My 1st Day With the Explorer

[Michigan Badger]

NOTE: This is an UpDated post!

Okay, my Explorer XS arrived a couple days ago and I've been reading "Mastering the ME XS & S" by Sabisch.

I started this morning at a site that produces wheats and lots of copper trash. My count as of (3) hours hunting and 17+ holes is (1) large square nail.

Lots of holes with nothing. I'd get screaming solid signals so I dug the holes wide and deep and sifted the soil...nada.

Finally up from the depths of 4 inches came my big nail.

-----------------------

I went back to my land fill area where new coins can be very deep. It's due to snow removal and plows pushing dirt with the snow.

This time I learned something.

The Explorer will sing-out sometimes with a constant repeatable signal over certain ground (give a 30+ readings) but it may not be a diggable target.

The targets one is looking for may be weaker but they have a certain quality that one must learn by doing.

It's hard to explain in words but the two signals are very close but there is a difference between the false and true signals and sensitivity settings don't always help. I ran mostly in Quickstart at 14 sensitivity and dug better than 20 empty holes with the detector screaming and reading 24-32. After sifting the dirt I came up with nothing. A classic case of falsing over mineralized soils.

So, I began to listen for more solid signals in at least one direction. After passing up a few dozen screams and high readings (but false signals), I came upon a weak but smoother signal. It sounded just one way. I dug the plug and the signal greatly improved. Down 8-10 inches was a memorial penny. My 1st Explorer coin!

I continued along and dug an old dime-sized zinc bottle cap at a good 6-7 inches deep. The reading was about 24 as I recall and the signal was loud and solid.

Next I got a good signal near the old sidewalk. It was only good one way and broke up the other. It was very deep. I dug down a good 10-12 inches and found a shotgun brass.

Okay! So at least now I know it works!

I had hunted this very site over many times before with other machines and none detected these things.

I can see already the Explorer truly is very deep and it does get the stuff others miss.

But due to it's power it's also prone to extreme falsing. But with a little effort the false signals are somewhat easy to sort out.

The secret in part is the quality of the sound of the signal. But I'm not really surprised; that's the way it is with all machines

So the bottom line is this, the Explorer guys are NOT windjammers.

 

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[thompy]

with results like that ive got to try one , im sure you'll be tuned in in no time

 

[Michigan Badger]

with results like that ive got to try one , im sure you'll be tuned in in no time

Ya,

This is not a new feeling. I had this same experience with my Explorer II. I did better with it than I'm doing with this XS but it's probably just the hunting spot.

The Explorer is sure a different type of machine. The Sovereign GT is so easy to use and deep right from the get-go.

But, the war has just begun. I plan to go down with the ship. I'll read everything I can find and test and retest this thing. I want to know once and for all if these Explorer guys are right or have over active imaginations.

Oh, one thing that does alarm me is the clad dime I buried at 4 inches the XS couldn't detect--the Tejon has no trouble detecting it in that soil at 8 inches.

I'm hoping it's just a settings issue.

 

[bootybay]

Unlike me, your a whiz at detectors, within a week you will be comfy and have it downpat... I have all the faith in ya, faith in me..I dont have but YOU will do great with it... you have been detecting a long time, have tossed round with lots of other detectors, you understand the lingo and all that stuff.. so I know you'll do great with it.

 

[Michigan Badger]

Unlike me, your a whiz at detectors, within a week you will be comfy and have it downpat... I have all the faith in ya, faith in me..I dont have but YOU will do great with it... you have been detecting a long time, have tossed round with lots of other detectors, you understand the lingo and all that stuff.. so I know you'll do great with it.

Thanks for the vote of confidence 8)

I'm sure these work because so many love them. It's really all about learning HOW they work.

The poor coin garden test worries me some but the real world is what matters.

I can tell everyone this though, this definitely IS NOT a machine for a beginner. The average beginner starting out with an Explorer would be the enemy of the hobby the rest of his life

 

[Blackjack77]

[]



I'm sure these work because so many love them. It's really all about learning HOW they work.

The poor coin garden test worries me some but the real world is what matters.

