What number do you ground balance your X-Terra 50 at?

[Treasure Nut]

I asked this question in another forum, but would like to get a greater response.

The X-Terra 50 has a range from 0 to 20. Detecting in and around Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, my X-Terra 50 generally ground balances anywhere from 3 to 5, with the standard coil. Does anyone else live in an area where the ground balance number is higher for the XT50?

Where do you live and ground balance your X-Terra 50 at?

No complaints with my detector. Just curious! Especially if you ground balance in an area between 15 and 20.

 

[Digger]

The numbers represented by the GB scale will not only vary from location to location. But can vary greatly within a location. To test this yourself, take the X-50 out in your yard. If you have a flower garden or a vegetable garden, and use chemical fertilizer on it, you will likely get much different numbers there than out in the middle of the grass. GB is based on mineralization levels. Natural and man-made. Whether it be iron rich soil or chemical fertilizer, the GB setting will be affected. I have one old fair grounds where I hunt that is now owned by two different farmers. Apparently about 75 years ago, the fairgrounds were sold in two parcels. One of the farmers plants row crops every year. The other farmer has his in pasture. The farmer with row crops applies fertilizer, herbicides, insecticides etc. The guy with the pasture lets it grow and occasionally mows it for hay. I hunt both sides of the fence. And, the difference between the "natural" side and the "chemically injected" side is unbelievable. The GB will vary as much as 3 - 5 points, depending on the dampness of the ground on the day I hunt. (wetter soil intensifies the mineralization).

I don't mean to avoid answering your question. But if you ask 10 different people, hunting 10 different sites, you will likely get 10 different answers. And, all of them could be correct. Just make sure you set your GB properly and don't worry about what the numbers are. To help make sure you are getting the most out of your X-50, here is a paragraph I wrote on setting the GB:
Before making any adjustment to the ground balance, temporarily adjust the sensitivity down to a level in the single digits. Sensitivity is the detector

 

[Treasure Nut]

Digger,

I understand how ground balance varies greatly in a location. I experience it also on the other side of the fence, but not often.

I still want to see comments from different people, hunting different sites, and hopefully get different general (average) XT50 ground balance numbers around in North America and most of the world.

No problems with my MD, just curious!

HH

 

[John LA]

Near my home (Baton Rouge, LA) mine GBed at 1 or 2. Not being able to swing completely through it made me wonder if I had actually GBed. I have sold the X50 and don't have any doubt about the GB of the X70.

 

[Carib24k]

i own a X50 got it in January this year.i notice after a heavy rain as the ground dries up the GB keeps changing along with everything else in the soil that effects the GB. just keep checking it as you go along . keep checking because it keeps changing.