More depth via overlooked Explorer setting?

[Charles (Upstate NY)]

I received this question yesterday from an Explorer II user. Its quite interesting. The short version is, with his threshold tone (not volume, tone) set to 5 signals were broken. When he reduced the threshold tone to 3 they came in loud and clear.

There are quite a few variables in play, he was running some disc, variability at 8, and conduct tones. That said I'd like to find out if simply switching the threshold tone from 5 to 3 makes any difference so I'll be testing this today when I go out.

Original question...

I have a question that has me stumped. I was hunting a park the other day, using my explorer 2 and was not having much luck. Nothing in the tones I was hearing grabbed my attention enough to say

 

[Dan-Pa.]

To me a properly set threshold will tell you if your unit is acting erratic perhaps because of a facet set too high for your particuliar area and ground mineralization. Also it will null to tell you if a piece of junk is near the target or masking same. I sort of smile when more depth is mentioned as when the Question was asked of Jimmy Sierra in a Whites video and he could not give a a clear answer one way or the other and heck he is surely one of the most foremost authorities on the hobby..One would feel that is the reason Minelab gives you the choice of how high or low you have it set and always felt change one facet and it alters another so your particuliar settings may have a bearing as why the signal changed when you changed the threshold setting..Certainly sort of undressing an Explorer perhaps we didn't see the forest for the trees or this is only appliable to your hearing, headphones or just your particuliar area but surely next time around when I get a deep signal will experiment with my threshold setting as perhaps you have a valid point. Having said all of the above and using many detectors over the years a CZ doesn't have any threshold in discriminaton mode and goes as deep or deeper than any on the market...

 

[Steve(MS)]

For no good reason I have always used Threshold setting 4, but I will also do some testing with 3 and other numbers to see if it helps, if I find that it does help, I'll post the results. I do know that the setting changes up or down according to that number all the tones that are heard. I have played with the setting only momentary in the past.

 

[Steve(MS)]

n/t

 

[Joe of South Jersey]

Right now I am unable fully to explain this, I run with no Threshold (0) and tone high. I hunt in the Ferrous mode at -14. I hear all the targets and determine if I want to dig by tone, and target volume. I do not pay as much attention to the numbers.
I was shonw this little trip at a park in PA by a Wisc. treasure hunter. We went to a local park and were digging targets...but he was getting a lot of deep targets......upon looking over the settings the only real difference was the Threshold Volume and Tone. After setting this to the same setting the deeper targets started coming.

I do not know other than maybe the Explorer is software driven. If there is a target, Possibly the threhold reset time, or the tone shifting to the level of the tone for the target.

This is just an observation.

 

[Steve(MS)]

I suppose you are using the Exp2? I use the original, what is the number you use (threshold tone) and wonder how the 0 threshold setting for the Exp2 would correlate with the Exp?

 

[High Desert Jim]

Joe,

You should set the threshold just so you can barley hear it.

The reason, when you hear slight variations you are hearing targets that are just out of your reach. (this is another reason to always where head phones, perhaps the main reason) Digging those targets are most often keepers that everyone else missed.

When you set the threshold at zero you lose the ability to do this.

Just my opinion.

HH................HDJ

 

[Joe of South Jersey]

I am indeed running no threshold...Actually below the sound.

Jim I understand what you are saying....That techneqic(sp) works well with the Sovereign, ans Excal. I have found that the software or chip driven detectors, such as the Quattro and Explorer it is different in that the sound is generated at the needed level by the processor.

Anyone else have any feedback on this.

 

[Joe of South Jersey]

n/t

 

[High Desert Jim]

Dan,

Detectors that don't have a threshold are all preset at the factory. They do have one, you just can't hear it, thanks to the marvels of electronics.

Just my opinion, and I don't want to pass them off as fact. But I would almost bet the farm that the two things that play the biggest part in the threshold question would be the ground mineralization and the detectors settings.

Just as mentioned above. What may work in one area will not work in another with the same settings.

Ground mineralization and the settings your using play off one another in so may ways that it stagers the imagination. We (each of us)only scratch the surface in our understanding of these nuances.

Then too, you could add in the weather, the trash content of the ground in relation to your target.

HH...................HDJ

 

[Don in SJ]

With over 5 and half years experience with the original XS and 99.9% of that time with NO THRESHOLD, I know my finds sure have not suffered at all.

If you hunt in Iron Mask at -14- to -16, no need for threshold unless you have a bad headphones and want to know if they are working all the time.

Of course I have experimented with different settings, threshold, none, many times while over a target and hunting just below audible with Grey Ghosts headphones has proven to me no annoying threshold is necessary nor do you lose anything by not having it.....

Experience with your detector and experience in how you hunt are much more important.

Don in SJ

 

[Steve(MS)]

Same here, even though I don't mind trying any one Else's settings. I sometimes use audible but most of the time just under no threshold, I monkeyed around with the settings out in the yard on coins on the fringe of detection and there was no increase at least in my ground, that doesn't mean it couldn't help someone else, I suppose different ground plays a part....

 

[RingPowers]

Excellent post.

 

[Mike Bearden]

Can't explain it really but I do KNOW the Explore threshold tone settings do have an effect where I hunt.
It may be because I hunt in a heavy iron ore enriched dirt for the most part and primarily use a 8" coil to help with target masking but the bottom line is when I set my threshold tone down to 2-3, some targets become audible where they were NOT before, especially on mid to deep range targets !
How many tones is the Explorer capable of producing anyway, does anyone really know the answer with all the adjustments that can be selected ? It kind of like picking lottery numbers, some settings simply produce better for one site than others. It's a matter of keeping an open mind once the basics are understood on the Explorer and not being afraid to try different settings that may or may not work at a particular site.
However, while living in Pensacola where the mineralization was practically zero in 90% of my favorite hunt sites, the lower threshold tone settings had no positive effect.
Maybe the threshold tone setting acts like a filter of sorts to the sound card, I don't know ... but it works for me here

H.H.
Mike

 

[thirdbornau]

Well i have been reading all the messages in this thread and reading between the lines it seems nobody has the answer to all of these questions.You are all experts so where does this leave"poor little soul me" as a beginner. Would the inventor of the expl 11 like to come over to Ozz for tea i would like to quizz him.

Very interesting reading i must say, and happy searching, oh and by the way i found $4.00 and 20 cents how about that for a start,one fishing tackle bit and a spent bullet,we don't lose gold in Ozz at least that's what i am thinking.

Regards Maureen S..

 

[High Desert Jim]

Oz? Oz is in Kansas don't ya know ! Yellow brick road and all

You've have had one to many Pint's I'd say

 

[thirdbornau]

We actualy refer to Australia as Ozz. I was only having a bit of fun with the emoticon am really tea total sorry if it offended.

Maureen S.

 

[Troop]

I just purchased my first water detector, the Minelab Excalibur and it was explained to me about the adjustment of the threshold to be as was mentioned by someone else, just barely audible. I was playing with it in my own yard which I have gone over time and time againd over thirty years and because of that threshold, I found two buffalo nickels and a silver plated knife with the initials of the person who built this house in 1880. Why didn't I learn this stuff thirty years ago when I just began this wonderful hobby.