

Yes it's called a pitch hold threshold. It will alert you to small or deeper targets that are not strong enough to produce a target signal, but just enough to change your threshold and give you a chance to go back and investigate further. It's standard on the Excal, Sovereign GT and selectable on several other Minelab machines. I personally only like it on the beach or a relatively clean area. It will drive you nuts in a trashy park.

As for the coil cover I would keep it on there if I were you. If you're using it right you will brush the sand quiet often which is very abrasive by itself and much worse with shells and rocks mixed in. Good Luck and HH!

Fletch,

Ok....That's what I was looking for. I had some really faint threshold changes Tuesday on a slope that was holding some really old green nickles, quarters, and dimes.....DRATT !!!!! ..... I'll bet I missed a some good stuff and didn't realize what this machine was telling me! .. A couple of times when it did this, I switched over to PP mode and swept the area and just barley heard an audible PP tone waaay in the backgound. That means whatever the target was, was very, very deeep...correct? .. And if so...I need to pay extremely close attention to threshold changes ... correct again? .. Or, am I way out in left field some where, and totally wrong?

Thanks for all of your help.

Greg

p/s I'll know the next time.

 

[NCGREG]

They have already given you the correct answer for the pitch change.

I have hunted with out a coil cover for 6 years and no visible sign of damage. You can spray it with bed liner, liquid tape or plasti-dip to protect if you wish but not till it us out of warranty.

I use reverse descrimination, I have the pinpoint mod on both detectors with a switch on top of the handle so switching between pp and descriptions is just the matter of hitting the switch with my thumb.



We will NOT go quitely into the night!

TH,

I agree, I don't like coil covers. I was a White's advocate for many years, and had used White's machines without covers on them with no problems. But..these ML Excal II coils are made a little different on the bottom surface. I had read some articles that told of the epoxy separating from the coil itself. That was what I was worried about, and I also heard about spraying the bottom surface with "bedliner" after the warranty runs out. If that trick doesn't affect the depth that this machine is capable of, that is what I will do when the time comes....Does spraying the bottom of the coil affect the depth

I also talked to OBN about a remote PP switch and a better set of headphones when the time comes as well. I just ordered a set of "Aviation Gel Pads" for the stock yellow Koss HP's that are on it now. I plugged the drain holes in the yellows and that by itself helped to keep out surf, and wind noise. I think the gel pads will also help, and if I have to send it in to ML all I have to do is take the gels off, and put the stock pads back on and away it goes.

Thanks,

Greg

 

[Fletch88]

Fletch, Ok....That's what I was looking for. I had some really faint threshold changes Tuesday on a slope that was holding some really old green nickles, quarters, and dimes.....DRATT !!!!! ..... I'll bet I missed a some good stuff and didn't realize what this machine was telling me! .. A couple of times when it did this, I switched over to PP mode and swept the area and just barley heard an audible PP tone waaay in the backgound. That means whatever the target was, was very, very deeep...correct? .. And if so...I need to pay extremely close attention to threshold changes ... correct again? .. Or, am I way out in left field some where, and totally wrong? Thanks for all of your help. Greg p/s I'll know the next time.

Greg, when this happens stay in disc mode then try taking a couple of scoops of sand off the target. Many times this will allow a target signal to come thru. If not go back to pinpoint and see if you still have a break in your threshold over your hole and keep digging! Sometimes it could have been a tiny spec that you scooped out already, that's why I said go back to PP and see if it's still down in the hole or possibly in the sand you threw out. You can stay in PP the whole time, but if you can get a null signal in Disc mode by digging down a little, it may not be worth digging really deep after a junk target. Just my 2 cents! To each his own.

 

[NCGREG]

Greg, when this happens stay in disc mode then try taking a couple of scoops of sand off the target. Many times this will allow a target signal to come thru. If not go back to pinpoint and see if you still have a break in your threshold over your hole and keep digging! Sometimes it could have been a tiny spec that you scooped out already, that's why I said go back to PP and see if it's still down in the hole or possibly in the sand you threw out. You can stay in PP the whole time, but if you can get a null signal in Disc mode by digging down a little, it may not be worth digging really deep after a junk target. Just my 2 cents! To each his own.

I Gotcha Fletch,.. I have noticed that sometimes when I dig a really old, and green corroded coin that is down 15 to 18 inches or so in the damp sand, there is a metallic halo that is still present in the soil. My machine will still "see" this halo after I have dug the coin out and sound off with a partially "good tone", even though the coin itself is gone.

That "halo effect" is what made me think that there might be something causing the threshold to change in some cases, like we are talking about, (ie) the threshold "moves" even though the machine's target tones don't have enough of a signal to make them kick in, and sound off.

And here again, .. I am finding out that these Excal machines are beasts. I have recently had pieces of rotten zinc pennies to sound off like a gold ring down in heavy broken shell mulch. I worked my butt off, and dug down through this heavily packed shell patch, to atleast 18 inches deep, if not .. more .. only to find a piece of cemented, and crusted zincoln ...

I love this thing, It's a heck of a lot smarter than I am. I'm waitin' for low tide man!

Greg