Calling on Explorer gurus

[Corpsegrinder]

Calling on Explorer guru's

But I recently bought an Explorer SE about 5 months ago or so from Kellyco... It’s been at minelab for 2 months of that time waiting on service. Reason?

Well I made a test bed consisting of a Morgan Silver dollar, walking half and so on down the line... and left them in the ground for 3 months before I sent my detector in.

My explorer on factory settings actually discriminates the silver dollar and all the other silver at 4 inches... but works fine on air test...

Minelab says they couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Although it took 2 months for them to even check it out...

What do you think causes this?

I would just like to know if this is normal because the silver hasn’t been in the ground for 50+ years but to me it feels like I am missing silver. And when I am out in the field all I find is new money... just regular pocket change... while my dad goes over the same spots with his cortes and he is finding silver and early wheats.. Doesn’t make any sense...

 

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[Eu_citzen]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Have you tried lowering your discrimination?

Else there might be iron close by or other trash.

That's the simplest solution I can think of...

 

[mastereagle22]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Settings are crucial in this situation.

Did you make sure your test bed was "clean" prior to setting it up? What mode are you running in? What is your gain, are you in ferrous or conduct settings? What is your sens set at? What is your recovery set at? Are you using normal tones or a preset pattern? Are you in factory default mode or have you made setting changes?

Can you provide this information? It will those that KNOW way more than I do about the machine help you out a little better.

I know that I would NOT give up my Explorer for any amount of money (ok I lied I would to get enough to buy an SE PRO or E-Trac). But the Explorer is a good machine and should out perform the Cortes ( although the Cortes is a GREAT machine)

 

[Corpsegrinder]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Settings are crucial in this situation.

Did you make sure your test bed was "clean" prior to setting it up? What mode are you running in? What is your gain, are you in ferrous or conduct settings? What is your sens set at? What is your recovery set at? Are you using normal tones or a preset pattern? Are you in factory default mode or have you made setting changes?

Can you provide this information? It will those that KNOW way more than I do about the machine help you out a little better.

I know that I would NOT give up my Explorer for any amount of money (OK I lied I would to get enough to buy an SE PRO or Track). But the Explorer is a good machine and should out perform the Cortes ( although the Cortes is a GREAT machine)

Hey MasterEagle.. OK here we go...

Actually though when i was on the phone with minelab the SE and SE pro is the same machine. Because i was asking about that coil.. since the factory 10 inch sucks for pinpointing.. and Dick at Minelab said that the 11dd coil is much better.. but its still an SE machine..

but as for your questions.. My settings are factory 100 percent.. i didn't change anything and i did checked the area with my old silver sabre before digging.. So i have no idea why in factory mode it would descrim against silver..

but here is something i tried.. in the settings on factory mode only the coins is checked and all others are blank. if you x the coins so it would reverse its spectrum. it actually picks up the silver. but goes haywire everywhere else.. Maybe its some weird electrical thing for the powerlines that are by the road... i don't know..

 

[mastereagle22]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

I will tell you the way I hunt and I like it. I haven't found as many silver coins as Captn_SE but I have found over 65 in the last year and for this area that is a good amount. I have also found close to 100 wheats, again a good number for around here.

I usually will use Ferrous Tones, sens between 20-24 (whatever is stable) threshold at 8, iron mask of -12, gain at 7-8, variability Max, I turn auto sens off and I use the smart find screen ( I use an EX II so your setting will be slightly different). Try something like this and see how it works.

If you hold down the power switch and do the Factory Reset and make no other changes does your machine see the silver coins? How deep are they?

You also mentioned Electric lines, I have found that they effect the Explorer quite a bit. If you get in an area where you get a lot of chatter hit the Noise Cancellation button and see if that helps.

I would also ask for the Help of Captn_SE and Iron Patch. (I know there are others but these are the two that come to mind). They are very know ledgable about the Explorer, far more than I am.

