I'm New Explorer User and I have some Questions

[Clifford Powell]

I've got about 40 hours on my Explorer II (with an X-1) and it's starting to come together for me but there are some things I'm fuzzy on.

My present set up is:
IM -14 (-16 still drives me a little nuts)
Deep on
Fast off
Sensitivity from 21 to 27 manual, Sometimes auto 27
Gain 7
Sounds Ferrous
Audio normal
Threshold minimum
Volume max

Questions:
I have read where the threshold should be just audible. I have it set as low as it will go without disappearing. If I go down one more the theashhold is gone. Is this normal? Something I'm doing wrong? I'm using the stock Koss headphones.

Sensitivity settings seems to vary from user to user. Some say manual is the only way to go and others use auto. In one case a user states that he hunts in auto 32. What actually happens when you use auto? Does setting a number in auto change/modify something? It took me awhile to know what 'unstable' means but I now think it's where the cursor jumps around in smart screen. Is that right?

I presently have 2 coils. The stock 10 inch and a Excelerator 5. Many users have suggested that I use a coil in between these sizes. I can see the wisdom in this as I have hunted in some trashy areas where there are too many targets under the 10 inch coil. My question is which coil? The Minelab 8 inch is mentioned frequently. So is the Sunray X-8. The 4.5 x 7" EXcelerator coil appeals to me because of it's geometry - narrow. Seems like a good fit between the coils I have. Am I on the right track?

There are other things that I have problems with such as finding rings, 5 cent pieces and deep targets (can't figure out what 'deep signal' sounds like) but I think that knowledge comes with experience - not from a book.

I'm not quite up to the skill level with this machine as I was with my Ace 250 but it's getting there. All in all I not sorry I acquired this machine.

I appreciate this forum and have learned a lot from it. Thanks to all that post here with suggestions to help us newbies.

Cliff - - -

 

[Hard Nosed Dave]

Cliff,

I see that your mention IM -16 drives you nuts.

I found VOLUME 10 had a lot to do with IM-16 driving me nuts. Especially if a good headphone eg: the Koss UR30 with VOLUME 10 is being used. I do not think that, unless we are slightly deaf, the volume should be so high. The low tone "blurt" of AUDIO SOUNDS FEROUS(in some ground conditions) and constantly in ones ear at that VOLUME 10, MUST rate as a type of torture(almost like listening to a badly recorded live Ramstein concert at full volume). I feel that ANY of those constant sounds when listened to TOO loudly can cause some form of harm to us(and reading some of my and others previous posts over the years around the web it looks like a warning may have come too late).

The metal detector user should be monitoring what is being detected when searching with their detector.......not be bludgeoned with the sounds that comes out of their headphones.


With the 10 1/2 inch Explorer stock coil:

I would suggest you try, as I did, and drop the VOLUME down to 6 or 7 and bring GAIN up to 8 with SENSATIVITY in SEMI and/or AUTO as you state you do.

Try RESPONSE AUDIO 1

When you hunt in an area that permits you to, increase the SENSATVITY in SEMI or even AUTO to 32(dry sandy beaches or even some inland sites) you might want to TRY RESPONSE AUDIO 2 with the above settings. Keep the SENSATIVTY lower if you decide to use RECOVERY DEEP ON and RECOVERY FAST OFF.

RECOVERY FAST ON and DEEP OFF is best used in certain conditions where there is need for recovering non ferrous targets that are located in fairly high rusty IRON trash areas. There are many variables so you'll need to experiment, even by lowering the SENSATIVITY, in certain ground conditions areas.

I found that a DEEP target, in certain ground conditions will become more discernable as a deep target, when you begin with tweaks to the Explorer that suit the situation (I hope that makes a little sense).


Hard Nosed Dave

 

[bunn leonard]

You should always hunt in man sens, if in auto the machine is getting you as close as possible to your number, lets say you set it at 27 in auto well the machine may take you down to 8 just to make it stable.It will get you as close as possible to your number in man sens run as high as you can till it jumps all over the screen then back off and ALWAYS! hit noise cancel. you should run your gain at 8 or 9 all thats doing is amplfying any deep targets alot of people like to hear a whisper that lets them get the idea of how deep a target is but me i dont want to miss it so i jack it up i think the standard is 5. THe Koss head phones are some of the best i use the ur-30 Andy s. recommended them to me and love them. as far as deep signals try using your pinpoint and if it starts to have fluttering sound its deep also dont forget if its not there its not. sounds like you got it down pretty good stay in man and hit your noise cancel some times i will hit it every 30 min. and as far as -16 -12 thats up to you youll gain no depth but iron,i personally hunt in conduct but have tried the whole -16 and it will make most useres hate the ex try coin jewelryfor awhile in smart and youll be suprised.trust me have found thousands. good luck your definitly on the right track sorry for the sloppy typing im not a secretary im a detectorist,today i have daddy duty but tommorow!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Joe G]

Questions:
I have read where the threshold should be just audible. I have it set as low as it will go without disappearing. If I go down one more the theashhold is gone. Is this normal? Something I'm doing wrong? I'm using the stock Koss headphones.

