1st Hunting Day With the Explorer II - PHOTO 11/12/07

[Ricardo_NY1]

Quickly reading through the posts, It appears you no longer have the Explorer. Fairly new to the Explorer, I would've upped the gain from the default 5 to at least 7 and turned deep on.

 

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[Michigan Badger]

Quickly reading through the posts, It appears you no longer have the Explorer. Fairly new to the Explorer, I would've upped the gain from the default 5 to at least 7 and turned deep on.

All those settings were tried.

 

[Ricardo_NY1]

Quickly reading through the posts, It appears you no longer have the Explorer. Fairly new to the Explorer, I would've upped the gain from the default 5 to at least 7 and turned deep on.

All those settings were tried.

I hear ya buddy, I did manage to read the other posts. Perhaps the fact that you were already using a pretty powerful unit (GT) had some influence in your decision. For me it was the other way around, I was impressed at the gain in power I saw, but that was upgrading from an ACE 250. I'll tell you, it took me a few weeks to truly come to terms with the Explorer and accept it. It frustrated me many times. After a few months I became more proficient and ultimately realized I was finding a whole lot more. Now if I had already owned a Quattro or good coin shooting Tesoro, I don't know what my final decision would've been.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Now if I had already owned a Quattro or good coin shooting Tesoro, I don't know what my final decision would've been.

If your Explorer would have been like mine you would be back to the Ace. I think any good 250 could have easily kicked it.

Like I wrote above, I'm now very sure it was defective. It probably got that way in shipping. I've heard that the Explorers don't like to be dropped and the postal system today majors in drops.

I'd say when buying an Explorer one should get it new from a reputable dealer who will back it up. Buying used off warranty is extremely risky with the Explorer. One is taking a big chance unless one can buy it so cheap that one could afford the repair bills.

The only other possibility is my Ex.II was a lemon from the get go. I do know the coil was replaced.

But beyond all of this, I didn't like the tone signals on the Explorer as well as those of the GT. I think the GT is much clearer. And too, I like the balance of the GT much better. I've never been too great on meters either.

Also, I'm glad I bought the Explorer because I've always wanted to try one and now I know they're not for me. I should do even better now with my GT this coming spring without wondering if something else is better out there.

Badger

 

[Ricardo_NY1]

Now if I had already owned a Quattro or good coin shooting Tesoro, I don't know what my final decision would've been.

If your Explorer would have been like mine you would be back to the Ace. I think any good 250 could have easily kicked it.

It's possible the machine was a lemon, in which case the Explorer deserves a second chance! You're right, it is a risk buying something that expensive used because getting stuck with a defective unit means big repair bills if it is out of warranty. I purchased mine used off Ebay and I guess so far I've been lucky in that it works.

 

[Michigan Badger]

It's possible the machine was a lemon, in which case the Explorer deserves a second chance!

One thing that really makes me wonder is it air tested so well. Even in QuickStart with auto sensitivity it would blast off on a quarter at 12 inches. If I put it into manual mode with sensitivity of 20-25 it would hit a quarter at about 14 inches air test.

These air tests are similar to the Tejon.

But why couldn't it penetrate the ground?

One thing I should add is I can pinpoint perfectly with a DD coil. I almost never over-dig a target. I find myself wondering if the great depth of the Explorer is really a myth.

 

[teverly]

For once i agree with iron patch.
It must have been a bad machine....i have all 3 explorer models and they will go deep.

 

[mastereagle22]

Hey MB

Sorry you had such bad luck. One thing that really irks me about the EX II is that I have dug six inches only to find a zinc penny! Nothing worse than that, ok so maybe there are SOME things worse than that.

As for the noises it took me two WEEKS to get used to them not TWO DAYS!!! Man you aren't very patient are you?

I can say even when my machine is acting up I still dig deep signals. I found a little decorative night's head about the size of a dime not too long ago and it was 6-7 inches deep. You must have had a bad one. I feel sorry for your luck but I am happy you won't be finding the deep stuff so I can have a shot at it!!!!!

 

[Iron Patch]

For once i agree with iron patch.
It must have been a bad machine....i have all 3 explorer models and they will go deep.

For once you might be right.

 

[mastereagle22]

For once i agree with iron patch.
It must have been a bad machine....i have all 3 explorer models and they will go deep.

For once you might be right.

No for once you might be.

 

[JW]

Forget the numerical display, if a coin is on edge it will not ring up the same as flat to the coil...

Oh, there is only one pinpoint mode and the sensitivity level in pinpoint mode is fixed, turn the SENS down to 1 test a coin, you should get no signal, now switch to pinpoint keeping the SENS at 1, suddenly the coin is there...!

What SENS level are you hunting in, at 25 you should have no problem reading a dime at 8+ inches (in-ground testing)... You may have a bad coil if your not hearing deep targets...

Gain should be around 6-7, DEEP on, FAST off... if it isn't too trashy.

Master Eagle, why with an Explorer, isn't it a pain with all brands of machines...!