 

[dewcon4414]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

since it air tested ok id try LEARN on a med pattern, maybe in the soil its falling below you disc setting. I have an SE and those things come in clear as a bell at 10". Have you tried swithing to IM and seeing if it picks it up in factory setting? Like i said id learn the coin... because there is no way you should miss any coin at 4" with the SE even if its got iron on top of it. There is no settings i could change except disc that would make my SE miss that coin.

 

[Captn SE]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

My explorer on factory settings actually discriminates the silver dollar and all the other silver at 4 inches... but works fine on air test...

That one sentence tells me it sounds like you're machine is nulling over iron in your testbed. When you swing over your testbed coins, do you lose your threshold tone? You're probably hearing nothing, which means there's iron around your coins. The factory discriminate setting on the SE has a very high amount of iron masking. If you were to reduce your iron mask(go into iron mask mode and set your IM to 25 or 27), you'd probably get good repeatable signals on all your coins in the ground if you didn't bury your coins over a large iron pipe.

if you x the coins so it would reverse its spectrum. it actually picks up the silver. but goes haywire everywhere else..

This statement is very confusing to me...."x" ing the "coins" selection in the "Select" area would reject all coin targets, including silver. You cannot pic up silver coins in this mode, but you can certainly pic up all kinds of iron if the left side of your SmartScreen is clear (not rejected). You were probably hearing all iron tones in the ground in this mode...iron sounds nice and high like a silver coin in Conductive mode if you don't reject it.

Too bad you couldn't have some experienced Explorer hunter take a look at your machine before you had to bring it in to get serviced. I know it sucks having to wait like you are. In addition, Minelab may just tell you there's really nothing wrong with your machine.

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

First rule out your soil. Dig up some dirt and do some testing well above ground to see if the dirt hides the targets.

It is possible to have a Minelab that airtests well but does not work as it should in real conditions. I know that because I had one.

 

[mastereagle22]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Ok now we are in Business the real experts have arrived!!! You're going to get some good advice now Corps. Listen to these guys they KNOW the Explorer and both have helped me out tremendously!

 

[Corpsegrinder]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

My explorer on factory settings actually discriminates the silver dollar and all the other silver at 4 inches... but works fine on air test...

That one sentence tells me it sounds like you're machine is nulling over iron in your testbed. When you swing over your testbed coins, do you lose your threshold tone? You're probably hearing nothing, which means there's iron around your coins. The factory discriminate setting on the SE has a very high amount of iron masking. If you were to reduce your iron mask(go into iron mask mode and set your IM to 25 or 27), you'd probably get good repeatable signals on all your coins in the ground if you didn't bury your coins over a large iron pipe.

if you x the coins so it would reverse its spectrum. it actually picks up the silver. but goes haywire everywhere else..

This statement is very confusing to me...."x" ing the "coins" selection in the "Select" area would reject all coin targets, including silver. You cannot pic up silver coins in this mode, but you can certainly pic up all kinds of iron if the left side of your SmartScreen is clear (not rejected). You were probably hearing all iron tones in the ground in this mode...iron sounds nice and high like a silver coin in Conductive mode if you don't reject it.

Too bad you couldn't have some experienced Explorer hunter take a look at your machine before you had to bring it in to get serviced. I know it sucks having to wait like you are. In addition, Minelab may just tell you there's really nothing wrong with your machine.

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan

Hmm. I think i will dig up my silver dollar and test the area again.. i checked it with my old tesoro before i put them in the ground. but thats not saying much considering its a silver sabre and goin on 17 yrs old i think.!! LOL.. been a GREAT machine though.. Found plenty with it..

If it still does it. next best thing i can think of is to post a video for you guys.. that way you can see what i see.. and what its doing..

Thanks again and will be in touch!

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

My explorer on factory settings actually discriminates the silver dollar and all the other silver at 4 inches... but works fine on air test...

