Find's Treasure Forums

Welcome to Find's Treasure Forums, Guests!

You are viewing this forums as a guest which limits you to read only status.

Only registered members may post stories, questions, classifieds, reply to other posts, contact other members using built in messaging and use many other features found on these forums.

Why not register and join us today? It's free! (We don't share your email addresses with anyone.) We keep email addresses of our users to protect them and others from bad people posting things they shouldn't.

Click here to register!



Need Support Help?

Cannot log in?, click here to have new password emailed to you

Changed email? Forgot to update your account with new email address? Need assistance with something else?, click here to go to Find's Support Form and fill out the form.

Please explain search coils

Clad 2 Meet U

New member
My question is regarding the different types of search coils offered for the X-terra 70. I have the stock coil 7.5kHz and the 18.75kHz DD on order as it was free with the purchase of the detector. Now I see that there is a 9" 3kHz coil.

What are the advantages of each? I'm rather new to the MD game so if anyone can tell me in "not so technical terms" the better I'll understand.

I am loving the detector so far... Yesterday I detected a home from the 1800's that was torn down recently. The sidewalk was removed so I swept that area and 6" down in the sand, low and behold out popped a 1877 Indian Head!!! The bad part of it, it was bent pretty bad:sad: Still gets the heart pumping though... I'm still waiting for my 1st silver.

Regards,

Greg (Clad 2 Meet U)
 
Congrats on the IH cent. Silver is always nice to find. But I still get a charge out of digging IH cents. Even after 35 years of detecting!!!

The two coils you have will serve you well for most hunting situations. Concentric coils differ from DD coils in a couple regards. Concentric coils have a detection pattern that some refer to as cone shaped. Theoretically, the pattern represents the signal being transmitted from the outside diameter of the coil (transmit coil) down into the ground and "reflected" back to the inner receive coil. The target doesn't actually reflect the transmit signal. But instead, actually produces one of it's own which is received by the inner winding. Personally, I prefer to think of the detection pattern of the X-Terra concentric coils being shaped like half a sphere. Using your imagination....if you were to take a 9-inch melon, cut it in half and place the flat side against the bottom of the coil, the rounded shape of the half melon would replicate the detection pattern of the coil. A DD coil is two D shaped coils, one a reverse image of the other. These two coils are placed back to back, overlapping one another with the straight portions. The portion that overlaps is the detection portion. Therefore, in a DD coil, the detection pattern is a straight line running down the center of the coil. DD coils use slightly smaller windings than concentric coils and are typically not as sensitive. This causes the DD coils to be less succeptible to interference and are less effected by ground mineralization. So, if you are hunting in areas with moderate or minimal mineralization, concentric coils may provide a greater depth of detection than DD coils. But if you are hunting in areas with higher levels of mineralization, DD coils will help "cancel" the adverse effects of mineralization and provide better depth. Regardless of mineralization levels, DD coils usually provide better target separation due to the more narrow detection pattern.

As to frequencies..... lower frequencies provide better target response on higher conductive targets such as silver and copper. On the other hand, higher frequency coils provide better target response on lower conductive targets such as gold. Lower frequency coils provide more depth on larger targets. And higher frequency coils provide more sensitivity on smaller targets. The X-Terra 70 user has the option of using all three frequencies (3 kHz, 7.5 kHz and 18.75 kHz), as well as 4 different sizes of coils. In addition to the stock 9-inch concentric and 18.75 DD eliptical you mentioned, there are also the 3 kHz round 9-inch concentric, the 18.75 kHz round 9-inch concentric, the 10.5-inch round DD at 7.5 kHz, the 10.5-inch round DD at 18.75 kHz, the 6-inch concentric at 7.5 kHz and the 6-inch DD at 18.75 kHz for a total of 8 coil options. Naturally, larger coils will detect larger objects deeper. And, smaller coils will be be better at target separation. Selecting the best combination of frequency, size and shape is simply a matter of understanding the priniciples of what each type of coil does best.

Each of us has personal preferences based on the type of soil we are hunting, the targets we are hunting for and the ergonomic "balance" of the set-up. Being somewhat crippled up, I find the 10.5-inch DD coils to be "uncomfortable" to use for extended periods of time. I live and hunt in an area with moderate mineralization, so the concentric coils work well for me. And, since I like to hunt for old coins at old sites, I prefer the lower frequencies of coils. Based on the current availability, my choice for wide open spaces is the 9-inch concentric at 3 kHz. I have been using it for well over a year now and find that it is not only very sensitive to the silver and copper coins I find. But it also provides less sensitivity to ferrous targets that are frequently found in the sites I hunt. When I am hunting in the 4-tone, all metal mode, it makes a more distinct "low tone" audio response to iron targets, helping me to make a decision whether to dig, or not. With that said, contrary to my thoughts on the other X-Terra coils, I prefer the new small 6-inch DD at 18.75 kHz over the concentric 7.5 kHz. The DD seems to do a better job of target separation if I am hunting in local parks. In those trashy areas, depth is not the issue. Target separation is. And, the narrow detection pattern of the DD version accomplishes that best for me.

JMHO HH Randy
 
Wow Digger!!! You sure do know your stuff! I will print this out, study and keep on learning my machine. I live in Michigan and from what I've been told, the soil is very mineralized here. I guess an arsenal of coils helps in varying conditions and it's good to have the tools to meet the conditions. I've searched the web far and wide for information like you have provided only to come up empty handed, glad your here to help me and others alike. You are an asset!

The IH was a shocker, it was my 45th birthday yesterday and I told my wife that I knew of a place that might hold some silver and it was close to the house. I still haven't finished up on the area yet so who knows, I might find a coin or two buried. All in all a nice present indeed.

Best of luck to you my friend and I cherish your knowledge!

Regards,

Greg (Clad 2 Meet U)
 
That is considered a rare coin. I found one back in 1980 and even though the edges were badly corroded still sold it for $75. Sure wish now I hadn't sold it, congrats on a great find...I'm like you, don't know too much about searchcoils but Diggers explanation sure does help. John
 
John! You just caused me to poop my pants!!! I ran downstairs to see if that coin indeed was an 1877. DOH!!!! :surprised: It's a 1887... :ranting: Not nearly as valueable, as a matter of fact quite common for IH's :thumbdown:
 
Thanks so much for asking this question. I would also like to thank Digger for his post. Being a newb to the hobby it is nice to get this info, and to learn more about my detector, Beale.
 
Sorry that wasn't an 1877, I thought for a minute that you had found that rare coin. You did post 1877 instead of 1887, nice find anyway. John
 
I didn't realize that Minelab made a 10 1/2" round 18.75 kh DD coil. Kellyco does not have it on there list. I have the elliptical 18.75 kh DD coil but I tried to find out through a dealer about the round DD 18.75 kh coil and he didn't have it listed. He is going to call minelab to get one for me. I sure like the round DD 7.5 kh coil and maybe the round 18.75 kh coil will do better on gold nuggets. Thanks for the great information on coils.
 
We are adding the 10.5" 18.75kHz coil to our page as I type. MSRP $189.95, sale or MAP $149.95.
 
Hi JW, Most Hard Core Relic Hunters In Va Would Love 10.5 have 3KHZ for X-70. The 9 inch is deeper and great for relics, but 10.5 would scare!!!:hot:
 
Top