Excal Missing Targets ?

[soflajim]

Im still new to my Excal. I was using it this weekend at the beach (in the water). I noticed a couple of times, when I swing I pick up up tone. While only swing in one direction. I tried looking for the target, but it never tones again or nulls. I tried to pinpoint, but it seems the target just disappears. I have my unit set to 1 on disc, sens to about 12, and threshold just barely audible.

Am I swinging too fast ? It doesn't happen all the time, just noticed it a couple of times. Also, sometimes I will raise the coil out of the water and it goes crazy, I then settles down.

Thanks
Jim

 

[Horsesoldier]

I'm no expert but it sounds like what you may be experiencing is the unit tracking the ground and trying to maintain ground balance.

A few suggestions:

1. Make sure battery pod is fully charged.
2. Keep the coil level during your swing.
3. Make sure your coil cover doesn't have any sand in it.

Your settings sound o.k. The only thing I would be concerned with is that I have had targets null out followed by a medium to low tone and dig them to find that they were large hoop earrings (not gold). If it nulls out and the threshold returns to normal then its usually an iron target. I have also found that when I loose a signal it sometimes means that either the target has gone deeper in the hole due to wave action or its a coin that I have flipped on edge. Bottom line: dig everything!

 

[Macaco]

If I get a one directional blip like that, I move the coil, side to side, over the same spot at a 90 degree angle.

If I get the same thing, a one directional blip, I switch to pinpoint and do it again. If I get a repeatable, solid signal on pinpoint then I'm sure it's iron or steel so I skip it, especially if it's a very strong signal.

If I get a very faint, barely perceptible signal on pinpoint, I dig down some to get the coil closer to the target because it could be a good, deep target.

With the coil closer to the target, if it's a bad signal on disc but a strong signal on pinpoint I move on.

 

[Gulf Hunter]

OK, sounds like the threshold is set too high. May sound unorthodox to what you have read and heard, but try this next time out. Turn threshold to barely audible and then down to no longer audible. I assure you when you go over a non-ferrous target you will still get a signal. If the threshold breaks over the silence, you are still set too high. You may have to readjust in heavy current or deeper water. Just try it and see if your stability is restored. You may be able to run sensitivity at 11, but keep the coil low and sweep slowly. Excal does not like a fast sweep. You will get more targets too. If you get any kind of signal, check it 360 degrees to see if it reads better, from another direction and dig it all. Good luck and let me know how this works for you. GH

 

[soflajim]

Ok Ill give that a shot (adjusting the threshold). I t may have been the waves knocking me around. I didn't have the coil level to the ground at all times. Coil Cover ? does the Excal come with one from the factory? I see where the coil might have a cover, but I didn't want to pry on it and discover I've made a really big mistake.

Thanks for all the Input, Im still learning .

Jim

 

[Gulf Hunter]

Yes it does have a coil cover, if the unit is new. It should be on there, but may have to be removed after each hunt to remove sand, as this could cause the unit to false also. They are half-azz glued on from the factory. Have also heard of gluing the coil cover on with black silicone and wiping the excess off. I like the idea of being able to remove it after each hunt and I know there is no sand in there after that. Have had mine since Jan. '06 and I think I am on the 3rd-4th coil cover. I shread one about every 4-6 months. Max just removes his and coats the bottom and sides of the coil with Loctite Aquamarine Epoxy. He says it hold up well, but I don't think it would hold up as well as a plastic coil cover. I need all the protection I can get! GH