settings for XLT

[Sklybones]

I have an XLT but am having a hard time understanding what its telling me, it always seems to indicate a dollar a dime, foil and ring things like that. I live in the dessert and the ground is minerlized alot in the places I go to and plenty of hotrocks...I get plenty of +90s and -90s I try and dig everything to learn what its telling me but I'm getting nowhere and this is just with the preprogrammed settings...The best I've found so far has been a 1901 token from denver Colorado and brass suspender clips or harness parts of some sort. Do I need to tweek the settings a bit and how do I figure out which ones to adjust.....any help would be appreciated.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

DR.ÖTEK Metal Detector, Waterproof Gold Detector, Pinpoint & Terrain Modes, Professional Metal Detector - Grab it through Amazon!

[DavyJonesLocker]

First off the Xlt can be confusing to one first learning it.You have to use VDI,Icons and signograph all at once. Icons the first Icon is uasally what it is,2nd Icon is second possibilty.VDI numbers you want + numbers look at your VDI chart .You shoudn't be digging - numbers.Solid big bars next to each other 2-3 bars on signograph + side dig.If you have small bars on the neg and pos side its junk.Junk targets don't make a solid sound as you past coil over em they sputter.Until you understand your XLT basic programs,and know what to dig first.It won't do you any good to change setting if yo don;t know what your doing.Question are you ground balancing your machine in a clean spot?IF your going into unstable ground and hot spots,your xlt is not going to read correctly anyway.Or where yor searching there is nothin there.Re Read your manual and instructinal dvd also heps alot. Hope this helps

 

[niffler]

My advice is turn off the icons, and go by the VDI numbers. Also, the Signagraph will be just 1 or 2 bars on a good target, junk will usually have more bars. I have found that coins do not always produce a good sound, especially if the ground is mineralized. The jewelry/beach program can help tremendously in bad ground. As an example, recently I was hunting a swimming hole that is being drained for construction of a park. The pond was a gravel pit in the past. There is a lot of black sand in the sand/gravel. I detected a few times and got good coins and jewelry, but eventually it was hard to get a good signal. All signals sounded like trash. After digging a few bad sounding targets to see what the bad signals were, I realized the black sand was masking good targets. I switched to Jewelry/beach mode, and suddenly there were good signals everywhere. If the signal is not negative VDI number, or obvious trash (Overload signal) and you are in an old site, I recommend digging everything. Yes, you'll dig trash, but your good finds will increase dramatically. Also, I recommend the blue max 600 coil, or the newer black max 5.3 or bullseye 5.3. These coils are awesome in high trash areas, and get depth approaching the royal 800 and 950 stock coil. I bought my Spectrum XLT new in 1995, and have done very well with it for 15 years. Best of luck in your searches! Niffler

 

[Sklybones]

Thank you for your advice, I have not been paying much attention to the icons after using it a bit I found them to not be reliable, I try and watch the bars ,I dig everything trying to learn as much as possible, sometimes digging about 1 foot down to find an old rusted can. The places I hunt are mainly along old wagon trails where people have camped, either people passing thru to the mines or woodcutters for the mines, so alot of trash in most areas. I still use the regular coil that came with it and wanted to learn the machine first before making any up grades but might get another and see how it reacts. This machine has been a little harder to figure out than my Minelab xt1800 but I'll get the hang of it sooner or later, I think I'll try the jewelry beach mode next time I head out and see how it does, I know theres coins and stuff out here my mom found a 1817 dime and my stepfather found 2 1886 V nickels, and my brother found an indian head cent all in this same area and that was without metal detectors,I usually prospect for gold but thought I'd give coin and relic hunting a try so may take some time to work it out once again thanks for your replies,

Mike

 

[LuckyDragon]

there is a prospecting mode for gold and silver and copper on the XLT.
I have the Spectrum E series here, Still going strong

 

[Frankn]

The graph across the display is actually showing you the basic metal elements. Each metal has its position. Just to the right of the center mark is the dreaded aluminum. The big problem is that most objects are made of alloys that is why you see scattered marks. Each mark represents an element of metal. There is a slight variation from detector to detector so learn your graph by testing it . Place a gold ring on the coil and view the graph. If it were 24kt. you would have one mark. But they use alloys to make gold rings so you will see the gold mark and the alloyed metal's mark on the graph. if you place steel on the coil, you will see iron and probably several other alloy marks. sterling silver will give you a fairly pure mark. that is why the detector is almost dead accurate on old quarters. It took me a while to figure this out, but it saves a lot of digging. Hope this info helps you.left][/left]

 

[LuckyDragon]

I had to study the sound of nickel on my XLT.
a neckel sounds closed to a stupid pulltab but stronger tone.
yeah I know if people stop throwing bottles and pulltabs inculding foils
we have a better chance in hunting.

 

[minton7]

I have hunted with the XLT since '97 and am a White's dealer......

The comments about the 1 or 2 solid bars on the signa graph indicating a good target are correct.... 99% of good targets will give this solid pattern.... the comments about scattered patterns coming up for gold items arent really correct... I have pulled 10-14 kt rings with my XLT.... all gave good solid signals and patterns.... yes gold is an impure metal but still gives solid readings.... and despite all practice and diligence, you can not tell the difference in pop tabs, nickels or gold ..... if you are going to find gold, you are going to dig pop tabs and nickels... simple as that....... you can avoid some junk by not digging the foil type signals.... although you can miss some small rings this way..... I dig everything above 0 ..... only way to get what is lurking under ground......

 

[EagleDown]

I had to study the sound of nickel on my XLT.
a neckel sounds closed to a stupid pulltab but stronger tone.
yeah I know if people stop throwing bottles and pulltabs inculding foils
we have a better chance in hunting.

Don't knock it LuckyDragon, the ones who throw the bottles and pulltabs are the same ones who drop their coins.

 

[Wannabe Treasure Hunter]

I just picked up an XLT with the Rainbow Stickers and will be reading this old thread over and over... Thanks Y'all and of course if anyone has anymore info about using the XLT then share it please...