New SE Pro user...any tips?

[sgoss66]

As of today, I have an SE Pro on the way. Can't wait to get it and start learning it. As someone who likes to hunt primarily for old coins, my research says this is a pretty good machine for finding silver, and should be an upgrade in that regard for me.

Any tips anyone might have would be helpful. I'm particularly interested in learning how to get the most out of the machine in terms of IDing coins -- especially silver. And I'm not strictly talking IDing in terms of numbers/matrixes either -- I'm also talking about the tones/sounds. I understand the Explorer/Etrac units have alot of information in their audio, and silver in particular has a unique sound once you learn it. That's what I've heard, anyway, and while I know that "hours on the unit" is the only way to truly "get" that, at the same time if anyone has any tips about deciphering the tones that might speed up the learning, that would be great.

Along those lines, I've heard some say they prefer to hunt with "ferrous" sounds, when coin shooting, versus "conductive" sounds. Is there still that distinctive silver "warble" sound I hear mentioned, in EITHER ferrous OR conductive tones? Or do you have to be in one or the other, to hear the clues. These types of tips would be much appreciated!

Thanks,

Steve

 

[bbqman]

Get Andy`s book, and follow Bryce`s advice to keep it in factory settings for 10-30 hours. I did that and it has worked great for me , only having had the machine for a month. I`ve gone to Bryce`s settings, which are at the top of the Explorer page and they are working great for me. I think I will try ferrous down the road. But take your time, swing slow, and have fun.Congrats on buying a great machine. HH

 

[sgoss66]

bbqman --

Absolutely I have heard those two pieces of advice before, and absolutely will follow them. Andy's book will be a definite, and I WILL use Bryce's suggestion of "factory settings" for several hunts. I haven't read the manual yet to even UNDERSTAND what the factory settings are, but will use them as suggested. The ONLY thing I considered "altering," was the ferrous tones vs. conductive. I don't know which the factory default is (I think conductive), but I could see where one might NOT want to get used to hunting in one, and down the road switch and hunt in the other -- as whatever "learning" your brain has done with one set of tones' subtleties, I would think you would lose all that and have to "start over," if you switched -- with the transition maybe being tough. In my mind, I could see choosing one or the other, and then sticking with it -- only switching to the "other one" for a minute or two to "check" or "confirm" a target, and then go back to your "default." Does this make any sense? Any other thoughts?

Steve

 

[MNCoinhunter]

The more options there are for determining what the target is, the better I say.

 

[dewcon4414]

Ive learned to switch from Con or Ferr depending on my location and the trash. IF you have learned the machine and are willing to open it up then Ferr maybe a good choice. Dont let anyone tell you they dont hear high tones on iron because they do. Its more the rust you hear and it falls in the lower right corner like a bottle cap. Ferr does very well in say field hunting looking for buttons and coppers. The tones are still high on silver. To me... and i say to me, since the digits and smartscreen are based on what sound you are running in... the Ferr is a lot more inconsistent. Even the tones for targets on the outer halo of the coil are different until you get them closer to center. You can alter the way the tones sound so you might get it close to what you have been used to. You will find a lot of different settings on here that people use once you are ready. How many machines do you know that allows that? Dont get frustrated with the nulling... it just means you arent hearing a bunch of junk right now to confuse you. Dig as much as you can to learn what different targets sound like. Personally.... id like to see you trade it off quickly lol... less competition for the silver.

Dew

 

[Hotcz70]

...not in my opinion.

In ferrous sounds sure you can hear a silver sound...but it is blended in with the barrage of all the other sounds as well...and you have to pick it out of all those other sounds.

In conductive sounds the "silver warble" I always speak of in my posts is very clear and much more distictive...especially when you have your iron mask set precisely to filter out the high iron shrieks while still allowing for that sweet silver warble to sing through.

It's much easier to concentrate for me personally without hearing the barrage of ferrous sounds.

I am 100% strictly a coin hunter. I don't hunt for relics and I don't dig many lower conductors. I have spent a gazillion hours training my ears for one thing...deep coins.

In conductive sounds with some iron mask...I can be cruising along at a snails pace...even experiencing some nulling...and if my coil passes over a deep silver coin...the sweet silver warble will stop me dead in my tracks to investigate.

The silver dime I found under the big nail and posted recently was nothing but a jumbled mess of sounds when I switched over to ferrous/all metal to experiment (which is something I do often when I locate a deep, previously masked target). NO WAY I would have dug that dime if I would have been in any settings other than conductive sounds/iron mask.

Could I hear the silver sound in ferrous/am?..sure...somewhat at best... but it was NOT a sweet silver warble. it was just a short, high shriek blended in with a low grunting sound.

