Minelab SE Pro Setttings

[ewcoinhunter]

I am not new to metal detecting, but this new unit is throwing me for a loop. I have used a Minelab Soverign for 5-6 years, and to me (maybe brain block) but the signals have different tones, pitches. I am using a set up from Mike Moutray in St. Louis. I am finding some silver, but I know this machine is more capable than this. Can anyone help me out as far as a set up from the IL. area. I am originally from Ohio, and the soil and make up here is quite different. I mainly hunt coins, 99% of the time

 

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[treasurefiend]

This is the settings that I use, this was forwarded to me last year and has worked great:

The SE is a powerful detector once you put the hours in the turf with it. Most people do get overwhelmed at first with all the sounds and the bouncing numbers/target ID of deep signals. The key to mastering this machine is Tone, tone, tone. Learn the sounds (what certain tones represent), and you will be way ahead of everyone else. If you're hunting in the turf, definitely hunt in CONDUCT mode, with gain of 7 or 8, FAST and DEEP both OFF, and Iron Mask around 22. You could also use the default coin/jewelry discrimination pattern if the Iron Mask 22 setting overwhelms you with too many sounds in the beginning. Put a few coins on the ground and listen to how they sound. Pennies, dimes, quarters will sound high. Nickels will sound low. Don't go by the numbers or the target ID. Go by the depth and sound of your targets. One way signals are hard to figure out whether to dig or not. It will take many hours of hunting to figure that out, especially in area where there are a lot of nails/iron/trash items. Try digging those iffy signals just to see what they are, so you know you're not passing up something potentially good. For getting better at pinpointing, place a coin on the ground in the turf, and find out where the center of the coil is when you swing by it, and then try going into pinpoint, and find out where the highest tone comes from. That will be the pinpoint spot.


I also use auto sensitivity.

 

[ewcoinhunter]

Thank you for your input, I know of Mike very well, and the settings work perfect for him in St. Louis, but I just wanted to check what others were using here in IL. I have heard from others that it is not the best program for up in our neck of the woods. More ideas, I hunt just about everyday!! With my Soverign I was slaying the silver, and I know there is a big learning curve, I just did not think there would be that much different.
Thanks again, maybe sometime we can hunt the dirt together!!!

 

[kimsdad]

Hey there! Where are you at in IL?

I'll check and post my settings when I get back later on.

 

[ewcoinhunter]

I live in Hainesville, IL.

 

[kimsdad]

Hi,
I hunt in Manual sensitivity unless the ground makes the SE start to go bonkers. Then I'll try semi-auto, but it's back to manual pretty fast. I set sens at 26 with the 10X12 SEF coil. I hear you can crank it up to max with a 6" coil. Play around with this setting and see what happens with different coils and different areas. I find 26 is a good starting point for me.

I hunt in coins mode a lot. Once in a while if it's not too trashy, I'll go to Iron Mask 22, bit that's usually out in the woods where there's less junk in the ground.

I use Volume gain 9
Max limit 9
Threshold tone 5
Tone variability 10
I hunt in Sounds = conduct unless I'm doing a specialized thing like looking for a large iron target.

Volume settings vary with headphone choices for me.

Response =normal
Fast off
Deep on.

I'm the first to admit that I'm no pro, and I'm still trying to figure the SE out in trashy areas, but in clean areas this these settings have found quarters and pennies around 10 inches deep for me.

I hope this helps.
Neil

 

[ewcoinhunter]

Thanks Neil. I will try anything. I know there is a learning curve, and it will take time. I will keep the coil to the ground and keep plugging away!!

 

[Lowbatts]

Hey EW, if you can get out with these guys they can show you up close and put you on the targets. That's a great machine with a little mentoring from what I've observed.

 

[ewcoinhunter]

I would really liketo hook up with anyone, I have offered many times, no one seems to want to go. I am not looking for anyones hot spots, just some friendly dirt hunters!! There is plenty of silver for everyone, it is just getting harder to find, but it is out there.
Thanks for the reply.
Keep your coil to the dirt!!

 

[kimsdad]

I would really liketo hook up with anyone, I have offered many times, no one seems to want to go. I am not looking for anyones hot spots, just some friendly dirt hunters!! There is plenty of silver for everyone, it is just getting harder to find, but it is out there.
Thanks for the reply.
Keep your coil to the dirt!!

You're welcome to join us anytime, and I'm sure that holds true for the others here. What days are you free to go? Weekends only or daytime during the week? I do a lot of hunting during weekdays.

Also, watch the Illinois forum on T-Net for get-togethers. Here's one that DP Bob put together a little while ago - it was open to anyone:

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,233933.0.html

Big silver was found on that hunt, everyone had a good time, and we got to see some new faces. Hope to see you out there one of these days.

Neil

 

[Lowbatts]

Trash invited you out with us on a few occasions last weekend for our foray into clad-gathering, though it's a drive down this way. Check in with Pat, D-Dub, Dirty John, all are relatively close to you or show up with the Des Plaines River Huntmeisters who have the best array of goodies coming out of their "hunted out" sites.

 

[ewcoinhunter]

Thanks guys, we will deffinately hook up. Weekends are best for me, if we are close to home up N. even weekdays!!
Send some info on next hunts, and lets see what happens.
Eric