MXT and Eclipse 5.3

[Anonymous]

After reading a bazillion post on small coils for the MXT, I finally replaced the Eclipse 950 with the Eclipse 5.3. Weather was rainy this morning but dried out some in the afternoon. Took it to a local school I have hunted plenty of times and always have come back with something. After about one hour of hunting the soccer field and playground I came out with 20 dimes, 5 nickels, 1 quarter, and 8 pennies. Nothing real old (1965 and up) but it did give me an idea of how the coil would work in moderately trashy areas. Not to bad and it was much easier to swing,g. Deepest coin today was about 6.5 inches down. I'm looking forward to trying it out at some better locations. Monte, thanks for the email. HH TonyTX

 

[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

Do you think it is a better all-round coil than the 8" Excelerator coil?

 

[Anonymous]

I feel I can answer that quite easily.
Well, I <EM>could</EM> answer it easily if I knew what <EM>YOUR</EM> definition was of an "all-around coil." We all have different types of sites we hunt, some differing types of trash we encounter, and might not all be hunting for the same thing(s) (ie: coins? relics? jewelry?) and that can make a difference in which coil/coils you might feel better off with.
So, to respond let me first assert my feeling that I wish they would have brought out the MXT with a decent 8" diameter coil rather than the stock 950 it comes with. If they would have done that, coil selections would be a lot easier. <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt="">
So, if you were only going to own one accessory coil to compliment your stock 950, I would say the 5.3 Eclipse would be, perhaps, the best choice. It is maneuverable in brushy environments and can pick good targets out of trash quite well.
In my personal opinion, White's 5.3 Eclipse is the all around best single coil to get to compliment the 950 for <EM>most</EM> hunters with <EM>typical</EM> smaller-coil needs.
Now, for those who would like to own more than one accessory coil, then my response is different. I like the 8" EXcelerator Double-D a LOT more than the stock 950. It's a little quieter in operation requires less sweep across a detected target, and gets very good depth of detecetion. In addition to that, the rod/coil mounting point is better located than is the 950 coil, and the general 'feel' of the 8" EXcelerator, to me at least, is more comfortable than the stock 950, even though it is about an ounce heavier (if both coils have coil covers in place).
So far as I am concerned, unless a person felt they needed a larger-than-stock coil for bigger targets and/or a little more depth, the two best coils to have that work well and compliment each other are the 8" EXcelerator and the 5" EXcelerator.
But if you have an MXT, only the stock 950, and just want one "do-it-all" general purpose coil, the 5.3 Eclipse ought to serve you just fine.
<EM><STRONG>Monte</STRONG></EM>

 

[Anonymous]

I gave the 8 in Ex EXcelerator coil a short work out this morn---Any body who buys it,is getting 1 great coil--Remember the last few hunts I kept trying the larger coils---I dont think you will see me doing that any more----I sort of feel like the 8 In. has some Magic built into it----You were never more correct than when you said (before they came out) How good they were---I hope to hit some ghost towns around the 4th of July---I bet that will be my Main coil--Providing my Darn knees feel good enoug to hit the trail---Hoping to get some shots in them this Thur.--Did I find anything good--nope but it was great just to get out before the rain-DeathWind1

 

[Anonymous]

8" EXcelerator DD, and it would be used in the fringes of the trashier ghost towns I like to hunt. That's where I like to search for any good targets in general, or more specifically any location that might have had some extra human activity in days gone by.
For the most part (like almost exclusively), I would have the 5" EXcelerator mounted up and hard at work. But, there are ghost towns and there are ghost towns.
I have hunted many old townsites that had very little in the way of targets to hit on. Not just non-ferrous, either. I mean <EM>ANY</EM> targets! Some of the smaller western ghost towns had more of a ho-hum life span, and definitely a very casual amount of activity.
Quite a few of them, especially here in Oregon and in some of the Idaho sites I've hunted, had ghosted towns that were really more of a ghosted community. Mail and a few meals or supplies might be available at one home that catered to some limited stage traffic. A couple of miles away there might have been a small store, and some storage barns for hay or grain. There might have been some occassional rail traffic to pick up and haul harvested grain, but very little passenger traffic because there wasn't any excitement to draw folks there.
Then, perhaps, 1 to 5 miles from this 'center' of activity you would find a small school. Often there would be one located 5 to 7 miles one direction, and another a similar distance off the other way.
As a rule, a 6

 

[Anonymous]

Its been 30 years since I have got to hunt any Ghost towns---My Ex wife hated the desert---I Dont--I took her and her son to death valley end of July year of 1975--(NO Air)--Her son likes the desert She did not he has gone back many times since--Even finding out what its like to get bit by a rattlesnake---He collects them--(had over 30 Different snakes) at a time)--He brought it hope ALIVE ,as he took the time to get it before going to the hospital--I have ate dinner at their house with a live snake in glass for a dinner guest--- No I cant make the trip because School is not out BUT what I thought was if the guys do any good at all I would hit the same area by my self around the 4th of July,I think it would take Me about 2 1/2 dayes each day with around 5 days in the area---As I used to do I would be sleeping in my Bronko and enjoying every minute down there---You made me think of the trash that I used to find---Made me Rethink my coil selection like you said--I would try to use the 8 in BUT would go to the smallest Double D when I found I was covering to much trash with the 8 in.--I have 22 days of Vaction each year--So the rest of the summer I would work no more than 3 days a week---Did you go to Utah last Mo.--I remember you saying you were---I hope the guys do good that would be a sign a few would be left for me--2 years ago I tried to make that trip to Az. Nv.--Got sick while down there and did nothing the few days I was in Nv.--Just came home and was Sick for a Month--Shingles are not fun--I would take all 6 coils that I have (MXT) but dont think I would find use for anything bigger than the 8in.-----Are you going or do you have to workI wonder if their is still a collection of Characters like i used to talk two back in the 60ths----I had one of them holding a 30-30 on me for over a hour--I did not know it till he came out from his Sheep Herders wagon after finding out I WAS NOT going to be one of those Grave robbers--I know You have seen what I talk about--Looking for buried treasure in a grave is NOT my cup of tea---I have looked around them but not in them--Thats disgusting seeing body parts out on the ground---When those people were alive they could defend them selves but it takes a coward to attack them when there dead--DeathWind1

 

[Anonymous]

Is 6.5 inches about the expected max depth for the 5" Excelerator Coil? (in average soil conditions). Would the 5" Whites' Eclipse go deeper?

 

[Anonymous]

Jeff, I don't know if your question is addressed to me or Monte, probably Monte! My understanding is that the Whites Eclipse 5.3 (actually 6" X 6") goes a little deeper than DD coils of the same size. Depending on conditions, I don't think that 6.5 inches is the limit in depth on the 5.3 Eclipse. Monte or someone familiar with the Excelerator Coils will have to chime it... Thanks and HH TonyTX

 

[Anonymous]

The 5" EXcelerator coil on my MXT could hit on coins in the surface to 6" range without much problem, and even in some challenging ground I have had good hits with reasonably good TID info on coin-type targets to 7" or 8".
The 5.3 Ecliupse coil from White's is NOT a 5" coil. The diameter is about 6