new user and two questions

[Todd B]

Hey gang, just got my mxt pro and 6x10 coil. Did some air tests with both the 6x10 and the stock 12". I was not all too impressed with the air tests, wondering if it just an anomoly and hard to get a good air test?

Secondly, i practice a lot in my back yard, an old house, over a hundred years old with a lot, i mean a lot of random trash. I mess with the gain, threshold level, and dual control discrimiNATION IN COIN AND JEWELRY MODE. Not sure what the best setting is for a very trashy area, although here is what i did. I boosted the gain to plus 1, bumped the dual control past nickel, and lowered the gain to just silent, so i could stand all the chatter. Just toying around i have found a few coins that eluded my coimmaster pro, including three wheats, a clad dime and a clad quarter, as well as an octagonal bank check token(kinda neat). I just wonder if it is gonna be hard to get deep finds among the trash, again, tons of trash. The coinmaster found an 1875 indian last year at 7"...that was really cool for that machine. For some reason i doubt my mxt is getting as good or better depth, as it doesn't do much better on the air tests...any advice?

 

[usafaviator]

Todd, it just goes with the territory. If your in a trashy area, you're going to have to dig trash to find the good stuff. I would highly recommend getting a 4x6 coinshooter or a 5.3 Eclipse to help with trash separation. I tried to use my 12" coil in areas like that when I first received it and quickly switched to a 5.3...huge difference! The 12" coil is great for open areas or less trashy areas. The 6x10 is supposed to separate well, but it sounds like you may have better luck at the homestead with the 5.3. I assure you, your MXT will go deep! I recently dug a quarter at over 12" in somewhat mineralized soil here in Nebraska. Set you knobs on the arrows (default settings) and try that. You will have to learn the sweet spot, and it all varies depending on your location, soil type, etc. Also, slow your swing down considerably and it might help a bit. As for the air testing, electrical interference in your house can affect your testing...try testing it outside and see if it works better for you. HH

 

[jacknh]

The 5.3 made a huge difference for me. I also made a coin gardeen to practice and that also helped some but as Nancy and Larry say the best way to get good results is PRACTICE, PRACTICE and more PRACTICE. If you don't already have it, pick up the MXT EDGE by Jeff Foster and read it over and over again. It's a wealth of info...HH Jack from New Hampshire

 

[BarberBill]

Did you turn on the track lock when booting the machine? It's mentioned in the manual that having the tracking locked makes a difference in air tests.
BB

 

[Monte]

Hey gang, just got my mxt pro and 6x10 coil. Did some air tests with both the 6x10 and the stock 12". I was not all too impressed with the air tests, wondering if it just an anomoly and hard to get a good air test?

"Air tests" are good for some quick learning and sampling, but you didn't mention your settings or samples. make sure you move a sample target across the coil's center, not out toward the edge. Also, make sure the sample is held 'flat-to-the-coil' such as a coin or ring laying on the ground. Don't have it on edge or canted. Right now you're trying to learn what the MXT Pro and coil can do.

Indoors you might have had some EMI problems and cut the Sensitivity/Gain (same thing) down to deal with the noise. The result,naturally, is reduced performance. Run the Sensitivity/Gain control as high as possible. I like to hunt 'on the edge', so to speak, and I usually keep it at +3. If you want to sample coins and jewelry, set the Discriminate level at the first factory preset mark on the Dual Control.

Secondly, i practice a lot in my back yard, an old house, over a hundred years old with a lot, i mean a lot of random trash.

Hunting in trash is fun, and challenging, so I usually use a smaller coil. On the White's line I prefer the 5.3 Eclipse. It is a 6

 

[Hunt4Fun]

Hi Todd,

Monte has been at this detecting game for many decades. Pay close attention to what he writes. He is one of the wisest detectorists on the forums.

Sounds to me like you are standing on a treasure chest. Clear it out. And, you have a great machine to do the clearing with. When you clear all the targets the 5.3 coil will reach, put the big coil on, swing slow and go for deeper finds.

Bob