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Help me understand why...

M

Michael hill

Member
Just got the e-xterra pro today and I'm already seriously doubting the purchase.im not new to detecting, I used to run Whites detectors, M6 and V3i mainly. I'm really flabbergasted over how unstable the e-xterra is. My god the VDI's are all over the place, slight variation I can handle but damn... Am I doing something wrong or are these things really this unstable when it comes to the Vdi? Basically just running factory settings trying to learn the machine. Reducing sensitivity does no good, have rest to factory settings a dozen times at least.... Tried running different freqs, etc. You just can't trust it, have not pulled a single coin all day today, all trash and iron that ring in 80-90's on VDI with sweet sounding tones. Running all tones, tried going down to 5 tones that didn't help. Any help or opinions would be appreciated.
 
Do you have your cell phone turned on? If so, put it in airplane mode or just turn it off. Have you done a noise cancel? Are you near power lines or other sources of EMI? Does the XTP act like that in other locations? Pull the coil protector off and clean it and the coil voids - there may be something in it the moves around when you swing the coil. Do you have someone with an XTP or a Nox that you can borrow a coil to see if it's your coil that's causing the problem?
 
Dirt Duke said:
Do you have your cell phone turned on? If so, put it in airplane mode or just turn it off. Have you done a noise cancel? Are you near power lines or other sources of EMI? Does the XTP act like that in other locations? Pull the coil protector off and clean it and the coil voids - there may be something in it the moves around when you swing the coil. Do you have someone with an XTP or a Nox that you can borrow a coil to see if it's your coil that's causing the problem?
Click to expand...
I didn't have my cell phone with me while detecting, was not near any power lines or other sources of EMI. Done factory reset several times, done noise cancel and ground balance Everytime I done factory reset. I've never had this issue with any other detector I've ever used. Seriously regretting the purchase.watched a bunch of YouTube vids last night and the wildly varying VDI numbers and being unstable seems to be an issue with the XTP. I have no clue why people say this thing is a great detector if this is how they all run. It never fails, I will get a good crisp clear signal that just screams coin or silver along with a good VDI etween 89-94, dig it and it's a piece of damned IRON Everytime. I will check the coil cover, but I just bought this thing yesterday morning so I can't see that being an issue. God I miss my Whites, such a shame they went out of business....
 
I've had my best luck running All Tones and going by audio only. I do my best to ignore the TID due to the instability, and pay attention to the nuances of the audio response.
It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of the expanded TID range with 4 digits in each target bin. If they cut it in half and just made the bins wider, I would be much happier.
 
This is a problem with fast recovery machines they change IDS fast but do not separate any better than old machines . Take a dime and pull-tab 3 inches apart turn your recovery to max sweep 6 inches above (FAIL) try with your old machine (FAIL) no separation with either machine . At least with the old machine fbs and others the IDS were stable because the recovery was slower .
But the new machines let you cover ground quicker . sube
 
It’s always been a problem with them from the start. There was a love fest from proud new owners and those people never mentioned it. Maybe they didn’t care?
I’ve heard if you lower the sensitivity down to 20 then it’ll get more stable. I don’t know how much that will affect the depth. Numbers assigned on a digital machine mean nothing. The only way to know is to test it. If it helps let everyone know. HH
 
Old Longhair said:
I've had my best luck running All Tones and going by audio only. I do my best to ignore the TID due to the instability, and pay attention to the nuances of the audio response.
It's no secret that I'm not a huge fan of the expanded TID range with 4 digits in each target bin. If they cut it in half and just made the bins wider, I would be much happier.
Click to expand...
Totally agree with that, in my opinion 4 digits in each target bin is just an ignorant idea. Honestly if I had known that I never would have bought the XTP and just looked for a used Whites. Having said that I am having better results today, not spectacular but at least it's progress. One credit I will give to the XTP is it will pull coins deep.
 
I run the Equinox 900 which incorporates the same TID scale. I do not witness what many others are experiencing. I’m thinking if you slow the coil speed down this will help. I also run All-Tones which helps out tremendously in heavily trashed areas. Yes, it’s a barrage of different tones but when I get over a good target, there is no mistake about it and with accurate ID.
 
JimmyCT said:
I run the Equinox 900 which incorporates the same TID scale. I do not witness what many others are experiencing. I’m thinking if you slow the coil speed down this will help. I also run All-Tones which helps out tremendously in heavily trashed areas. Yes, it’s a barrage of different tones but when I get over a good target, there is no mistake about it and with accurate ID.
Click to expand...
I run all tones, I've experimented with coil speed, sensitivity, recovery speed, 10,15,and 8 khz,all 6 modes...it makes no difference. I did have better luck this morning at a freshwater beach.was pulling clad coins from 6-8" no problem. My biggest gripe is iron ringing on as a coin constantly. The crazy VDI I can get used to, but the tone telling me I'm on clad or silver when in fact it's an iron target is just hard to take.
 
JimmyCT said:
I run the Equinox 900 which incorporates the same TID scale. I do not witness what many others are experiencing. I’m thinking if you slow the coil speed down this will help. I also run All-Tones which helps out tremendously in heavily trashed areas. Yes, it’s a barrage of different tones but when I get over a good target, there is no mistake about it and with accurate ID.
Click to expand...
You hit on something that I should have mentioned. Your sweep speed shouldn't be any faster than with your older machines, and in fact maybe even slower. The faster recovery speed (reset time) is really only useful for better target separation. I run mine with the slowest recovery to achieve the greatest depth, and I sweep silly slow, and hunting in beds of square nails it has worked rather well.

