Anyone want to talk about the XL Pro?

[Scottowl]

I have not done much detecting for the last year or so, due to some problems life has dealt me. However, I am feeling like getting back with it these days.

There is a park near where I live that I hit quite often. It sees a lot of use during the summer, particularly from our Latino neighbors. They love to wear gold jewelry, and are fond of stuffing birthday pinatas with clad coins for their youngsters to scoop up. I have done well on both counts in the past.

One thing I would never expect there is old silver. I had my MXT running in a open field, and hit upon a silver Rosie. I had the 6x10 elliptical coil on. That got my attention, and I decided to dig everything in about a 20' x 20' area. Besides a lot of trash the MXT also found a gold ring that was hit by a mower.

I had not had the XL Pro out for a walk for some time, so I went over the same area with a Bulls Eye coil. There were 2 more Merc dimes and a no date Buffalo nickel. All these coins were from 5" to 7" down, and the silver was stained by what looks like clay soil. The Buff has that nasty orange-brown stain that clad gets after a few years.

Even though I was convinced not much else was there, I mounted up the 9.5 on the XL, and rechecked the area. I found another Merc, along with a few clad dimes and all-copper Memorial cents.

All this activity took place over the last 2 weekends, and raises some comments/questions.

First off, I would expect the MXT to find the ring, but do not understand why it would miss the nickel for the XL Pro to clean up. I cannot rule out operator error, however!

The XL will not run stable with the signal balance much past 1 o'clock. It falses on both coils. There are overhead power transmission lines, but the chattering MXT will run stable cranked all the way up, as long as I stay in relic mode.

Another problem with the XL is the wide pin pointing area on coins. I can ratchet the pinpoint down, but still get an area as wide as the coil. Too much signal balance?

I should really learn what signal balance really is. Is it segmented gain, like what I have on the MXT, or does it work differently?

After putting in a few hours with the MXT hollering in my ear, it is a nice (quiet!) change of pace to plug into the XL Pro. That is not to say the XL is incapable of finding small metallic items. I dug a few shirt snaps chasing those Mercs!

One more thing. What does the trigger forward do?

If anyone has any pointers or comments, I would sure like to hear them!

 

[bootyhoundpa]

hi scott.... i dont have an xl , but i do have a 5900 di pro which i understand is very simular..... i find that using the 5.3 inch coil for shallow coins and jewelry is an excellent choice.... ive found alot more gold with the 5.3 inch coil than the 9.5 inch.... i never knew what the trigger forward position did until recently .. while detecting a lake beach with tiny tiny jewelry targets i was checking every beep . chirp and pop the machine would make.... problem was when i would pull the trigger to pinpoint the target would not register because of its tiny size..... but if i flipped the trigger forward it seemed to go into allmetal non motion mode which helped make pin pointing a whole lot easier when using the 5.3 inch coil the target would always be right under the center dot..... good luck..

 

[a4wdguy]

Sig Bal is kind of a preamp gain. In ground with little or no mineralization, you can run it wide open to achieve maximum depth. As mineralization increases, more signal is reflected by the minerals. As the minerals reflect the signal, it is returned scattered. By turning the Sig Bal down toward bad ground the signal sensitivity is decreased and you are better able to see the target amid the minerals. Kind of like driving in fog with your headlights on. High beams put out more signal, but you can see objects in the fog better and farther with low beams on.
If you turn the sig bal up too high the detector will become unstable and start falsing, even in pure sand or the air. This is because White's allowed more range than is useable in order to cover all possible conditions of mineralization (or lack thereof).

When you pull the trigger in, it changes the detector mode to the opposite of the mode you are searching in. If you are searching in a GEB or motion mode, pulling the trigger in changes to all metal or non-motion mode. This is the usual method used for pinpointing. Pushing the trigger forward simply locks the detector in the same mode as when it is pulled. Alternatively, if you are looking for greater depth, you can search in an all metal mode (non-motion or DC)and pull the trigger in to ID a target with a flick of the wrist.

Hope this helps.

 

[mickfin]

Hi Scott Im glad you can get out N Detect again, But i want to talk about my Whites Eagle II SL 90 , Years ago wen She was NEW She dident get the Credit She Deserves???? Cozz peaple 4Rgot what too do wen thay pulled the trigger????? So hears to the EAGLE !!!!!!!!!!! I Like too use Her with the Big Foot coil, This Detector was way befor it time and still can out Hunt the newer
and the Newest Detectors???? Mickfin

 

[mickfin]

The Trigger FW is Pin Point or all metal you can hunt with it and it will go Deeper but with no ID, Another flash from the past???????

 

[Flintstone]

Hi Mick, On your Eagle with the Big Foot dose the VDI read hi? For some reason on mine all VDI,s read higher than they should. Like a penny hits like hi dime, Dime hits hi quarter, quarter hit like 50c. What is going on is my bigfoot going bad? Thanks Flintstone

 

[TC-NM]

Hey Scottowl,

I've had my XL Pro for quite some time and really love it. I use the the Bullseye 5.3 coil about 85% of the time in trashy areas. The 950 coil I use in open city lots or areas with less trash. If you have a chance, try getting a BlueMax 800 (8") coil to compliment your detector.

Here is something that I put together in a short summary from the manual and printed on one sheet of paper and keep it in my pocket when I go out for a hunt, just so I don't forget what I need to do.

XL Pro Quick Set-Up for General Hunting

1. Place all controls to their preset position except MODE, set this to GEB/NORM Squeeze and Release Trigger on the handle.

2. Hold the coil at waist level. Squeeze and Hold Trigger; adjust TUNER control for slight threshold. Release Trigger.

3. Keeping the coil at waist level, Push the AUTO GEB switch to AIR and Hold it. . . wait for

 

[mickfin]

Hi Flintstone, No my Big Foot reads Like the 950 coil, Sounds Like your Big Foot coil, This is just a Guss mite have have ben left in the Extreme Heat or Cold and is loosing
calibratison????? You mite try setting your Eagle in Absalute its in the Advanced opptions, But dont ask me how to do it never did it?????
Its 4R the Big Foot coil or something??? I know almost everything about the Eagle sept that LOL Have a nice X-Mas Flint, Mickfin

 

[Flintstone]

Thanks Mick, I don,t know if sending it to Whites will help or not. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Hope All your digs are golden. Flintstone