Lack of threshold

[southerndesert]

Howdy All,

I have been trying out an X-50 for about 3 weeks now and find it to be a very good unit especially in trash! Getting used to having no threshold tone has been interesting for me though, but the X-50 seems plenty sensitive without having the comforting background hum...

I have been hunting mostly demolition sites where homes once were so trash is everywhere and I am still able to pick good targets out of the mess of nails etc. Target ID seems very consistant unless I run the sensitivity too high, then it may jump a little, but most times it is trash in the same spot causing the jump.

I still kind of miss the threshold, does anyone else?

Bill

 

[Digger]

Bill, I like threshold tone too. The subtle sounds my XLPro makes on masked targets are invaluable. However, I don't turn down my sensitivity on the X-Terra. I hunt in all-metal, and have made myself listen for the "hot sounds" as sort of a threshold. I know it is not anything like it, technically. But when I am sweeping the X-Terra coil and hear an occassional false signal (sometimes more than occassional), I figure that I am running the X-Terra just as hot as I possibly can. If a good target is masked by trash, it is easy to hear the different tones. As to the numeric display, I have also found that when the numbers jump by more than one segment in either direction, it is not a "keeper". "Keepers" may lock on solid, or jump one notch segment either up or down. (not both) But I have yet to find a buried coin that moved more than one notch segment, in either direction. Never say never. But I haven't yet! HH Randy

 

[alaskaseeker]

For those Weee Oooooooohs way to long LOL Glad to see you posting here Bill and good luck with the X 50......Hh...Geo

 

[steve herschbach]

Hiya Bill! Happy New Year!!

I do like a threshold for many things, especially nugget detecting. But for your basic walk in the park looking for goodies before I go to work each day kind of detecting I like a machine that I can, well... that I can just go for a walk in the park with! So a nice "stay quiet, go beep" kind of unit like the X-Terra is just what I want for that kind of detecting. But if I could have only one wish for the X-Terra 50 it would be for the "all-metal" mode to be a true, single tone threshold based all-metal mode as opposed to a silent search 4 tone disc mode with all segments set to accept.

Steve Herschbach

 

[southerndesert]

Hi All,

Thanks for the replys and I too really like the X-50 and am getting used to the "quiet" Point is I guess is that this detector really works well and does just what it's supposed to quite or not (grin).

Randy I have noticed too that if the ID flickers it is almost always a "bad" target. Those aluminium caps when smashed flat will jump from 21 to 45 also, but I still will usually dig them to be sure as I run the sensitivity high also and the "all metal" mode is what I use if the trash isn't over powering.

Have to GB around 3 here in AZ so there is some chirping to deal with running high sensitivity, but no big deal after getting used to it.

George and Steve! Good to hear from you over here and I have been lurking on this forum for quite some time... I still read yours too Steve.

Good hunting, Bill

 

[dfwdetector]

Just curious what would happen if you just left the xterra 50 in the all metal ground balance mode with the slight threshold tone. I have'nt tried it but I would imagine it would respond to metal under the coil as in the normal non-ground balance mode. Then you could use it as an all metal mode with a threshold tone, maybe... Just a thought, like I said I haven't tried it yet.

dfwdetector

 

[steve herschbach]

Hi dfwdetector,

I assume you are talking about the Pinpoint Mode? Unfortunately, the X-Terra does not have a threshold based all-metal mode, per se. The Pinpoint Mode is all-metal, and does have a threeshold, but it has a very rapid detune function designed to help zero you in on targets. It did not seem to me to have any potential as a search mode when I tried doing just that for a brief period but somebody may want to give it a real serious try.

No big deal to me as I'm pretty happy with the X-Terra.

Steve Herschbach

 

[dfwdetector]

No actually I was talking about the ground balance mode. If while the tone for ground balance is heard you pass the coil over a metal object does not the tone change to indicate the target passed under the coil? If so could'nt this be a make shift constant threshold type of detection. Maybe I'm just thinking out of the box...

 

[steve herschbach]

darned! That is some serious out-of-box thinking! You are right, and it will bear some examination. I never would have thought of trying to search in the GB mode.

Steve Herschbach