I can tell everyone this though, this definitely IS NOT a machine for a beginner. The average beginner starting out with an Explorer would be the enemy of the hobby the rest of his life
[/quote]




Congrats on the upgrade?! You're a better Man than ME! Course i'm one of those who gets used to something and has a hard time changing-- LOL
MB, I actually think a newbie would maybe find it easier to get used to a Explorer having no previous experience or conceptions of tones and the like. Several other MDers have mentioned how a Garrett with the limited tones would drive them crazy. i think ALL the different tones would do the same to Me. I'm accustomed to the machine making some of the decisions and Me just swinging!!
good Luck-- You'll master it like every machine before.
Keep Us posted!!
HH & Happy Labor Day weekend!!!!!!

 

[Michigan Badger]

Congrats on the upgrade?! You're a better Man than ME! Course i'm one of those who gets used to something and has a hard time changing-- LOL
MB, I actually think a newbie would maybe find it easier to get used to a Explorer having no previous experience or conceptions of tones and the like. Several other MDers have mentioned how a Garrett with the limited tones would drive them crazy. i think ALL the different tones would do the same to Me. I'm accustomed to the machine making some of the decisions and Me just swinging!!
good Luck-- You'll master it like every machine before.
Keep Us posted!!
HH & Happy Labor Day weekend!!!!!!

Thanks Blackjack77,

I just got back from another test and this one went much better so I updated my previous 1st post here.

Badger

 

[hollowpointred]

thats strange with all of the falsing. in my area the Explorer really handles bad ground quite well in most instances. i say "most" though, as there are always exceptions to every rule. i am glad to see that you are getting the depth with this machine though. there must have been something screwy going on with your Ex2. i look forward to reading more as you become more familiar with the new machine.

 

[Michigan Badger]

thats strange with all of the falsing. in my area the Explorer really handles bad ground quite well in most instances. i say "most" though, as there are always exceptions to every rule. i am glad to see that you are getting the depth with this machine though. there must have been something screwy going on with your Ex2. i look forward to reading more as you become more familiar with the new machine.

Thanks.

Maybe falsing wasn't the right word. I was referring to high tone signals that would repeat but nothing there. Or, maybe there were tiny tiny pieces of something I couldn't see?

At any rate, at this site I can use a full sized shovel and I completely dug out the area of the signal. Sometimes I had a hole 20 inches deep and 15 inches wide. Nothing there period.

But the good signals really do stand out. But I do wonder about those very deep fainter signals. I wonder if I'll always be able to discern them from those high tone false signals.

The two signals are so similar. The real signals are more substantial, the meter number locks on better, and the targets are tighter in size.

 

[MrBling]

I get "disappearing signals" nearly every time I hunt even though my soil is very non-mineralized
Sometimes I'm sure it's due to the "halo effect", in which a piece of metal has corroded almost completely but the flakes remain concentrated enough to create a signal, but when you dig you disperse the flakes and the target vanishes
Other times it's caused by a tiny bit of junk that you just can't find. I know for a fact this happens because on several occasions I have gotten a signal and started to dig only to realize the signal was coming from one of my old plugs that I dug perhaps weeks before. When I dug again, I found that tiny bit of junk I had missed the first time

 

[Michigan Badger]

I get "disappearing signals" nearly every time I hunt even though my soil is very non-mineralized
Sometimes I'm sure it's due to the "halo effect", in which a piece of metal has corroded almost completely but the flakes remain concentrated enough to create a signal, but when you dig you disperse the flakes and the target vanishes
Other times it's caused by a tiny bit of junk that you just can't find. I know for a fact this happens because on several occasions I have gotten a signal and started to dig only to realize the signal was coming from one of my old plugs that I dug perhaps weeks before. When I dug again, I found that tiny bit of junk I had missed the first time

Yes, I believe you're right.

Badger

 

[bazinga]

This falsing that you are talking about really confuses me. I used to detect with a guy who tried an explorer alongside me and he always complained about falsing signals and nothing ever being in the hole either. He has also been detecting 30+ years and has used countless machines.

I experience virtually no falsing at all. When I get a signal, there is something in the hole somewhere. It might not be something that I like, but I know that there will be a target down there somewhere.

I understand that your soil up to my north is heavily mineralized, but the explorer should be able to handle that. Especially at a sensitivity of just 14. Your machine shouldn't ever be falsing.

Is there any chance that the next time you get a signal that you know to be nothing under the coil you could somehow take a video of it so some of us other explorer users can hear the tones and see what the screen is telling you? That might be the best way for us to really help you out here.

 

[Iron Patch]

I take it you restated the unit to make sure it wasn't a glitch. Falsing can be caused by the coil, bad cable connection, battery pack, sunray probe, interference... or you! It's impossible just by reading to understand if there is a problem with the detector or just a problem with the user.

