Welcome to the hobby of metal detecting. As you are surely aware, this is a forum for those who use the X-Terra model of Minelab metal detectors. As such, you should be able to read all of the posts to this forum and get answers to all of your questions. If you haven't yet read the previous posts, I invite you to do so. You will find that there are all types of detectorists out here. Some are relic hunters while others enjoy scanning modern parks for coins and jewelry. Personally, I like to hunt for old coins. Although I will put a newer clad coin in my pouch, if I happen across one, I would rather find a few old coins from a hundred or more years ago than find a whole pouchful of the new stuff. Different strokes for different folks! Anyway, you have chosen an excellent detector for your first endeavor into the hobby. You have just about all the whistles and bells available. And, you will use about half of them! Deciding which half is the hard part!!!
When you get it, read the manual. Read the posts in this forum, again. And, re-read the manual. Make sure you know what each control does and how to adjust them for the sites you are searching. Take the detector outside and turn it on. Pass various items under the coil (coins, keys, jewelry etc.) Listen to what the detector is telling you and what the readings are for each target. Learn to use the pinpoint mode and play with the various tone adjustments. Once you are comfortable with the operation, take a trip around your yard. During the first few outings, dig everything that makes a tone. Make sure you fill your holes and leave the area just as you found it. (minus the targets you uncover) Carry a pad and pencil and make a record of the tone, target ID and what you found. Once you cover a specific area, go back over that same site traveling in a different direction. Make notes of what you find the second pass over the same ground and ask yourself why you missed it the first time. Did you sweep too fast? Did you not overlap your swaths? Did you have your coil too far off the ground? Was your detector set up incorrectly? At the end of the day, you will probably find your pouch has more trash than treasure. But it will give you experience in several areas.
You mentioned you were getting a new X-70 with both the 3 kHz and 18.75 kHz coils. Considering the X-70 comes stock with the 7.5 kHz, you should have all your bases covered, as far as 9-inch round concentric coils are concerned. I also have all three coils, and personally, for the type of hunting I do, I like the 7.5 the best. Although the 18.75 is more sensitive to small targets and gold jewelry, I find that, in my part of the Country, I have to turn the sensitivity of my X-70 down to keep it from chattering. Therefore, using a more sensitive coil and having to tune it down defeats the purpose. As well, although the 3 kHz coil is designed to detect larger targets at deeper depth, I don't find it is necessary for coin hunting here in the Midwest. The majority of the coins around here are less than 8-inches deep. And the 7.5 will accomplish that just fine.
I made a post several months ago concerning some of the things I learned about the X-30 and X-50, while doing the field tests. Those same principals apply to the X-70, with variations in target ID numbers and notch segments. CONSISTENCY is the key! If you can't find that post, let me know. And, if you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to ask. Good luck to you and the X-70. Let us know you do!! HH Randy
