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X-Terra 70 Pinpointing

S

steve herschbach

New member
Hi,

Just a note. I'm finding myself pushing the mode switch into Prospecting Mode on my X-Terra 70 to pinpoint as I like the VCO non-ratcheting operation in Prospect Mode more than the rapid detune you get in pinpoint. I find it much easier to gauge the target size in Prospect Mode. A soda can sounds like a soda can in Prospect Mode, but Pinpoint detunes a soda can down to a tiny target just like everything else.

Just my own personal preference, but thought I'd pass it on. Switching back and forth between modes is so easy on the X-Terra 70 you in effect get a choice between two types of pinpointing systems.

Steve Herschbach
Alaska Mining & Diving Supply
 
Steve,

What is meant by <i>VCO non-ratcheting operation</i>? I use mine in the more traditional manner - pattern 1 or 2, switch to All-Metal to confirm if the target is jumpy, then pinpoint.
Prospect mode is too sensitive for trashy parks - but it sounds like you have a technique to deal with that. Yes?
 
Hi,

I hunt in the Coin Mode, not the Prospect Mode. When I get the target, I switch to Prospect Mode to pinpoint it. The Prospect Mode uses what in an analog machine is called a Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO) which simply means that as the target volume increases, the pitch of the tone also increases. So large or shallow targets literally squeal when you get over them. You are dead over the target where both the volume and pitch are the highest.

Ratcheting is what the X-Terra does in Pinpoint - it "ratchets down" or detunes any target until you get a small signal, presumably centered on the target.

Some people like VCO, some hate it. I like it. It is not better, it is just different. If you are happy with the X-Terra pinpoint mode, that's great. But if you want to try something different, just flip over into Prospect Mode and center where the volume and pitch is loudest. Different strokes for different folks!

Steve Herschbach
X-Terra 70 Info
 
I don't like the target doing a disappearing act on me when or what they call detuning,(ratchet pinpointing), when I am trying to pick something out of the trash with tow or three signals within a few inches of each other . That is why the small DD or any DD works so good. That is why the prospect mode work's so good. You are absolutely 100% correct in doing that and I agree. The first couple of times it done that , I thought it does that on my DFX and I always turn the ratchet pinpoint off and double clutch when I want to shrink the target down to a dead on pinpoint. Now if you could double clutch the Prospect mode that would even be better. At least the target don't disappear like in the pinpoint mode. Later bud Jerry aka Tinfoil.
 
Hmmm, another way to skin a cat. (Not that I've ever...)

But, if your in a trashy area, say a quarter is a few inches deep and theres a pull-tab say 4" away with a pop-top 6" on the other side of the quarter. Prospect mode won't be able to pin-point all three, will it? Of course, I could go out back and make a test garden.
 
Hi eric,

If you have multiple targets the regular pinpoint will detune into the stongest one, and the weaker will fade away. In Prospect Mode the multiple targets remain and you can tell which are weaker and which are stronger.

Steve Herschbach
Steve's Mining Journal
 
It will work better with DD you can better, separate the targets and when using the concentric just raise the coil a few inches and it will help also. You can do the same thing with the DD if you need some more separation. That is a very old trick that only us old guys or wise old guys know. Right Bill???. :rofl: . Later Jerry aka Tinfoil
 
When I first got the X-70, I couldn't imagine a time when I would use the Prospecting mode here in Iowa. But, about 6-weeks ago, I started using it to assist with both pinpointing and target sizing. Now I use it exclusively when I am unsure of the target size or ID.


Pinpointing and Target sizing with the X-70 Prospecting mode......
Posted by: Digger <Send a PM> (IP Logged)
Posts: 345
Date: April 04, 11:54PM

Today I was hunting in an area that had lots of nails, bolts and scrap iron in the ground. This is an area that has produced many old coins over the years, so I know there are still some hiding! I was hunting with the X-70 and 7.5 kHz coil today, running in Pattern 1, threshold 4, GB varying from 22 to 42, volume 30 and sensitivity 27. I knew the area I was hunting had lots of ferrous targets due to the blanking effect I was hearing. I swept over a target that read a solid 36. Removing a plug of dirt about 6 inches across and 6 inches deep, I swept back over the hole. The target was still there. I removed another few inches of dirt, and placed it on the pile at the side of the hole. I swept the coil over the hole and got no response. I passed the coil over the pile of dirt and still got no response. I thought this was going to be one of those "phantom" targets, but refused to move on until I learned what it was. I tried the pinpoint mode, but found that it was ineffective due to the multitude of ferrous targets in the area. I couldn't get far enough away to get a clean piece of earth! I tried switching to all-metal mode. But all that did was confirm the amount of adjacent trash. For some reason I switched to Prospecting mode and swept the coil over the hole. Nothing. I swept over the pile of dirt beside the hole and WHEEEEEE, there it was. I centered the highest pitched sound over what turned out to be a nice old IH cent. I am convinced that the Prospecting mode locked onto this target when other modes failed.

