WHEW

[greasecarguy]

Ok guys need a little help form the experts and experienced here. My friend can't take me out this week as his girlfriend bought an XS because she couldn't get the hang of the DFX....so he had to teach her.

Anyway, there are a lot of tones coming from the SE. Sometimes it sounds like a short wave radio , other times I am plying Fur Elise! I dug a lot of stuff today at an old park/sledding hill, nothing notable though. I dug tones that I thought were great and turned out to be deep nails. I have heard this is good though...true or false?

Most of the tones I liked really well were bottle tops, pull tabs or various junk. Is the hi frequency tone the only one I should concentrate on or are there low freq. tones I need to learn?

I believe this to be true for coin shooting; listen for the hi pitch, deep with somewhere on the right side at least half way up the smart find. True or false?

Pinpointing was a difficult task coming from a concentric is probably my issue. Even a nickle on the surface gave me trouble in pinpoint mode. The signal was certainly the loudest directly over it, but there was another loud tone about 4 inches away. may have been another target. I will have to dig bigger plugs and get used to it. I even dug some targets close to the surface to practice pinpointing. It's not as easy as the videos make it look.

While I am certainly not expecting to dig only nice coins, I am hoping to minimize my digs and have a larger concentration of deep coins. How is this achieved?
Thanks so much for the help. You must remember what it was like to use a new, more sophisticated machine.

Best,

Aaron

 

[Erik in NJ]

your coil is over a German coin!

Start off easy by taming the beast - black out the whole screen in Edit mode, then just open up a 3/4" x 3/4" square in the upper right corner of the screen. Dig all repeatable targets in two or more directions specially those where the depth meter is 1/3 to 1/2 down or more. You'll miss some stuff the first time with this pattern, but it will make the machine much easier to learn. As far as pinpointing goes, this machine is very accurate. Pinpoint in one direction then step 90 degrees to the right or left of the loudest tones and do it again. You can't just make an X from one position like the concentric coils.

 

[greasecarguy]

Sounds like a good idea.

 

[deeponedge]

far too much nulling.
Most of the guys I know who have 100's upon 100's of hours on the explorers will tell you to just leave it set at whatever the manual recommends. for the first couple weeks.
In the recommended beginner smartfind screen setting; approximately 60% of the screen is already blacked out. It is set that way for a reason.
In my opinion if you are a beginner; you shouldn't black out or edit anything right now and shouldn't dig signals that repeat only 2 directions.
Just go much slower in the beginner smartfind screen...listen for only the high coin sounds that don't break up at all...and then dig only those signals that repeat every time as you circle the hole.
Don't rush it just take your time. I wouldn't worry about editing, blacking out, or anything like that right now until further down the road.
There are a lot of guys on here who will probably offer some suggestions too at least I hope.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi, My prior post should have read "right or left of the loudest tone" Just make a mental note where this tone is along the first axis and mark the ground with your eyes. Step 90 degrees to the side (keeping the machine in pinpoint mode) and then swing right/left on this point. You need to remember to detune the machine first - I generally hold the coil about a foot off the ground, press pinpoint, then slowly lower the coil. Repeat if the machine gets fooled or if the detune was not sucessful. There are other ways to pinpoint and I'm sure others will chime in.

Forget about trying to find nickels at first - this simple pattern will pass clad, copper cents, and most silver and you won't have to listen to that "orchestra" of sounds. Swing slowly almost like you're mopping or painting the floor with the coil.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Better to have the machine null and squelch out all the sounds that are confusing him that not. That default pattern was created by scanning in as many coins from around the world as they could find - it's a very confusing for a beginner and his post bears that out. Plus that pattern lets you hear about 50% of the junk targets in the ground including bits of foil, can slaw, pull tabs, etc.....

 

[Hotcz70]

I agree with your post 100%...but the new fellers' have to do whatever they feel is best.
Pretty good advice you gave though. Too bad it doesn't work for you

 

[Hotcz70]

they will get better as you get some more hunts in.

If you are "hoping to minimize my digs and have a larger concentration of deep coins" ...IMHO leave it in the factory presets...but don't dig any signals unless that critter repeats each and every time you sweep the coil accross it from ALL angles.
This simple act alone will eliminate probably half the junk you dug today.

"I believe this to be true for coin shooting; listen for the hi pitch, deep with somewhere on the right side at least half way up the smart find. True or false?"

Very true...BUT while first learning the SE...if you are going to hunt in smartfind screen.....pay close attention to what the cursor does. It will RARELY lock on as a textbook hit on a deep coin. Many and most times the cursor will flutter along the whole top right 50% of the screen. You might still get a good sound...which is most important....but being able to see the cursor move is also very important when first learning the explorers.
That's why the smartfind screen is set up the way it is. It allows for a new user to track the placement of the cursor over most coins.

