First hunt with the ORX

[Timecop67]

Also we almost never mention it but the pinpointer is worth its weight in gold as well.
Best of luck you got yourself a really good machine -[/QUOTE]

By Pinpointer do you mean the MI-6 that XP puts out or the one on the Orx remote? I find the Pinpointer button
on my Orx has trouble switching modes at times even after multiple button presses. Most people don't even use the pin pointer function anyway for objects and instead use the wiggle method plus dig the larger plugs and then break out the MI-6. I've said it before on a previous thread that the pinpointer function on my Tek 8500 was so good didn't have to break out any additional machines. It used a concentric coil with an actual button on unit.....I realize going to DD coil you lose that accuracy.

 

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[eman1000]

- Yes, I was referring to the MI6 Pinpointer the audio feature through the headphones is a very nice feature. I bought my ORX with the MI6 bundle for around $650 - Also to your point I agree the pinpoint button gets very little use and I find the wiggle method sufficient for me. I dig my plug around the xp logo on the front of the coil and that gets the job done.

- The pinpoint button is stiff and it is something I would like to see Deus improve. It needs to be about 2x larger as well
- Also the MI6 I find difficult to switch to external audio (The only way I have figured out to do this is to unpair it from the machine)

I run a 5.3" concentric coil on my MX5 and the pinpoint button is a nice size and give surprising accurate depth reading as well. I mainly use if for clad hunting and to your point I can pop most targets with a screw driver.

 

[vferrari]

- Yes, I was referring to the MI6 Pinpointer the audio feature through the headphones is a very nice feature. I bought my ORX with the MI6 bundle for around $650 - Also to your point I agree the pinpoint button gets very little use and I find the wiggle method sufficient for me. I dig my plug around the xp logo on the front of the coil and that gets the job done.

- The pinpoint button is stiff and it is something I would like to see Deus improve. It needs to be about 2x larger as well
- Also the MI6 I find difficult to switch to external audio (The only way I have figured out to do this is to unpair it from the machine)

I run a 5.3" concentric coil on my MX5 and the pinpoint button is a nice size and give surprising accurate depth reading as well. I mainly use if for clad hunting and to your point I can pop most targets with a screw driver.

A concentric is always going to be superior to a DD as far as pinpointing is concerned. Wiggling off the target is faster than using the pinpoint feature on the Deus/Orx.

 

[Timecop67]

A concentric is always going to be superior to a DD as far as pinpointing is concerned. Wiggling off the target is faster than using the pinpoint feature on the Deus/Orx.

Not to mention a concentric is going to be better for Iron ID. As has been said before I'd like to see XP produce a 5 or 7 inch concentric for in the city use......for fields DD all the way. I don't see them doing it though because it seems they tend to please the larger market share which is probably Europe. I just got done modifying my Orx so it doesn't tip over....... should have corrected that since this model is newer than the Deus. Maybe they kept the arm cuff bottom small to fit in their case they sell. Marketing and sales sometimes trump product improvements.

 

[bartholomewroberts]

Does the ORX have the ability to run the XY screen??.. I use that on my Deus and it aids considerably when it comes to determining iron

Micheal

 

[vferrari]

Does the ORX have the ability to run the XY screen??.. I use that on my Deus and it aids considerably when it comes to determining iron

Micheal

It doesn't have one. Another nice visual aid in lieu of the ears on Deus until you get your brain tuned it. Takes hundreds of swing hours before it clicks and you can depend less on these visual aids. That's why most experienced UK hunters typically use their Deus with just the wireless phones to hunt by audio alone (because it contains so much more audio info than a number or a graph) and just keep the remote around for updates and loading custom programs onto their coils.

