How deep does my new Minelab go?

[bafromkc]

OK, here's my story, with some questions I hope you can answer. I started metal detecting in 1985 and have owned several detectors, ending-up with a White's Eagle Spectrum that I sold a year ago. My arthritis got so bad it hurt to do the digging so I called it quits. NOT! I've got the bug and can't help it. So I recently purchased a used Minelab Explorer XS. It's definitely more complicated then even the Spectrum. I've been out for 3 hours since it arrived and still haven't found a coin. Seems my best "hits" are way-deep? I'm reading "Mastering the Minelab Explorer" by Sabisch to try to get this new FBS technology straight. Question 1, on the display there is a shovel icon and a bar graph that's supposed to clue you in on the depth. But I find no info about the relationship between the length of the bar, vs. just how deep (how many inches)the target is. In practice, a coin on top of the ground shows a "full" bar. The good targets I can't get to show about half of the bar. But I dig and dig, all the while my knees are shuttering...I'm at 11" deep, the length of my trowell, and I'm still not there. Yes, it's still in the hole! Question 2, How can you dig targets that are SO deep, like I suppose maybe 18", 20", 24"? at the local church yard, without getting the owner upset, even though he's given permission. Don't get me wrong, I've probably dug a thousand holes over the years. I always replace the plug / dirt etc like I was never there. Have I been "duped" by technology? It's like the fun goes away after 15 minutes digging and aching, the pile of dirt looks like you just dumped a bag of potting soil on the yard, and still I need to go deeper?! No wonder I called it quits. Then there's the same scenario, arm deep in some hole?!, big pile of dirt...and you finally turn-up an aluminum bottle cap...OR WORSE, your "TARGET" DISAPPEARS ALL-TOGETHER! Any thoughts, advice? Thanks, Bill

 

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[ZumbroKid]

Hang in there it will come in time. The two i can think of that could be of help are Jeff the moderator and possible Floater. Others i'm sure have this machine.

 

[jeff of pa]

Welcome BILL.

? ? ? ? ?WOW going From the Spectrum to the Explorer, & especially With arthritis.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? You Got Guts.?

Well to Get to The Subject at Hand.
? ?First Off Are You Absolutely Shure You have the Pinpointing on the Explorer Down ? What Are the Chances Sometimes Your Digging & Missing the Target ?

? ? ?Let's For now assume you Have The Pinpointing Down :
? ? ? ? You May be Picking up Large Metal at 2 Maby even 3 Feet, In Which Case, It would Sound Like a Coin at 8 to 10 Inches. Especially Water Pipe.
? ? ? ? ?I can say For Shure,? I Havn't Gotten a Coin at 18 inches yet, with My Explorer, as Far as the Depth Guage, I can't Realy Help, I never Look at Mine.
? ? ? ? My best Suggestion Would be To pick up a Pinpointer. Most Good ones will reach 2 or 3 inches in the ground & can Help With Giving you an Idea On how Deep to Dig yet, Or to Start Digging in the Side of the Hole.

? ? ? ? ? ? I know your Frustration Tho.
? ?I have Passed up on 12 inch holes when I stick the Probe in & it Still Sounds Like it Did at 2 Inches.

or the Signal Turns up to Be in the Dirt Pile.

Mostly My Signals Disappear When I break the Halo of the OIbject. Which Means It's
A. Very Close,
B. I just Poped it Out of Place & it now Fell into the bottom of the hole, or Sidways.
C. it was a Hunk of Rust giving a False Signal & it's now Dispersed to Oblivian.

 

[rvbvetter]

? ? ? The depth bar on my EXP II stands for a foot (12 inches) ? ?So when the upper part is showing white half way down. That's 6 inches. ?When it's showing white 3/4's down, that's 9 inches and so on.
? Many times, because of a target being so deep, instead of just going for it, I've had to stand there and consider my options.
? ?Whether I should go for it, can I get there with out leaving a mess? Should I leave it?
?Nice predicument to have, but can be a bit of a dillema.
? ? Many times if the target disapears, you can reach into the hole and stir the dirt up a little and the signal reappears. Not sure why it does it, but it happens to me sometimes.
? ? I move the dirt in the hole and it comes back. ? ? ? ? ? ? ?HH

 

[JW]

Sunray X-1 inline target probe, the only way to fly!

HH

JW

 

[Michigan Badger]

Jeff covered it very well. I have experience with the Excalibur, not the Explorer, but I think the two systems are similar. According to what I've read online, the Minelab circuitry is distinctly different from all others.