Thinking that maybe the Prospecting mode was more "sensitive" to small targets, and less effected by adjacent trash, I put it to another test. I had dug about a half dozen pieces of copper scrap today, thinking it was going to be a coin. Some of these pieces were only 2 or 3 inches long, and some were 5 or 6 inches square. I pulled a couple of them out of my trash bag and put them on the ground. When I passed over them in Pattern 1, all-metal and pinpoint modes, I realized why I had dug them. The sounded like and displayed like a coin. But when I passed over them in the Prospecting mode, I could get a pretty accurate idea of their size and shape, just by listening to the tone. I wonder if this might not be a good tool to use when you are digging those old aluminum cans, thinking they are going to be a quarter! Maybe sizing the target with the Prospecting mode could save some frustration. If you haven't tried this, I encourage you to do so. If you have tried it, I would appreciate hearing your opinions. HH Randy
 
I've been running mine on a setting of 8 in iron mask and digging everything that sounds coin size and what a wake up call this was !
I only WISH I had started this on the 1st. day of the NS hunt in Virginia instead of day 3. I was a little disappointed in the 70's depth and even told David from Dixie Detectors in Tenn. and Ron from Dixie in Miss. that I wasn't real impressed with the 70 in the depth department and fussed about these same pinpoint issues.
On day 3 I decided to run IM and dig everything, BAM .. it was like I had a completely different detector in my hand. I dug several percussion caps at 8" deep that couldn't even be heard in all metal.
Several flat buttons gave the same result as well as a few coins that even a Explorer was barely getting a peep on with a 10.5" coil and a wide open screen.
That's why I'm a big time believer in running IM now, it's so much easier to size and find a target and the extra depth is very notable along with the extra sensitivity nature of running IM :)
Just my 2 cents
Mike
 
Hi Mike,

I have not gone so far as to run in Prospect Mode while turf hunting, but have been using it exclusively anywhere the digging is easy. I'm seeing like 25%-30% more depth in Prospect Mode in pea gravel around schoolyard equipment. I made a post early on at http://www.findmall.com/read.php?55,324900 that got not a single response.

Like you, I find the X-Terra 70 to be no depth demon in Coin Mode. But in Prospect Mode it rivals the best units I have used and with the iron mask feature it is a powerful tool indeed for those wishing to dig all non-ferrous items. Which is what most of my detecting seems to end up being.

I have found the iron mask to be minimally functional in the pea gravel, but to work great elsewhere. The gravel balances out at 11 on the XT70 and 78 on an MXT. Like most iron id funtions on prospecting machines the reliability of the iron mask features declines as ground iron mineralization increases.

While the X-Terra units are not Explorers when it comes to coin depths, I still am finding myself happy with it as a coin detector. It simply is pleasant to use. Give me a small coin so I can go pick through trash, and it will be just fine. I'd rather pick through trash for shallow coins than dig 10" coins in my neck of the woods. They are not old enough around here to be worth the effort. It really is more a jewelry machine for me in the turf, and I don't try and look for deep jewelry.

Steve Herschbach
Alaska Mining & Diving Supply
 
I have found the Prospecting mode to be awesome!

I also started to use it shortly after I got my X-Terra 70 for more than just pinpointing. I do a lot of hunting in the Prospecting mode, but I think it has received little follow-up on posts because too many X-T users are mainly coin hunters or have a distaste for any extra digging, preferring to want that 100%, guaranteed, lock-on Target ID.

Oh well, just means more left for us to find! :)

Monte
 
Hi

Agree, the prospecting mode on X-70 is awesome, far deeper then the ID mode even in allmetal and constructed so you can use your brain as a discriminator after you have learned it well enough. Not all prospecting or autotune or whatever true all metal has all this.

Its easy to size with, easy to ID iron with, easy to tell depth with and also with reverse discrimination easy to dig all small whispers that is not Iron and too deep to ID in all metal. The good find rate at that depth and beeing nonferrous is often good, atleast here.

Would have been even better with a 7.5 khz 9" DD and also a 7.5 khz 5-6" DD. DD to be even better in seperation of targets at different depths and close to eachother.

I think the X-70 is worth the money just for the prospecting mode and will never sell this unit but Minelab needs to listen to all that loves the machine even if they dont have any history in making smaller coils. Now they need to do so, and fast too.

Fisher have failed in that respect and I would hate to see Minelab go into that trap, after all Whites make excellent detectors and have coils for any use to fit all of their detectors.

Like your exterra mine picks up a paperclip but still nulls some at the edges of a deep horseshoe, got something to do with rust and the shine surface on the clip I think.

bfodnes
 
Or maybe I should sell it and buy myself a shine new one when Minelab finally release a small coil. If many do that they would really benefit economically from developing one.:devil:

LOL, would never do that :laugh:

Regards.

bfodnes
 
Hi Gary,

Only with Iron Mask activated. Do you have a number greater than zero on your screen while in Prospect Mode? That is the Iron Mask level. It nulls over suspected iron targets. The higher the level, the more chance the unit will null over iron, but also the greater chance it will null over non-ferrous items. I do wish it reset quicker. It really lags.

Steve Herschbach
 
then it won't null on anything.. See page 24 of the manual right hand coll um. at the bottom of the page. Works great. :jump: and you don't go :crazy: like me sometimes trying to get things straight. Later Later Jerry aka Tinfoil.
 
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