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:minelab: the eBook, "Understanding your X-TERRA", is available FREE :minelab:
- Thread starter Digger
- Start date
Thanks Randy! Thanks a lot for adding what might be a few more months onto my learning curve with my X-Terra. [ Hi Hi ] Hey, this is a great read. And I found several small pointers that sound very advantageous to finding coins as well as PM. As well while reading through your eBook I am glad I made the coil choices that I did considering what I could afford at the time. The Audio Tones chapter, as well as most chapters, is very very informative. Your eBook is a great addendum to the manual. I have browsed through the eBook seven times, read it front to back three times, and I imagine I will be browsing and reading through more again in the future. Fantastic!
Go to the MineLab website and sign up first. Then you can access the members area and d/l the book.
https://www.minelab.com/usa/members/welcome-members
https://www.minelab.com/usa/members/welcome-members
ringfinder
New member
n/t
well...an ink cartrige later...lol..I now have the book in a binder and am waiting on my 705 and "digger" coil to get here. I know there is no magic machine but think I am getting a pretty good set up to learn how to use. I too want to say thanks for the valuable info posted on here. It`s just great to be able to read what others have learned through trial and error...looking foward to my first silver with it!!!
gun runner
New member
Thanks Digger
I have owned x70 for 3 to 4 years now and have finally looked at book lots of good info there Thanks for the work you put into it
I have owned x70 for 3 to 4 years now and have finally looked at book lots of good info there Thanks for the work you put into it
team sidewinder
New member
WOW!!!! What a huge help this is for this novice Xterra 705 owner. Soooo much great information. Thank you so much Mr. Digger.
Digger: I'm totally new to metal detecting. I studied your eBook along with the Minelab manual before my 705 arrived and I can't tell you how much this has help reduced my learning curve. Thank-you for your eBook along with the wealth of other contributions you have provided here - especially in the FAQ section.
Hello Digger, after reading every post I can find and reading your book ( Understanding your X-Terra ) front to back about 5 times I have only one question, right now I have the At Pro and I like it, but I am looking for a detector that is better in parks and school grounds.
The X-Terra 705 really sounds good to me but I dont want to buy a detector that is almost the same as my At Pro, not looking for a war between the At and the 705 at all, just some info on the 705 and from what I have read there is no one better to ask than you.
I hunt for coins and rings most of the time because here in utah theres not much civil war stuff thats not on private land and its very hard to get the ok to hunt those places so I hunt alot of public land.
I hear the Etrac is really good at finding coins but I am not ready to shell that kind of money out right now, I have been detecting for 20 or more years and have tryed alot of detectors but never a MineLab so I was thinking the 705 might be a good starting place for me with the MineLab line.
Thanks for all your help and the great info you supply to the hobby
The X-Terra 705 really sounds good to me but I dont want to buy a detector that is almost the same as my At Pro, not looking for a war between the At and the 705 at all, just some info on the 705 and from what I have read there is no one better to ask than you.
I hunt for coins and rings most of the time because here in utah theres not much civil war stuff thats not on private land and its very hard to get the ok to hunt those places so I hunt alot of public land.
I hear the Etrac is really good at finding coins but I am not ready to shell that kind of money out right now, I have been detecting for 20 or more years and have tryed alot of detectors but never a MineLab so I was thinking the 705 might be a good starting place for me with the MineLab line.
Thanks for all your help and the great info you supply to the hobby
I'm glad you've read the eBook and hope you've learned something from it. Although it was written for the X-TERRA series, there are some techniques in there that should help just about anyone who enjoys the hobby. As to the ATPro.....I appreciate your question, and your comment that you are not making this post to start a war. I don't want to do that either. Both are excellent detectors. And folks are having remarkable success with each. But with that in mind, let's take a look at some functionality differences......
We recognize that higher frequencies are "more responsive" to lower conductive targets . And, higher frequencies are better suited for very small targets. Lower frequencies are better suited for higher conductive targets. And they are more responsive to larger, deeper targets. The ATPro operates at 15kHz, which works well for most jewelry and coins. But the X-TERRA has the option of operating at 3 kHz, 7.5kHz or 18.75 kHz, depending on the coil you are using. This allows you to set up your detector for specific types of targets. That is not to say all frequencies don't hit all target properties. They do. But the audio response that it provides on specific targets is much more defined, when able to adjust your operating frequency. The ATPro offers three response tones. The X-TERRA offers 28 audio tones, one for each notch segment. That allows me to "hunt by ear" without having to look at the screen to confirm a target response. And it isn't just the pitch of the tone that is provided....it is the manner in which that tone is produced by the detector. Harmonics, sharp burst, a whisper, solid blast..etc. With some practice, you can learn as much about a target by the sound of the tone, as you can the pitch.