The empty holes are happening because you're chasing iron and once you cut the plug the signal is lost. That is normal and happens ALL the time. (If you make it happen) I use it to my favor at the beat sites when I'm chasing very iffy masked targets, after I cut the plug i probe the hole real quick and if quiet it was iron. Usually every hole is, but if I'm digging nothing and it was a good site it's worth the effort even if 1 in 10 or 15 digs is a non iron target.

Minelabs have much better iron disc. than other units and if you dig those somewhat broken tones you're going to dig iron all day. The trick to determining iron is scanning it from many directions and listening for the null 'through the sound'. If it blanks out it is most likely iron. Larger pieces will override the disc. but it should take you long to figure it out, round shaped iron chunks are a little tougher. The Explorer literally gave me headaches the first dozen times out but the day i dug a 10"-12" lg cent being a newbie (to the EX) I knew there was no going back to the GTI.

 

[Michigan Badger]

I take it you restated the unit to make sure it wasn't a glitch. Falsing can be caused by the coil, bad cable connection, battery pack, sunray probe, interference... or you! It's impossible just by reading to understand if there is a problem with the detector or just a problem with the user.

The empty holes are happening because you're chasing iron and once you cut the plug the signal is lost. That is normal and happens ALL the time. (If you make it happen) I use it to my favor at the beat sites when I'm chasing very iffy masked targets, after I cut the plug i probe the hole real quick and if quiet it was iron. Usually every hole is, but if I'm digging nothing and it was a good site it's worth the effort even if 1 in 10 or 15 digs is a non iron target.

Minelabs have much better iron disc. than other units and if you dig those somewhat broken tones you're going to dig iron all day. The trick to determining iron is scanning it from many directions and listening for the null 'through the sound'. If it blanks out it is most likely iron. Larger pieces will override the disc. but it should take you long to figure it out, round shaped iron chunks are a little tougher. The Explorer literally gave me headaches the first dozen times out but the day i dug a 10"-12" lg cent being a newbie (to the EX) I new there was no going back to the GTI.

You're right Iron, thanks a bunch!

You sure do know these Explorers.

I rechecked and it wasn't falsing caused by a bad connection or anything like that. The signals stayed in the exact same spot and were all repeatable. It is as you say, iron signals sounding high tone.

But also like you mentioned there's that very slight null in the signal and it tends to break up at times. I guess that's what I was trying to say when I wrote about signal quality.

In our area the ground in literally filled with iron. Most of the village I hunt was burned down in the 20's. Nails are about every 4 inches. Honestly, I'm about the only THer up here who even finds much of anything. I know a guy with a DFX who has been hunting my area for years and still hasn't found an indian cent. I've at least found about a dozen. Most were dug with my Tesoros.

This false signal thing caused by iron is true of all detectors.

But after using and loving the Sovereign GT and now just starting to understand the Explorer, I can see that it is true, the Minelab system is superior. Others are also very good and can find the stuff but with Minelab one does have a definite depth and target separation edge over the others.

I received the 6" DD with my XS and need to try it soon. Some say it's as deep as the stock coil and way better. Ever try one?

Badger

 

[Don in SJ]

You did not say if you have FAST ON, I never hunt with FAST ON, since Iron bit laden soil will give high pitch sound using FAST.

I also recommend not using the digital screen on the XS, the Smart Screen crosshairs provides more info and no numbers to remember. Of course Tone is first and foremost the first thing to know, but the crosshairs for the most part are dead-on.

I went from being a 20 year Garrett user to the XS and on my first hour of hunting with it, I got a nice Half Cent deeply buried in an area pounded by me with the Garrett. I had no trouble whatsoever using the XS, TURN ON AND GO DETECTOR, for the most part. I got my settings from an experienced hunter (BEACHCOMBER) and never looked back. Of course with any different detector, hours of use to gain experience in how your detector reacts is a must, that goes for any detector.

Don

 

[Iron Patch]

I take it you restated the unit to make sure it wasn't a glitch. Falsing can be caused by the coil, bad cable connection, battery pack, sunray probe, interference... or you! It's impossible just by reading to understand if there is a problem with the detector or just a problem with the user.

