Update on my depth penetration problem. (from a few days ago)

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the advice and suggestions everyone. I tried all of them but didn't seem to help so I'm sending it off to Vegas. I reset it back to factory settings and messed around with sensitivity and still getting the same results. I need to get it sent off before the middle of May before the warranties run out on my coils. I doubt it's a coil problem though because I get the same results with either coil.
Thanks again for everyone's help.

 

[Anonymous]

Hope they can help sgtski. If not try to find some one in your area to compare with. I sold my old one, and bought a used one that works great. Like I said I don't know what the problem was nor did minelab find it but this used one has found me a nice 39 washington quarter at nearly 11 inches and a 36 dime at 8.5 inches. Hope they find the problem but if not try to find a used one like I did , I'm not sorry except that I bought a dfx. Maybe I can use it when I want to cover an area fast as suggusted, then go back over it with the ex if any thing found. Best of luck, Lilfox.

 

[Anonymous]

Like I said, it may just be me, but I doubt it.
I don't rely an air testing but I kinda think I should do better than 6" on an air test with a silver quarter. Now you have me worried that the same thing's going to happen to me in that I have a bum machine but Minelab won't be able to find what's wrong with it. I still have made some good finds with it but I should be getting deeper, shouldn't I?

 

[Anonymous]

Here in Oregon I don't seem to find anything over around 6 inches, then I go back out to the same spot and whamo I get a coin size target at around 9 inches.
I do know that if I turn my sens way down in this hot rock area of a park I hunt I get better depth
run at 23 sens and I get a coin then turn down to 10 and go over again and get 5 more.
Charlie

 

[Anonymous]

I too have questioned the real world depth capability of the XS1. I have only owned mine for a month now and bought it second hand at that. I could only find pennies @ 5"- 6" and dimes @ 3". I too felt this just ain`t right. So I found a clean patch of ground in my side yard and using a 3/4" steel rod I created several holes at varying depths. ie. 5",6",7" and 8" spaced several feet apart. Using some dishwashing soap (thick) I would stick a coin on the end of the steel rod and plunge it into the ground depositing the coin in the bottom of the hole. This is how I created my coin garden. Minimum disruption of the ground. It was a real eye opener. I can indeed detect a dime @ 8". However the tone is so weak I would have passed it over in the field. Also it became very apparent how slowly you have to swing the coil at this depth. In conclusion, the Explorer has the capability but as has been stated on this forum many times, its what sits between the head phones that makes it a great system. HH Tom in Cincinnati...

 

[Anonymous]

What would be nice is the let someone who does good with theirs try yours and set it up as they do with their own. This way you will know it is not just you.
I did this one my first Explorer as I didnt think I did that good and maybe something wrong with my Explorer, so I let a guy that does good with his try mine and he did as good or better with mine. Now I know it was me and I had to learn it more. After getting the right settings and going very slow I went from 6-7 inches to getting a dimes at 9-11 inches.
Send it in and have it checked out and if they dont find anything wrong then let someone else try it that does good with their Explorer and see if it will work as good as theirs does.
Good luck
Rick

 

[Anonymous]

Hey SgtSki,
Maybe you already sent your unit off to LV but if not a few more things to try.
You should definitely be getting more than 6" on a quarter in an air test. I'm going to go against popular opinion but think that air testing is a good indication of what you can get for depth. For many detectors this is not so; they do much better in the air than in the ground. The minelab family seems to handle ground mineralization better than most and they will often get close to air test depth in the ground. There is some truth that halos can increase your depth. Basically the uglier the find the bigger the halo. Targets that are relatively inert, gold, silver, aluminum, stainless don't react much with the surrounding soil and will have little or no halo, Copper (depending on the ground) will have a medium halo, and stuff that really corrodes (iron) will have a large halo and can be detected deeper.
When you air test make sure you have an open screen- no disc, IM-16. Turn up your sensitivity in manual until the icon starts to dance around, then bump it down a couple of notches. I've seen people hunting with much of the screen blacked out. They couldn't get shiit for depth and the reason was that they were running way too hot of a sensitivity, the machine was extremely unstable but because of the discrimination they didn't know it.
And like everyone else says get together with some one else with an explorer and do an apples to apples comparison. Try switching coils with them and see if the problem stays with the coil or the detector.
Chris

