Please Post Your Settings here for the Minelab X-terra 70

[X-Terra70_TreasureHunter]

Using Coin & Treasure mode
(1) The first thing I do on entering each field is switch on and
find a spot where Im receiving no signal at all in the All Metal mode.

(2) Next step is to press the Ground Balance button then the mode Auto
button and also raising and lowering the coil a few times off the
ground until the X-terra tells you its ground balanced.
(2a)Then press the Auto Track button.
(2b)Discremenate anything below #2 + #48

(3)Next I will put the tracking on. The X-terra can also be Noise
cancelled at this stage if required.

Patterns 1
4 tones setting.
Threshold 10.
Sensitivity as high as i can get away with,without the machine
going irratic. Sensitivity around 20 - 25 to keep things stable.
Volume to max.
Coil 7.5kh DD.

Anything remotely Irony comes through sort of spitty and broken
sounding. Good signals are instantly recogniseable on the digital
scale giving a solid reading in the scale from 10-12 upto the mid 40s.
Anything iffy immediately shows as jumping from say 32 down to
22 then back to the 30's before settling down maybe in the low teens.
Immediately on pinpointing that signal it will come up with a minus
value which tells you straight away its junk and dont bother to dig.
In pattern 1 You can tell if you get an iffy signal by the way the
numbers flutter on a target between say the 30s then 20's then you
may get a flash of minus 6 then back to 20's and so on. The decision
to dig rests on how stable those numbers are, if when you hit the
pinpoint button (which I always use on the 70 ) you suddenly get
a minus number suggesting iron then believe what the 70 is telling
you and dont dig. Its a very honest detector.

The Pinpinting is quite easy but if you switch to prospect mode
it pinpoints like a laser!

How too get the most out of your Sensitivity settings:
By Des Dunne @ Minelab forum:

Soon as one lowers the coil at too high a sens setting that the
ground there on the day will allow smooth operation of a detector,
the X-70 in this case could make all sorts of squeaks / sqwaks /
stuttery sounds etc and the meter's ID will show widely varying
numbers from -6 to 48. This can happen "machine gun fast"
as the X-Terra is capable of 50 million calculations per second.

Try it and see: to set it right can be done "in a heart beat"...
Turn on and set sens to full - lower coil and go..if nothing
happens then all is OK. If "all hell breaks loose" you've set it too
high! What I do is: start high and with my left thumb on the
minus indicator reduce sens as I scan the ground one number
by one number, 29, 28, 27, 26 to where it settles - soon as
the unit "normalises" it is usually set right.

 

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[Gonehunting]

Re: Program for the Minelab X-terra 70

thanks man I do just the same minus the tracking. most of my soil is the same but will try it...Gh

 

[windrun]

Re: Program for the Minelab X-terra 70

Ahh, you did that almost same thing what I did yesterday. I just got the X-Terra 50 from the mail and put together, then I tried out on the field for few hours what you did push the change mode set up. I got several empty shotgun shells and old light bulb. I will keep working on the field this week. Today, I don't have a time and had to stay with family for Easter dinner.

Richard

 

[X-Terra70_TreasureHunter]

Re: Program for the Minelab X-terra 70

BUMP

 

[utah hunter]

Threshold at 3, the factory preset of 12 will cause you to miss 3 cent silver's and targets like them.

I hunt in all metal whenever possible. Instead of a null over iron that can confuse you when you have trash and a coin next to or basically on top of each other, you can tell there are 2 targets there by getting a nice signal from the iron and a solid silver from the good target.

The threshold at 12 was meant to allow you to hear the null over iron, so with the lower threshold the all metal fixes the problem of not knowing it blanked over the iron.

I don't use the auto tracking, I always forget to turn it off when pinpointing. In Utah I have been able to run my sensitivity at 23 with no problems. Our ground is considered mineralized, so I am happy to be able to run it that hot.

I use the stock coil and it has been more than adequate for hunting. I can't have the extra weight of the 10.5 inch DD coil due to a disability. Pinpointing with the stock coil is very sharp. I don't see the need of using prospect mode to pinpoint or tell the size of an object. The pinpoint mode tone tells you the size of the object. The aluminum cans give a much stronger response than a coin. Pinpoint mode tells me everything I need to know just by the sound, and whether or not to dig a target, and it;s size.

 

[1957gmc]

Turn it on and select Auto NC with coil parallel to the ground, then set the X-70 to all metal mode, multiple tones, GB auto and then adjust it a step or two toward a positive GB phase, threshold at the faintest possible audible sound (typically I'm at 3 or 4 with gray ghosts or hornets), sensitivity as high as the soil allows without chatter (in my moderate soil it is usually set around 28) Listen for the consistent tones...... X over suspected targets and look for consistent target location....... dig all targets that "bounce" two notches or less. Then dig the rest that provide a solid, single tone without harmonics. If you need to pinpoint, I recommend the Prospecting mode. The X-Terra has the inherit capability of only hearing a target in the Pinpoint mode, when your coil is at it's lowest height above the ground. In other words, if you pinpoint a target with the coil 4 or 5 inches above the ground, you'll hear the PP tone as the coil is centered over the target. And as you lower it to say, 2 inches, you will still hear the tone. But if you then raise it back to 4 or 5 inches, the tone is gone until the software resets the PP mode or you lower the coil back to the lowest height. Or, you can go out of, and back into the PP mode and start again. Both situations take a few seconds. May not be a big deal to some. But Prospecting mode (with iron mask) allows me to determine the target size, shape and precise location via the adjustible pitch threshold tone. No depth indication. But I know it is straight down from the center of the coil.