 

[relicmeister]

I almost never use the pinpoint function on my Orx, ( or my Nox either for that matter)
Never liked to have to press a button to engage pinpoint mode and press again to go back to detect mode. I much prefer a press and hold arrangement, and although I’ve never seen it before, it would be nice to have a pinpoint mode that after a quick press engages for a set or set -able amount of time before going back to regular detect mode. That would be a nice feature on a detector.
A timed on and auto off feature would be nice on hand-held pinpointers as well as I often keep it on in target rich areas until it turns itself off by holding it in my arm pit and away from metal.

 

[Timecop67]

I almost never use the pinpoint function on my Orx, ( or my Nox either for that matter)
Never liked to have to press a button to engage pinpoint mode and press again to go back to detect mode. I much prefer a press and hold arrangement, and although I’ve never seen it before, it would be nice to have a pinpoint mode that after a quick press engages for a set or set -able amount of time before going back to regular detect mode. That would be a nice feature on a detector.
A timed on and auto off feature would be nice on hand-held pinpointers as well as I often keep it on in target rich areas until it turns itself off by holding it in my arm pit and away from metal.

I didn't know it before but the Orx has audio detuning.....narrrowing the signal when you press it again and again. It would be more useful on a trigger or dedicated button like my Tek 8500 had.

 

[VA relicman]

I gave it a few more hours and have decided to keep my ORX for now. The main thing that is bothering me is the lack of depth from the elliptical coil, which I new would be less. Would you guys recommend the hf round coil or the x35 to get more depth out of non trashy areas? I’m starting to learn the machine a little better and am able to distinguish trash from good targets better now. I managed to pull some civil war relics out of the ground the past couple of days so I’m overall happier now than the first day. I appreciate any help.

 

[Tom Slick]

I have both the Elliptical HF and the 9" round HF coils. I use the round for everything except hunting for shallow targets in extreme iron trash. As you've found the Elliptical isn't all that deep but really works in the heavy trash. My round coils is on most of the time.

 

[VA relicman]

Have you used the X35 coil?

 

[vferrari]

The x35 9" or 11" can theoretically get you more depth than the HF on high conductors, because it can be operated at lower frequencies than the HF. I personally like the 9" hf for all around work, I am mainly a relic hunte, so for mid-conductive relics don't really need the low frequencies. The 11" x35 gives me a maximum depth and ground coverage option. I use the 9" round HF 90% of the time and the 11" x35 or 5x9.5" elliptical HF the rest of the time depending on the circumstances.

 

[Timecop67]

Tried out the X35 9 but found I had to deal with more emi chatter than the HF coil. Can tune the HF 9 coil to 13-14.4khz. One interesting thing on the Orx they have the X35 coin fast preset at 17.3 Khz whereas they have the HF coil preset for coin fast at 14.4khz. That seems slightly odd because I would think the HF coil would favor the higher frequencies. And in air testing the HF 9 it seems to favor the 14.khz but I know air testing can be off.

 

[vferrari]

Tried out the X35 9 but found I had to deal with more emi chatter than the HF coil. Can tune the HF 9 coil to 13-14.4khz. One interesting thing on the Orx they have the X35 coin fast preset at 17.3 Khz whereas they have the HF coil preset for coin fast at 14.4khz. That seems slightly odd because I would think the HF coil would favor the higher frequencies. And in air testing the HF 9 it seems to favor the 14.khz but I know air testing can be off.

Agree, the X35's naturally tend to pick up more EMI at their lower frequencies (4 and 8 khz) which is really true of most detectors that operate in that range, but I too found them to be more chatty even in the higher frequencies and it is probably a tad worse with the 11", but I like the ground coverage of the 11" when needed. The X35's are really quieter than the original LF coils and XP released a SW update (5.1) that fixed super chatty behavior when they were first released. 5.21 is the current latest firmware rev, I believe and that fixes a battery drain issue in the headphones when they are "off".
Really have not found any XP coil I like better than my round 9" HF coil.