<b> I wondered the very same thing. I'd bring it down til it was softer, but one notch more and I heard nothing. Then I got a pair of real good headphones. (I got the Black Widow's but there are others...) Now I know what "barely audible" means.</b>

Sensitivity settings seems to vary from user to user. Some say manual is the only way to go and others use auto. In one case a user states that he hunts in auto 32. What actually happens when you use auto? Does setting a number in auto change/modify something?

<b>Auto Sensitivity means just that, the machine automatically compenstates the level, up or down depending on the soil conditions. If you have it set at 16, it will adjust itself up or down but no higher than 16 (or at least that's my understanding). Personally, I always hunt in manual and make changes when the machine "tells" me. I used auto as a guide in the beginning</b>

It took me awhile to know what 'unstable' means but I now think it's where the cursor jumps around in smart screen. Is that right?

<b> Yep, that's unstable. Make sure you noise cancel when that start's happening. If it doesn't go away, lower the sensitivity until it's stable and perhaps go one click up. Then noise cancel.</b>


I presently have 2 coils. The stock 10 inch and a Excelerator 5. Many users have suggested that I use a coil in between these sizes. I can see the wisdom in this as I have hunted in some trashy areas where there are too many targets under the 10 inch coil. My question is which coil? The Minelab 8 inch is mentioned frequently. So is the Sunray X-8. The 4.5 x 7" EXcelerator coil appeals to me because of it's geometry - narrow. Seems like a good fit between the coils I have. Am I on the right track?

<b> I've used the stock 10" in some trashy areas. You can still pick out targets with some practice. When it's REALLY trashy, that's when the small 5" comes in handy (have to get one in the spring). Right now I have a Platypus (8.5 X 11.5). I've only used it once at a park and I really liked it. (managed to pull a silver Washington from a trashy picnic area) Still need to play with it though. If you do a search of the forum for coils, I'm sure you'll find lot's of info. The biggest thing is to slow down a lot and listen. </b>

There are other things that I have problems with such as finding rings, 5 cent pieces and deep targets (can't figure out what 'deep signal' sounds like) but I think that knowledge comes with experience - not from a book.

<b>When you find a deep target, you'll know... just go slow. The gold comes in time. Think about replacing the Koss's though</b>

HH,

Joe

 

[bunn leonard]

I agree but still like my man sens for depth youll be like pete townsend with the volume at 10 sounds like the same info it just takes time and preference and location i field hunt with the wot coil thats the reason i hit noise cancel all the time the soil changes its a learn thing but youve got it just keep plugging away,youll get your machine in tune for where you live.

 

[Clifford Powell]

n/t

 

[Bill W.]

Cliff,

What kind of sites are you hunting that you are using Ferrous tones? If you're hunting parks, etc. I would recommend using conduct tones. As far as iron mask goes I run mine in the -12 to -14 range depending on soil conditions. -16 has very limited advantages and isn't worth the constant 'noise' as I think it can make you miss targets at times because of the addition sounds.

As far as manual vs. auto. I am a believer in getting used to the Explorer in auto. In auto, you will get alot less noise from trying to push the sensitivity too high. The sounds also tend to retain their 'cleaner' sound. You will find that if you overdrive the Explorer and don't have alot of experience on the Explorer it can get difficult to tell coins from iron falses. Once you're comfortable try manual in tame ground. There are places I prefer auto and some I prefer manual. I've dug great coins using both. I would also add that I really don't think the Explorer in auto senstitivity is good at keeping the sensitivity 'close' to what you have picked. Case in point is set your Explorer sensitivity to 1 in both auto and manual. It would stand to reason that the Explorer should be able to keep the sensitivity at 1 in auto. But, in auto you can get a signal off of the target ALOT further away than manual. When I do use auto I use the factory default of 16 since it's half ways between and I figure if the Explorer 'software' allows the sensitivity to go up/down a certain number I am in the middle and have a good chance of the Explorer hitting the right sensitivity it 'needs'. Do you understand what I mean???

As far as deep targets that comes with experience. In some of the area I hunt deep targets will 'pull' into a lower ID range.... almost sounding like a square pulltab and sometimes even lower. Alot of those targets are barely hitting and can be broken up somewhat. The only thing I can recommend is once you think you have an area clean out go back through and dig some targets that are barely hitting but are fairly repeatable. I hunt alot of parks and public areas that have been hunted to death. So, I developed the ability to get deep coins pretty quick.

The 10 inch coil is excellent in iron. The Explorer will 'average' close targets so a big coil isn't the best choice for non-iron trash. But, that depends how heavy the trash is. I usually cover an area with 3-4 different coils and more than 1 machine. It's amazing what each will pick up that the other misses. There is no one will get it all coil.

I have almost 6 years on my Explorer. So, I've been around the 'block' a few times with it. There are quite a few people I have helped over the years with the Explorer that can vouch for my knowledge. Jim in Upstate NY is good with his Explorer and is one you should listen to when he posts. Charles in upstate NY, Brian (upstateNY) and Don in SJ also know their Explorer well. Please feel free to email me if you have any specific questions.

-Bill

-Bill