musclecar
Full Member
Here is a plethora of info for the White MXT, supplied to me by my local White dealer, gerrysdetectors.com, written by Chris Ralph. It is quite a large file, and I hope it copies and pastes for your benefit. The info here has helped me "MASTER" my MXT! Enjoy
The MXT FAQ and Operation pointers:
The responses presented in this document are comments and pointers I
have
written up for people based on my experiences with the MXT. I
originally
wrote a lot of these as responses to various posts on different
detecting
forums, but I saved my texts and put them all together as a single
document.
That's how they became the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for the
MXT. The
advantage of this material is that, coming from a variety of internet
forums, they are all answers to questions folks had after purchasing
their
MXT. The original questions ranged from the most basic "I'm new to
detecting, how do I learn to use this MXT?" To more advanced questions
like
"Why is my MXT so much more noisy than my XLT (or other detector)?" The
questions in the document are shortened and summarized from the
original
posts to get to the point. I certainly don't have all the answers, but
here
are a couple things I have noticed from my time practicing with the MXT
that
I think would be helpful to the new operator and these points do answer
the
majority of common questions people often have:
1) I just got my new MXT. I am wondering what should I do first?
One of my High School teachers was often fond of telling students with
questions - "Read the directions carefully!" That saying applies just
as
well to the new MXT owner. Read and re-read the owners handbook before
you
take your MXT out for its first use. It contains many helpful
suggestions
that can prevent unnecessary problems. The Engineering Report, written
by
the design engineer for the MXT, also is worthwhile reading, and
contains
some useful information which the Owners manual does not. Both the
Operators
Manual and the Engineering Report are available over the internet on
the
White's web site, or can be purchased in print from Whites. Take a look
at
the MXT video too, if you have a copy. It doesn't have a lot of
critical
information that can't be found elsewhere, but its worth watching.
After watching and reading, take your MXT out into your yard and do
some
testing. Put a coin on the grass and see how it responds to it. Look
around
your own yard - many older homes have older coins in the grass. If you
damage your own lawn while digging, well, at least you know who to
complain
to.
2) I am ready to take my MXT out into the field. Any suggestions on how
I
should practice with it?
Plant a couple of coins in the sand at a park and practice finding,
pinpointing and digging them. If you are new and having trouble with
pinpointing and finding targets, try digging in the sand or wood chip
areas
of the playgrounds. If you have to dig a 10 inch diameter crater to
find the
coin, you will find it easy to fill in and no grass will be killed if
you
dig in the sand. Usually there is a lot less trash there as well. Later
when
you are more experienced and can dig small holes to recover your
targets,
try out the grass. Always fill in your holes - I have been accosted by
a
local park ranger simply for possessing a small hand trowel (and a
detector)
at a local park. Someone else had been digging big holes and killing
grass a
week or two before, and as soon as he saw me, I was automatically
guilty of
the same crime. They go to lots of effort to keep a nice lawn at the
park.
We all need to be mindful of the disturbances we make and take due care
not
to make a mess. Its important to do what we can to stay in the good
graces
of the local park staff.
When you are new with the MXT and find a good target take your time
with it
to learn how the machine reacts to it. Listen to the sounds. See what
the ID
says about it. Once you have learned the machine and are comfortable
with
it, you don't need to analyze the target to death, but when you are a
newbie, there is a lot to learn from testing things out. Learn all you
can
from each find! Try flipping the unit into another mode (try going into
Relic or prospecting if you are normally hunting in Coin/jewelry) to
see how
that mode works.
Here is an valuable secret on how to become a productive detector
operator
(even if it seems obvious): The big key to getting the most out of your
MXT
is practice. Studying the manuals and other information like this
website
will help shorten your learning curve, but it just takes time. There is
no
substitute for practice time - experience allows you to know exactly
how
your machine responds to certain kinds of targets. You will be much
better
after digging your 2,000th coin that you were when digging your second
coin.
So read all the information you can get your hands on, and then get out
there put in the time to learn your MXT. Practice, practice, practice -
the
more time you spend, the more confident and comfortable you will feel
with
your detector, and the more good stuff you will find..
3) Does the meter really help much in deciding whether to dig a target
or
not?
The MXT has an excellent target ID system. Learning to use it is one of
the
first priorities of the new MXT user (See the VDI score ID chart in
this
document a few questions down). The most important thing to remember is
that
the ID systems only are accurate when you are passing the middle of the
coil
right over target (or very close to it). So use the pinpoint to find
the
target before making a final ID (and decision to dig or not). Sometimes
in
trashy areas the effects of nearby targets can be misleading. Many iron
targets have a halo, and if you pass the coil a few inches away from
the
target, not over the center, you can get a false "good" response - even
to
the point, at times, of getting a full probability bar. Finding the
true
center of the target and then passing the coil over it for an ID will
give
far more reliable results. Also, when pulling the pinpoint trigger to
locate
a target, be sure the coil is not over another target at the time.
Being
over a target then pulling the pinpoint trigger can give weird and
unexpected results, so pinpoint over clean soil. Unfortunately, in
spite of
all these efforts, a few types of iron targets just seem to be
especially
good at fooling VLF id systems - this goes for all brands of VLF units,
not
just Whites. Iron washers and steel bottle caps are the chief culprits
among
these bad boys.
Its also important to note that the target ID is not accurate to the
full
depth of detection. The engineering manual says the ID is only accurate
to
about 3 inches. I have found it to go far deeper even in my mineralized
soil, and my experience is that it is accurate to at least 5 inches,
but it
is not reliably accurate to the full depth the MXT can reach. In some
areas,
the iron content of the soil can cause a shift of the target VDI
numbers on
deeply buried targets, usually dropping them lower than would be
expected.
Nickels can shift to the foil range, cents to the pulltab/screwcap
range,
etc. It is also important to note that the target ID will not work as
deep
as the detector will detect. In areas where there are likely deep,
older
targets present, it is probably necessary to dig all deep non-iron
targets -
or miss good finds. This especially includes deep targets that are
repeatable, but give no VDI reading at all. Because the very best finds
are
often the deepest ones, deep non-iron or even no VDI targets should be
investigated and there is a good chance that these targets might
produce old
coins, or other valuable finds. Deep targets that do produce a VDI
score can
bounce around significantly, and they often do not "lock in" as well as
targets nearer the surface.
4) How does adjusting the discrimination setting affect the meter
readings
on the MXT?
An interesting feature to note about the MXT's ID system is that the
discrimination setting does not affect the display output. This is not
mentioned in the book or the video. No matter the discrimination
setting,
the VDI and probability bar output are exactly the same. The
discrimination
setting only affects the sound out put. The engineering guide for the
MXT
states that the visual ID is a bit more accurate than the audio
discrimination in most cases. I have found that the best results occur
when
I use all the information available - gauging in my head both the sound
output as well as the meter display. It takes a bit of practice, but is
worth it. It is possible to find targets that are within the audio
discrimination setting. I have found nickels using the display only
when I
had the discrimination cranked up nearly to the max. by observing the
output
on the meter, specifically the VDI meter. All three of these ID systems
(target response sound, the VDI/potential ID, and the probability bar)
are
independent and all 3 should be considered in deciding weather or not
to dig
a target. Its good experience to learn to use that probability bar - it
helps a lot in trashy areas. Whenever you get a high probability bar
indication, it is pretty reliable. The high reading will usually be
correct,
or something very similar (I have gotten a full bar quarter reading
over a
penny that was probably buried at least 20 years - though nearly all
other
consistent full bar quarters I have dug while coin shooting were just
that -
quarters).
Another thing to note about the discrimination is that when the setting
is
zero, you do have true zero discrimination - no disc at all. This is
important to know when prospecting for nuggets or beach hunting for
earrings.
5) The target ID on my MXT seems so much more jumpy than other
detectors
I've used. Why?
Many detectors (including many by Whites) average the readings when you
make
multiple passes over a target. The MXT does not - with the MXT if you
make
10 passes, you get 10 different independent readings. This is why the
MXT
seems to be more jumpy on target ID than most, if you are not used to
it.
Good targets usually give pretty consistent non-iron indications. Iron
and
irregularly shaped junk targets like pull tabs usually jump around and
are
inconsistent on the MXT ID system. Foil usually jumps around a lot too
as it
is usually oddly shaped. If you make 4 passes over the target and get
1.
quarter (with low probability); 2. Iron, with high probability; 3. $1
with
low probability; and then 4. Iron; then the target is almost certainly
rusty
iron junk. If you get some consistent good readings in trashy areas, it
might be a good target close to junk. Try to isolate the good target by
moving the coil back and forth in different directions.
6) I'm having problems with my MXT in trashy areas. What can I do?
Mixed junk and good targets in the same spot can cause all kinds of
problems
with the MXT ID system because the coil can have 2 or more targets
underneath it at the same time - so it combines readings from both.
This is
true for all VLF detectors. This is why in some areas trashy parts of
parks,
etc. can be the most productive - no one else wants to hunt there. If
there
is at least a little space between the targets, most of the time iron
junk
and good targets within a few inches of each other just makes the
readings
inconsistent. Sometimes a target will read one thing sweeping from one
direction, and read different on the return sweep coming from the other
direction. This all makes it real tough to decide dig / no dig in
trashy
areas. Making use of the smaller MXT coils is probably the first
recommended
adjustment to working in trashy areas. The small coils are very useful
in
separating junk from good targets in trashy places - and the difference
is
significant. The smaller coils can sometimes find targets that are
completely masked by iron junk close to the target. The 5.3 concentric
would
be best for coin shooting in trashy areas with low to moderate soil
mineralization, the 4 x 6 DD is probably better in higher
mineralization
soils.
One technique that I have learned to try is turning 90 degrees and
making a
second set of passes in an X pattern over the target if I am uncertain.
