Whites MXT - Learning My Machine - First Detector

[Goldfleks]

Ok so from what I can tell, the coils that came with my MXT are OK for shallow water in the creeks, streams, and rivers. I have the Eclipse 950 stock coil from the MXT and the 6x10" Eclipse DD coil. Are they also OK for Salt Water? Assuming of course that I hose my coils off after I detect at the beach. I know this isn't the best unit at the beach, but I decided to go with a "multipurpose" detector for my first. Jack of all trades master of none. Does the "Salt" setting work at all? Guess I'll find out my first time at the beach, dry vs wet sand. Just trying to get an idea of expectations.

Second, is there a coil I can look into getting for gold prospecting that will improve my nugget hunting chances? Or will the 6x10"DD work well enough? I know this isn't the GMT or other high-frequency VLF or a PI machine. How successful on small gold can I expect?

Thanks again! It's pouring in California right now so I can't get outside to test my detector so I'm stuck posting and reading treasurenet.

 

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[Twinkletoes]

Welcome Newbie White's Treasure/Junk ee! I don't have the MXT but I do own the MX Sport which opperates on the same electronics. The coils are waterproof up to the control box containg the electric circuits, that's weatherproof but not waterproof. Salt water won't harm the coils.

The MXT is an excellent multipurpose detector with great depth, you made a good choice. The "Salt" setting is a ground tracking aid to keep the unit stable in the highly conductive saltwater environment.

The MXT has seen a lot of use gold prospecting and nugget hunting with good results. I can't help you with that coil selection but someone should be along that knows what works best. Congratulations on a great purchase! Have fun and let us know what you find! Tt

FYI: The White's 5.3 eclipse and the 6X10 DD are popular coils with prospectors.

 

[wingmaster]

I've only detected beaches a couple times but found it doesn't like going from wet to dry sand, so if you ground balance in the dry sand stay in the dry and make sure to rebalance to do the wet sand. HH

 

[fmrUSMC_0844]

I have noticed my MXT is very chatty over wet salt sand. That was even after re ground balancing. I stuck to dry sand when I was near a coast. The MXT is a great multi purpose machine but if you want to hunt salt water beaches, you would be better off with a PI machine or a multi frequency machine. They are able to get deeper to the goodies.

As for a coil, take a look at the SEF coils by Detech. I had a 10 x 12 that ran nice and steady on mine with the gain up pretty high.

 

[wingmaster]

I would say from what I've heard the 6x10DD or the 5.3 coil would be good for gold nuggets, seems like a lot use the 6x10DD for that. HH

 

[Goldfleks]

Ok...

So I got out for about an hour @ the beach (salt) today between the pockets of rains. No gold ring hah! Was hoping for some beginners luck. Detector was all over the place showing 5c 25c $1 on lots of different pockets. When I dug them I found nothing but the signal got stronger. Is that just it was farther down, or just the salt water messing with the detector.

I tried higher up where there wasn't ground water and the detector was pretty quiet, so I'm guessing just no targets? My thinking is farther up is pretty "clean" right now due to being winter time so there isn't any beach towels and stuff.

How can I better handle to salt water area.

Getting another detector isn't an option, so I need to make this work the best I can. Anyone had success with the MTX down by the water? Or should I just ignore the beach until summer time and stick to the dry sands if I want to beach detect. I was hoping the "salt" setting would be more effective? But as this was my first time out I really don't have much of a frame of reference.

 

[Goldfleks]

Went to the park later today, found my first pull tab! And a bunch of cans and foil. I'm amazed how much trash there is mixed into the dirt.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Ok...

So I got out for about an hour @ the beach (salt) today between the pockets of rains. No gold ring hah! Was hoping for some beginners luck. Detector was all over the place showing 5c 25c $1 on lots of different pockets. When I dug them I found nothing but the signal got stronger. Is that just it was farther down, or just the salt water messing with the detector.

I tried higher up where there wasn't ground water and the detector was pretty quiet, so I'm guessing just no targets? My thinking is farther up is pretty "clean" right now due to being winter time so there isn't any beach towels and stuff.

How can I better handle to salt water area.

Getting another detector isn't an option, so I need to make this work the best I can. Anyone had success with the MTX down by the water? Or should I just ignore the beach until summer time and stick to the dry sands if I want to beach detect. I was hoping the "salt" setting would be more effective? But as this was my first time out I really don't have much of a frame of reference.

The salt setting is doing it's job. Be sure to use it at the beach. The coil you use, gain, and the amount of discrimination are your variables. It sounds like you're getting a lot of false signals. Lowering the gain will help. Dig only the repeatable signals and try being more selective. Don't worry about what you miss, focus on what you can find first. Coins are the first targets to learn how to recover. Carry some with you and use them to test your machine.

Everyone digs foil and pull-tabs first. For now try digging the higher VDI numbers, 65-85. Post your finds. Above all, have fun! Tt

 

[wingmaster]

When I detected the beach there was some real big targets very deep down, there seems to be lots of big iron trash on the beach I was on and if it's big enough you will detect it way down. Try sizing the target if it's big then don't dig and yes the parks around here are littered with tons of trash from over the years. HH

 

[Goldfleks]

Found 51 cents! Two quarters and a penny and a ton of trash haha...

 

[Twinkletoes]

You're off and running now! Here is an article that you can Google and print. It has a lot of good information about the White's MXT and how to get the most out of it. Tt

The MXT FAQ - Part 1
The MXT PAQ - Part 2

 

[Goldfleks]

Will check it out, thanks.

 

[Goldfleks]

Great read. Makes a lot of sense after using my box. Definitely going to read again!

 

[Goldfleks]

Was not expecting to find this in the sand at the local playground. Random 1950 German coin?

 

[Twinkletoes]

Awesome find! You just never know. Congratulations! Tt

 

[Goldfleks]

So my MTX seemed REALLY chatty today. It rained yesterday. Am i just hearing salt conductivity from the rain in the soils?

This was over sand in a volleyball court. It also seemed chatty over the grass.

Just seemed like it sounded different from last time I used it. I have very little frame of reference but the "solid humm" I'm used too seemed to chirp and click. Was that just a gain setting? I was using +3 gain last time, when I tried to crank the gain up today it was clicking all over and I had to reduce the gain to quiet out the chatter.

Realised I needed to pickup some new tools for hunting the lawns so I don't make a mess. Pinpointer and better digging tools so I'm going to stick to sand until they arrive.

Any advice?

 

[Peyton Manning]

my pro works fine in the sand wet or dry, but let the waves touch it. no dice

 

[wingmaster]

At +3 it will be chatty I usually only go to about +2 as any higher I find a little too much noise to hear those real deep whisper targets, at +2 it's still not a study threshold but it detects just fine without too much noise that I worry about missing those deep whisper targets. Sometimes you might not even be able to get +2 gain if your in a bad EMI area as you'll get too much noise, a good set of headphones is also a must for hearing those really deep whisper targets. HH

 

[Goldfleks]

So I hit a target that overloaded my detector. Figured it was trash so I ignored it. But I couldn't get near it without it freaking out and overloading my machine.

If I was to go back and dig that target how do I better calibrate my machine so I can better pinpoint it in the lawn?

It wasn't a sprinkler head.

 

[wingmaster]

Either turn down the gain real low or lift the coil off the ground some, when you change the gain you'll need to ground balance again. Make sure to ground balance at the gain setting your planning on using or rebalance if you change the gain setting. HH