The empty holes are happening because you're chasing iron and once you cut the plug the signal is lost. That is normal and happens ALL the time. (If you make it happen) I use it to my favor at the beat sites when I'm chasing very iffy masked targets, after I cut the plug i probe the hole real quick and if quiet it was iron. Usually every hole is, but if I'm digging nothing and it was a good site it's worth the effort even if 1 in 10 or 15 digs is a non iron target.

Minelabs have much better iron disc. than other units and if you dig those somewhat broken tones you're going to dig iron all day. The trick to determining iron is scanning it from many directions and listening for the null 'through the sound'. If it blanks out it is most likely iron. Larger pieces will override the disc. but it should take you long to figure it out, round shaped iron chunks are a little tougher. The Explorer literally gave me headaches the first dozen times out but the day i dug a 10"-12" lg cent being a newbie (to the EX) I new there was no going back to the GTI.

You're right Iron, thanks a bunch!

You sure do know these Explorers.

I rechecked and it wasn't falsing caused by a bad connection or anything like that. The signals stayed in the exact same spot and were all repeatable. It is as you say, iron signals sounding high tone.

But also like you mentioned there's that very slight null in the signal and it tends to break up at times. I guess that's what I was trying to say when I wrote about signal quality.

In our area the ground in literally filled with iron. Most of the village I hunt was burned down in the 20's. Nails are about every 4 inches. Honestly, I'm about the only THer up here who even finds much of anything. I know a guy with a DFX who has been hunting my area for years and still hasn't found an indian cent. I've at least found about a dozen. Most were dug with my Tesoros.

This false signal thing caused by iron is true of all detectors.

But after using and loving the Sovereign GT and now just starting to understand the Explorer, I can see that it is true, the Minelab system is superior. Others are also very good and can find the stuff but with Minelab one does have a definite depth and target separation edge over the others.

I received the 6" DD with my XS and need to try it soon. Some say it's as deep as the stock coil and way better. Ever try one?

Badger

I should have stated in my post my headaches probably happened because I didn't read a thing, just cranked the sens. and went.

I have never used the 6" coil, have a few others but always stuck with the stock.

 

[Michigan Badger]

You did not say if you have FAST ON, I never hunt with FAST ON, since Iron bit laden soil will give high pitch sound using FAST.

I also recommend not using the digital screen on the XS, the Smart Screen crosshairs provides more info and no numbers to remember. Of course Tone is first and foremost the first thing to know, but the crosshairs for the most part are dead-on.

I went from being a 20 year Garrett user to the XS and on my first hour of hunting with it, I got a nice Half Cent deeply buried in an area pounded by me with the Garrett. I had no trouble whatsoever using the XS, TURN ON AND GO DETECTOR, for the most part. I got my settings from an experienced hunter (BEACHCOMBER) and never looked back. Of course with any different detector, hours of use to gain experience in how your detector reacts is a must, that goes for any detector.

Don

Hi Don,

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

I now hunt in Advanced - Smart mode set on DEEP (fast off).

I set sensitivity on about 24 and the machine runs smooth now. Our soil is very sandy here and mild.

I also use the crosshairs. Any suggestion as the their position? I know top right corner is good.

I see you upgraded to the new Pro coil. Was it worth the money over the original coil?

 

[kimsdad]

Hey everyone, this is a GREAT thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm new to the SE also & have experienced some of the same problems. I learn a lot from everyone sharing their knowledge! Keep it coming!

My 6" round is arriving today. Wonder what I'll be doing this afternoon......

 

[Don in SJ]

Sounds like you are on your way to successful XS hunting now, I do know that I have only ever had success once with FAST ON and that was an long ago, and the many times I have tried it since than I just cannot stand the false high tone readings of the iron hits in the ground.

OK, I needed a new coil since all my other coils are beat from the rough hunting conditions I put my body and detectors through. I do believe the SE Pro Coil is an improvement, first off, it is lighter, and does pinpoint a tad better. But, my stock coil, despite its weight has been a great coil over the years.

Crosshair locations, well, that will take time for you to decide if you are not in the mood for digging every good reading, by that I mean a good hit in both directions, and even then, you will get fooled. Shotgun casings, range usually just above where a nickel registers, but it seems that different brands and different soils cause those casings to move up the scale all the way to where a Half Cent might read. Now since I love buttons, they can be anywhere from a copper coin reading area to lower left, lower right, you have to get used to what is found in your area and based on experience you can tell a lot of times what is in the ground before you dig, just by the way the crosshair acts, besides its position.