This
technique is mentioned on the Whites MXT video, but not in the manual.
Sometimes a junk target will indicate consistent penny or $1 with but
always
with lowest probability. Do the 90 turn make another set of passes from
a
different direction. If the target indicates better, dig it. If it
jumps
around and shows iron or hot rock, move on. The 90 turn makes a big
difference sometimes. In trashy areas, one can use the VCO pinpoint to
find
the location of the nearby targets, then choose lines of direction to
pass
over the targets without passing over multiple ones. Except for a few
real
deep targets, it is rare that a target will read "iffy" in multiple
directions. As far as the deep targets, when working areas where older
targets may be present, probably any target at 6 inches or deeper
giving
consistent non-iron readings ought to be dug. This will lead to digging
a
little extra trash, but also will lead to some fantastic finds.
7) How do various kinds of targets sound in the VCO pinpointing mode?
Coins and other non-ferrous (not magnetic) targets tend have sharp
pinpoints
and go from nothing to max to nothing very quickly, over a short
distance.
Iron junk tends to have large broad pinpoints as if they were much
larger
than they are - they go slowly up to max and then down - a rusty bolt
will
act as if it were as big as a coffee can to the pin pointer. The
pinpoint
trigger can be used to help ID targets. This same difference in the
MXT's
response can be noted in regular operating modes as iron is said to
sound
broader or mushier, and the sound of coins or gold is said to be
sharper or
more peaked. However, the effect is more easily noted in the VCO
pinpoint
modes.
8) How accurate is the depth reading in the VCO pinpoint mode?
The depth reading is excellent if the target is a coin or coin sized
and
fairly close to the surface. At the maximum detection depth of the MXT,
the
estimated depth readings are not as accurate.
Also, remember that the depth reading on the meter assumes a coin sized
object - if smaller, the target will be shallower, if larger than a
coin,
the target will be deeper. I regularly hunt a park where there is a
buried
brass head sprinkler system at about 4-5 inches. These brass heads
sound out
clear as a quarter and read on the meter as being at 0 depth. However,
although they pinpoint sharply like a coin, they also pinpoint much
larger
than a quarter. It takes about 2 seconds to shove my screwdriver in far
enough to find a large object at 4-5 inches, then I know its a brass
sprinkler (I've dug enough of 'em to know). Its safe to say if you've
dug a
4 inch hole for a target indicated that is supposed to be at 1 or 2
inches,
and the hole is correctly centered over the target, that the deeper
target
is much larger than the coin indicated. On the other hand, a target
smaller
than a coin will usually be found shallower than the meter's depth
indication.
9) I am having problems in the VCO pinpoint mode. Any tips for a better
technique?
With the 950 concentric, most targets, including coins, make a
significant
tone change when the target crosses over the edge of the inner opening
of
the coil. It is easy to get the target under the inner opening based on
the
tone, and after that one can find the exact location by doing an X
pattern
over the target and listening for the sound change when the target
passes
across the inner edge - out of the opening and under the coil. This
technique can be used to both locate a target as well as measure its
size.
Using this technique, I can usually find a near surface coin on the
first
try with my probe - if I don't hit it on the first try, I am usually
not far
off.
The DD coils are a bit harder to pinpoint with, but still not a
problem. The
sensitive area under a DD coil is blade shaped, so by making an X
pattern
over the target, it is possible to pinpoint a target using the DD to a
fairly tight area. When pinpointing with either the DDs or the
concentric
coils, practice is the key to accuracy.
10) Can my MXT tell the difference between coins or gold rings and pull
tabs
or other trash?
No discrimination system on any detector is perfect. There are always
tradeoffs in any target ID system design, and although the MXT ID
system is
as good as any available today, it can be fooled, and it cannot always
differentiate between some types of targets and some types of trash.
The
discrimination readings are influenced principally by the target shape,
size
and conductivity of the metal. As an example, nickels, some pull tabs
and
rings all appear the same to VLF type metal detector ID systems. Most
men's
wedding bands and ladies gold rings read in the 10 to 30 range in my
soils.
The lower end of that range includes junk foil, and the upper end
includes
many types of pulltabs and cut up bits of aluminum can. Larger men's
rings
and "class" type rings usually read in the 30 to 53 range - same as the
square pulltabs. Nickels usually read in the 18 to 22 range in my area
soils, but there are exceptions. Some oval shaped pull tabs read
consistently in the nickel range - but I find near surface nickels
sound
"sharper" and pinpoint tighter (smaller) than pulltabs. Silver rings
are
usually not ignored by detectors as they usually read in the dime to
quarter
range. Certainly when you hit a target with a VDI number between 30 to
55
its almost always going to be a square pulltab or aluminum screw cap,
but
not always - once in a while those targets might be a large gold ring
and
you would be loosing a potential great find. You just can't get around
it -
if you ignore the targets in that VDI range, you are ignoring some
nickels
and rings as well as those pain in the neck pull tabs. Turn up the
discrimination too high and you will miss gold rings. However, in some
very
trashy areas, you can dig 10,000 pop tops and pull tabs to every gold
ring.
If that's worth it to you go for it - its your decision. The key for me
has
been deciding what I will do based in my location. Picnic areas in
parks are
overloaded with pull tabs, but not as many rings. Sports fields have
more
rings and usually fewer pulltabs. I recommend choosing yourself, based
on
the type of site, when you will or will not dig all targets in the
pulltab
range. In sites which have been abandoned since before the pulltab
came out
(in the early 1960s) you want to be sure to dig any signals in that
range,
because there should be few and there is a significant chance of a
valuable
target. The following chart gives VDI ranges for some typical targets
(a
chart like this should have been in the MXT user manual in my opinion).
Degrees of corrosion, soil iron, nearby junk and other factors affect
VDI
readings, so these are not carved in stone, but will give you a good
idea of
what you might find in each range.
Target VDI Range
Some Possible Targets found in this VDI Range:
-95 to - 20 - Antique iron relics, Iron nails, rusty iron junk, hot
rocks
-20 to 0 - Small gold nuggets, gold earrings, gold chains, small bits
of
iron, gum wrappers, small bits of foil
0 to 15 - Platinum rings, smallest gold rings, gold earrings, gold
nuggets,
sterling chains, Larger foil pieces, gum wrappers, bits of chopped
aluminum
cans
15 to 30 - Most gold rings, Gold nuggets, Gold $1, Nickels, oval pull
tabs,
bent tabs, bits of chopped aluminum cans, zipper tabs
30 to 45 - Largest gold rings, Larger gold nuggets, Gold $2.50, Copper
Nickel cents (1856 to 1864), Silver War Nickels, Most square pulltabs,
iron
bottle caps, small aluminum screw caps, Costume jewelry
45 to 60 - Gold $5, Corroded zinc cents, 3 cent silver, Zinc potmetal
junk,
Costume jewelry, Brass keys, small aluminum screwcaps
60 to 70 - Indian Head Cents, Small Sterling earrings, Zinc Cents,
hotwheels
cars, larger aluminum screwcaps
70 to 78 - Gold $10, Modern Copper cents, Half cents, two cent pieces,
Small
Sterling rings and Sterling jewelry, hotwheels cars
79 to 81 - Gold $20, Sterling silver rings, Clad or silver dimes
82 to 88 - Clad or silver quarters, Heavy Sterling silver rings,
Sacajewea
"golden" dollars, SB Anthony dollars, buried brass sprinkler heads
89 to 92 - Clad or silver halves, large cents, buried brass sprinkler
heads
93 to 94 - Clad Eisenhower or silver dollars, large copper pipes
11) My MXT is noisy in wet sand on saltwater beaches. How can I improve
its
performance?
A lot of folks assume that all beaches are the same and that there is
one
"correct" or one "good" setting for beach use. Unfortunately, like
parks,
all beaches are not the same. I've hunted on coral sand beaches in
Hawaii -
very low iron content. These are easy quiet hunting, where one should
push
up the gain beyond the recommended setting to get the maximum depth.
However
some nearby beaches have Hawaiian basalt rock mixed into the sand, and
the
iron laden basalt chunks become hot rocks in comparison to the low iron
coral sand. This makes these beaches rather noisy - chirping and
popping all
the time. Yet to go from one situation to the other may only require a
walk
of a few hundred yards. Some beaches in California have fairly high
iron,
causing problems for any VLF detector in wet areas when it tries to
balance
out the low end salt response with the high end iron response. So, like
going to any new area, you need to figure out what is the best setting
for
that particular area, on that particular day.
On dry sand, there should be no problems. There can be noise and
chatter
issues in wet sand and with the head underwater. On a low mineral beach
soil, the MXT may operate just fine in wet sand. However, on beaches
with
significant iron content, the MXT must adjust both for any iron sand or
rocks in the soil, as well as the salt. Unfortunately, back sand and
salt
balance out on opposite ends of the scale, so it is hard to adjust for
both
at the same time. The standard 950 concentric coil is fairly sensitive
to
mineralization. If there is any iron, any variance in conductive soil
moisture, or if the coil head actually goes under water, this will
cause the
coil to make lots of soil noise. The auto balancing switch needs to be
set
in the "salt" mode for these conditions, but most users find they also
need
to switch to one of the DD coils to get the best results on the wet
sand,
where the sand has some iron mineralization present. The DD coils are
less
sensitive to the salt or iron mineralization than the standard 950
concentric. The last option in these conditions is to turn up the
discrimination (usually not desirable since beaches are prime ring
hunting
areas and it is easy to loose potential finds turning up the
discrimination
too high) or to reduce the gain which still allows ring detection, but
lower
gain reduces the depth at which a target could be detected.
12) What happens if I turn the gain down below the recommended preset
level?
The MXT is a high gain unit, made to be able to find small gold flakes.