My own rules for deciding what to dig haven't really changed. I'm looking for repeatable clean tones, and if I have to work to make them "sound good" then chances are it's trash.
 
I hunt extremely slow with a recovery of 4 on the 900 and sometimes 3. Staying at this recovery speed has worked wonders for me. I have found many wonderful old coin finds and at great depths. I have a friend that uses the XTerra Pro and he absolutely loves it. He harvests hundreds of quarters with it and just about has it paid off!
 
Unfortunately, I can't help you...BUT, THANKS FOR THE WARNING!
 
Michael hill said:
Just got the e-xterra pro today and I'm already seriously doubting the purchase.im not new to detecting, I used to run Whites detectors, M6 and V3i mainly. I'm really flabbergasted over how unstable the e-xterra is. My god the VDI's are all over the place, slight variation I can handle but damn... Am I doing something wrong or are these things really this unstable when it comes to the Vdi? Basically just running factory settings trying to learn the machine. Reducing sensitivity does no good, have rest to factory settings a dozen times at least.... Tried running different freqs, etc. You just can't trust it, have not pulled a single coin all day today, all trash and iron that ring in 80-90's on VDI with sweet sounding tones. Running all tones, tried going down to 5 tones that didn't help. Any help or opinions would be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Mike,
I bought an XTP back in November to use in the water and as a back up to my 800.
The friend that "JimmyCT" mentioned above is me, and I have nothing bad to say about my detector.
I have been using it exclusively since I got it to get used to the new tones and the TIDs.
I have found over 700 quarters with it already and have no problem whatsoever in knowing what they are.
I will say I believe my 800 ID's nickels better, but the verdict is still out on that.
As far and copper pennies and dimes, I really cannot tell one for the other most of the time, but again, I know it is going to be one or the other.
I have been using Park 1, multi tone (same as my 800), and sensitivity always above 20, and running 15khz.
Due to my every changing ground conditions here in Virginia, I run ground tracking mode.
I am also running the recovery speed at 2.
As far as iron, again, I am not having any issues with that including steel bottle caps.
If you are detecting on the beach, maybe someone nearby is on a cell phone of I pad causing the erratic TID's.
Of course this could also be the case inland too and I have encountered that.
If you place coins on the ground, do they read good then?
Try holding your detector still above the ground and see if the numbers are jumping around... this could be EMI.
Hopefully, you will figure out what is going on with this issue.
Hope this helps you out some...
 
fwcrawford said:
Mike,
I bought an XTP back in November to use in the water and as a back up to my 800.
The friend that "JimmyCT" mentioned above is me, and I have nothing bad to say about my detector.
I have been using it exclusively since I got it to get used to the new tones and the TIDs.
I have found over 700 quarters with it already and have no problem whatsoever in knowing what they are.
I will say I believe my 800 ID's nickels better, but the verdict is still out on that.
As far and copper pennies and dimes, I really cannot tell one for the other most of the time, but again, I know it is going to be one or the other.
I have been using Park 1, multi tone (same as my 800), and sensitivity always above 20, and running 15khz.
Due to my every changing ground conditions here in Virginia, I run ground tracking mode.
I am also running the recovery speed at 2.
As far as iron, again, I am not having any issues with that including steel bottle caps.
If you are detecting on the beach, maybe someone nearby is on a cell phone of I pad causing the erratic TID's.
Of course this could also be the case inland too and I have encountered that.
If you place coins on the ground, do they read good then?
Try holding your detector still above the ground and see if the numbers are jumping around... this could be EMI.
Hopefully, you will figure out what is going on with this issue.
Hope this helps you out some...
Click to expand...
I have pretty mild ground here in Indiana but I run ground tracking also, recovery speed 2.What I am experiencing is not EMI. When held still above the ground the machine is dead quiet and not chattery. I don't take my phone with me when I detect, and I wasn't close enough to any people yesterday or today for that to even be a factor. As I said before, I see the same thing happening on ever YouTube video where people are running the XTP and they comment on the wild jumpy VDI as well. My problem is NOT EMI....I've been running detectors for 12 years, I know when EMI is the issue. Thanks to all for the suggestions. I guess this is just a case of get used to it, or sell it and look for something else. Damn sure won't be another Minelab...
 
Michael hill said:
I have pretty mild ground here in Indiana but I run ground tracking also, recovery speed 2.What I am experiencing is not EMI. When held still above the ground the machine is dead quiet and not chattery. I don't take my phone with me when I detect, and I wasn't close enough to any people yesterday or today for that to even be a factor. As I said before, I see the same thing happening on ever YouTube video where people are running the XTP and they comment on the wild jumpy VDI as well. My problem is NOT EMI....I've been running detectors for 12 years, I know when EMI is the issue. Thanks to all for the suggestions. I guess this is just a case of get used to it, or sell it and look for something else. Damn sure won't be another Minelab...
Click to expand...
Just curious.. when you check coins laying on top of the ground, are the numbers also erratic?
 
fwcrawford said:
Just curious.. when you check coins laying on top of the ground, are the numbers also erratic?
Click to expand...
To an extent yes, I expect some jumping due to being a single freq unit, and the VDI's being assigned 4 per bin...but my main issue is iron nails ringing in at 80-94 and sounding like a coin...just got off the phone with Minelab support, they said it sounded like a bad board or coil. Called Cabela's where I got it and they said bring it back and they will swap it out for a different one, so gonna try that. Tech agreed iron nails should never ring in 80-94....🤔 Gee, ya think?
 
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