Howdy Pardner!
My first machine was/is a White's XLT. After about 9 months, I bought the MXT 300.
In the time I had that machine, I found enough gold that I was able to sell it for a
total of $1,682 and used that money to buy a brand new V3 machine that has now
been upgraded to the V3i.
Ergo, by virtue of a great deal of success, I think I can speak on experience about
this being a terrific machine. But before you enjoy success, you must learn what she
is saying to you when she's talking. In order to accomplish this most effectively, and
most rapidly, I'd recommend you seek out playgrounds covered with wood chips. The
reason is because targets are many, and easily recovered, so you don't waste a ton of
time in the learning process.
My settings are always in Coin and Jewelry mode. My RX gain is turned up to 9/9.5
range when I turn on the machine. I keep the discrimination at 2.5 and the threshold
just enough so I can hear the hum without having it being annoying. It is also important
to have good quality headphones with an impedence around 100 ohms. After all, if you
don't hear your targets, you ain't gonna recover your targets.
Now, going to a tot lot as described above, start hunting. I also highly recommend the
6x10 coil for this machine as it seems to be the ultimate coil for it.
Soon enough, you'll get a hit on a signal. A coin will give a solid hit, and the sound will
be repeatable with every swing. The next thing you should do is check out the VDI
numbers.
A nickel will invariably hit between 20/21 on your VDI. Anything from 22 to around 36
is likely to be a pulltab, zipper pull, or the eraser capsule from a pencil! Still, I'll check
them to be certain.
A dime will hit around 75 VDI.
A quarter will almost always be found around 83 to 85 VDI. A flattened out bottle cap
can mimick a quarter, but always check to be certain.
Foil will range from 0 VDI to up around 16. But don't just take for granted that the target
is foil, because gold hides in the foil range. That's true of any machine, really. Check the
target, which is going to be real easy on a wood chip covered tot lot. I have found almost
every piece of gold jewelry between 0 to 10 VDI. Yesterday evening, for example, I found
a 10k gold ring that came in at between 8 and 9 VDI. It twitched between those two
numbers.
Since checking your targets is so real easy on a tot lot, you'll quickly learn to associate
the sounds of the machine with the targets you find. That association between sound
and target is complimented by your learning what the VDI numbers are telling you.
Look at the VDI. Learn the "good numbers". Listen for the solid hits. But there will also
be solid hits on foil, and twitchy ones on gold chains that are spread out rather than
all heaped into a clump. Don't take anything for granted, but examine each target, check
the VDI number, hear the sound, and you'll rapidly learn what sounds good, what VDI
numbers suggest a good target, and whether it is likely a junk item.
There is much to learn, but if you take my suggestions, your learning curve will be
greatly reduced. Save fields and grassy areas for when you have gotten a better
idea of what are good signals and which are not.
Hopefully, you will find this information helpful, and we will soon be seeing some
terrific finds from you.
Blessings,
M-Taliesin