When
you are just coin shooting, you can turn the gain down some (say to
about
7-8) with no big problems if you are willing to blow off the deepest
stuff.
(hey, you don't need to worry about those 6 inch deep barber dimes when
you
are hunting at a school built in 1972 on a clean site). When you are
new to
the machine, try dropping the gain to 8 and then cranking the
discrimination
up to about 7 to eliminate most trash. You can increase the gain and
lower
the discrimination later as you get to know the machine better.
However, the deepest detection (of coins, etc) and the detection of the
smallest objects (small nuggets, small earrings) requires the highest
gain.
Unfortunately, the highest gain also means the greatest noise from the
MXT.
For ways to deal with that noise, see the noise question (#18) below.
13) I took my MXT out and it was acting strangely. I noticed one of the
switches had been bumped.
One thing I have noticed it that it is easy to accidentally bump a
switch
and change a setting while putting the MXT away or getting it out.
Every
time you take out your MXT out to the field and turn it on, check to
see
that all the switches and knobs are set exactly where you want them.
14) I was testing a target and it just disappeared. A few seconds later
it
was back. What gives?
When you are in automatic ground balance and making multiple passes
over a
target to ID it, be careful not to stall over the target and let the
system
track into the target and adjust the ground reading to include the
target.
This can give bad or unexpected results. The auto ground balance
adjusts
quickly and may adjust out a target faster than you might expect.
15) How can I tell what the mineralization level of my ground is? What
does
it mean?
Here is how to use your MXT to determine your relative level of soil
mineralization. When you are out hunting, flip the MXT into prospecting
mode
when the coil is over some target-free soil. In the upper right hand
corner
there is a label, GND = 78 (or some other number). The ground reading
number
tells what the MXT is seeing as far as soil mineralization. If your
number
is 30 to 50, you have low or no mineralization (lucky you!). Readings
of 50
to 69 are found in moderately mineralized soil. A reading of 70 or over
is
highly mineralized soil. In general, highly mineralized soils are much
harder to hunt in, often tend to have more hot rocks, and as a result
are
noisy to hunt over. Some areas with moisture and a high alkali or salt
content can cause their own set of problems. They read on very low on
the
ground scale and give ground readings in the 20s. The MXT has a
separate
salt adjustment on the ground balance settings for work in these areas.
Soil mineralization that reads high on the ground scale is caused by
iron
minerals in the soil, and can have a very significant negative effect
on the
operation of your detector. Unfortunately for us detector operators,
the
earth's crust averages a little over 8% iron, and some of us seem to
have a
just a bit more than our share! This is why all modern VLF type
detectors
have the ability to adjust and compensate for increased iron in the
soil.
The automatic adjustment the MXT makes to compensate for mineralization
is
not just a simple reduction of gain, but the net result of ground
balancing
to hunt in highly mineralized soil is reduced sensitivity. Reduced
sensitivity means reduced target detection depth. The MXT (and all
other VLF
type detectors) will detect much deeper in dry sand that reads 40 on
the MXT
ground scale than it will in soil that reads in the low 80s. There are
a
number of factors that affect target detection depth, including soil
density, soil moisture, salt content, and others. Soil mineralization
is
just one of these, but it is one that is common, and does have a
significant
effect. Here in the Reno, Nevada area, soils typically vary from the
high
70s to low 80s.
16) My MXT wont get as much depth as others claim for it. Why?
This is actually a very complex question, as lots of factors can
negatively
affect detector depth. Iron mineralization in the soil is one of the
most
common, but soil moisture, soil salt content, soil density, and nearby
power
transmission lines can also affect depth. The settings on your detector
and
the strength of your batteries can also effect your depth of detection.
The
deepest depths are usually obtained in dry, non-mineralized sand (or
with
air tests - no soil at all!). To get the greatest depth, generally the
gain
must be at its highest setting, +3. The prospect mode of the MXT
actually
gets just a bit more depth than the other two operating modes. In all
modes,
deep signals are weaker and can take some experience to recognize. The
bottom line is that many of the factors that determine depth, like
mineralization, cannot be easily changed - they are characteristics of
the
site you are hunting. Learn to use your detector to the best of its
capability, and you will get the best depth possible at that site with
that
equipment.
17) Sometimes I find "ghost" targets that disappear when I dig them.
Why?
Luckily, ghost signals that are repeatable in more than one direction
are
not that common. So one good way to eliminate a lot of them is to test
weak
signals from more than one direction in an X pattern. This can
eliminate a
lot of unnecessary digging. Even so, ghost targets still occur once in
a
while. Because of its high gain, the MXT may be a bit more susceptible
to
these ghost targets than most detectors. Groups of a few small iron
bits
close together can sometimes cause these - when dug, the group is
separated
and the apparent target disappears. Tree roots with higher salt content
than
the soil can show up as good targets that are not really there as well.
18) My MXT seems a lot noisier than other detectors I have owned. Why
is
this?
There are very few complaints about the MXT, but one of the few that is
regularly heard from new users is that the unit is too noisy,
chattering and
chirping on tiny bits of hot rock, foil and soil iron. These comments
are
often heard from folks with experience on lower gain coin machines.
These
folks would strongly prefer a detector that is just silent until an
acceptable target is found. This situation is most often noted in
strongly
mineralized ground. Most of the MXT's ability to get deep items or
small
gold nuggets is due to its higher than normal gain (and the circuitry
to
handle that higher gain). This higher gain, the fact it does not
average
passes over targets, the greater operating kHz of the MXT, plus some
other
features of the detector, do make it more chattery than most. Dave
Johnson,
the design engineer for the MXT (and a very talented one) spells out
why the
MXT makes more noise than most detectors in his engineering report. In
the
simplest terms, the increased noise of the MXT is the trade off for the
increased sensitivity, both to small targets (nuggets) or deep targets
(old
coins). However, because the MXT is sensitive to small or deep good
targets,
it is also sensitive to small hot rocks and bits of trash. Luckily,
even in
very highly mineralized soil, I have found that with the right
adjustments,
I can get used to the chatter and pick out the coins, other good
targets,
etc. The two tone feature of the relic mode also works real well for
this
type of situation. The relic mode is best used in these situations by
setting the discrimination at just a hair under 4 (or higher where
appropriate) and pushing the handle trigger forward. This makes the low
(iron) sounds go away, the general noise becomes a medium tone (same as
the
normal tone in coin mode), and the good targets are the high tone. this
makes it easy to ignore the medium tones and focus on the highs. It
definitely takes some time and practice, but one can get used to it.
There
are also some other techniques that can help reduce the noise, though
none
are a perfect answer. Locking the ground balance over clean soil can
help,
especially in areas where a large amount of man made iron trash is
present,
such as at ghost town sites. Use earphones with adjustable sound
settings,
and turn them down until its not painfully loud when pinpointing over a
near
surface target. Using double D coils rather than the standard 950
concentric
also helps quite a bit as the DD design is less sensitive to soil
mineralization as a whole. Unfortunately, the DD coils are also a
compromise
as they get slightly less depth than the 950 concentric coil. The
threshold
sound level can be turned down a bit below the edge of hearing, and
this
helps a small amount, but the real problem with noise is in the gain.
Although turning down the gain will cut down the noise significantly,
it
will also significantly reduce depth and sensitivity. In order to get
those
deep coins others have missed, or to pick up those small nuggets, the
gain
needs to be up at +2 or +3. So to get the full performance from the MXT
one
needs to learn to get used to the chatter and learn to pick out those
good
targets from the background noise. With practice and a little tweaking,
one
can find the best balance of coil and other adjustments to make the
targets
as distinct as possible from the background chatter. The goal is to get
the
target response that is easy to distinguish from background noise. This
means that sometimes, a little less gain can actually give a better
response, as the soil noise will not obscure the weaker target
responses.
You have to test to see what works best at a particular site.
For a new user, I'd turn the gain down to about 8, and discrimination
up to
about 6 for a while when you are first learning the unit. That makes a
huge
effect to reduce the noise, and you'll still have no problem getting
coins
within 5 inches of the surface. After you get a little more practice,
you
can turn the gain up and disc. down to get the full performance from
the
MXT.
19) What is the best operating mode to choose when using the MXT?
There really is no one best mode for the MXT. They are 3 completely
different programs, and the three modes are there to give you premade
programs for a wide variety of conditions. The MXT performs quite
differently in each mode. The prospect mode goes a hair deeper, but is
the
least stable toward ground noise or iron junk, so it is the worst
choice for
working trashy areas like parks. The prospect mode has an iron ID
feature,
but does not have a true discrimination setting . In Prospect, iron
trash is
dealt with using the iron grunt tone and the interpretation of the
screen
output by the operator (only the Relic and Coin modes have a true disc.
setting). The Relic mode (dual tone mode) is next deepest, and is
preferred
by some in the because of its two tone ID. The coin mode sees targets a
hair
less deep than the other two modes in air tests, but it is also the
most
stable mode.
It is not always necessary to hunt in what would seem to be the "right"
mode
for that application. Some folks like to prospect in the Relic mode
where
there is lots of trash with the nuggets. I've heard of folks who beach
hunt
in prospect mode to get a slight increase in depth. The best choice
depends
on the application and your personal preference. Here's my opinion on
some
possibilities in different applications: I think the coin / jewelry
mode is
best in areas like open fields without large amounts of trash. The
relic
mode is best for high trash areas, like old parks or ghostowns, it
works
well there with the alternate mode, trigger forward to disc out the
iron
trash. Prospect mode is best for nugget shooting . Prospecting is the
most
sensitive mode (though only slightly) and, as noted, is best where
there is
not too much iron junk or other trash, because of its lack of a
discrimination mode.
20) I've found loads of modern coins, what do I need to do to find
older
coinage like silver or wheat cents?