Mike Moutray who is a member and poster on this forum, quite awhile ago posted a crosshair location charts that help newbies to the XS. Here it is on this website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~jvokes/exscreens.htm


Here are my basic settings I have been using for years:

SETTINGS MY SETTINGS

DETECTOR MODE ADVANCED

SENSITIVITY SEMI-AUTO, BUT ALSO MANUAL- Depends on stability

SENSITIVITY VALUE AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE-28-32

THRESHOLD NONE, ONE CLICK BELOW AUDIBLE (Sometimes as low as possible if my headphones are acting up)

DISCRIMINATATION MODE IRON MASK

IRON MASK SETTINGS -14 TO -16 WHEN I WANT TO HEAR THE IRON HITS (mostly wide open to accept all)


NOISE CHANNEL AUTOMATIC

DISPLAY TYPE SMART ADVANCE

DISPLAY SIZE NORMAL

AUDIO VOLUME MAX (10)

AUDIO VOLUME GAIN (10) SOMETIMES 9

AUDIO TONE VARIABILITY 8

AUDIO SOUNDS FERROUS

LIMITS 10

OPTIONS RESPONSE NORMAL, AUDIO 1 IS TOO FLUTEY FOR MY EARS

OPTIONS RECOVERY DEEP ALWAYS ON
FAST OFF FAST IN FERROUS MODE GIVES TOO MANY FALSE HIGH TONE SIGNALS OF IRON
SO I SELDOM USE IT IN IRON AREAS

Don

 

[Michigan Badger]

Sounds like you are on your way to successful XS hunting now, I do know that I have only ever had success once with FAST ON and that was an long ago, and the many times I have tried it since than I just cannot stand the false high tone readings of the iron hits in the ground.

OK, I needed a new coil since all my other coils are beat from the rough hunting conditions I put my body and detectors through. I do believe the SE Pro Coil is an improvement, first off, it is lighter, and does pinpoint a tad better. But, my stock coil, despite its weight has been a great coil over the years.

Crosshair locations, well, that will take time for you to decide if you are not in the mood for digging every good reading, by that I mean a good hit in both directions, and even then, you will get fooled. Shotgun casings, range usually just above where a nickel registers, but it seems that different brands and different soils cause those casings to move up the scale all the way to where a Half Cent might read. Now since I love buttons, they can be anywhere from a copper coin reading area to lower left, lower right, you have to get used to what is found in your area and based on experience you can tell a lot of times what is in the ground before you dig, just by the way the crosshair acts, besides its position.


Mike Moutray who is a member and poster on this forum, quite awhile ago posted a crosshair location charts that help newbies to the XS. Here it is on this website: http://www.frontiernet.net/~jvokes/exscreens.htm


Here are my basic settings I have been using for years:

SETTINGS MY SETTINGS

DETECTOR MODE ADVANCED

SENSITIVITY SEMI-AUTO, BUT ALSO MANUAL- Depends on stability

SENSITIVITY VALUE AS HIGH AS POSSIBLE-28-32

THRESHOLD NONE, ONE CLICK BELOW AUDIBLE (Sometimes as low as possible if my headphones are acting up)

DISCRIMINATATION MODE IRON MASK

IRON MASK SETTINGS -14 TO -16 WHEN I WANT TO HEAR THE IRON HITS (mostly wide open to accept all)


NOISE CHANNEL AUTOMATIC

DISPLAY TYPE SMART ADVANCE

DISPLAY SIZE NORMAL

AUDIO VOLUME MAX (10)

AUDIO VOLUME GAIN (10) SOMETIMES 9

AUDIO TONE VARIABILITY 8

AUDIO SOUNDS FERROUS

LIMITS 10

OPTIONS RESPONSE NORMAL, AUDIO 1 IS TOO FLUTEY FOR MY EARS

OPTIONS RECOVERY DEEP ALWAYS ON
FAST OFF FAST IN FERROUS MODE GIVES TOO MANY FALSE HIGH TONE SIGNALS OF IRON
SO I SELDOM USE IT IN IRON AREAS

Don

Thanks Don, that helps a lot.

I noticed after about 7 hours of hunting the detector seemed to not respond too well to targets. Could this be the rechargeables getting too low? Maybe it was just the area?

I've also been practicing with coins and rings next to iron. I put it on digital and was surprised at the low tone and numbers (4-6) on a 14K gold wedding band and (6-8) on nickels.

Badger