Check this out.... http://www.nuggethunting.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=4156

HH

JW

 

[Iron Patch]

For once i agree with iron patch.
It must have been a bad machine....i have all 3 explorer models and they will go deep.

For once you might be right.

No for once you might be.

and who might you be?

 

[hollowpointred]

well, I'm gonna have to agree with Ironpatch as well. i also switched from the GTI and even in the factory settings the SE was smoking the Garrett in depth. I'm pretty sure the one you used must have been a dud badge. maybe that's why it was such a good deal? i guess we will never know. i do know that not all detectors are created equal, even the same make and model. some machines are just better than others. at any rate, at least you have found the machine that really speaks to you. that in itself is an accomplishment!

 

[mastereagle22]

For once i agree with iron patch.
It must have been a bad machine....i have all 3 explorer models and they will go deep.

For once you might be right.

No for once you might be.

and who might you be?

I'm just picking on you. I read your posts all the time and you never even think that someone else might be right on any of their points. Now before you get mad at me finish reading this. That isn't a bad thing because I REALLY need someone who knows the Explorer to help me figure out my machine's issues. You seem to know what you are talking about based on what you have posted. And I did send mine into Minelab because it had something really wrong with it. So please don't get upset with me cause as I said I am just picking on you.

 

[Iron Patch]

Don't worry too much mastereagle22, nothing that happens on the forums affects my detecting which is all that counts. A fella has to amuse himself some way when he is not digging goodies.

If I was wrong on anything I said I wouldn't have posted it. If people want to believe Explorers crap out at half power they are well within their right to defend that position. They're just wrong.

Here are my finds from yesterday. They were just a bit short of my buddy who swings a GTI and dug a 12 lb cannon ball. He said he near didn't dig the sound so I'll take a moral victory as I would have dug that 100 out of a 100 times. Ain't no mistaken a cannon ball on my detector. After I seen the ball I thought iron relics and dug the axe a minute later. Next week we'll be back so i'll get another chance.

 

[mastereagle22]

Nope I agree 100% that is why mine went in for service. I just wasn't buying 4 maybe 6 hours on a set of batteries if I was lucky. Just not right in my opinion.

I can tell you the reason why I'm not diggin goodies as you put it, it's because I suck when it comes to using the Explorer! No other reason. The machine is a fantastic detector I am just not any good at figuring out what a burried coin is like in amongst trash. The main problem we have here in my area is that there is a solid layer of OLD trash. Old square nails and the like in among the good stuff and I just haven't figured out how to catch those signals. I got to where I was digging everything except high iron targets and I was getting better until my machine went into the ICU. I have had NO depth problems at all finding targets anywhere from surface to 10-12 inches deep routinely.

And if you have read any of my other posts here you would know that I don't take things too seriously. That's the way I roll. I just like to "try" and be funny. Some people get others don't. Simple as that.

 

[teverly]

Don't worry too much mastereagle22, nothing that happens on the forums affects my detecting which is all that counts. A fella has to amuse himself some way when he is not digging goodies.

If I was wrong on anything I said I wouldn't have posted it. If people want to believe Explorers crap out at half power they are well within their right to defend that position. There just wrong.

Here are my finds from yesterday. They were just a bit short of my buddy who swings a GTI and dug a 12 lb cannon ball. He said he near didn't dig the sound so I'll take a moral victory as I would have dug that 100 out of a 100 times. Ain't no mistaken a cannon ball on my detector. After I seen the ball I thought iron relics and dug the axe a minute later. Next week we'll be back so i'll get another chance.

All hail mr know it all...

 

[Michigan Badger]

Here are my finds from yesterday.

WOW! I dug a memorial cent last week

I've always envied youse guys down south. Must be nice.

I see those types of finds but mine come to via ebay.

Badger

 

[muleskinner]

I won't join in on any of the rhetoric.
It does strike me odd that Badger had such a hard time with an EX, after using the Sov. They both require a slow swing speed. I mean the guy knows his stuff.
Badge, I think they sold you a stinker. So if you spend the rest of your quality time swinging the Sov, how much do you thick your going to miss?
With all the hype of the EX, and all the new models that Minelab offers, is there any wonder why the new Sov's still sell for 700 bucks without a meter? Maybe they're just that good.

 

[Michigan Badger]

I won't join in on any of the rhetoric.
It does strike me odd that Badger had such a hard time with an EX, after using the Sov. They both require a slow swing speed. I mean the guy knows his stuff.
Badge, I think they sold you a stinker. So if you spend the rest of your quality time swinging the Sov, how much do you thick your going to miss?
With all the hype of the EX, and all the new models that Minelab offers, is there any wonder why the new Sov's still sell for 700 bucks without a meter? Maybe they're just that good.

Yes, the Sovereign is very good and it's selling extremely well right now. In fact, some dealers are sold out.

The Sovereign GT is very easy to learn. I didn't even read the entire manual and within an hour I was digging super deep items with it.

Badger