On newer clad...sure the cursor will lock most of the time in the upper right 1/4 of the screen. On the older, deeper coins though...the cursor can and will flutter all over the place. All the while the cursor is doing this...you should still get some type of higher pitched "warbly" sound.

IMHO The main thing is to stay very basic...don't try any other settings changes...including mine....for quite some time. The other very important thing is to dig only those signals that repeat from EVERY angle.
Those signals that repeat only a couple of ways...or break up at all...just move on for now.

As a newbie...you need to try and learn the basic language the SE is speaking...and the factory presets allow for just that.

Whatever you choose...just don't get frustrated. There is a learning process as there is with any machine....but just make sure you stay basic...go slow...and dig only those signals that repeat from all angles.
Feel free to pm anytime you need to. If I can't help you out...or don't know the answer...I'll give you some names of a few good fellers' who are probably a whole lot smarter than me.. have some good experience... have some good knowledge... and the finds to back it up.

Good luck with whatever you decide. This forum has a lot of good people here who can really help us all out

 

[chuck ky]

i just bought a used xs i tried blacking out the screen but i couldn't figure out how to white in the parts for the coins. when i figure it out do i then just hit detect to start hunting. thanks.

 

[chuck ky]

i just bought a used xs. i've got the manual and andy's book but i haven't been able to find anything yet about factory presets. any help will be appreciated. thanks.

 

[dippodigger]

and it will go to default settings.
If you just got your xs I don't think I would darken the screen...then whiten this or that. If you do that it will be harder to tell the difference from coins to junk.
The more you hear those lower sounding junk targets the more you will be able to tell the difference between that junk and coins.
That could be why some people have a harder time telling the difference between coins, trash, clad dimes, silver dimes, indian head cents , and more.
My old xs is still doing the trick for me.When I got it I didn't have to dig a zillion holes to do okay with it either.
With the percentage of junk you hear in the default setting-it helped me to learn the nicer sounding items too.
If you start editing or blocking out low sounds it will just make it harder to learn the xs because you will be hearing only good stuff. My thoughts tell me there isn't much learning in that.
Just my thoughts but Im no expert.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi Chuck,

Try this:

1. Press Iron Mask and set it to 0 to black out the whole screen
2. Press Menu
3. Select Discrim
4. Select Edit
5. Select the largest cursor size (press top left selection button till you see the largest black square).
6. Make sure accept/reject is off (press middle left selection button till the box is blank)
7. Using the cursor movement buttons (bottom left and all three right buttons) move the cursor to the upper right-hand corner of the screen.
8. Turn accept on (press middle left selection button till you see the check mark)
9. Move the cursor to the left about four times, then down four times, then back to the right border (this will create your "simple white box" disc pattern)
10. Now just press Detect, set your Sensitivity to 32 Auto (adjust this and threshold as desired) and you're all set.

I recommend digging targets that are at least 1/3 of the depth scale deep.

When you get some practice with this simple pattern (you won't have to listen to all of the wild sounds that you're not used to) and you feel comfortable, switch over to Iron Mask and open up as much of the screen as you feel comfortable with.

Good luck with it.

 

[Erik in NJ]

If you start editing or blocking out low sounds it will just make it harder to learn the xs because you will be hearing only good stuff.

I thought that was the point -- to make it easy for a beginner.

 

[chuck ky]

thanks i'll give it a try tomorrow evening if it doesn't rain. appreciate every one's help.

 

[Erik in NJ]

No problem Chuck.....it's been raining off and on here in NJ for 2 weeks! Were u able to edit the pattern? You can practice by downloading the SE emulator from Minelab......drop me a PM if you need any help and I can walk u thru it on the phone.....Best, Erik

 

[chuck ky]

i got it working. only found a wheat and about a dollar inclad and pennies. thanks.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Keep at it for a couple of weeks, dig the deep stuff and the silver will come.

 

[PJ]

Greasecarguy. The advice that Bryce gave you on the 13th is right on. As a some what newbie myself, I listened somewhat to the experts at first but tried it "my" way once in awhile. Well these guys are old pro's and definitely know what they are talking about. If you follow their advice, your finds will improve drastically. PJ

 

[chuck ky]

got a 1908 plain barber dime today in a 1885 park. thanks for the tips.

 

[Erik in NJ]

for taming the beast for the beginner. If you dig the deep signals with it, you'll find some nice silver and old cents (wheat, IH, and large).