Intersting observation with the x50

[dfwdetector]

I purchased one of those deep 15" flower pots large and put gravel at the bottom and filled it to the top with dirt. Then I took a ruler and in the center of the pot I pushed it down until the top level of dirt was equal with the 6 inch mark then I placed a nickel which I had previously found and looked fairly old FLAT at the bottom of the ruler so it was at the 6 inch depth. Then covered it up with dirt. This pot was all plastic and there was no metal at all in the pot except for the nickel. I figured that would be a fair test.

SO I get the x50 out there. Do the hold menu thing while turning it on to put everything back to the factory presets then do a ground balance to just slightly positive since I could'nt acheive the perfect null.

Press the all metal mode. Now not a peep over the pot at all. Ok so I raise the sensitivity from 12 to 15. Still not a peep. OK now I raise it to 18. Now it sees the nickel, it does'nt have a clue what it sees but it sees something. One time 42, then 33, then 12, then 18, then 24 then 27. Ok so I raise the sensitivity to 19. Same thing but now 33, 39, 27, 42.

I also notice that it is detecting on the outer rings of the coil. Since I know where the nickle is since I buried it as soon as the outer ring of the coil comes across it, it beeps.

OK so now I switch to pattern 1. In pattern 1 if I move the coil across the nickel back to front it don't even see anything! If I move the coil left to right over the nickel it sees it and returns either a 27 or 33. If when I move it left to right over the nickel 1 1/2" below where the center of the nickel is it doesn't see it at all!

When I go to pattern 2 I get the same results. So I went back to all metal mode. Again front to back if I move the coil at a speed of more than 1" per second it does'nt even see the damn thing. If I slow to granny speed and barely move the coil as soon as it crosses the nickel it sees it!

If I go left to right at the 1" per second it sees it everytime. When I use the pinpoint mode it pinpoints the center with no issues and a very strong signal far stronger than when it found it!

This is very interesting to me, and explains my frustration with the X50 and hardly finding anything with it! It appears to me if your just off a little from being DIRECTLY over the item there is VERY GREAT chance that you are never going to know that something is there.

I wanted to use the Nickel because I know that Nickels are one of the hardest items to detect and give machines a challenge.

This is just my observations, I am just trying to understand and justify why my X50 spends most of its time in the CLOSET! I have a Cortes coming and will test it as well and will probably pull out my Spectrum Eagle and test it as well just to see how they compare.

I am older now and move slower, however I don't think I will ever be old enough to swing the X50 as slow as it appears I need to

Just rattling on .. for now...

 

[Mike Bearden]

I can give you the test results RIGHT NOW before they are done.
The Cortez will hit that nickle, no doubt about it and Eagle probably will too but here's the kicker.
Take that flower pot set-up as it is right now and just GENTLY saturate the dirt until it runs all the way through the bottom drain holes. Let it sit over night and then try the X-Terra again and you should get surprisingly better results.
I tried a very similar test when the 50 first came out and got the same results you did. I also tried the Tejon and a DeLeon and they hit the nickel well. After I wet the soil and let it set overnight, the 50 hit on it like it should.
Just tells me the X-Terra carries some of the same traits that the Sovereign and Explorer does being that it doesn't like disturbed ground although it's operating at a single frequency !
But, if that coin HAS been in the ground for any length of time "naturally dropped" then the X-Terra will hit it with the best of them.
Just my experiences, you give it a try and let us know.
H.H.
Mike

 

[Reader]

What are you saying about the Tejon and a DeLeon? Reason I'm asking is I'm interested in the TEsoro line. thanks

 

[Mike Bearden]

Easy to explain really, the Tesoros don't care if the ground has been disturbed or not, they simply HIT good either way. Same goes for MOST single frequency detectors ... period !
Fresh plowed fields are a prime example, they will hit on shallow, medium or deep targets that a Sovereign or Explorer may not hear at all if the target resides in disturbed dirt. But, if the target is still enclosed inside a clump of dirt the Sov or EX will hit it loud and clear, just the nature of the beast in multi frequency detectors.
The Minelab Advantage is much like the Tesoros and others,it will hit in disturbed ground or whatever. The X-Terra just doesn't do as well as I hoped in disturbed ground so I reach for other models when I hunt plowed fields or construction sites. Otherwise I hardly ever reach for anything else.
Mike

 

[Reader]

Thanks Mike for the response. I'm still unclear about the frequency thing, been trying to read on it, but find little.

