Have to put my 2cents worth (long)

[Anonymous]

I've been reading these forums for several years now and have observed a lot of changes in participants in them. As a matter of fact I had to change my handle several years ago because of an unfortunate situation that proved I was right but it was too late, with too many hurt feelings and by then many people/friends including myself quit posting, they're still lurking though. Where am I going with this? It seems some people like the techie info, some feel it's over their head and the threads are getting nasty and there's no reason for it. Below someone brought in Mike Moutry, I've hunted with Mike many times, those of us in the mid-west miss him, he is the ultimate hunter. I've never seen anyone that knows the machine the way he does. For ANYONE, wanting to "learn how to set up the machine", Mike's info is great, but you'll still have to learn how to use the machine, there is no magic, no secret dance to make it work, just use it, you'll learn it, you'll eventually find what works best for you. I still use Mikes set up most of the time because it is a proven set up that works for him, me and many others, but, I also really enjoy Cody, Varmit, Captain Kirk and the other insights posted here telling what could be, what should be because the electronic whatcha ma callit is supposed to react a certaiin way. Maybe some of their info is "techie" but once you learn the basics, expand your horizons, have fun with the machine. Different settings work in different places. The set up I use in parks doesn't work when I relic hunt, high mineralization soil is different tan good black dirt, fill is different than the woods down the road. Take everyones info and learn from it. If it doesn't work for you, who cares, it may work for someone else, if it does work for you, get on here and thank who ever posted it and then read the next comment that tells you you're full of it, that it is the worst info ever given. There are days when I use the old standby settings, then there are days I just feel like playing with the settings and maybe, just maybe, it'll find the best settings, "for me". That's why I like the Explorer. I'll get off my soap box now. Take care, Happy hunting.
HH,
Dirtdog(5 years w/the XS)

 

[Anonymous]

this exp II is a sweet machine - gives u something to do if one gets bored while hunting.

 

[Anonymous]

Very good post as it says it all.
<span style="background-color:#ffff00;"> "learn how to set up the machine", Mike's info is great, but you'll still have to learn how to use the machine, there is no magic, no secret dance to make it work, just use it, you'll learn it, you'll eventually find what works best for you. </span>.
This is what it all come down too, you will have to learn what works the best for you which you can only do by using the Explorer and understanding it.
My best hunter last year with 284 pieces of silver (not counting war nickles) dont use half the setting most say works the best. He runs iron mask at a -4 and varries his sensitivity between 20-28 depending on the site and will run auto in one place and change to manual in another and picks coins out of iron with no problem. The reason is he spent the time to learn and know his Explorer, so he does well.
Another guy that got 223 pieces of silver runs a pattern with auto sensitivity 90% of the time and it surprises how fast he can go and listens for the slight tones of a good target. Neither one did that well untill they found what worked the best for them, by getting to know their Explorer, that is the secret of the Explorer and why there is so many differnt combination of setting for differnt area and differt people to understand. Learn the Explorer than find the setting that will do the most for you.
Rick