Tips on using Explorer XS in extremely trashy area.

[Sobo]

Hello everyone , Just bought an Explorer XS in great condition a few days ago. I also got the book "Mastering the Minelab Explorer XS & S" by Andy Sabisch. So thinking I was ready to try the machine out after playing with it a bit at home, I took her out to one of spots that the snow melts fast and has produced several wheaties and silvers with my old detector (which was an ACE 150). Now this site is extremely trashy, I mean I've been to old house sites and beaches...but this is like up to 4 pulltabs in a hole...and constant iron everywhere. So with this in mind I set up my own program using the learn feature, taught all the coins I was looking for, then air tested them to make sure they came in clear and crisp.

So first two times out at this site (would try other sites, but due to snow limited to this spot for now), found nothing but a couple bottle caps and pull tabs coming in at almost the top right corner of the smart find screen. Also worse then trash coming in good, was how many ghost signals I had...literally I could pinpoint these signals and dig em...Then they would just vanish. I tried lowering sensitivity to semi-auto 30 and was still getting trash signals coming in good and a few ghost signals.

So I guess what i'm wondering is if any of you pros have any tips for extremely trashy areas, like do I use Iron mask? Custom discrim?..etc

Thanks for any input guys!~

 

[Doctorcoinz]

When detecting in extreme trash forget about the learn feature it simply does not work. The machine will just be nulling too much trash out to recover any where near fast enough to detect the "learned" coins. I just run with some iron mask use an 8 inch concentric coil and weedle out the coins using the audio tones. The 8 inch concentric works a treat in extreme high levels of foil and tabs. I enjoy high trash areas as more satisfaction is gained from getting coins others have missed on the site. The detech 8 inch is the one i use, but it looses 3 inches depth on coins approx compared to the stock coil.

 

[Sobo]

I don't quite have the money for another coil right now, but when I do i'll pick one up. I'll try the iron mask thing though, what should I set the iron mask on? Thanks for the help

 

[Doctorcoinz]

You will miss tons of coins in high iron trash area's with the standard coil no matter at what level iron mask is set to in my opinion.

 

[sasquache]

I agree with Doctorcoinz a smaller coil is best for a trashy/iron infested area i use a 6 inch coil but i lose depth compared too standard coil.

 

[LFarthing42]

I'm agreeing with you both...some good information there. Thanks.

 

[cypearl]

I had the explorer se pro and they are very nice detectors. Try to lower sensitivity at first until it gets stable and you hear iron only where it is certain under the coil. Explorers have the habit falsing to the iron side and is like the ground is full with nails. When you master it this way you will be able to hear the good targets and less iron.

 

[Andy Sabisch]

Congratulations on your new detector . . . . . you will find your coin count will be sunstantially higher as the new year unfolds.

Not trying to hawk a product but I might suggest you consider picking up a copy of the revised book on the Explorer . . . Mastering the Minelab Explorer and E-Trac. This book is close to 200 pages and 8.5"x11" - what you have is the original book and while it has become a collector's item, the new one has a decade's worth of new information included.

Andy Sabisch
(www.sabischbooks.com)

 

[Marc in Va]

Let me add a few points. First off, one cannot expect to be proficient with an Explorer in real trashy areas right off the bat. It takes many hours on the machine to master the subtle differences in tones and also to learn what the smart screen is showing you. Every time you use the Explorer you will get better at it. Obviously you were excited about using your machine and took it to the only place you could hunt. A real trashy area is probably the worst place to learn your machine and it will get frustrating. Dont let that give you a bad impression of this great machine though. I have had Explorer XS machines since they first came out and to this day they are still the best silver coin finding machine ever made. They are also one of the best kept secrets in relic hunting although now I use a GPX for that. When hunting in real trashy spots I run my machine almost wide open at IM 15. I want to hear every signal and do not want the null to mask any keepers. The main problem with the Explorer XS is the slower processor so if you are canceling out most stuff you will not hear a coin next to a piece of iron. Probably the most important advise I can give is to swing very slow. I suggest you not run in semi auto at all. Run in manual at the highest level that remains stable. On my machine in my area I run at either 16 or 18. As far as small coils, they will help pick out keepers. I do not use small coils. I always use my stock coil because I do not want to loose any depth and running my machine the way I do and my years of experience allows me to do that. When hunting in areas that are not trashy the only change I make is to bump my IM up to 10. The other main settings that I always use are Deep on, fast off.

 

[Sobo]

Thanks for all the great tips and info guys, I'll look into the updated book. I have tried the explorer again with IM at 14 and running sensitivity lower, and pulled out a few wheats right out of the trash! Still have a long way to go before I fully understand my Explorer...but I'm looking forward to spring so I can really put in some hours on it. Thanks again for the help everyone .