Dan & others . . . . . I wanted to post this not sounding like I am trying to justify anything or sell someone on buying the book but rather to provide some insight into how it was put together and what the intent of the book was.
The book was never intended to be the gospel in terms of providing specific programs for EVERY user in EVERY location and under EVERY possible condition; i.e., high trash, mineralized soil, etc. To even attempt to do that would be an effort in futility since there are way too many variables. Heck, most of us that are familiar with either model know that settings can vary at sites just a few miles apart.
The key in getting the most out of the detector under any condition you might find yourself in is to fully UNDERSTAND what each control does and how it can be best used to set the detector based on what the site you are hunting is throwing at you. As you read through the book, there are settings and programs used by some of the most experienced users of FBS detectors out there worldwide. Will their settings be the only ones you will ever need? Absolutely not! You may find part of one person's settings and part of anothers are the combination that work best for you. But the part that some seem to be missing is that in addition to the actual settings provided in the book is a discussion about why the settings were used. This information should help you understand what the controls do and in turn be able to apply that knowledge to making INFORMED adjustments of your own rather than simply loading in someone else's settings that may work fine for them but not you.
The book was never intended to be a strict "cook book" where you enter a few values and you have coins, rings or relics jumping into your pouch. It was intended to provide more information on what each control does based on the input from dozens of users with years of experience under their belt. That knowledge will make you in turn a better user and more successful in the field.
As far as the occasional comment about some tip or technique not being covered in the book . . . I will simply say that there will be more tips and tricks learned on using the Explorer and E-Trac every day and had I aited until all was known about these detectors, two things would have happened. First, the book would never have been published waiting for the learning to stop and second, teh book would have been over 1,000 pages long.
In summary, the book has been positively reviewed worldwide. It covers both the Explorer and the E-Trac with the same level of detail provided to both . . . . just look at the chapters containing Explorer tips from guys like Mike Moutray and Bryce Brown in the US or Tony Hunt and others overseas . . . . all experienced Explorer users. If you want to have someone program your detector for you without understanding what the adjustments do, then unfortunately this book may not meet your expectations. On the other hand, if you want to gain a better understanding of what the controls do, how others adjust theirs and why, and pick up some techniques proved to work in the field, I feel the book will meet your expectations. As many have said, if you get just one nugget that helps you find more, the investment was worthwhile.
I hope this post is taken in the spirit it was intended . . . . wanted to make sure people understood the content of the book, what it contains and what to expect from it
Andy Sabisch
