Eagle Spectrum/XLT ?

[Rebel1]

Ok fellas, i didn't have much luck getting anyone on the Tesoro forum to answer questions when i was using a Tesoro. I hope i have better luck here now that i have a Whites unit. I just picked up an Eagle Spectrum. Seems to be a good machine. But it is going to take some getting used to after the Beep and dig Tesoros. Anyway, how does it stack up to the XLT? Will it do pretty much anything the XLT will? Other than the XLT having a couple more factory set programs what, if any, are the differences?
Next question. If i modify a program and need to re-do the ground balance do i just lift the coil to waist level and then lower it or do i need to use the trigger or what?
If i want to make my own program and want to save it as a custom program do i just set it up and then go back to the page with the custom programs and hit save? I would appreciate any and all help on learning how is the best way to use this machine. Thanks

 

[C E Stricklin]

I have and regularly use both the Eagle Spectrum and the XLT. I have had both units since they were first introduced by White's and they remain two of my most often used detectors. They are both built on the same format and are very similar in operation. The XLT has a few more options for the user and it is lighter, uses AAA batteries instead of C cell (I purchased C cell battery sleeves which enables me to use AAA batteries in the Eagle Spectrum also). The coils are interchangeable and any of the 6.59 kHz White's coils Blue Max, Black Max, Royal 800, etc will work.

Check out the various posts on this forum by "Monte" and while most of what he explains pertains to the XLT and other White's detectors the information about the coils applies to the Eagle Spectrum as well. He is the most knowledgeable person I know of concerning the various White's detectors.

I have experimented with numerous programs for the XLT on the Eagle Spectrum and they all worked, some had to be tweaked a little but for the most part were fine. I, however, recommend that to start with use the factory preset programs without making many changes in them until you become familiar with the detector. Many of the various adjustments affect not only the settings you are changing but other features of the detector as well and it easy to over adjust and cause the detector not to function at optimum performance.

I usually run the same custom program on both. Start with the factory relic program, Block Edit to the following settings: Accept -95 & -94, Reject -93 thru -39, Accept -40 thru +95 (Some of my best finds have showed as -94, -95 or +95, these were deep targets that the detector could not read well enough to identify). This detects all metal except for small iron, I then rely on the other info on the screen to determine whether or not to dig such as VDI Number, Spectrum Graph and on the XLT Graph accumulate.

Here is a link to White"s downloadable Manuals in PDF format if you do not have one. Read it again and again as you gain knowledge of the detector thru use until you fully understand everything the Manual states: http://whiteselectronics.com/info/manuals.html.

Hope this helps some and that you enjoy your Eagle Spectrum as much as I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy using mine.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting.

 

[Rebel1]

Thank you for the reply and all the info. I know this detector is going to take some getting used to. It is nothing like the Tesoro beep and dig units i have been using. But i think that with some practice it is going to be a good one.

 

[Rebel1]

C E ? I am interested in that AA battery pack you said you got to convert the Spectrum from C's. Where did you get it, and how many AA's does it use? Thanks for any info.

 

[C E Stricklin]

It is not a battery pack, they are sleeves that slip over AA Batteries to make them the same diameter as C cells that you use in the regular battery pack. I got mine from Amazon.com.

In my previous post I mistakenly stated AAA size instead of AA.

HH

 

[Southwind]

I loved the Eagle Spectrum and used it for 18 years before upgrading? to an XLT. The XLT was lighter but I felt I got better performance out of the Eagle Spectrum. I ran the factory Coin & Jewelry program and opened up the discrimination a bit. Using block edit I'd accept from +93 down to -12 and reject the rest. Very deep detector. I was a Tesoro user until the Eagle Spectrum taught me the value of a good target ID system. I never looked back.

 

[Rebel1]

Thanks for clearing me up on that C E. I will check Amazon for them.

 

[Rebel1]

Thanks for the info Southwind. I haven't figured out how to do the accept to a certain number and reject others yet. I also need to figure out how to re-ground balance it if i change a setting. Do i just lift the coil and then lower it, or do i need to squeeze the trigger, or what? Appreciate any info.

 

[Rebel1]

C E I found them and ordered them at Amazon. Thanks for the tip.

 

[Southwind]

To ground balance at any time press the ENTER pad and follow the directions.

Quckest way to set the discrimination is to go to Block Edit discrimination and press the up arrow until it reaches the top number of +95. Make sure the Reject check box is checked, press the ENTER pad to change it if it is not, then use the down arrow to go to the number +93. Press the ENTER pad so that the Accept check box is checked, and then hold the down arrow pad until the numbers reach -13, press the ENTER pad to change the check back to the reject check box then hold the down arrow until the numbers reach the bottom of -95.

Here is a video on YouTube I did on using Block Edit on the DFX which is the same.

[video]www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyLl-JQ-Zco[/video]

 

[Rebel1]

Thanks, i will check out your Video.

 

[Elton]

The Preset programs coins, coin & J , etc are programs with less discrimination... The prospecting mode had different sounds attached to it.So for less Disc you can just change programs..as you hunt. Like stated above edit is better, but in a pinch just move down one or two on preset programs..

 

[skookum]

High,
I have recently bought an XLT myself.
The best pointer that I can give you, is to download the manual from the Whites hp and read it more than once.
Because the XLT has so many different program options/function changes - by the time you understand how every function interacts with another one - it will definitely broaden your horizon on metal detecting technology.
To tell you the truth, I must have read some pages of the user manual at leat 2 dozen times so everything posted there has sunk in mentaly.
In the end this knowledge will make you become a more versed/experienced detectorist.

Just my 2 cents worth
HH
skookum

 

[Rebel1]

Yep. Read the manual, then read the manual, and then get out and use it and learn it.

 

[Rebel1]

Well, i received the battery adapters and put some new AA batteries in them and installed them in the Spectrum. It won't even try to come on. They are cheap batteries but they are New so i would think it should at least start up. Any ideas?

 

[widebody]

[size=large]have you tried the original battery size first to make sure the circuits work at all? if that works i'd do a load of good brand batteries. trial and elimination.

HH[/size]

 

[Larry (IL)]

Here is the owners manual for you to print out.

http://media.whiteselectronics.com/manuals/Eagle%20Manuals/Eagle%20spectrum%20instruction%20manual.pdf

 

[Rebel1]

Thanks Larry. I contacted Whites and asked if they had any Videos on how to use it. A nice lady there sent me a VHS for the Spectrum as well as a DVD and an owners manual for the XLT. Some great customer service at Whites. I downloaded the Spectrum manual at the Whites site already. And i got the AA battery adapters to work. I just had to and a small piece of aluminum foil to each end to make a good contact. Works fine now.

 

[Larry (IL)]

You must have talked to Mary......... White's service is unsurpassed.

 

[Rebel1]

Yep, Mary it was. I may have to make another trip up there some time. Nice folks. They are only about 90 miles from me.