This is a tough question, and is not so much directly an issue of the
MXT,
it affects all detectors. Metal detectors have been around and in use
for a
lot of years and just about all the well known, older sites have been
hit,
most have been worked pretty hard. I once found a mercury dime one inch
deep
in a well known local park, but there was iron all around it which
probably
kept it safe in the ground all those years as other folks thought it
was
junk. Even that find though, is unusual. These days most older coins
are
fond in one of two types of locations: 1) deep, hard to hear or locate
coins
at popular locations; 2) Obscure little known sites that have never
been
worked. Lets address these two types of locations individually:
1) Deep, hard to hear or locate coins at popular locations -
Any detectorist who has been spending much time with his unit knows
that the
local parks and schools have all been worked pretty hard. Even at sites
that
have been in use for many decades, very rarely will one find older
coins
near the surface. The near surface older coins have already been
recovered
and additional old coins don't get put out to replace them. However,
some of
the oldest coins have had a chance to sink deep into the soil. These
may
have been passed over by less powerful, older detectors. Because of its
high
gain, the MXT is capable of detecting deep coins that some other
detectors
have missed. Some detector operators even say deep coins have their own
special sound. Keep a close eye out for weak, but repeatable sounds.
Take a
special interest in targets the MXT says are deep. This is especially
true
with repeatable targets where the MXT is unable to give a depth or ID
indication. The MXT will detect targets that are deeper than the MXT's
ID
system will work (this is true for all discrimination type VLF
detectors),
so those repeatable but "no ID" targets may be the oldest, deepest
ones. The
ability to hear, recognize and find deeply buried coins is skill that
can be
developed with practice, and the MXT is a good detector for this use.
You'll
need to keep the gain as high as practical for that area, so see the
comments above about keeping the MXT stable with increased gain.
2) Obscure little known sites that have never been worked -
Finding old coins at sites not worked before may not be too difficult
(if
the coins are shallow) but if deep, you may need your deep coin
detection
skills anyway. The tough part is locating the sites. Finding these
sites
usually requires research, or at least some good luck. Even with
research,
you will find that many sites which are seemingly forgotten have been
already been worked, but occasionally one can find an old place that
has not
been worked before. In my opinion, you have to keep trying and be
determined
to locate these sites. Eventually your dedication will pay off. If you
have
access to private property older parts of the country, these can be
especially rewarding, as they are less likely to have been worked by
others.
Examples might include Granda Joe's old farm, or that lot an old friend
owns
where they tore the church down so many years ago. Demolition sites can
be
productive too - where old buildings covered sites since before the
first
commercial metal detectors. There are a number of well written books
with
suggestions about finding these types of sites. Make use of friends and
family contacts and do some research. If you are lucky enough to find
them,
these are the types of places where one can really score a big number
of
valuable, older coins, because no one has been there before you.
21) What should the gain setting be when detecting for gold?
One of the main keys to detecting small gold with the MXT is cranking
up the
gain to the +3 MAX. Having the 6 inch DD is also very worthwhile, both
from
the stand point that with its small size it is more sensitive to small
gold,
but also that it allows higher gain settings than the 950 coil under
mineralized conditions. It is also less susceptible to changes in soil
mineralization than the 950 standard coil. In doing some tests in my
yard, I
found I could barely detect a 0.5 grain flake with the 950 coil at a
gain of
+1 (with the flake is right on the surface about 1/2 inch below the
coil) -
the signal was there but was so weak that in the field, honestly I
probably
would have ignored it, or not been able to distinguish it from hot rock
/
background noise. A gain setting of +3 gave a much better response. The
6
inch DD gave a better response to the 0.5 grain nugget at all gain
settings.
At times, high and variable mineralization may make it necessary to
reduce
the gain, but when that happens, sensitivity to small gold will be
reduced.
22) What does the iron probability reading in prospecting mode really
mean?
When using the prospecting mode, probably anything that does not make
the
"grunt" sound (80% iron probability) should be dug. The target ID on
the
MXT is excellent, however it is not perfect. The ID does not work as
deep as
the detector will detect. In high iron soil areas, it is possible for
small
nuggets near the edge of their detection limit to score as high as 70%
iron
probability. In my experience, most junk iron gives a reliable signal
with
the special "grunt" sound. However, it you are looking for meteorites,
the
"grunt" noise may indicate a meteor. Use of a magnet to collect surface
iron
is also helpful. On the other hand, many small nuggets below about 2
grains
weight do not give any ID indication. Tiny bits of iron or lead can
also
fail to give a VDI or probability response. Repeatable targets which do
not
give any ID should be investigated. if passing a magnet over the
surface
does not cause the target to go away by picking up any iron or small
hotrocks, the target needs to be dug. The ID will not detect to the
deepest
and smallest of targets. The key is that if the target is repeatable,
the
magnet does not remove it, and does not seem to move around as the coil
is
passed over it, it probably is not iron (it is most likely lead or
gold).
The iron ID in the prospecting mode should probably be interpreted as
follows:
10 to 30% iron probability - The MXT is reasonably sure the target is
not
iron, dig these for sure.
40 to 60% iron probability - the MXT just can't tell - you will need to
dig
these targets or you will loose gold.
70% iron probability - in low mineral areas, you may not need to dig
these,
in high mineral, dig - use a test nugget to see
80 to 90% iron probability - The MXT is reasonably sure the target is
iron
and probably can be ignored
When you are testing a target, be sure you the coil is centered right
over
it. You may get inaccurate iron probability readings if the coil is not
properly centered. This could cause you to loose nuggets.
It also makes sense to use of a test nugget to see how the MXT responds
in a
particular area highly desirable. Bury a test nugget of about 2 grains
size
about an inch deep at the site you are testing, and see what the
response
is. In order to be sure you do not loose the nugget, most people will
glue
the test nugget to some small plastic piece like a plastic poker chip.
Some
detector owners have a full set of test nuggets of various sizes that
they
use.
23) What does the VDI reading in prospecting mode really mean?
The VDI reading is a separate reading from the iron probability output.
It
is also different from the audio output. The nuggetshooter working with
the
MXT needs to learn to use all 3 pieces of information.
For small nuggets, many give no VDI reading at all - their signal
response
is so small, the MXT cannot do the analysis needed to calculate a VDI
reading. The manual says that small gold nuggets may give a VDI from
-20 to
+40. Large nuggets may give VDI readings from 40 to 80. Items above 80
on
the VDI scale are unlikely to be gold, but still may be well worth
digging
(hey, even prospectors drop coins once in a while).
24) What is the best coil sweep speed for coins and what is the right
speed
when hunting gold?
The MXT is not as sensitive as many detectors to the coil sweep speed -
which is very beneficial to new users as this is a critical item for
many
other detectors, but is simply not much of a big deal for the MXT (with
one
exception - gold nuggets). Because of its quick target response, it
works
just fine for coinshooting or relic hunting at a wide variety of coil
movement speeds. As a result, many folks learn to work their MXT
quickly
through parks and schools, as it tends to increase their finds.
However,
this does not hold true when prospecting for gold - this is a case
where one
needs to go slow or nuggets will be missed - especially the smaller
ones.
Slowing down a bit can also help find the deepest coins near the limit
of
the detectors ability.
25) Can the VCO pinpoint mode be used to pinpoint gold nuggets?
The VCO pinpoint available by pulling the trigger in coinshooting or
relic
modes can be used to pinpoint if the gold nugget is large enough. It
doesn't
have to be huge, but nuggets below about 1.5 to 2 grains don't respond
well
to the VCO pinpoint. Excessive iron in the ground can also cause
problems,
but it sometimes it can be possible to pick out a target even through
this
type of condition. It is far easier to pinpoint in VCO mode than the
regular
prospecting mode, and it is easy to flip from one mode to the other and
back
again, so its worth giving it a try.
26) Can the Relic mode be used to hunt gold nuggets?
Some folks do prospect with the MXT in relic mode as the two tone
system is
easy to use. You do loose a slight amount of depth, and/or slight
sensitivity to small nuggets, but the loss seems to me pretty slight.
Getting an ID for iron is fairly reliable in relic mode, but the VDI
does
not tell any difference between lead or gold - in spite of what the
possible
target ID might be saying. You can get gold nuggets with the same VDI
numbers as you might for lead shot, bullet casings or bullets. The
smallest
and deepest gold will not produce any VDI score at all (as the max
detectable depth is slightly deeper than the depth the ID system will
work).
It is my opinion that relic mode might be better for prospecting when
you
are in an area with a very high amount of iron trash, where the ability
to
actually discriminate out iron would be needed. When using
discrimination
while prospecting always be sure to set the amount of discrimination
very
low, or small nuggets can be accidentally eliminated.
One of the things you can do to try to get the best of all worlds is to
switch modes. One can hunt in prospect, then when an interesting target
is
found, switch modes and see what the other modes say about the target
before
digging. The coin/jewelry and Relic modes also offer VCO pinpointing
which
is handy if your nugget is large enough to respond to the VCO mode.
27) What about rechargeable batteries?
Although Whites offers a self-contained rechargeable battery system for
the
MXT, I have been using NiMH batteries since I got my MXT and they work
just
fine. I get about 20 hours of operation per charge. If you only use
your
detector once in a while, its probably not worth it to buy the
rechargeable,
but if you use it at least 5 or 6 hours per week on average, its worth
it to
get them. If you use your detector often enough, the rechargeable will
save
you a fair amount of money.
28) I was running my MXT and the screen suddenly went completely blank.
What
should I do?
A small percentage of MXTs seem to have this problem once in a while. I
had
this problem intermittently with my MXT, however, after doing it about
25
times over a month or so, it stopped. I never sent it in, and I have
not had
it happen even once in the months since, though I have used it
regularly. It
appears to be a contact/connection problem which can be cured by
re-seating
some of the ICs. If it gets bad enough to be worth sending in, it can
be
easily fixed by Whites. Otherwise, if it only happens once in a great
while,
just turn it off and turn it on again - re-booting the computer system
cures
the problem.
