I may be off base here as I am not familiar with earlier posts or threads that might have been posted. So, I don't know if the writer has posted other information in the past. Also, I am, pretty, new to Metal Detecting and will admit that I am not that knowlegable. However, here is what I have and my impressions.
I would agree, first of all, that it probably depends on what you are looking for, in respect to types of treasure or finds, and where you tend to hunt. I bought my detector about 3 to 5 years ago, I can't remember exactly as I didn't get a lot of use out of it right off. My birthday was coming up, I was a little depressed, lonely and bored and looking for something to do to occupy my time and interests. Also, my parents were starting to have some difficulties and I learned that I was going to have to go to Florida with them for a Month at the end of October, to help them get around and all. Thinking ahead of the trip and the beautiful white sand beaches on the gulf, I thought I would try some metal detecting. I had a simple detector when in High School and tried to find that to see if it would still work. It was some sort of Jetco thing or something like that, if I remember the name right. Had two knobs on it and a meter and worked off of a simple 9v battery. Last I had known it wasn't working but I had thought, if I could find it, I might be able to look for a break in the circut board or wires and fix it. Over 30 years, the garage had been cleaned a few times and the detector was nowhere to be found. I guess it got pitched into a dumpster. Anyways, I did a little reading and since I had some money I could spend, went with one of the better ones that I had been reading about. I have always been, sort of, a tecno-geek so I was attracted, without knowing anything about detecting or of what I was doing, to the Whites XLT since it had the cool display and features where it could identify items and detect the depth. I found a local dealer, some guy in Chicago that seemed to do a lot of work on industrial metal detectors. He had rows of the things that water departments or the utilities used to find wires and pipes. He was also a Whites dealer. Anyways, I talked a little to him and bought the XLT new.
I got a Pelican 1550 case and packed all the parts in it and went off to FLA to see what I could find. I only got out about 2 times and found a few pull tabs, some foil and other garbage and about 80 cents in assorted coin before I had to head back up north. Figuring I would be going back with the parents in March or April, I just left the machine down in Florida where it sat for almost 2 years before, due to health problems with the parents, I didn't get back and it just sat. When we got back down there, I opened it up, and turned it on and it powered right up. I never did really use the rechargable batteries. I used Energizer disposable Lithium AAs. They have an increadable shelf life and I am still on the original set of those. Probably, largely, because of the little use I have actually gotten out of the detector.
Back to the story, I got back down to Florida and got out on the beach a couple more times. Being the beginning of the busy season, I, again, didn't find much. When time to go home, I decided that, just in case I didn't get back down again, I would ship it back. I put it in the Pelican and put it in a box and shipped it FedX, Maybe it was UPS. Good thing as I haven't gotten back down to FLA since. Almost 2 years now. Anyways, I put the XLT back together last summer and, except for going to the volleyball pit and tot lot at our local beach a couple times, didn't get out to use it much.
This year, being more determined, I have been out before Memorial Day and all the crowds. Also before I would have to fork over big money for parking permits at the beaches. I got out about 4 or 5 times and have been having a great time. I now look forward to getting out more. Maybe even getting my Girlfriend to go for some beach walks with me. I read some of the reviews about the XLT in the link listed above but have to disagree about it being a difficult machine. It has a lot of potential for custom settings and power to grow into but the basics are pretty simple. It also has many if the instructions, or operations and shortcuts printed right on the control unit. Along with a scale of the ID numbers for common items and what the numbers may correspond to. I quick read of the first few pages of the manual yielded me all the info to get started. While the identification is only a guide and not completely accurate, I do often find what it says but also find other things like pull tabs, bottle caps and foil. I do find the depth reading to be pretty accurate. Usually if it says 1.5" it is within a quick scoop of the surface sand. Incidentally, to this point, I have only used it in sand. There are a few basic settings that I have used. Jewelry Beach, Coin and Jewelry and Relic. There are others and the difficulty might be when making up custom programs. I started with the beach and jewelry settings but recently went out with it set to Relic. I have always found a bunch of stuff. Mostly I have been searching the beaches and play lots where there is loose sand and I don't have to worry about digging in grass and damaging the turf etc. My best find is a 14k White gold ring with channel set diamonds. A few stones missing. I have also found an IKEA spoon and a small stamped item that I don't know yet what it is. It looks like it could be tin or sterling. It seems hard and not too bendable so I don't really know. Here are a few pictures of the items that I have found. Non metalic items and rocks were simply found near by or while digging. As I said, above, I don't find it that difficult to use. There might be a little learning curve to get the most out of it but, at least for parks and beaches and play lots.... it has seemed to be a great machine.
One thing of warning though. I don't know if the issue was ever addressed but I do remember mention that people were frying out their XLTs on the beach. While it can be used in water, there was an issue of raising the wet coil above the control unit. Water that would collect in the shaft between the coil and the control unit was being dumped through the mounting holes for the screws, into the electronics. I seem to recall some mention of putting some sort of block, either a cork or plug of some sort, between the top piece of the shaft and the control unit, to prevent water from being directed into the control unit. Or, make sure you always keep your coil down.
I apologize for the length of this. Hopefully it will be of some value though.
Items located with XLT set to RELIC