 

[Neil]

What was the purpose of using a flower pot? Versus saying just burying a coin in the ground?
Ive heard this thing about Minelabs and compacted soil and I rarely hunt plowed fields so I cant comment on it. Or any disturbed ground for that matter unless you consider beach sand and every minelab Ive used there does very well. I have an Xterra 70 now and am getting very good depth with it. The coverage is not good at depth I believe because of the concentric coil it has on it.
I would try different ground balance adjustments and generally play around with it and see what you come up with.
HH
Neil

 

[Mike Bearden]

I'm not sure I understand your question either
The 50 can use 2 different frequency coils, the 7.5 kHz and the 18.75.
The 70 can use 3 different frequencies, LOW 3 kHz, Medium 7.5 kHz and High 18.75 kHz. concentric coils and now some DD designs in various shape configurations, round and oblong.
That gives the user the ability to chose whatever frequency coil he/she thinks will work bets for the targets they hunt for.
Hope this helps
Mike

 

[BarnacleBill]

Swinging over the the flower pot is causing the coil to see air--soil--air. Many detectors will fair poorly on this test, I know, I've tried many brands and models.

Put one of the HF coils on the X50 and you will see a change for the better with this experiment.

If hunting a plowed field DO NOT swing over the hilltops creating an air--soil--air situation. Swing along the ridge line of the furrows and along the valleys. I know its a pain in the neck to have to stand that way with your feet curled up in the valleys, but I think you'll have better results. And if you use the HF coils, the ID's will be more accurate in disturbed earth.

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[dfwdetector]

Not true. The detector never ends up over air. The flower pot is large enough that the detector is always over the soil and it still don't have a clue. It hits fine with the Whites XLT. The X50 sees something only at max sensitivity of 19/20 but don't have a clue to what it is with the inconsistant ID's.

 

[BarnacleBill]

OK, keep doing what you're doing, I just don't find many coins in flower pots.

HH
BarnacleBill

 

[bfodnes]

Hi.

It does not like airy soil unlike other VLF machines.It is very obvious both in test and real situations.

It has a very broad sens adjustment depth wise meaning at 1 it sees only a few inches under the coil in air and at 30 it sees very far from the coil. Very similar to Explorer.

It has the same symptoms as the exploer for interference.


In real detecting situations it is very obvious too, your test is not flawed.

You guys can make the tamatoes ready for launch at me now.

I am starting to maybe think that the machines sends at 3 frequencies at the same time but makes the selected coil frequency proprietary when receiving signals. Why should there be so many similarities to the BBS and FBS technology otherwise.

Tomatoes on the way I presume.

Where is my 5-6 " coil, sure hope You Minelab techs dont use the mould from the Explorer 7,5 " and call it small. Then :veryangry:

Regards.

bfodnes

 

[adam in cal]

people dont like it or refuse to admit it , but the exterra is a tad weak in the target id arena, it works but it isnt perfect , the 7.5 coil is the best (imho) , and its a deep machine , I dont know the validity of the flower pot test, and it doesnt do well on freshly buried coins (old coins or new). The numerical target ids are weak in my opinion but its a deep machine,and I think for me better suited for deeper coins than shallow.And I cant find one test where the thing does well but I have found deeper silver coins with it so.......it aint bad nor is it perfect but like any other with time it becomes easier to use and the strong points will overwhelm the weak points if you really like the machine, but at six inches you should be able to hear the coin, I think it does the best in the field in real time conditions ,it does see deep real deep ,its the shallow crap that confuses the thing.I did real well in a place I had hunted before and cleared out a lot of shallow junk , but go near the picnic benches at a newer park and be prepared for some seirious pain in the ass time .................

 

[dfwdetector]

Yep, and I don't usually carry a watering can when I look for coins so I can find them by wetting the soil to make them visible for the detector!

 

[Mike Bearden]

Unless you're walking around hunting coin seeded flower pots exclusively, otherwise, you can expect good results from the X-Terra
Mike

 

[Gort]

did you do it over the flower pot? If so you may have ground balanced out the nickel.

 

[dfwdetector]

Your Right Mike!!

1. Minelab went to EBAY and is gone!

2. I went with Tesoro and now can detect the nickle at almost 10"
in or out of flower pot!

Goodluck minelab, your machine seemed good, but its NOT for me!