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The MXT FAQ and Operation pointers:
The responses presented in this document are comments and pointers I
have
written up for people based on my experiences with the MXT. I
originally
wrote a lot of these as responses to various posts on different
detecting
forums, but I saved my texts and put them all together as a single
document.
That's how they became the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) for the
MXT. The
advantage of this material is that, coming from a variety of internet
forums, they are all answers to questions folks had after purchasing
their
MXT. The original questions ranged from the most basic "I'm new to
detecting, how do I learn to use this MXT?" To more advanced questions
like
"Why is my MXT so much more noisy than my XLT (or other detector)?" The
questions in the document are shortened and summarized from the
original
posts to get to the point. I certainly don't have all the answers, but
here
are a couple things I have noticed from my time practicing with the MXT
that
I think would be helpful to the new operator and these points do answer
the
majority of common questions people often have:
1) I just got my new MXT. I am wondering what should I do first?
One of my High School teachers was often fond of telling students with
questions - "Read the directions carefully!" That saying applies just
as
well to the new MXT owner. Read and re-read the owners handbook before
you
take your MXT out for its first use. It contains many helpful
suggestions
that can prevent unnecessary problems. The Engineering Report, written
by
the design engineer for the MXT, also is worthwhile reading, and
contains
some useful information which the Owners manual does not. Both the
Operators
Manual and the Engineering Report are available over the internet on
the
White's web site, or can be purchased in print from Whites. Take a look
at
the MXT video too, if you have a copy. It doesn't have a lot of
critical
information that can't be found elsewhere, but its worth watching.
After watching and reading, take your MXT out into your yard and do
some
testing. Put a coin on the grass and see how it responds to it. Look
around
your own yard - many older homes have older coins in the grass. If you
damage your own lawn while digging, well, at least you know who to
complain
to.
2) I am ready to take my MXT out into the field. Any suggestions on how
I
should practice with it?
Plant a couple of coins in the sand at a park and practice finding,
pinpointing and digging them. If you are new and having trouble with
pinpointing and finding targets, try digging in the sand or wood chip
areas
of the playgrounds. If you have to dig a 10 inch diameter crater to
find the
coin, you will find it easy to fill in and no grass will be killed if
you
dig in the sand. Usually there is a lot less trash there as well. Later
when
you are more experienced and can dig small holes to recover your
targets,
try out the grass. Always fill in your holes - I have been accosted by
a
local park ranger simply for possessing a small hand trowel (and a
detector)
at a local park. Someone else had been digging big holes and killing
grass a
week or two before, and as soon as he saw me, I was automatically
guilty of
the same crime. They go to lots of effort to keep a nice lawn at the
park.
We all need to be mindful of the disturbances we make and take due care
not
to make a mess. Its important to do what we can to stay in the good
graces
of the local park staff.
When you are new with the MXT and find a good target take your time
with it
to learn how the machine reacts to it. Listen to the sounds. See what
the ID
says about it. Once you have learned the machine and are comfortable
with
it, you don't need to analyze the target to death, but when you are a
newbie, there is a lot to learn from testing things out. Learn all you
can
from each find! Try flipping the unit into another mode (try going into
Relic or prospecting if you are normally hunting in Coin/jewelry) to
see how
that mode works.
Here is an valuable secret on how to become a productive detector
operator
(even if it seems obvious): The big key to getting the most out of your
MXT
is practice. Studying the manuals and other information like this
website
will help shorten your learning curve, but it just takes time. There is
no
substitute for practice time - experience allows you to know exactly
how
your machine responds to certain kinds of targets. You will be much
better
after digging your 2,000th coin that you were when digging your second
coin.
So read all the information you can get your hands on, and then get out
there put in the time to learn your MXT. Practice, practice, practice -
the
more time you spend, the more confident and comfortable you will feel
with
your detector, and the more good stuff you will find..
3) Does the meter really help much in deciding whether to dig a target
or
not?
The MXT has an excellent target ID system. Learning to use it is one of
the
first priorities of the new MXT user (See the VDI score ID chart in
this
document a few questions down). The most important thing to remember is
that
the ID systems only are accurate when you are passing the middle of the
coil
right over target (or very close to it). So use the pinpoint to find
the
target before making a final ID (and decision to dig or not). Sometimes
in
trashy areas the effects of nearby targets can be misleading. Many iron
targets have a halo, and if you pass the coil a few inches away from
the
target, not over the center, you can get a false "good" response - even
to
the point, at times, of getting a full probability bar. Finding the
true
center of the target and then passing the coil over it for an ID will
give
far more reliable results. Also, when pulling the pinpoint trigger to
locate
a target, be sure the coil is not over another target at the time.
Being
over a target then pulling the pinpoint trigger can give weird and
unexpected results, so pinpoint over clean soil. Unfortunately, in
spite of
all these efforts, a few types of iron targets just seem to be
especially
good at fooling VLF id systems - this goes for all brands of VLF units,
not
just Whites. Iron washers and steel bottle caps are the chief culprits
among
these bad boys.
Its also important to note that the target ID is not accurate to the
full
depth of detection. The engineering manual says the ID is only accurate
to
about 3 inches. I have found it to go far deeper even in my mineralized
soil, and my experience is that it is accurate to at least 5 inches,
but it
is not reliably accurate to the full depth the MXT can reach. In some
areas,
the iron content of the soil can cause a shift of the target VDI
numbers on
deeply buried targets, usually dropping them lower than would be
expected.
Nickels can shift to the foil range, cents to the pulltab/screwcap
range,
etc. It is also important to note that the target ID will not work as
deep
as the detector will detect. In areas where there are likely deep,
older
targets present, it is probably necessary to dig all deep non-iron
targets -
or miss good finds. This especially includes deep targets that are
repeatable, but give no VDI reading at all. Because the very best finds
are
often the deepest ones, deep non-iron or even no VDI targets should be
investigated and there is a good chance that these targets might
produce old
coins, or other valuable finds. Deep targets that do produce a VDI
score can
bounce around significantly, and they often do not "lock in" as well as
targets nearer the surface.
4) How does adjusting the discrimination setting affect the meter
readings
on the MXT?
An interesting feature to note about the MXT's ID system is that the
discrimination setting does not affect the display output. This is not
mentioned in the book or the video. No matter the discrimination
setting,
the VDI and probability bar output are exactly the same. The
discrimination
setting only affects the sound out put. The engineering guide for the
MXT
states that the visual ID is a bit more accurate than the audio
discrimination in most cases. I have found that the best results occur
when
I use all the information available - gauging in my head both the sound
output as well as the meter display. It takes a bit of practice, but is
worth it. It is possible to find targets that are within the audio
discrimination setting. I have found nickels using the display only
when I
had the discrimination cranked up nearly to the max. by observing the
output
on the meter, specifically the VDI meter. All three of these ID systems
(target response sound, the VDI/potential ID, and the probability bar)
are
independent and all 3 should be considered in deciding weather or not
to dig
a target. Its good experience to learn to use that probability bar - it
helps a lot in trashy areas. Whenever you get a high probability bar
indication, it is pretty reliable. The high reading will usually be
correct,
or something very similar (I have gotten a full bar quarter reading
over a
penny that was probably buried at least 20 years - though nearly all
other
consistent full bar quarters I have dug while coin shooting were just
that -
quarters).
Another thing to note about the discrimination is that when the setting
is
zero, you do have true zero discrimination - no disc at all. This is
important to know when prospecting for nuggets or beach hunting for
earrings.
5) The target ID on my MXT seems so much more jumpy than other
detectors
I've used. Why?
Many detectors (including many by Whites) average the readings when you
make
multiple passes over a target. The MXT does not - with the MXT if you
make
10 passes, you get 10 different independent readings. This is why the
MXT
seems to be more jumpy on target ID than most, if you are not used to
it.
Good targets usually give pretty consistent non-iron indications. Iron
and
irregularly shaped junk targets like pull tabs usually jump around and
are
inconsistent on the MXT ID system. Foil usually jumps around a lot too
as it
is usually oddly shaped. If you make 4 passes over the target and get
1.
quarter (with low probability); 2. Iron, with high probability; 3. $1
with
low probability; and then 4. Iron; then the target is almost certainly
rusty
iron junk. If you get some consistent good readings in trashy areas, it
might be a good target close to junk. Try to isolate the good target by
moving the coil back and forth in different directions.
6) I'm having problems with my MXT in trashy areas. What can I do?
Mixed junk and good targets in the same spot can cause all kinds of
problems
with the MXT ID system because the coil can have 2 or more targets
underneath it at the same time - so it combines readings from both.
This is
true for all VLF detectors. This is why in some areas trashy parts of
parks,
etc. can be the most productive - no one else wants to hunt there. If
there
is at least a little space between the targets, most of the time iron
junk
and good targets within a few inches of each other just makes the
readings
inconsistent. Sometimes a target will read one thing sweeping from one
direction, and read different on the return sweep coming from the other
direction. This all makes it real tough to decide dig / no dig in
trashy
areas. Making use of the smaller MXT coils is probably the first
recommended
adjustment to working in trashy areas. The small coils are very useful
in
separating junk from good targets in trashy places - and the difference
is
significant. The smaller coils can sometimes find targets that are
completely masked by iron junk close to the target. The 5.3 concentric
would
be best for coin shooting in trashy areas with low to moderate soil
mineralization, the 4 x 6 DD is probably better in higher
mineralization
soils.
One technique that I have learned to try is turning 90 degrees and
making a
second set of passes in an X pattern over the target if I am uncertain.
This
technique is mentioned on the Whites MXT video, but not in the manual.