In conductive/iron mask it was a clear and distinctive, short "silver warble".

My truthful suggestion to you because I don't want to see you get frustrated.....LEAVE it in the factory preset conductive sounds settings.. while hunting in the smartfind screen for at least 5 to 10 full hunts.

Don't mess with anything for some time. Those preset settings are there for a reaon...and that reason is to help new users adapt to the language the SE speaks.

IMHO the WORST thing a new explorer user can do is switch anything at all...especially switch back and forth between conductive and ferrous sounds.

That will completely change what you hear and how you hear it over deep coins....and probably confuse you at this point.

Take your time...swing very slow...and do NOT worry about anybody's settings right now. There is a crucial time frame where you have to spend some quality time with your new friend...the SE...and nobody else. That time is the first few hunts.

Pay close attention to the barrage of sounds you hear...the nulling...the instability...etc...and don't get frustrated.

ONLY 2 things I would even consider changing from the stock factory learning settings which is pretty much a coin program....

1) possibly set the iron mask at -22 on the SE while continuing to hunt in smartfind screen.

2) The only other thing I would consider changing would be to put the sensitivity in semi auto and set it at 26 which will GREATLY cut down on the falsing and chirping..

Both of those change suggestions do not even need to be made IMHO...but if you must tinker...then tinker with only those two things.

Everything else....I strongly recomend leaving alone for a few weeks...and leaving it in the factory preset settings.

Do NOT try too much too fast...just have FUN.

These Explorers are more than capable of hitting 8"+ deep coins right out of the box in the factory preset mode.

Once you have quite a few hours on it...and have familiarized yourself with the "language" it speaks...then you can start to piddle with settings if need be.

You might even decide at that point that you want to give ferrous sounds/AM a shot. That is a proven method as well.

For now though...trust me...leave it as I suggested for a few hunts...then when things start to click a little...you can start piddling and tinkering

Of all the things I get asked about through messages...this is the number one thing...and my advice never changes.

I think it's a big mistake for new users to get caught up in what other's settings are and they try too much too fast...then get discouraged and sell the Explorer.

Just take your time...enjoy...and get a "feel" for the explorer before taking big leaps...and the learning curve will lessen a bunch.

After a few weeks or 5 to 10 full hunts...whichever comes first....then start pickin' the brains of everyone on this forum for tips...suggestions...advice...settings to try...etc. This place is a wealth of knowledge and there a ton of talented hunters here who will help you in whatever way you need

 

[teleman2525]

right on the money bryce i have only got out couple of times this year still lots of snow and frost in northern vt. got real good last year with my se but finding i need to back track a bit this year and re learn a bit have,nt got to se talk back in my head yet so back to your coin program to reset myself still like all metal ferrous in high iron colonial woods sites but can,t get there yet your program is great in most park and yard type hunts and easy on the ears not just for learning this program just plain works so mr. 66 give it a shot welcome to the se famile and good hunting to you

 

[Dave-IL]

Go super slow with everything. Stay in the presets for a while and also swing the coil as slow as you can. If you have somebody with experience on the explorer; have them let you hear what they are hearing and compare signals. You will need to be very patient but once you pick up on it a little bit; it's a lot of fun.

 

[sgoss66]

Dave-IL,

Yes, the "super slow" thing will be new for me; I'm used to swinging fast Fisher machines. I will stay in the presets for awhile, as you and Bryce suggest. I do have a hunting friend with an SE Pro, and two who use Etracs, so it will help me learn a bit quicker having those guys available.

Bryce-IL,

Thanks much for the thoughts on conductive vs. ferrous, and I did read your post about that masked dime you found (pretty cool, wow!). In your post agove, you talked about cruising along, maybe hearing some masking, and then you hear the "silver sound" and know it immediately. That sounds like exactly what I've seen when hunting with my Minelab friends. They really do pick the silver out of the other trash.

and dewcon4414 -- I haven't been much of a threat to you on the silver, so far, with my other machines! Hopefully, this will change things a bit -- why don't you leave a few for me, eh?

Thanks!

Steve

 

[sgoss66]

Also, while I PROMISE not to use them yet , I have been trying to find "Bryce's coin settings" that I've seen referred to, and while Bryce alludes to them in the "coil field test" post at the top of the forum, I haven't seen where the settings are fully explained. Can someone give me a link or a name of the thread where this is discussed?

Also, does anyone have an extra old copy of Andy Sabisch's book they'd sell?

Thanks,

Steve

 

[Jim D]

Steve , Go to the Kellyco web site and click on metal detector books and you,ll find Andy,s book for $14.95 + shipping.
Hope this helps.

