How would the GT compare to the XLT in full disc or even at about 50%? Some example's of find's and depth's would be appreciated. Also, is using the 180 meter that people refer to a giant step in helping to understanding the GT or is it one of those nice to have thing's? It look's like it could be pretty helpful. Thank's again and good hunting with the time left.
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GT depth
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Southwind
Well-known member
I'm still a newbie myself with the GT but this is my experience s far.
While the GT gets far better depth than the XLT, with or without discrimination, the XLT does a far better job of discriminating.
I've tried the "silver mode" or full discrimination on the GT twice now. The first outing was very impressive recovering 2 wheats at roughly 10-12". I was also fooled by 3 pieces of iron. The second outing was not good, but was done in a different area that may not have the deep coins. I did recover 6 zinc pennies, but had issues with the GT detecting pull tabs even at full discrimination.
The XLT, in my opinion, does far better at discriminating trash while finding coins, but doesn't get near the depth.
I have a meter for my GT but don't use it. It's been my experience, with the meter, that it has the same issues as other displays. They are pretty accurate on shallower targets, but deeper than 6" they become unreliable. Now I would guess in a less target rich area it would be more useful, but in the area where I use the GT, for it's extreme depth, the meter is all but useless and just added weight.
While the GT gets far better depth than the XLT, with or without discrimination, the XLT does a far better job of discriminating.
I've tried the "silver mode" or full discrimination on the GT twice now. The first outing was very impressive recovering 2 wheats at roughly 10-12". I was also fooled by 3 pieces of iron. The second outing was not good, but was done in a different area that may not have the deep coins. I did recover 6 zinc pennies, but had issues with the GT detecting pull tabs even at full discrimination.
The XLT, in my opinion, does far better at discriminating trash while finding coins, but doesn't get near the depth.
I have a meter for my GT but don't use it. It's been my experience, with the meter, that it has the same issues as other displays. They are pretty accurate on shallower targets, but deeper than 6" they become unreliable. Now I would guess in a less target rich area it would be more useful, but in the area where I use the GT, for it's extreme depth, the meter is all but useless and just added weight.
With the Sovereigns I find it one of the deepest detectors I have ever used, but it takes time to learn and understand them. You must go slow to get the depth as many of the deeper signal are just a change in the threshold you would never hear if you were swinging the coil fast. The Sovereigns are also one of the best IDing detectors out there even at some great depth you may find unbelievable at times. Many dont see this until you have used it and understand it, so dont expect it to pull those 12-15 inch coins out until you get to know it well and what it is saying.
On meters is where many will differ on opinions, but to me a good 180 meter is a must to learn the Sovereigns and it helps me to ID the deeper targets too and could be because of my real bad hearing too. I find when calibrated I will get a 179-180 for a copper penny, clad coins and silver. A 176-177 will be my IH pennies, some of the older wheaties and the new zinc penny. Nickles have a separate tone and can vary a bit, but most will read 144-145 with the war nickles reading up to 151 because of the silver in them. Now the meter will help doing the ID as some of the tones are too close to tell the difference in them. Some of the deeper targets with the older Sovereigns I seem to notice after 8 inches it is a little more difficult to get the ID to get to 180, but it can for a split second or trying to climb the same as the tones, so on the deeper ones I watch that ID as I am trying to get the best signal. On the GT it seem like it will ID deeper as it is more sensitive, but can false more on iron and find if you check it out from other angles you will see it dont repeat in the same area as before. Some of the real deep one like over 12 inches you never will get the meter or the tones to become correct, but you can tell they are trying to climb and enough to want to dig in the older parks I like to detect and why the S-1 SunRay probe is also a must for me.
I used to have a XLT too and seen other go to the Sovereigns and for the first while you wonder if you made the right choice, but when you get to know it you will be surprise what you have missed both surface and deep coins with the XLT, but like I say you got to get to know it and understand it which some can do in one day while others it takes a while longer. It took me a good 2 weeks to get comfortable so i was finding some great stuff and learned something new each time out with it. It was well over a year before I felt I had mastered it and could tell by the tones and meter reading if it was iron, a coin, a beer can or other trash plus could tell you the depth 95% of the time. There are places you have to go normal slow and places you have to go super slow swinging the coil to hear those tone changes of a deep target.
On meters is where many will differ on opinions, but to me a good 180 meter is a must to learn the Sovereigns and it helps me to ID the deeper targets too and could be because of my real bad hearing too. I find when calibrated I will get a 179-180 for a copper penny, clad coins and silver. A 176-177 will be my IH pennies, some of the older wheaties and the new zinc penny. Nickles have a separate tone and can vary a bit, but most will read 144-145 with the war nickles reading up to 151 because of the silver in them. Now the meter will help doing the ID as some of the tones are too close to tell the difference in them. Some of the deeper targets with the older Sovereigns I seem to notice after 8 inches it is a little more difficult to get the ID to get to 180, but it can for a split second or trying to climb the same as the tones, so on the deeper ones I watch that ID as I am trying to get the best signal. On the GT it seem like it will ID deeper as it is more sensitive, but can false more on iron and find if you check it out from other angles you will see it dont repeat in the same area as before. Some of the real deep one like over 12 inches you never will get the meter or the tones to become correct, but you can tell they are trying to climb and enough to want to dig in the older parks I like to detect and why the S-1 SunRay probe is also a must for me.
I used to have a XLT too and seen other go to the Sovereigns and for the first while you wonder if you made the right choice, but when you get to know it you will be surprise what you have missed both surface and deep coins with the XLT, but like I say you got to get to know it and understand it which some can do in one day while others it takes a while longer. It took me a good 2 weeks to get comfortable so i was finding some great stuff and learned something new each time out with it. It was well over a year before I felt I had mastered it and could tell by the tones and meter reading if it was iron, a coin, a beer can or other trash plus could tell you the depth 95% of the time. There are places you have to go normal slow and places you have to go super slow swinging the coil to hear those tone changes of a deep target.
Thank-you, thank-you! Rick from ND, if you ever used a coinmaster from the 1970's or 80's you would probably compare those weak tone's to the GT. There were hundred's of time's that the only way I knew I had a target with deep potential ( for the era, maybe 4 to 6 inches) was just a change in threshold. I would switch to all metal and watch that red and yellow meter, if the needle wavered just a little, I knew it was time to dig. AHH! those tone's. What a beautiful exciting sound. I am beginning to really like the GT and I haven't even held one yet. I have three fairground sites within a few mile's of me that have given up indianhead's, silver of all kind's and, well you get the picture. I have a park that I pounded for three year's with the old coinmaster's and dug over 2 dozen barber dimes. With the xlt I only found one wheat. I'm not naive enought to think more old coin's somehow just materialized over the year's but I think there should be a couple of older coin's that can't be reached with the xlt. I would get a small coil because of all the trash for the fairground's and maybe use the larger stock coil for the park's.Of course I have a good set of phone's.I'm still up in the air on the meter but for the sake of shortening the learning curve,maybe I would get one.Thank-you so much guy's and good hunting. I probably will have more question's.