Sometimes a junk target will indicate consistent penny or $1 with but
always
with lowest probability. Do the 90 turn make another set of passes from
a
different direction. If the target indicates better, dig it. If it
jumps
around and shows iron or hot rock, move on. The 90 turn makes a big
difference sometimes. In trashy areas, one can use the VCO pinpoint to
find
the location of the nearby targets, then choose lines of direction to
pass
over the targets without passing over multiple ones. Except for a few
real
deep targets, it is rare that a target will read "iffy" in multiple
directions. As far as the deep targets, when working areas where older
targets may be present, probably any target at 6 inches or deeper
giving
consistent non-iron readings ought to be dug. This will lead to digging
a
little extra trash, but also will lead to some fantastic finds.
7) How do various kinds of targets sound in the VCO pinpointing mode?
Coins and other non-ferrous (not magnetic) targets tend have sharp
pinpoints
and go from nothing to max to nothing very quickly, over a short
distance.
Iron junk tends to have large broad pinpoints as if they were much
larger
than they are - they go slowly up to max and then down - a rusty bolt
will
act as if it were as big as a coffee can to the pin pointer. The
pinpoint
trigger can be used to help ID targets. This same difference in the
MXT's
response can be noted in regular operating modes as iron is said to
sound
broader or mushier, and the sound of coins or gold is said to be
sharper or
more peaked. However, the effect is more easily noted in the VCO
pinpoint
modes.
8) How accurate is the depth reading in the VCO pinpoint mode?
The depth reading is excellent if the target is a coin or coin sized
and
fairly close to the surface. At the maximum detection depth of the MXT,
the
estimated depth readings are not as accurate.
Also, remember that the depth reading on the meter assumes a coin sized
object - if smaller, the target will be shallower, if larger than a
coin,
the target will be deeper. I regularly hunt a park where there is a
buried
brass head sprinkler system at about 4-5 inches. These brass heads
sound out
clear as a quarter and read on the meter as being at 0 depth. However,
although they pinpoint sharply like a coin, they also pinpoint much
larger
than a quarter. It takes about 2 seconds to shove my screwdriver in far
enough to find a large object at 4-5 inches, then I know its a brass
sprinkler (I've dug enough of 'em to know). Its safe to say if you've
dug a
4 inch hole for a target indicated that is supposed to be at 1 or 2
inches,
and the hole is correctly centered over the target, that the deeper
target
is much larger than the coin indicated. On the other hand, a target
smaller
than a coin will usually be found shallower than the meter's depth
indication.
9) I am having problems in the VCO pinpoint mode. Any tips for a better
technique?
With the 950 concentric, most targets, including coins, make a
significant
tone change when the target crosses over the edge of the inner opening
of
the coil. It is easy to get the target under the inner opening based on
the
tone, and after that one can find the exact location by doing an X
pattern
over the target and listening for the sound change when the target
passes
across the inner edge - out of the opening and under the coil. This
technique can be used to both locate a target as well as measure its
size.
Using this technique, I can usually find a near surface coin on the
first
try with my probe - if I don't hit it on the first try, I am usually
not far
off.
The DD coils are a bit harder to pinpoint with, but still not a
problem. The
sensitive area under a DD coil is blade shaped, so by making an X
pattern
over the target, it is possible to pinpoint a target using the DD to a
fairly tight area. When pinpointing with either the DDs or the
concentric
coils, practice is the key to accuracy.
10) Can my MXT tell the difference between coins or gold rings and pull
tabs
or other trash?
No discrimination system on any detector is perfect. There are always
tradeoffs in any target ID system design, and although the MXT ID
system is
as good as any available today, it can be fooled, and it cannot always
differentiate between some types of targets and some types of trash.
The
discrimination readings are influenced principally by the target shape,
size
and conductivity of the metal. As an example, nickels, some pull tabs
and
rings all appear the same to VLF type metal detector ID systems. Most
men's
wedding bands and ladies gold rings read in the 10 to 30 range in my
soils.
The lower end of that range includes junk foil, and the upper end
includes
many types of pulltabs and cut up bits of aluminum can. Larger men's
rings
and "class" type rings usually read in the 30 to 53 range - same as the
square pulltabs. Nickels usually read in the 18 to 22 range in my area
soils, but there are exceptions. Some oval shaped pull tabs read
consistently in the nickel range - but I find near surface nickels
sound
"sharper" and pinpoint tighter (smaller) than pulltabs. Silver rings
are
usually not ignored by detectors as they usually read in the dime to
quarter
range. Certainly when you hit a target with a VDI number between 30 to
55
its almost always going to be a square pulltab or aluminum screw cap,
but
not always - once in a while those targets might be a large gold ring
and
you would be loosing a potential great find. You just can't get around
it -
if you ignore the targets in that VDI range, you are ignoring some
nickels
and rings as well as those pain in the neck pull tabs. Turn up the
discrimination too high and you will miss gold rings. However, in some
very
trashy areas, you can dig 10,000 pop tops and pull tabs to every gold
ring.
If that's worth it to you go for it - its your decision. The key for me
has
been deciding what I will do based in my location. Picnic areas in
parks are
overloaded with pull tabs, but not as many rings. Sports fields have
more
rings and usually fewer pulltabs. I recommend choosing yourself, based
on
the type of site, when you will or will not dig all targets in the
pulltab
range. In sites which have been abandoned since before the pulltab
came out
(in the early 1960s) you want to be sure to dig any signals in that
range,
because there should be few and there is a significant chance of a
valuable
target. The following chart gives VDI ranges for some typical targets
(a
chart like this should have been in the MXT user manual in my opinion).
Degrees of corrosion, soil iron, nearby junk and other factors affect
VDI
readings, so these are not carved in stone, but will give you a good
idea of
what you might find in each range.
Target VDI Range
Some Possible Targets found in this VDI Range:
-95 to - 20 - Antique iron relics, Iron nails, rusty iron junk, hot
rocks
-20 to 0 - Small gold nuggets, gold earrings, gold chains, small bits
of
iron, gum wrappers, small bits of foil
0 to 15 - Platinum rings, smallest gold rings, gold earrings, gold
nuggets,
sterling chains, Larger foil pieces, gum wrappers, bits of chopped
aluminum
cans
15 to 30 - Most gold rings, Gold nuggets, Gold $1, Nickels, oval pull
tabs,
bent tabs, bits of chopped aluminum cans, zipper tabs
30 to 45 - Largest gold rings, Larger gold nuggets, Gold $2.50, Copper
Nickel cents (1856 to 1864), Silver War Nickels, Most square pulltabs,
iron
bottle caps, small aluminum screw caps, Costume jewelry
45 to 60 - Gold $5, Corroded zinc cents, 3 cent silver, Zinc potmetal
junk,
Costume jewelry, Brass keys, small aluminum screwcaps
60 to 70 - Indian Head Cents, Small Sterling earrings, Zinc Cents,
hotwheels
cars, larger aluminum screwcaps
70 to 78 - Gold $10, Modern Copper cents, Half cents, two cent pieces,
Small
Sterling rings and Sterling jewelry, hotwheels cars
79 to 81 - Gold $20, Sterling silver rings, Clad or silver dimes
82 to 88 - Clad or silver quarters, Heavy Sterling silver rings,
Sacajewea
"golden" dollars, SB Anthony dollars, buried brass sprinkler heads
89 to 92 - Clad or silver halves, large cents, buried brass sprinkler
heads
93 to 94 - Clad Eisenhower or silver dollars, large copper pipes
11) My MXT is noisy in wet sand on saltwater beaches. How can I improve
its
performance?
A lot of folks assume that all beaches are the same and that there is
one
"correct" or one "good" setting for beach use. Unfortunately, like
parks,
all beaches are not the same. I've hunted on coral sand beaches in
Hawaii -
very low iron content. These are easy quiet hunting, where one should
push
up the gain beyond the recommended setting to get the maximum depth.
However
some nearby beaches have Hawaiian basalt rock mixed into the sand, and
the
iron laden basalt chunks become hot rocks in comparison to the low iron
coral sand. This makes these beaches rather noisy - chirping and
popping all
the time. Yet to go from one situation to the other may only require a
walk
of a few hundred yards. Some beaches in California have fairly high
iron,
causing problems for any VLF detector in wet areas when it tries to
balance
out the low end salt response with the high end iron response. So, like
going to any new area, you need to figure out what is the best setting
for
that particular area, on that particular day.
On dry sand, there should be no problems. There can be noise and
chatter
issues in wet sand and with the head underwater. On a low mineral beach
soil, the MXT may operate just fine in wet sand. However, on beaches
with
significant iron content, the MXT must adjust both for any iron sand or
rocks in the soil, as well as the salt. Unfortunately, back sand and
salt
balance out on opposite ends of the scale, so it is hard to adjust for
both
at the same time. The standard 950 concentric coil is fairly sensitive
to
mineralization. If there is any iron, any variance in conductive soil
moisture, or if the coil head actually goes under water, this will
cause the
coil to make lots of soil noise. The auto balancing switch needs to be
set
in the "salt" mode for these conditions, but most users find they also
need
to switch to one of the DD coils to get the best results on the wet
sand,
where the sand has some iron mineralization present. The DD coils are
less
sensitive to the salt or iron mineralization than the standard 950
concentric. The last option in these conditions is to turn up the
discrimination (usually not desirable since beaches are prime ring
hunting
areas and it is easy to loose potential finds turning up the
discrimination
too high) or to reduce the gain which still allows ring detection, but
lower
gain reduces the depth at which a target could be detected.
12) What happens if I turn the gain down below the recommended preset
level?
The MXT is a high gain unit, made to be able to find small gold flakes.
When
you are just coin shooting, you can turn the gain down some (say to
about
7-8) with no big problems if you are willing to blow off the deepest
stuff.
