balancing act

[widebody]

i'm new to this hobby and just found this forum today. so i thought this is the place to learn. four months ago i bought a garrett gti 1500 and a garrett ace 250. then i took a class on metal detectors and decided i should follow the teachers preferance and experience and i bought my white's xlt. it was pointed out to me i have machines all with-in a few khz of each other and should have gotten a better contrasting machine. some questions i have, are all the whites machine as well balanced as this xlt? i was told i won't get as much depth with the xlt as i would with other machines and that even a new mxt pro would be better. i don't trust dealers for the obvious reasons. anyone with ideas? i'll be selling the garrett. the xlt stays. what machine to replace the garrett with? i'm all ears.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Yes, all of the White's newer detectors are very well balanced and the XLT should get just about as much depth as the MXT and other high end detectors.....when properly set..... For some people that is a difficult task because they do not understand what each adjustment does and how to properly set them. When not properly set up for your ground and hunting style, the MXT/MXT Pro will get more depth and more reliable operation. For an easy to learn and use detector, the MXT/MXT Pro is a tough one to beat. Since you are new to the hobby, I would suggest starting off with a non programmable detector and learn the art and have fun without having to worry about adjustments. As you get the "bug" as a treasure hunter, a programmable detector might be your next step up, but
many users who start out with the MXT find it suits their needs just fine and don't need any other detector. Check in on the MXT forum for more comments and info.

Don't get me wrong, the XLT is and has been a great detector for many years and has served their owners well as they will do for many years to come, but the XLT technology is quite old and has a poor selection in accessory coils. The M6, MXT, DFX, V series has over 30 coils to choose from for all kinds of hunting conditions.

 

[Woodchuck]

The XLT can use coils the same as any other machine that has its frequency ! It was my first detector .IT IS NOT THAT HARD TO USE for a beginner IMHO.Just use it in preset programs first.

 

[widebody]

Thanks Larry. i can say i'm learning by the day the more i play. since i started using the xlt more my junk to coin ratio has realy improved. my concern mostly has been in not finding rings or old coins. i finally found two wheaties and a silver ring, small, with a stone in it at the park i've been hitting the last three 1/2 months. i see i don't have as much knowledge about how this adjustment alters this other one but it's coming. with practice. i want to be sure i'm not passing gold rings. the xlt isn't known for gold finding.

my understanding is very low freq. =good silver contact and higher = good gold contact. i haven't had any trouble with clad coins or junk. i have seen enough reviews to see people like their mxt.it seems the dfx doesn't enjoy the same high following.

i'll check into the mxt forum. thanks again.

 

[Larry (IL)]

The XLT is excellent at finding gold rings. I hunt with a buddy who uses the XLT and he has done very well in the gold range, you just have to dig a lot of tabs to get them and he keeps an eye on the spectagraph looking for the single bar, that will help a lot with the trash.

 

[widebody]

Woodchuck, you are correct. my instructer said the same thing. just get in and use the programs. if you want to fiddle start with relics and play with the functions. if things git out of hand you turn it off and start again. i really enjoy my xlt. i just want to get those gold rings and i don't think the xlt can do that. it may be all my lack of knowledge on how to set the machine.i'm retired now so i have all day to learn. my worst fault is that i don't want to sit and read. i want to be out hunting. my hunting will improve with more reading. just gotta sit still to read. maybe it's greed showing it's head. all the b.s. from watching you tube. everyone is finding the old, old stuff. my oldest so far is 1958 wheaty. also seems most history is back east. i'm in the northwest (s.w. wa.).

i enjoy the feed-back.

 

[GoGoGopher]

There is plenty of History in Washington State...The silver is out there, but maybe your area is like mine...Here in NY, it seems the old silver is 7+ inches deep on average...Most detectors give whisper signals on these targets, so you have to go slow, and really listen...I also find that the deeper the coin, or older the coin, the ID will end up being one lower than what it really is, so an old deep injun will show up as Zinc...An old deep buffalo will show as high iron on my QXT...It just takes pratice and patience...You will get it...I have been hunting for 5 years, and am just starting to find silver and wheats on a regular basis...Silver is still hard to come by up here...
Keep at it...

Happy Hunting,

 

[Woodchuck]

Hey widebody there are a lot of people out here that haven't found a gold ring yet.That shouldn't be a priority,you have to learn your XLT first..Second gold rings do't show up as boom gold ring its going to be showing up in possible pull tab or a what you think as a bad target.So you are going to have to learn the XLt.And read forums threads,read and re read the manual etc.You got the time so learn and read and listen to your machine. The biggest mistake you can make as a newbie is to get frustrated,and not put the effort in .Finding a gold ring isn't going to pop out of thin air..Enjoy the XLT and learn it .

 

[widebody]

i hear ya woodchuck. i hear alot of faint signals. i probly have let alot of finds go by. i can't dig as much as others so i've been digging only sure targets for now.i've had to let some iffy signals pass.mostly depends on the depth and how tired i've become. i have dug some targets just to see what they were and compare the signals. i know i'm rushing the find the ring or old coin thing.

just finding the two wheaties was incouraging. then the small silver ring. just need to spend more time in the woods and parks and less at the dr.'s.

 

[thebeatmachine]

I went through the same thing when I had my XLT, I now use a classic ID which is the same frequency. There is a lot of potential in an XLT, but going to a smaller search coil might be a good option for you. A coil such as the BLACK MAX 5.3" coil is great because:

you can turn up the sensitivity of the detector because there is less falsing on a small coil,

The small coil will pick up smaller targets like rings,
The Smaller coil will ID better Because there is more power focused in a tinyer area

and and You can go in between junk (usually its where people have been dropping junk for a long time)

A small coil will also see less minerals in the ground.

Your over all depth may suffer two inches but the benefits are excellent and it took a long time to figure out the benefits of a smaller coil. Higher frequencies may be more sensitive to gold but are more apt to see the minerals in the ground. People don't find gold mostly because they aren't willing to dig

up foil and pull tabs I believe.

ALSO make sure your discrimination is set to accept +0- +94 .

Oh another thing about small coils, they are less likely to detect that piece of scrap metal buried two feet deep that reads as silver on the 950 coil.

Good luck! Crank it up!

 

[Monte]

let's sort of take that backwards because as others have mentioned, gold jewelry doesn't surface all that often, and due to the wide range or the sizes, shapes, alloy content, position and depth, to name a few, most of these lower-conductive gold items tend to fall in a TID range from Foil to Pull Tabs. The bulk are in the low foil to mid-sized foil range, and the larger men's sizes hit around a US 5

 

[widebody]

monte,
wasn't sure if it was u before. kinda thought so but wasn't sure. i'd welcome a hunt with the teacher.
i have ideas for a few hunts. they are all in the greater portland area. especially some of the high lakes camp sites. one area has been used as a resort since 39'. will e-mail with ideas.

have only one closer to portland. would be great for lessons i guess.

anyway i've been down for a month and every thing is too hot and dry. taking the time to learn from this site on ideas of how to do things. really hot to trot to try them out.
purchaced the blue max coil but haven't used it as yet. looks like i may have misunderstood and got the wrong coil? well back to more reading then.
so far i really rely on the graph and vdi #s for my finds. i do find i need to relax more during my hunt. it has helped with slowing down my sweeps and steps. i also have more things and places than i can physically do. not young any more. spirit is willing and all that. one reason i enjoy the xlt so much is it's balance.

beachmachine,
is there a black max or were you talking the blue max?

thanks for all the replies. they are really helping.