Although the ATPro has more TID numbers, I don't rely solely on numbers. Especially when searching public areas for gold jewelry. As I'm sure you know, numbers don't tell the whole story.
There has been some discussion on this forum regarding recovery speed. In my experience, I'd say they are pretty equal to each other......and way ahead of many detectors. Especially when you are looking at reset speed in and amongst the trash. Both work well using a fairly rapid sweep speed. But I find the 705 to lock on to partially masked targets better than the ATPro, due to it being able to separate well at slower speeds. That doesn't mean both don't separate targets. But I've found the X-TERRA will lock onto good targets with more authority, in nasty trashy areas.
The X-TERRA offers many more settings for Sensitivity, allowing you to "fine tune" your detector for the site. Similarly, the X-TERRA offers more options to maintain the proper ground balance. (tracking, beach, tracking with offset) Even the ATPro manual suggests that running with a positive gb can enhance detection of small targets. And a negative offset can reduce the effects of hot rocks. But with the ATPro, the only way to do that is to set it and hope the ground conditions don't change. With the X-705, I can literally "set it and forget it" when implementing Tracking Ground Balance with an Offset.
The X-705 offers standard Pinpoint and Sizing Pinpoint. I find Sizing Pinpoint (and Prospecting mode) to be a great tool when isolating (and sizing) adjacent targets in trashy areas.
The ATPro can be used in water.....not so with the X-TERRA.
Again, both detectors are excellent choices, and each has it's following. I know you said you've hunted for 20 years.....but before I could make any recommendation to you, I'd want to know what you mean by "better" for parks and grounds? Target separation? Depth? Audio tones? Target ID? What coils do you hunt with? With some additional information, I will give you my honest opinion. Thanks again for your comments and question. JMHO HH Randy
We recognize that higher frequencies are "more responsive" to lower conductive targets . And, higher frequencies are better suited for very small targets. Lower frequencies are better suited for higher conductive targets. And they are more responsive to larger, deeper targets. The ATPro operates at 15kHz, which works well for most jewelry and coins. But the X-TERRA has the option of operating at 3 kHz, 7.5kHz or 18.75 kHz, depending on the coil you are using. This allows you to set up your detector for specific types of targets. That is not to say all frequencies don't hit all target properties. They do. But the audio response that it provides on specific targets is much more defined, when able to adjust your operating frequency. The ATPro offers three response tones. The X-TERRA offers 28 audio tones, one for each notch segment. That allows me to "hunt by ear" without having to look at the screen to confirm a target response. And it isn't just the pitch of the tone that is provided....it is the manner in which that tone is produced by the detector. Harmonics, sharp burst, a whisper, solid blast..etc. With some practice, you can learn as much about a target by the sound of the tone, as you can the pitch.
Although the ATPro has more TID numbers, I don't rely solely on numbers. Especially when searching public areas for gold jewelry. As I'm sure you know, numbers don't tell the whole story.
There has been some discussion on this forum regarding recovery speed. In my experience, I'd say they are pretty equal to each other......and way ahead of many detectors. Especially when you are looking at reset speed in and amongst the trash. Both work well using a fairly rapid sweep speed. But I find the 705 to lock on to partially masked targets better than the ATPro, due to it being able to separate well at slower speeds. That doesn't mean both don't separate targets. But I've found the X-TERRA will lock onto good targets with more authority, in nasty trashy areas.
The X-TERRA offers many more settings for Sensitivity, allowing you to "fine tune" your detector for the site. Similarly, the X-TERRA offers more options to maintain the proper ground balance. (tracking, beach, tracking with offset) Even the ATPro manual suggests that running with a positive gb can enhance detection of small targets. And a negative offset can reduce the effects of hot rocks. But with the ATPro, the only way to do that is to set it and hope the ground conditions don't change. With the X-705, I can literally "set it and forget it" when implementing Tracking Ground Balance with an Offset.
The X-705 offers standard Pinpoint and Sizing Pinpoint. I find Sizing Pinpoint (and Prospecting mode) to be a great tool when isolating (and sizing) adjacent targets in trashy areas.
The ATPro can be used in water.....not so with the X-TERRA.
Again, both detectors are excellent choices, and each has it's following. I know you said you've hunted for 20 years.....but before I could make any recommendation to you, I'd want to know what you mean by "better" for parks and grounds? Target separation? Depth? Audio tones? Target ID? What coils do you hunt with? With some additional information, I will give you my honest opinion. Thanks again for your comments and question. JMHO HH Randy