(hey, you don't need to worry about those 6 inch deep barber dimes when
you
are hunting at a school built in 1972 on a clean site). When you are
new to
the machine, try dropping the gain to 8 and then cranking the
discrimination
up to about 7 to eliminate most trash. You can increase the gain and
lower
the discrimination later as you get to know the machine better.
However, the deepest detection (of coins, etc) and the detection of the
smallest objects (small nuggets, small earrings) requires the highest
gain.
Unfortunately, the highest gain also means the greatest noise from the
MXT.
For ways to deal with that noise, see the noise question (#18) below.
13) I took my MXT out and it was acting strangely. I noticed one of the
switches had been bumped.
One thing I have noticed it that it is easy to accidentally bump a
switch
and change a setting while putting the MXT away or getting it out.
Every
time you take out your MXT out to the field and turn it on, check to
see
that all the switches and knobs are set exactly where you want them.
14) I was testing a target and it just disappeared. A few seconds later
it
was back. What gives?
When you are in automatic ground balance and making multiple passes
over a
target to ID it, be careful not to stall over the target and let the
system
track into the target and adjust the ground reading to include the
target.
This can give bad or unexpected results. The auto ground balance
adjusts
quickly and may adjust out a target faster than you might expect.
15) How can I tell what the mineralization level of my ground is? What
does
it mean?
Here is how to use your MXT to determine your relative level of soil
mineralization. When you are out hunting, flip the MXT into prospecting
mode
when the coil is over some target-free soil. In the upper right hand
corner
there is a label, GND = 78 (or some other number). The ground reading
number
tells what the MXT is seeing as far as soil mineralization. If your
number
is 30 to 50, you have low or no mineralization (lucky you!). Readings
of 50
to 69 are found in moderately mineralized soil. A reading of 70 or over
is
highly mineralized soil. In general, highly mineralized soils are much
harder to hunt in, often tend to have more hot rocks, and as a result
are
noisy to hunt over. Some areas with moisture and a high alkali or salt
content can cause their own set of problems. They read on very low on
the
ground scale and give ground readings in the 20s. The MXT has a
separate
salt adjustment on the ground balance settings for work in these areas.
Soil mineralization that reads high on the ground scale is caused by
iron
minerals in the soil, and can have a very significant negative effect
on the
operation of your detector. Unfortunately for us detector operators,
the
earth's crust averages a little over 8% iron, and some of us seem to
have a
just a bit more than our share! This is why all modern VLF type
detectors
have the ability to adjust and compensate for increased iron in the
soil.
The automatic adjustment the MXT makes to compensate for mineralization
is
not just a simple reduction of gain, but the net result of ground
balancing
to hunt in highly mineralized soil is reduced sensitivity. Reduced
sensitivity means reduced target detection depth. The MXT (and all
other VLF
type detectors) will detect much deeper in dry sand that reads 40 on
the MXT
ground scale than it will in soil that reads in the low 80s. There are
a
number of factors that affect target detection depth, including soil
density, soil moisture, salt content, and others. Soil mineralization
is
just one of these, but it is one that is common, and does have a
significant
effect. Here in the Reno, Nevada area, soils typically vary from the
high
70s to low 80s.
16) My MXT wont get as much depth as others claim for it. Why?
This is actually a very complex question, as lots of factors can
negatively
affect detector depth. Iron mineralization in the soil is one of the
most
common, but soil moisture, soil salt content, soil density, and nearby
power
transmission lines can also affect depth. The settings on your detector
and
the strength of your batteries can also effect your depth of detection.
The
deepest depths are usually obtained in dry, non-mineralized sand (or
with
air tests - no soil at all!). To get the greatest depth, generally the
gain
must be at its highest setting, +3. The prospect mode of the MXT
actually
gets just a bit more depth than the other two operating modes. In all
modes,
deep signals are weaker and can take some experience to recognize. The
bottom line is that many of the factors that determine depth, like
mineralization, cannot be easily changed - they are characteristics of
the
site you are hunting. Learn to use your detector to the best of its
capability, and you will get the best depth possible at that site with
that
equipment.
17) Sometimes I find "ghost" targets that disappear when I dig them.
Why?
Luckily, ghost signals that are repeatable in more than one direction
are
not that common. So one good way to eliminate a lot of them is to test
weak
signals from more than one direction in an X pattern. This can
eliminate a
lot of unnecessary digging. Even so, ghost targets still occur once in
a
while. Because of its high gain, the MXT may be a bit more susceptible
to
these ghost targets than most detectors. Groups of a few small iron
bits
close together can sometimes cause these - when dug, the group is
separated
and the apparent target disappears. Tree roots with higher salt content
than
the soil can show up as good targets that are not really there as well.
18) My MXT seems a lot noisier than other detectors I have owned. Why
is
this?
There are very few complaints about the MXT, but one of the few that is
regularly heard from new users is that the unit is too noisy,
chattering and
chirping on tiny bits of hot rock, foil and soil iron. These comments
are
often heard from folks with experience on lower gain coin machines.
These
folks would strongly prefer a detector that is just silent until an
acceptable target is found. This situation is most often noted in
strongly
mineralized ground. Most of the MXT's ability to get deep items or
small
gold nuggets is due to its higher than normal gain (and the circuitry
to
handle that higher gain). This higher gain, the fact it does not
average
passes over targets, the greater operating kHz of the MXT, plus some
other
features of the detector, do make it more chattery than most. Dave
Johnson,
the design engineer for the MXT (and a very talented one) spells out
why the
MXT makes more noise than most detectors in his engineering report. In
the
simplest terms, the increased noise of the MXT is the trade off for the
increased sensitivity, both to small targets (nuggets) or deep targets
(old
coins). However, because the MXT is sensitive to small or deep good
targets,
it is also sensitive to small hot rocks and bits of trash. Luckily,
even in
very highly mineralized soil, I have found that with the right
adjustments,
I can get used to the chatter and pick out the coins, other good
targets,
etc. The two tone feature of the relic mode also works real well for
this
type of situation. The relic mode is best used in these situations by
setting the discrimination at just a hair under 4 (or higher where
appropriate) and pushing the handle trigger forward. This makes the low
(iron) sounds go away, the general noise becomes a medium tone (same as
the
normal tone in coin mode), and the good targets are the high tone. this
makes it easy to ignore the medium tones and focus on the highs. It
definitely takes some time and practice, but one can get used to it.
There
are also some other techniques that can help reduce the noise, though
none
are a perfect answer. Locking the ground balance over clean soil can
help,
especially in areas where a large amount of man made iron trash is
present,
such as at ghost town sites. Use earphones with adjustable sound
settings,
and turn them down until its not painfully loud when pinpointing over a
near
surface target. Using double D coils rather than the standard 950
concentric
also helps quite a bit as the DD design is less sensitive to soil
mineralization as a whole. Unfortunately, the DD coils are also a
compromise
as they get slightly less depth than the 950 concentric coil. The
threshold
sound level can be turned down a bit below the edge of hearing, and
this
helps a small amount, but the real problem with noise is in the gain.
Although turning down the gain will cut down the noise significantly,
it
will also significantly reduce depth and sensitivity. In order to get
those
deep coins others have missed, or to pick up those small nuggets, the
gain
needs to be up at +2 or +3. So to get the full performance from the MXT
one
needs to learn to get used to the chatter and learn to pick out those
good
targets from the background noise. With practice and a little tweaking,
one
can find the best balance of coil and other adjustments to make the
targets
as distinct as possible from the background chatter. The goal is to get
the
target response that is easy to distinguish from background noise. This
means that sometimes, a little less gain can actually give a better
response, as the soil noise will not obscure the weaker target
responses.
You have to test to see what works best at a particular site.
For a new user, I'd turn the gain down to about 8, and discrimination
up to
about 6 for a while when you are first learning the unit. That makes a
huge
effect to reduce the noise, and you'll still have no problem getting
coins
within 5 inches of the surface. After you get a little more practice,
you
can turn the gain up and disc. down to get the full performance from
the
MXT.
19) What is the best operating mode to choose when using the MXT?
There really is no one best mode for the MXT. They are 3 completely
different programs, and the three modes are there to give you premade
programs for a wide variety of conditions. The MXT performs quite
differently in each mode. The prospect mode goes a hair deeper, but is
the
least stable toward ground noise or iron junk, so it is the worst
choice for
working trashy areas like parks. The prospect mode has an iron ID
feature,
but does not have a true discrimination setting . In Prospect, iron
trash is
dealt with using the iron grunt tone and the interpretation of the
screen
output by the operator (only the Relic and Coin modes have a true disc.
setting). The Relic mode (dual tone mode) is next deepest, and is
preferred
by some in the because of its two tone ID. The coin mode sees targets a
hair
less deep than the other two modes in air tests, but it is also the
most
stable mode.
It is not always necessary to hunt in what would seem to be the "right"
mode
for that application. Some folks like to prospect in the Relic mode
where
there is lots of trash with the nuggets. I've heard of folks who beach
hunt
in prospect mode to get a slight increase in depth. The best choice
depends
on the application and your personal preference. Here's my opinion on
some
possibilities in different applications: I think the coin / jewelry
mode is
best in areas like open fields without large amounts of trash. The
relic
mode is best for high trash areas, like old parks or ghostowns, it
works
well there with the alternate mode, trigger forward to disc out the
iron
trash. Prospect mode is best for nugget shooting . Prospecting is the
most
sensitive mode (though only slightly) and, as noted, is best where
there is
not too much iron junk or other trash, because of its lack of a
discrimination mode.
20) I've found loads of modern coins, what do I need to do to find
older
coinage like silver or wheat cents?