A point I'd like to make concerning an ealier comment.......... If you are running with tracking on, it is automatically deactivated when using the Pinpoint mode. And, when you get out of Pinpoint, tracking is reactivated. No worries about turning it on and off.

Coil choices..... 9-inch concentric for coin shooting old farmsteads. 6-inch DD at 18.75 for maximum target separation in trashy sites. And hot on small silver coins!
HH Randy

 

[khouse]

I don't know why you ground balance twice noting #2 and #2a. Just do one or the other. I think you could back your threshold down to 2 to 4 with headphones. I find a clean spot to GB in the pinpoint mode not the disc all metal mode.

 

[Digger USA]

Posted by: khouse I don't know why you ground balance twice noting #2 and #2a. Just do one or the other. I think you could back your threshold down to 2 to 4 with headphones. I find a clean spot to GB in the pinpoint mode not the disc all metal mode.

In response to your comments........

I don't GB twice. I Auto GB, which sets the detector according to what the manufacturer determined to be "optimum". Then I "fine tune" it one or two settings toward a more positive phase. This makes the detector react as if the ground is just a bit more mineralized than it really is. As a matter of fact, the manual suggests using the lower of two numbers if the GB is between two numbers.

Personally, I would not use the Pinpoint mode to set the GB. And again, this is in agreement with the manual, which suggests using the All Metal mode. My reasoning is that the Pinpoint mode has a unique characteristic which does not allow it to accurately read a target when raising the coil. You can prove this to yourself. Set up your detector in PP mode and wave a coin under the coil at a distance of 6 inches. Keep waving the coin under it, reducing the distance to the coil and you should continue to hear the tone as you move the coin closer. When you get to within an inch or two, keep waving it under the coil and start moving it back out to that 5 or 6 inch distance. You will notice that as you increase the distance between the coil and the coin, the PP tone disappears. The only way you will get it back is to either move the coin down to that closest distance again, wait a few seconds until the detector resets, or go out of, and back into the PP mode.

Threshold.......I can't remember a time when I have hunted without headphones during the past 35 years. Just part of the detector, as far as I'm concerned. Like I said, I run my threshold as faint as possible. And, if my hearing was as good as it was 35 years ago, well, I could probably get by with a threshold setting of two. But it's not, and I can't. I run mine at 3 or 4 on either the Gray Ghosts or Hornets, and it works out just fine.

You can set your detector up anyway you want. I was simply responding to the post asking for the settings we use on the X-70. And these work well for me. HH Randy

 

[khouse]

Digger usa,
This is what you said - (2) Next step is to press the Ground Balance button then the mode Auto
button and also raising and lowering the coil a few times off the
ground until the X-terra tells you its ground balanced.
(2a)Then press the Auto Track button.

I don't see where you bump the GB positive manually?
If your going to run in #2a then you don't need to do #2


Also I said I find a clean spot to GB in the PP mode. I didn't say I use the PP mode to GB.

 

[Casull]

Digger usa,
This is what you said - (2) Next step is to press the Ground Balance button then the mode Auto
button and also raising and lowering the coil a few times off the
ground until the X-terra tells you its ground balanced.
(2a)Then press the Auto Track button.

I don't see where you bump the GB positive manually?
If your going to run in #2a then you don't need to do #2

You aren't saying that if you use Auto Track then you don't have to ground balance first, are you? If so, I'm pretty sure you're wrong. The Auto Track is more like a fine tune for changes as you go along, not a ground balance in and of itself. At least that's how I read the manual, and remembe the DVD.

 

[khouse]

Since your making reference to the manual let's have a look at page 42 on the Xterra's 70 manual. There are 3 ways to set the GB. If your ending up running in the track (GB) mode there is no need to manually set or auto set the GB before you do that. Just put it in the track mode and go. Tracking is a GB function.

It does say to find a clean spot in the all metal mode. Well all metal mode has some discrimination. That is why I believe to find the cleanest spot to manually or auto GB is use the pinpoint function because there is no discrimination. This will find you the cleanest spot to GB. Once you find a clean spot turn off the PP before you GB.

 

[Digger USA]

khouse, I think you are a bit confused.....

Digger usa,
This is what you said - (2) Next step is to press the Ground Balance button then the mode Auto
button and also raising and lowering the coil a few times off the
ground until the X-terra tells you its ground balanced.
(2a)Then press the Auto Track button.