 

[Anonymous]

Everyone should be aware; multifrequency detectors (mainly the Sov/Elite and Explorer series) do not "air test" or punch plowed or disturbed ground like undisturbed soil. Not that it can't get decent depth, but you'll want to adapt. I recommend this: with the Sov/Elite series, use All Metal whenever possible. If your not in the trash, use it! When you hear those faint, soft sounds, "X" the target and listen carefully. A nail will sound good when you pass perpendicular to it. However, when you sweep parallel to it, you won't hear the soft, smooth tone. It will be broken into multiple "blips." If it sounds smooth both ways, click into Disc mode. If you hear ANY repeatable "ink" sound (both ways) dig! Sometimes you'll get a better sound, like the Sov is trying to come UP in tone and lock on...dig those signals as well. With the Explorer XS (haven't had time on the EX-II), I would run Iron Mask at -16 in plowed ground (optional DEEP setting) and listen for nulling signals. Once you find these, you should be near a campsite or old homesites. Deep targets will tend to be broken "iffy" targets. With practice (and digging a lot of trash) you should begin to learn the different sound of deeper nonferrous targets. Sound is the key for finding deep targets. I find depth is the last thing we usually master with any detector, especially those that can go deep. Good hunting, David @ Dixie

 

[Anonymous]

I was hunting a hunted to death area of Washington park with the machine adjusted to a stable level and could find nothing in that black sand laden soil...I took the coil cover off the stock coil, cranked the sens to 30 manual, it was jumping around quite a bit but I started yanking wheats and silvers out one after another.
At an old fairgrounds not too far from there thats also been hunted to death I got a lock with the WOT on a deep wheat that a stock coil could not reach.
For me anyway the answer was to crank the sens up high, it seemed to reach some deeper coins then.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all of the advice and info from everyone. I've tried it all but nothing seems to be working so I'm shipping it off to get looked at. If I'm told nothing is wrong with it then I'll be looking to swap it. With the ExpII now on the market I figure my XS should at least be good for a BH Quick Draw II in trade.

 

[Anonymous]

Get yourself an Australian quarter, attach your 10.5" coil and pass the quarter 7.25" in front of it. If it gives a signal, it's fine. That's it! EXACTLY what I was told by a service guy (name withheld) just this afternoon as the way they test the Explorer. This answer was followed by "how do you want to pay the $35 service fee so we can send it back to you."
I purchased mine second hand (third hand for all I know) so I was not expecting a free check up. But honestly I would have felt a lot better if he had said that it was attached to the patented Minelab 1025B Digital Analyzer, and found that it was fine, instead of telling me he swung an Aussie quarter in front of it. It took over a week to have this "test" done after I sent it to them UPS 3 day air to speed up the process.
My whole point in sending it to them in the first place was to find out why mine would not sound off on a US dime buried at 6" which I did not feel was an unreasonable expectation after reading all the posts on the other forum. When I mentioned the head to head test that I made with another guy's unit, he said "some are hotter than others, and if I ever find one not to get rid of it". My reply was that for the price of the Explorer, they should ALL be hot, period.
As we concluded our conversation by me giving him my credit card number, he said maybe I should get a new Explorer II. Yeah right, if I could be sure I'm getting a HOT one.
I will be trying it again when it gets here late next week, but if it works the same as when I sent it in, I have two words of advice to anyone when mine gets listed in the classifieds...CAVEAT EMPTOR.

 

[Anonymous]

Beacause that's the closest Aussie coin to 25 cents that I have and it's almost as big as a US Half. It has Liz on the front and a platypus on back. It reads higher than a Nickel and sounds off strong to about 9".
So if this is "the" test then I guess it's OK?

