Settings for new users

[allison]

Good Morning Everyone, I will begin with an apology since I suspect I am asking a question that has been asked many times before. If anyone will indulge me I will much appreciate it.
I am a brand new detector user and purchased a Minelab Excal 1000. What are the best settings to begin to learn how to use this machine? I will be exploring small inland lakes, Lake Michigan beaches, streams and rivers as well as old home sites, boat launches etc. etc.
Maybe some helpful suggestions will save me some time and effort.
Thanks very much for anything you can suggest.
I will receive the Excal on Tuesday and am anxious to get started.
Al Amstutz
Northwestern Michigan

 

[RobRcer]

Make sure the switch is on Disc.
Discriminate at 1
Volume at 3/4
Sensitivity at 12 o' clock, noon position
and Threshold so you can barely hear it

 

[bdahunter]

The settings that work best when starting out are:

Disc Mode

Threshold just barely audible

Vol at half

Sensitivity in Auto

Discriminate at 1

Run in auto sensitivity until you get a feel for the different sound identifications, then when you are comfortable with the machine you can get more depth by adjusting to the point where it just starts to false. It's best to wait so you know the tones before complicating matters with intermittent falsing which will be very frustrating without knowing your tones.
Dscriminate at 1 will allow for everything metal to be sensed except iron which will register as a null void. Unless the area you are hunting is extremely trashy there is no reason to raise the discrimination level as you will lose depth penetration if you discriminate more.

Good Luck,

BDA

 

[Art (NWOH)]

You should not lose depth with more discrimination.....

This is not a typical detector with the 120/180 discrimination ckt. Instead, it only turns off audio for objects that fall into the reject range.

Besides my Sovs, I also have a White's that uses audio discrimination. Don't matter how many target zones are rejected.....has no effect on depth.

HH

 

[normdiver]

I run mine like bdahunter and robrcer except I run senstivity at about 11:00 oclock and if in neck deep water about 12:00 position. Have never used auto senstivity, also the machine will change tones on you, ignore it, it will sound off on good targets. Good Luck

 

[allison]

Many Thanks to all of you. I think i have an beginning point from which to learn the machine and maybe find some stuff right away.
I'll stay tuned.
AL

 

[normdiver]

n/t