 

[Bayrat76]

Sound off like the silver sound, pegged over in the top right hand corner of the screen. I can't tell you how much I dug for two years. Then started to notice the sound was like silver high but broken on the end of the swing. Started really listening to the sound and now can pick through the pieces of rust. If you use a SEF 10x12 you will hear the silver tones on some smashed beer cans, easy way to check it is raise the coil up off the ground about a foot, or even two foot if you hear it it's a beer can. Go slow, dig everything at first, then you will see and hear the good stuff from the bad. Things your going to have to get is a good set of head phones, some good digging tools, I don't even use a hand digger any more, I use a Predator Mauler and the new Raven. both cut great plugs and sure save some time. I don't hunt lawns much when I do I have a hand digger. On gold rings good luck, they seem to read all over the screen.

 

[sgoss66]

Thanks for the info, BAYRAT. Things like that (rusty iron) will be the tough ones to sort out. That has been an issue with all of my detectors (rusty iron sounding good), but hopefully I'll begin to learn, as you did. I do have a good digger (Lesche 38D ground shark); I plan to at least TRY the Koss UR30s that will be coming with the machine; I have done some research, contacted Koss for specs, and they look to be a decent pair of phones from what I can tell -- designed by Koss to Minelab's specs, good sensitivity... We shall see...

Anyway, thanks for the tips. I'll try and learn that "broken" sound at the end of the signal, that differentiates rusty iron from silver...it's gonna take some practice!

Steve

 

[surfman]

Steve,I'm using the Koss UR30's and I really like them alot. You'll get used to that broken tone that rusty iron gives off. I'm learning that one now. This forum has helped me with the learning curve alot. Lots of great people here that are always willing to help. Love this forum and my Explorer Se Pro.

 

[GeoPa]

I've used an Explorer for 10 years now, I like Iron Mask -10 and Recovery= Deep. Pretty simple set up, and go to an elementary school playground or other target rich environment so that you get an idea what coins sound like.
I suggest Iron mask right from the start so that you can hear what everything sounds like, the factory preset will exclude the worn Barber and Seated dimes because in my experience, the cursor can be anywhere along the top with them. Once you get some experience with that machine, you'll know exactly what you're digging.

I plan on replacing my existing Explorer with a new Explorer (because I was so satisfied with my old one), due to display and/ or printed circuit board issues. I got 10 years out of my old one so with what I paid for it, It cost me $90.00 per year, it was well worth it. If I get another 10 years out of the new one, that will cost me $129.00 per year, inflation you know...

Enjoy your new Detector!

 

[sgoss66]

surfman, thanks for the thoughts on the UR-30s...from my limited knowledge and limited research, it seems like those phones might be better than anything I've used in the past, and may actually be pretty good. You seem to confirm that. Thanks.

GeoPa -- thanks for the info, especially on the worn silver dimes...hmm. I do plan to hit some spots with plenty of clad, to learn the machine and its sounds, as you suggested. I understand these machines to really be ones where your "ears" can be the best "discriminators," once you learn the unique sounds, and info contained therein, on the Explorers/Etracs. Maybe moreso than many other machines...

Steve

 

[montanagold]

Everybody has their own settings. Don't listen to any of them. Sure buy Andy's book but don't read it yet. Start in factory and use your ears. You will pick it up quick. We tend to make things harder than they are but the SE is not. You just gotta learn what works in your area then you will be as good as anyone. HH

 

[widebody]

[size=large]i'm new to the ex se also. 3 months. my very sage advise is *** don't live or move to vermont or upstate n.y. they seem to have very short hunting seasons these days.

HH[/size]

 

[sgoss66]

hey montanagold -- that's a slightly different twist to the advice I've been getting, and it does make sense. Gives me something to think on. Thanks for that.

widebody -- that IS some sage advice, although having grown up in western Pennsylvania, I have a deep, unquenchable love for the Appalachians...maybe just a BIT farther south than upstate NY/VT though, to lengthen the detecting season (and the golf season, and the fishing season....but, ice hockey is ALSO a great sport!)

Steve

 

[widebody]

[size=large]just gotta feel for those guys up north.
the folks to listen to already spoke. bryce and drew and a couple of others have all said stay with the factory for a while. but you can get the explorer emulator
and practice on it. it will help along with andy's book to get you familar with the machine. taking the time to practice is the only way you'll get the feel of your machine.
even in factory mode the se does better'n some machines all tweeked out. you'll love and hate this machine. more practice brings more love less hate. it's like owning a parson russell./ jack russell. you're not in a race. take the time and enjoy the solitude.

HH[/size]