 

[Anonymous]

I was "guesstimating" when I tested it before so I got a plastic ruler (stole it from one of my kids and I'm KEEPING it...hehe).
I set my Explorer up between 2 wooden chairs in my kitchen keeping the coil well away from any metal. I removed my watch, wedding ring, and belt. I set the Explorer up in IM -16 with the sensitivity at the steadiest manual setting I could get, which was 24.
I used the follwing coins (all dug specimens): Cents = IH and wheaties, Nickels= V/Buffalo/Jefferson, Dimes= 2xBarbers/Merc/Roosie, Quarters= Barber/SLQ/Washington, Half= Walker, Dollar = Morgan.
Here's what I got for the 8" Coil:
Cents: Strong to 6" lost at 9"
Nickels: Strong to 7" lost at 10"
Dimes: Strong to 7" lost at 9"
Quarters: Strong to 9" lost at 11"
Half: Strong to 9" lost at 12"
Dollar: same as Half
Here's the 10.5" Coil:
Cents: Strong to 8" lost at 10"
Nickels: Strong to 8" lost at 11"
Dimes: Strong to 7" lost at 10"
Quarters: Strong to 9" lost at 12"
Half: strong to 9" lost at 12"
Dollar: Strong to 11" lost at 14"
Now, given that there's going to be a little interference since I was indoors, I'd have to say these findings tell me that there's NOTHING wrong with my machine and it's all in my head. It must be a coincidence and there isn't anything deeper than 5" in EVERY place that I hunt.
This is getting exasperating.
I guess I'll just get back out there and pick Wheaties out of my sod plugs with the occasional shallow "goodie" while I'm waiting for that magical "click" to happen when everything's supposed to fall into place.
I can't remember the last time i dug a coin that was still in the hole and not in my plug of sod.

 

[Anonymous]

LOL.. platapus is on the front and Liz is on the back. its a 20c piece

 

[Anonymous]

and I did not know any better, so who knows. I've never seen an Australian coin.
If it's close to the size of a US half dollar, that has me more upset, because I also ask him what was the industry standard for a "coin sized target" that you often see mentioned, and he stated that it was NOT a US dime.

 

[Anonymous]

But yeah, it's almost as big as a US Half. My other Aussie coins are a 2-cent piece (bronze and the size of a nickel) a 5-cent piece (CuNi and the size of a US cent) and a 50-cent piece (CuNi and 12-sided, just a hair bigger than a US half)
Anyway my guess is that Minelab meant 20-cent piece.
Doesn't sound like it's even worth the shipping costs to bother with

 

[Anonymous]

tone change:
MANUAL SENSIVITY readout is 16 with ring and coin icon.
This is for both my Explorers version 1's that have the differing software revisions in either one and using their own 10 1/2inch coil.(even used coil that I pulled apart to lighten the load of it. Works great.
I to say all Explorers should be "hot" units. I don't think that a "hit and miss" possibility should be ever a determining factor as for why some units work better than others.
The Explorer electronics are fairly robust and assembled with a technique that promises consistency that surface mounted technology and wave soldering have to offer.
I reckon that the problem lies in the part that has had the human element of bad soldering joints or wrong soldering joints or a programming error when they put the units up on a PC screen for final diagnostic and testing process that is the patented Minelab 1025B Digital Analyser and I to have been told this what is done to determine any problems that is by using a Computer interface style analysing system..
For example, this method of computer interface to check the integrity of a metal detachers function is now a standard externally accessed and connected feature on detectors like the latest Minelab GP 3000).
As far as I know every time I have sent in my Explorer that I converted and have
accidentally "killed" it(due to my "experiments" and I have done this a few times to many than I care to mention) , I to always get told that AFTER it has passed an on the "repair bench" computer interfaced(1025B Digital Analyzer), via a connection inside the Explorer control box on one of the Printed Circuit Boards.
I have always got the Explorer back working perfectly every single time (cross my heart I am going to leave my Explorer alone this time).
Let Minelab know about the results I have form my tests. They are usually very co-operative and helpful and just generally good people. Maybe there are others who are in possesion of the Aussie 20 cent piece who can also attest to my results and who will post them here on this forum to help out.
Sorry for rambling on, but I have to tell the full story. I hope my message gets across.
Hardnose. <IMG SRC="/forums/images/ausflag.jpg" BORDER=0 ALT="au~">