This is a tough question, and is not so much directly an issue of the
MXT,
it affects all detectors. Metal detectors have been around and in use
for a
lot of years and just about all the well known, older sites have been
hit,
most have been worked pretty hard. I once found a mercury dime one inch
deep
in a well known local park, but there was iron all around it which
probably
kept it safe in the ground all those years as other folks thought it
was
junk. Even that find though, is unusual. These days most older coins
are
fond in one of two types of locations: 1) deep, hard to hear or locate
coins
at popular locations; 2) Obscure little known sites that have never
been
worked. Lets address these two types of locations individually:
1) Deep, hard to hear or locate coins at popular locations -
Any detectorist who has been spending much time with his unit knows
that the
local parks and schools have all been worked pretty hard. Even at sites
that
have been in use for many decades, very rarely will one find older
coins
near the surface. The near surface older coins have already been
recovered
and additional old coins don't get put out to replace them. However,
some of
the oldest coins have had a chance to sink deep into the soil. These
may
have been passed over by less powerful, older detectors. Because of its
high
gain, the MXT is capable of detecting deep coins that some other
detectors
have missed. Some detector operators even say deep coins have their own
special sound. Keep a close eye out for weak, but repeatable sounds.
Take a
special interest in targets the MXT says are deep. This is especially
true
with repeatable targets where the MXT is unable to give a depth or ID
indication. The MXT will detect targets that are deeper than the MXT's
ID
system will work (this is true for all discrimination type VLF
detectors),
so those repeatable but "no ID" targets may be the oldest, deepest
ones. The
ability to hear, recognize and find deeply buried coins is skill that
can be
developed with practice, and the MXT is a good detector for this use.
You'll
need to keep the gain as high as practical for that area, so see the
comments above about keeping the MXT stable with increased gain.
2) Obscure little known sites that have never been worked -
Finding old coins at sites not worked before may not be too difficult
(if
the coins are shallow) but if deep, you may need your deep coin
detection
skills anyway. The tough part is locating the sites. Finding these
sites
usually requires research, or at least some good luck. Even with
research,
you will find that many sites which are seemingly forgotten have been
already been worked, but occasionally one can find an old place that
has not
been worked before. In my opinion, you have to keep trying and be
determined
to locate these sites. Eventually your dedication will pay off. If you
have
access to private property older parts of the country, these can be
especially rewarding, as they are less likely to have been worked by
others.
Examples might include Granda Joe's old farm, or that lot an old friend
owns
where they tore the church down so many years ago. Demolition sites can
be
productive too - where old buildings covered sites since before the
first
commercial metal detectors. There are a number of well written books
with
suggestions about finding these types of sites. Make use of friends and
family contacts and do some research. If you are lucky enough to find
them,
these are the types of places where one can really score a big number
of
valuable, older coins, because no one has been there before you.
21) What should the gain setting be when detecting for gold?
One of the main keys to detecting small gold with the MXT is cranking
up the
gain to the +3 MAX. Having the 6 inch DD is also very worthwhile, both
from
the stand point that with its small size it is more sensitive to small
gold,
but also that it allows higher gain settings than the 950 coil under
mineralized conditions. It is also less susceptible to changes in soil
mineralization than the 950 standard coil. In doing some tests in my
yard, I
found I could barely detect a 0.5 grain flake with the 950 coil at a
gain of
+1 (with the flake is right on the surface about 1/2 inch below the
coil) -
the signal was there but was so weak that in the field, honestly I
probably
would have ignored it, or not been able to distinguish it from hot rock
/
background noise. A gain setting of +3 gave a much better response. The
6
inch DD gave a better response to the 0.5 grain nugget at all gain
settings.
At times, high and variable mineralization may make it necessary to
reduce
the gain, but when that happens, sensitivity to small gold will be
reduced.
22) What does the iron probability reading in prospecting mode really
mean?
When using the prospecting mode, probably anything that does not make
the
"grunt" sound (80% iron probability) should be dug. The target ID on
the
MXT is excellent, however it is not perfect. The ID does not work as
deep as
the detector will detect. In high iron soil areas, it is possible for
small
nuggets near the edge of their detection limit to score as high as 70%
iron
probability. In my experience, most junk iron gives a reliable signal
with
the special "grunt" sound. However, it you are looking for meteorites,
the
"grunt" noise may indicate a meteor. Use of a magnet to collect surface
iron
is also helpful. On the other hand, many small nuggets below about 2
grains
weight do not give any ID indication. Tiny bits of iron or lead can
also
fail to give a VDI or probability response. Repeatable targets which do
not
give any ID should be investigated. if passing a magnet over the
surface
does not cause the target to go away by picking up any iron or small
hotrocks, the target needs to be dug. The ID will not detect to the
deepest
and smallest of targets. The key is that if the target is repeatable,
the
magnet does not remove it, and does not seem to move around as the coil
is
passed over it, it probably is not iron (it is most likely lead or
gold).
The iron ID in the prospecting mode should probably be interpreted as
follows:
10 to 30% iron probability - The MXT is reasonably sure the target is
not
iron, dig these for sure.
40 to 60% iron probability - the MXT just can't tell - you will need to
dig
these targets or you will loose gold.
70% iron probability - in low mineral areas, you may not need to dig
these,
in high mineral, dig - use a test nugget to see
80 to 90% iron probability - The MXT is reasonably sure the target is
iron
and probably can be ignored
When you are testing a target, be sure you the coil is centered right
over
it. You may get inaccurate iron probability readings if the coil is not
properly centered. This could cause you to loose nuggets.
It also makes sense to use of a test nugget to see how the MXT responds
in a
particular area highly desirable. Bury a test nugget of about 2 grains
size
about an inch deep at the site you are testing, and see what the
response
is. In order to be sure you do not loose the nugget, most people will
glue
the test nugget to some small plastic piece like a plastic poker chip.
Some
detector owners have a full set of test nuggets of various sizes that
they
use.
23) What does the VDI reading in prospecting mode really mean?
The VDI reading is a separate reading from the iron probability output.
It
is also different from the audio output. The nuggetshooter working with
the
MXT needs to learn to use all 3 pieces of information.
For small nuggets, many give no VDI reading at all - their signal
response
is so small, the MXT cannot do the analysis needed to calculate a VDI
reading. The manual says that small gold nuggets may give a VDI from
-20 to
+40. Large nuggets may give VDI readings from 40 to 80. Items above 80
on
the VDI scale are unlikely to be gold, but still may be well worth
digging
(hey, even prospectors drop coins once in a while).
24) What is the best coil sweep speed for coins and what is the right
speed
when hunting gold?
The MXT is not as sensitive as many detectors to the coil sweep speed -
which is very beneficial to new users as this is a critical item for
many
other detectors, but is simply not much of a big deal for the MXT (with
one
exception - gold nuggets). Because of its quick target response, it
works
just fine for coinshooting or relic hunting at a wide variety of coil
movement speeds. As a result, many folks learn to work their MXT
quickly
through parks and schools, as it tends to increase their finds.
However,
this does not hold true when prospecting for gold - this is a case
where one
needs to go slow or nuggets will be missed - especially the smaller
ones.
Slowing down a bit can also help find the deepest coins near the limit
of
the detectors ability.
25) Can the VCO pinpoint mode be used to pinpoint gold nuggets?
The VCO pinpoint available by pulling the trigger in coinshooting or
relic
modes can be used to pinpoint if the gold nugget is large enough. It
doesn't
have to be huge, but nuggets below about 1.5 to 2 grains don't respond
well
to the VCO pinpoint. Excessive iron in the ground can also cause
problems,
but it sometimes it can be possible to pick out a target even through
this
type of condition. It is far easier to pinpoint in VCO mode than the
regular
prospecting mode, and it is easy to flip from one mode to the other and
back
again, so its worth giving it a try.
26) Can the Relic mode be used to hunt gold nuggets?
Some folks do prospect with the MXT in relic mode as the two tone
system is
easy to use. You do loose a slight amount of depth, and/or slight
sensitivity to small nuggets, but the loss seems to me pretty slight.
Getting an ID for iron is fairly reliable in relic mode, but the VDI
does
not tell any difference between lead or gold - in spite of what the
possible
target ID might be saying. You can get gold nuggets with the same VDI
numbers as you might for lead shot, bullet casings or bullets. The
smallest
and deepest gold will not produce any VDI score at all (as the max
detectable depth is slightly deeper than the depth the ID system will
work).
It is my opinion that relic mode might be better for prospecting when
you
are in an area with a very high amount of iron trash, where the ability
to
actually discriminate out iron would be needed. When using
discrimination
while prospecting always be sure to set the amount of discrimination
very
low, or small nuggets can be accidentally eliminated.
One of the things you can do to try to get the best of all worlds is to
switch modes. One can hunt in prospect, then when an interesting target
is
found, switch modes and see what the other modes say about the target
before
digging. The coin/jewelry and Relic modes also offer VCO pinpointing
which
is handy if your nugget is large enough to respond to the VCO mode.
27) What about rechargeable batteries?
Although Whites offers a self-contained rechargeable battery system for
the
MXT, I have been using NiMH batteries since I got my MXT and they work
just
fine. I get about 20 hours of operation per charge. If you only use
your
detector once in a while, its probably not worth it to buy the
rechargeable,
but if you use it at least 5 or 6 hours per week on average, its worth
it to
get them. If you use your detector often enough, the rechargeable will
save
you a fair amount of money.
28) I was running my MXT and the screen suddenly went completely blank.
What
should I do?
A small percentage of MXTs seem to have this problem once in a while. I
had
this problem intermittently with my MXT, however, after doing it about
25
times over a month or so, it stopped. I never sent it in, and I have
not had
it happen even once in the months since, though I have used it
regularly. It
appears to be a contact/connection problem which can be cured by
re-seating
some of the ICs. If it gets bad enough to be worth sending in, it can
be
easily fixed by Whites. Otherwise, if it only happens once in a great
while,
just turn it off and turn it on again - re-booting the computer system
cures
the problem.
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