That one sentence tells me it sounds like you're machine is nulling over iron in your testbed. When you swing over your testbed coins, do you lose your threshold tone? You're probably hearing nothing, which means there's iron around your coins. The factory discriminate setting on the SE has a very high amount of iron masking. If you were to reduce your iron mask(go into iron mask mode and set your IM to 25 or 27), you'd probably get good repeatable signals on all your coins in the ground if you didn't bury your coins over a large iron pipe.

if you x the coins so it would reverse its spectrum. it actually picks up the silver. but goes haywire everywhere else..

This statement is very confusing to me...."x" ing the "coins" selection in the "Select" area would reject all coin targets, including silver. You cannot pic up silver coins in this mode, but you can certainly pic up all kinds of iron if the left side of your SmartScreen is clear (not rejected). You were probably hearing all iron tones in the ground in this mode...iron sounds nice and high like a silver coin in Conductive mode if you don't reject it.

Too bad you couldn't have some experienced Explorer hunter take a look at your machine before you had to bring it in to get serviced. I know it sucks having to wait like you are. In addition, Minelab may just tell you there's really nothing wrong with your machine.

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan

Hmm. I think i will dig up my silver dollar and test the area again.. i checked it with my old tesoro before i put them in the ground. but thats not saying much considering its a silver sabre and goin on 17 yrs old i think.!! LOL.. been a GREAT machine though.. Found plenty with it..

If it still does it. next best thing i can think of is to post a video for you guys.. that way you can see what i see.. and what its doing..

Thanks again and will be in touch!

I didn't read through the posts but you did try a factory restart several times? How about the battery indicator, working fine? Any other signs at all of a problem besides just not detecting targets? Is it all targets or just some? Does changing the disc. or sense help? Did you try another coil. I think I could keep typing for ten minutes.

 

[Don in SJ]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Gee, not even sure what "factory" settings are anymore, but I would try the Iron Mask mode, with little or no discrimination and never look back..............

If you want the settings I have used on the original Explorer I can PM them, not sure if SE is the same in the numbering, but been using the original XS, same detector since December 2000, and no problems with its operation, other than going through a couple coils from my hard hunting I do in the woods.......

Don

 

[Iron Patch]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Gee, not even sure what "factory" settings are anymore, but I would try the Iron Mask mode, with little or no discrimination and never look back..............

If you want the settings I have used on the original Explorer I can PM them, not sure if SE is the same in the numbering, but been using the original XS, same detector since December 2000, and no problems with its operation, other than going through a couple coils from my hard hunting I do in the woods.......

Don

Don, I think the SE is basically the same Explorer just dressed in black. When Romeo was here about a year ago I put my same settings (adjusted to the SE numbers) and used it just like a ploder 1 or 2. I think the problem above might be more than just user error, you have to try pretty hard to miss few inch coins with an explorer.

PS... Will be keeping the keyboard warm now. Detecting did open up a little but with the snow today I think it's really done now.

 

[Corpsegrinder]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Thanks guys.. I should get it back in a few days.. they shipped it to me.. Dick was pretty nice about putting mine ahead since its been there 2 months.. but Sorry about the weather iron patch.. Its cloudy and 68 here! In fact we have not seen snow here since 2001!

 

[neilo]

Re: Calling on Explorer guru's

Set machine in standard coin pattern. Run in manual mode not in auto sensitivity, turn your sensitivity down to around 8, at this setting the machine should pick up a silver coin easily at 6 inches. If the ground is highly mineralised running sensitivity in higher settings will make the machine blank out as the coil is flooded by false signals. People make the mistake of using excess power when using the Explorer, higher sensitivity does not always increase depth in fact sometimes it reduces it and can make false signals which blank out good targets. You should also be aware that the Explorer has a slow recovery rate. If the machine blanks out a discriminated item it will also blank out a nearby good target whilst in this mode. Turn on the Fast recovery this shortens the blank out time and allows nearby good targets to be heard. good hunting seeya Neilo