Having said that, I'd say I'm in much the same situation as you. However, my pain is from back trouble. I must limit my digging and bending.

The Minelab system, as I see it, is more for healthy people. I say that because it takes a good amount of time to learn how it works. This requires much digging and checking until you catch on. I don't think anyone can tell you how to master it. This is something you'll have to learn yourself.

I said this years ago and I still say it, certain metal detectors are for thinking people. Others are more automatic for those who would rather not get involved in deep sound-pattern thoughts.

If I could put it another way, Minelabs (and the top Whites, etc.) are more for geeks. THers who could spend 8 hours doing nothing but digging junk targets, taking mental notes (some written), and call that a great experience. ?The thinking machines are definitely not for the anxious and those with extremely limited patience (or health limitations).

I put loads of hours on my Minelab this last summer and found more treasure than the 3 previous years using a more automatic machine. However, my back is now so bad, at times I can hardly walk. I sold my Excal and now I'm getting better. My next machine will be one of the easier autos.

If exercise helps you, stay with the Explorer. I can guarantee it will give you exercise.

 

[Visionquest]

I will share with you what I have found. I wouldn't put an exact inch increment value on the explorer's depth scale. I consider it more of a percentage type scale. It is reads completely different based on what coil I am using or if I am switched to the inline probe. The scale seems to work as a percentage of the coils capability. When i have the probe in use for example, half scale seems to be more along the lines of 2 or 3 inches. When it is up towards the top where the 10.5 coil might be at 3 inches, the probe is likely more like a half inch. The manual claims it is a 12 inch scale, but I believe that only with the factory 10.5 inch coil. Havn't had enough time with my 15" coil to add any more support to this, but I believe it is true. Maybe someone with more practice can confirm/deny it for me. This is on the EX 2 by the way, I can't imagine it would function differently on the XS.

Also, I would bet Jeff is along the right lines with the pinpointing question. A probe would help you identify that problem as well.

 

[willisjj]

I dug a mercury dime at appox. 8" with my Minelab Sovereign XS back in 1997 at Colorado College in Co. Springs. I think that was the name of that college. Its very old. Anyway, it was a very very faint signal and most people probably would have passed it up. Maybe it was on edge, but I don't think so. I am not familiar with the Explorers, but on my Sovereign (which I am still using), it is very important to have that slight threshold sound going so you don't miss those faint signals. On the faint signals (on all signals actually), I flip to "all metal" and sweep my coil back and forth while backing off of the target. Once the signal dissapears, I sweep back and forth forward until I hear the signal come back and then I know it is directly underneath the front lip of my coil. I placed a small 1/2" peice of duct tape on the very front middle of my coil to help out even further. Hope this helps out a little, but like I said, I am not familar with the explorer, I am just assuming they have the same "double D" coil setup.

 

[jeff of pa]

Same with Explorer Willis

They Both use Double D coils.

& I painted The Tip of the Coil On My Sovereign, Instead of Tape.

Which Your Post Just reminded me to do the Explorers Coil.

 

[tallpaul]

wouldent catch me useing an explorer ll no chance to much hassle not enough detecting,, ive just purchased a brand new minelab x terra 50, now here is a nice machine,, lcd display very well set out 3 programmes or custom ones if prefer,, very accurate lcd pinpointing cant miss with this,, the depth is not spot on but close enough, ground balanceing is fine,, or set it as and when you need when changeing land,, this machine was made for the detectorist who wants to get good solid settings and get detecting in a short space of time and believe me its just a little longer than a switch and go by 30 secs your off and away,, and hell it discrimes great,, knock out that pulltab and iron go for the coins and jewlery,, this machine works well in all metal mode to,, theres a new coil coming out towards xmass this is for the 18khz,, this machine uses 7 khz and 18 khz and at half the price of the explorer ll you cant go wrong,, providing the terra x holds together it should very well built i'll never buy another i have a whites sl ll as a back up and a seban,, the explorer ll has a far to long learning curve for my liking, infact i know a couple of guys here who have taken it back and got a lesser priced machine and now doing great,, i think this is why minelab have fetched out the new terra 30 and 50 they will sell far more off these machines than any explorer ll,,. thats my views on that,.