Regarding the ORX presets:

The HF coils perform pretty consistently across the board, regardless of frequency (i.e., they don't favor a frequency, necessarily, though I tend to "think" my 9" HF coil runs optimally at around 28 khz). However, there is a physics based performance limit based on frequency and the conductivity range of the targets and a natural "programming" limit that comes into play with the pre-programmed preset on the ORX. On the Deus, XP is kind of forced to select preset frequencies that roughly correspond to the X35 presets and then let the HF coils "fall where they may" in terms of the frequency selected for the HF coils. I am not sure how they do it on ORX. Frankly, for any coins program I would have thought they should choose around 12 to 14 khz which corresponds to an approximate common "general purpose" frequency for both coils. Ideally, for high conductor coin depth performance you would normally choose the lowest frequency, but since the HF coil cannot operate below 13 khz, then the coins fast limit of 14 khz makes sense for the HF coil, I would have thought the preset should be 12 khz for the X35 coil, but 17 khz corresponds to the XP Deus Fast frequency preset (which never made sense to me unless you were focused on gold jewelry, not coins). Anyway, it is what it is. If you want high conductive coins on the HF coil, 13/14 khz makes sense, if you want mid-conductive relics, nickels, and gold jewelry - 28 khz makes sense or a higher frequency if you want micro targets or gold (but recognize depth will be severely limited).


The following is for Deus users and how to set up the various custom programs to accommodate both the HF and X35 coil frequency ranges/presets:

Regarding the frequency presets for the different coils, that is just a function of the coil, since there can only be one frequency chosen for the preset or custom program, e.g., 18 khz., the coil is going to default to the frequency closest to the preset. The presets are typically based of the LF or X35 coil frequency choices, so since 14 khz is nearest the 18 khz chosen in the preset, the HF coil will program itself to that frequency. If you change the preset to around 25 khz then both the X35 and HF coils will set up to 25 or 28 khz respectively. Note that each coil has slightly unique decimal frequency base presets based on its final factory winding configuration - this is determined by factory testing. "18 khz" can result in 17. 3 khz on one coil and 17.5 khz on another coil. When I set up my custom programs I try to use frequencies that roughly line up with both my X35 and HF coils so that I don't have to have unique programs for each coil. Therefore, I typically have a "low frequency" version and a "high frequency" version of each custom program that I use the most (typically pitch tone, 5 tone, and full tone and then some gold field programs - which results in about 7 or so custom programs but only really 3 variants the differ only in frequency). I typically set the "Low frequency" programs to around "12" khz (12 for the x35 and 13 or 14 for the HF) and the "High Frequency" programs to "25 khz" (25 for the X35 and 28.8 for the HF) that way the X35 and HF coils will behave about the same frequency wise, for a given program.

 

[VA relicman]

So the higher the frequency the less depth on the hf coils correct?

 

[Tommybuckets]

If you have the HF coil, use a higher frequency while you're at it. 28-40. The iron grunt on either side of the good sound and the size in pinpoint should give you some idea if you want to investigate the target. Of course there are those bed of nails areas where you can't pinpoint. You'll get the hang of it. More holes.

 

[vferrari]

So the higher the frequency the less depth on the hf coils correct?

Yes, but there is a tradeoff on mid-conductive relic targets. They "light up" better at higher frequencies so at a given depth may be detected better by the higher frequencies (so in effect, meaning the lower frequency settings has less depth performance for those specific targets). The difference is pretty slight, however. Lower frequencies light up higher conductive targets better and penetrate further into the ground, that is why, in general, silver can be detected deeper than small gold, lead, or brass. This is true for coin sized targets. At larger sizes and masses of targets of ANY metallic composition, then everything starts to look like a high conductor (because there is more surface area for the eddy currents that create the magnetic field detected by your coil). Micro targets are best detected by smaller coils at higher frequencies and tend to look like mid conductors (regardless of metallic composition), but can only be detected at very shallow depths. It is all about complex tradeoffs and other factors like soil mineralization, moisture content, nearby targets, and target orientation and shape all come into play so all you can do is make generalizations and there are exceptions to every rule.

 

[VA relicman]

Thanks for all the info VF. You’re a wizard