I don't see where you bump the GB positive manually?
If your going to run in #2a then you don't need to do #2


Also I said I find a clean spot to GB in the PP mode. I didn't say I use the PP mode to GB.

If you look at the username for that post you referenced, you would see that it was posted by X-Terra70_TreasureHunter, not me. I did not make those comments. I did, however, make the post that said after I set my GB via the Auto mode, I liked to bump my GB a point of two toward the positive phase.

As to 3 ways of setting the GB.....I agree that running in Tracking could eliminate the necessity to GB initially. As you implied, once you've swept the coil a few times, the GB is updated automatically. But technically speaking, tracking is an adjustment. Just like manual and automatic. And that is found on page 42 as well.

I am curious about your PP GB comments......you said: "I find a clean spot to GB in the PP mode" Phrased that way, I don't see any difference between "GBing in the PP mode" and using the PP mode to GB? Were attempting to say you found a clean spot using the PP mode, then proceeded to GB (either manually or Auto)?

HH Randy

 

[khouse]

Digger usa,
You are right. I was posting toward xterra70treasurehunter. You and I both agree that if in the end you are going to use auto track there is no reason to manually GB to begin with. It's true the tracking is an adjustment. But is an automatic ground balance adjustment the machine is doing. It's still a form of ground balance.
As to finding a clean spot to GB. Yes, I use the pinpoint feature to find a cleaner spot than the all metal disc mode. Then turn off the PP and GB the machine. I believe I said that in my last post. To me you will find a cleaner spot in the PP mode than the all metal disc mode to manually or auto adjust your GB. That is how I do it.
To Exterra70treasure hunter - I don't have any settings to post because each place I hunt is different. If you run the same settings everywhere you hunt your limiting yourself.

 

[Digger USA]

We agree on many aspects of using the X-70. There is so much flexibility with the X-70 that saying one setting can be used all the time would be untrue. And although my settings are "tuned" for each site, the process for determining those settings is the same. I like to hunt in multiple tone, all metal, barely audible threshold, sensitivity as high as I can (without falsing) and auto GB with a bit positive tweak. As to finding a clean spot to GB, the Prospecting mode works well for me. I believe it is deeper than both Pinpoint or all metal (zero discriminate) and it provides excellent target response. Following these basic steps allows me to set my detector for any specific site, yet provides operational similarities. I'm glad we were able to determine who posted what. Gets kind of confusing when the post strings all run together. Thanks for the response. HH Randy

 

[khouse]

Randy,
Good idea using the prospecting mode to find a clean spot. I'm going to use that method instead of the PP mode. I have been trying to use the 99 tone mode with some success. It sure sounds nice but I tend to use 3 tones more. I'll keep trying!

 

[Digger USA]

One big benefit from using the multiple tone mode, especially for those hunting in all metal, is that the target audio is much more defined. Not just on those "high tones" we all like to hear. But I've also found that wiggling the coil over the target, and at the same time pulling the coil toward me, will give some excellent clues for deep iron. Even though some of it sounds off as a high tone to begin with, when you work the coil over it as described, iron will burp out some fading low tones when you pull the coil back from dead center. Hang in there on those tones. It will open up a whole new world of coinshooting in those places everyone else gave up on! HH Randy

 

[khouse]

Digger,
I'm not going to give up on the multi tones yet. I figured the 70 has that feature for some reason! I hunted tonight in all metal and dug a very deep no date Indian about 7 inches down. I was using 4 tones tonight though.

 

[Marius]

Ok Guys i see some hot topics here so heres my setup:

Tre.:around 5-8
I use auto ground balance,i dont use tracking it was confusing,and i auto gr balance each 15-20min even on flat,(just to be sure)
I go with 4 tones,when on the beach i always use beach mode.
I do turn on gr balance (auto) when sand is wet and back if powder.
I use before 70% of time coin 1 mode,now im on all metal 90% of the time... seriously i don't see big diffr. got around 70-100coins each 3hours.
What i do i run all metal now,when i have ANY signal i swing 2-3times then change to pattern 1 and swing again2-3times.
Pinpoint has been a blast to use(with stock coil) on the beach and on hard soil,i dont have any problems finding targets.
The deepest stuff so far was on 9inch penny in wet sand,come as iron and bit like 6-12signals,but mostly ferrous crap,since it wasnt clear ferrous i dig it and it was heavy corroded penny.

Gold cames many times exact same as pulltabs,i tried many times,got some my own rings to test,also shallow bottle caps come as 12-30signals,corroded old ones always -6.
Now im working in very hard soil with terrible roots and i got 1923penny came as i think 30-36 at 4inch,pinpoint in that soil is perfect.
Oh sens. is on tops 16 never used more then 18 or less then 12.
Still learning curve here,but got A LOT of clad over past 2 weeks,silver heart(came as 28)and one useless ring.

Im now working on more historical sites then beach like before.

 

[Shenandoah Digger]

Well after reading Randy's posts for years on the Xterra, I wouldn't exactly say he's the top authority on it but...What am I saying--of course he is! Read and learn.