 

[bafromkc]

Very good info guys. Especially Zeb! OK, It's going to be another beautiful day here in K.C. I'm going out to tough-it and try to learn the ins-& outs of this detector. I made it a point to get this thing for the cool fall days and now wish I'd just kept the Spectrum. The time factor is key here, as we all wish we had so much more time. Let alone spent figuring out the detector. The Pinpointer is an interesting idea, one I'll try next spring. And What's UP WITH THE WEATHER The whole country is out detecting? Thanks again, BA

 

[AK in KY]

BA - When you have dug that deep and the signal is still there, give up. Most likely it is iron and it can be coming fron up to two feet away in any direction. An inline probe would help alot. It would still pickup the signal but would show coming from all directions. Have dug alot of those holes.

AK in KY

 

[Michigan Badger]

On depth my Excalibur with 10 inch coil got the following depths in low mineralized soil.

1. A silver quarter 9-10 inches.

2. A silver dollar 11-12 inches

So, for me, in our soils, about the best I could do for a silver coin target was 12 inches max.

I might also add that after 37 years and some 20 machines I've never found a coin deeper than 7 inches. Now, due to bad pinpointing, I've dug some at 30 inches?

The 7 inch coin was in a area that had been filled.

But? really, in actual field hunting, air and test garden reports mean very little. They aren't worthless, but actual hunting greatly differs.

In field you have undisturbed iron and all sort of other elements masking a find. In a test garden these are usually not present.

What do I think? Glad you asked!? I think the real secret is to get an upper level machine by one of the big makers and then hunt your buns off. Hunt research, hunt in field, just hunt!

Here in the U.S., I've found that 99.9% of all decent targets are within 5 inches of the surface. And I mainly hunt fields and woodland areas. The advantage of a super deep machine would be seen at the beach where tides, etc., do their thing.

But, like everyone else, I dream of a machine that can detect a dime at 10 foot depth, read the date, and grade it even before I dig it up.

Happy hunting?

 

[bafromkc]

LOL, OK free post...but I am laughing.

 

[bafromkc]

And Jeff of PA said, "& I painted The Tip of the Coil On My Sovereign, Instead of Tape." remarking on a previous post by willisjj "I placed a small 1/2" peice of duct tape on the very front middle of my coil to help out even further."

I've got my Explorer User's Manual open to see if this new-fangled Minelab detector doesn't "center" the "hit" on the center of the coil? Or why paint the tip? Or the FRONT middle?? Thanks, BA

 

[rvbvetter]

With my EXP II I've dug coins at 20 inches.

First I dig down 15 inches and then the coin drops out of the wall and falls 5 inches to the bottom. So then I add that 5 inches. And that gives me 20 inches.

Right? So there.

 

[Michigan Badger]

? ? ? ? With my EXP II I've dug coins at 20 inches.

? ? First I dig down 15 inches and then the coin drops out of the wall and falls 5 inches to the bottom. So then I add that 5 inches. And that gives me 20 inches.

? ?Right?? ? ? So there.

WARNING!!!! The THer General has determined that: Reading honest posts such as this one can cause headache, noisaea, and many unmentionable things.

 

[willisjj]

bafromkc--- Unlike a lot of other detectors, the Sovereign and (I think) the Explorer use a "Double D" coil instead of the normal "concentric" coil. With a concentric coil, if you place the large opening of a funnel flat against the bottom of your coil, you would see generally how the signal looks. That is why you have to pinpoint in the middle of your coil with those. With a double D type coil, you could basically take a marker and draw two large letter D's back to back on the bottom of your coil and that is how your signal is transmitted down into the ground. Which means if you are getting a signal, the target could be anywhere underneath your Minelab coil. By placing a peice of tape or marking the centerpoint at the front of your coil, once you get a signal, you can switch to all metal and "wiggle" your coil back and forth while moving it backwards. Once you lose the signal you know that the front of your coil has just passed over the target and you will then know where to dig. Personally, once I lose that signal, I move the coil forward again just until I regain the signal, then dig just under the front "lip" of the coil. Once you get used to it, it is very accurate in my experiences. Hope this helps, I know, its probably as "clear as mud", lol. Someone else may be able to explain it better and/or correct any errors or faulty information I have given you here.

 

[tallpaul]

very well said willis jj,,

my minelab tells me how deep an object is by the little arrow bars these are in 2" per arrow, thats every arrow equals 2", if you get full arrows just keep on diggin and using the pinpointer probe, but like its been said coins are normally no deeper than 7-8 ",, although i have had some deeper, but not very often,.

 

[Sandman]

I have never heard it described better WillsJJ.

I have found some stuff at very deep depths and can't account for why and this is with all machines. Just has to be the ground conditions and halo effect combined with perfect settings for that area.

Sandman