Just ordered a used Excalibur!

[Tony N (Michigan)]

I hope some of you with some real experience will be able to help me should I have any questions.

I'm kind of excited about this as I love Minelab detectors.

Does this detector pick up real fine gold chains?

Tony

 

[Art (NWOH)]

Works just like a Sov.

Won't pick up small chains. It will hit on pendants and clasps it they are large enough.

HH

 

[funkyoldude]

Sovereign/Excals don't do as well as, for example, a Fisher Goldbug 2, at finding gold chains, because I think the operating frequencies are too low for detecting small gold. For some reason, low frequency detectors only see the individual links in a chain, and the effect is not accumulative. I believe that even though there are a lot of small links in a chain, and you would think it should really sound off, only a high frequency "nugget" detector like the Goldbug 2 (around 75kHz I believe), will see them. But you can't take the Goldbug into the water, it doesn't target ID, and it doesn't work well in salty wet beach sand, although it will perform well on the dry sand.
I tested my Elite on a huge gold Baht chain (24k, about 2oz) and it barely made a peep at a couple of inches from the coil. But it sounds off on gold rings, no problem.
Good Luck on your Excal.

fod

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

Thanks funkyoldude,

I've heard that the Tesoro Tiger Shark will hit on very fine gold chains but they are not very good in salt water even though they have an internal switch for salt. Some beaches people say they are great on in the salt water and others say they can't use them at their beach in their salt water. Is there less salt in the water in Florida than in California?

I have found individual links (two joined together) to a gold chain at depth with my Explorer in California this year. But they were nice size links too.

 

[funkyoldude]

Sorry Tony, I don't know about the salt levels in FL or CA waters. I have hunted Santa Cruz, CA area beaches, and the problem there is magnetite or black sand. Folks use Sov/Excals with WOT coils around this time of the year.
Jane and I spend most of our time in Thailand hunting a beach on the island of Koh Phangan, and the water is salty enough for you to float without holding your breath. We will be returning to Santa Cruz at the end of September as we do each year, for family visits, fun at Lake Tahoe, and medical check-ups. And of course hunting the beaches of Monterey Bay.

fod