 

[Anonymous]

those air tests, based on what has been explained to you, IMO, there actually MAY be something wrong with the detector and something wrong with what has been said is to be a "bench mark" test.
The difference of 1 inch may not seem much but could be why this detector may not function to it's full capacity.
Using an Aussie(19920 cent coin:
I am getting about (21025mm=1inch)or 8 and 1/2 inches using the DEFAULT start-up settings that put the Explorer into a SEMI AUTO 16 and SMARTSCREEN with half the left hand screen blacked out. The same in the default screen for IRONMASK -6.
BUT
By simply switching over to a MANUAL SENSATIVITY both the DEFAULT SMART SCREEN AND DEFAULT IRONMASK -6 (same coin) gets detected at 12 INCHES in the same air test in the same location and at the same moment with one test after the other and in my office(EMI CITY).
and
The DIGITAL read out is:
SMARTFIND SCREEN :
SEMI-AUTO SENSITIVITY readout is 12 with ring and coin icon.
tone change:
MANUAL SENSIVITY readout 13 with ring and coin icon.
IRONMASK:
MANUAL SENSIVITY readout is 16 with ring and coin icon.
tone change:
SEMI AUTO SENSIVITY readout is 18 with ring and coin icon.
This is for both my Explorers version 1's that have the differing software revisions in either one and using their own 10 1/2inch coil.(even used coil that I pulled apart to lighten the load of it. Works great.
I to say all Explorers should be "hot" units. I don't think that a "hit and miss" possibility should be ever a determining factor as for why some units work better than others.
The Explorer electronics are fairly robust and assembled with a technique that promises consistency that surface mounted technology and wave soldering have to offer.
I reckon that the problem lies in the part that has had the human element of bad soldering joints or wrong soldering joints or a programming error when they put the units up on a PC screen for final diagnostic and testing process that is the patented Minelab 1025B Digital Analyser and I to have been told this what is done to determine any problems that is by using a Computer interface style analysing system..
For example, this method of computer interface to check the integrity of a metal detachers function is now a standard externally accessed and connected feature on detectors like the latest Minelab GP 3000).
As far as I know every time I have sent in my Explorer that I converted and have
accidentally "killed" it(due to my "experiments" and I have done this a few times to many than I care to mention) , I to always get told that AFTER it has passed an on the "repair bench" computer interfaced(1025B Digital Analyzer), via a connection inside the Explorer control box on one of the Printed Circuit Boards.
I have always got the Explorer back working perfectly every single time (cross my heart I am going to leave my Explorer alone this time).
Let Minelab know about the results I have form my tests. They are usually very co-operative and helpful and just generally good people. Maybe there are others who are in possesion of the Aussie 20 cent piece who can also attest to my results and who will post them here on this forum to help out.
Sorry for rambling on, but I have to tell the full story. I hope my message gets across.
Hardnose.

 

[Anonymous]

1980
Again using:
(default starup) with SENSIVITY at 16:
Quickstart- DIGITAL
IRONMASK ON
SEMI AUTO SENSITITY
is deteced as 27 with ring and coin icon
170mm or 6.8 inches(using the 25mm = 1 inch rule)
IRONMASK OFF
MANUAL SENSIVITY
is deteced as 28 with ring and coin icon
190mm or 7.6 inches(using the 25mm = 1 inch rule)
and
QUICKSTART
SMART SCREEN
SEMI-AUTO SENSITVITY
170mm or 6.8 inches(using the 25mm = 1 inch rule)
QUICKSTART
IRONMASK SCREEN set at -6
190mm or 7.6 inches(using the 25mm = 1 inch rule)
see how you go
Hardnose

 

[Anonymous]

If you are getting this air testing sounds like your unit is ok. It could be that the ground is very mineralized and hard to detect. Some of the boys went to MI and said they had real problems with the ground.
Or, where you are detecting there is nothing deeper. Try burying some coins and test again.
Chris