Another member of the Minelab family

[craigV3]

Well, I finally saw the light an traded for a SE, I am wondering what type coil you would recommend in addition to the 11 inch pro coil? I have been looking at the SEF coils and the 6" excellerators.....just want some feed back before I purchase...also if you are running one of these coils what is your average depth? I have never owned a Minelab, but I can already see its gonna be a deep machine!! Custom settings would be helpful if you are willing to share!!

Bryce I read your field tests.......man, I wish you lived in Michigan to teach me!!!!! As a matter of fact, I'd split the airfare if you are ever interested. I am sorry to have read about your loss with your mother, you and your family will be in my prayers..

Thanks for reading and have a good one,
"Z"

 

[muggsc]

Read what Bryce has posted on this subject. Follow his advice and you wont be sorry.

 

[captn_se]

Welcome to the "Darkside", Z!

If you're just starting out with a Minelab, and you've got an 11" pro coil on your SE, I wouldn't change anything for a while. Your goal for a while is to learn the machine, dig lots of targets, and truly listen.....I repeat, "LISTEN" to what the machine is telling you...all the tones...that is the key to mastering this machine...and you need to swing very slowly....much, much slower than swinging any White's machines. There's also some simple techniques and a must have accessory purchase that will help you to become more proficient at finding/recovering deep targets (i.e. sunray X1 probe, "Minelab wiggle" technique). And there's a lot of helpful/experienced md'ers on this forum that will guide you to becoming a better detectorist. You have an awesome machine now, so it's all up to you!!

Good luck,
CAPTN SE
Dan

 

[Hotcz70]

"Z"..welcome to the Minelab family...and thank you for the kind words.

I appreciate the thoughts of my mom

If I could make just one suggestion for you....Please take your time with the SE. If you don't...you will probably end up wanting to wrap it around a tree.

I always recommend starting out in the factory presets...OR at least set the iron mask at -22...with everything else in the factory preset settings and just leave it alone for 5 to 10 short hunts.

I say this because of all the confusing sounds you are going to hear.

I also say this from experience...because when I first got started with the explorers I had people telling me try this...try that...go to all metal...buy these headphones...get this coil.

I tried too much too fast...got confused...and nearly gave up.

You need to familiarize yourself with the language the SE is speaking...or "gibberish" at times

After a few hunts...and you have familiarized yourself with the barrage of sounds...then you can start "playin" with settings....and from that point...you can set it up how ever you want to try it.

At first though...please consider my advice for a few short weeks before you "let 'er rip"

 

[onemore]

One thing to add to all that very sound advice - don't try to talk yourself out of digging during your learning phase. Take the time to study the target before you dig, and even consider jotting down notes, and then dig it and learn. That set of notes becomes very valuable as you go from hunt to hunt, place to place, until you've gotten to the point where it's all in your head.

I also recommend - After you've read the manual and Andy S. books, mark your calendar about 2-3 months out to read them both again. You will be surprised at how much more you understand and can use in those books after you've worked with the machine for a while.

Congratulations and good luck!

 

[Hotcz70]

I'm going to take your advice myself...and hope it helps me learn some lower conductor hits.

 

[Gold Nuggets]

One thing to add to all that very sound advice - don't try to talk yourself out of digging during your learning phase. Take the time to study the target before you dig, and even consider jotting down notes, and then dig it and learn. That set of notes becomes very valuable as you go from hunt to hunt, place to place, until you've gotten to the point where it's all in your head.

I also recommend - After you've read the manual and Andy S. books, mark your calendar about 2-3 months out to read them both again. You will be surprised at how much more you understand and can use in those books after you've worked with the machine for a while.

Congratulations and good luck!

I have had my SE for a little over a year now and I took the time to study and learn what the the SE was telling me about targets and compaired it to what Andy's books were saying. I read every post from other experienced hunters and started digging all sorts of different tones to see what they were. Then when I felt comfortable with the tones, I started to tweak the SE to find the deeper coins. That really helped improve my silver coin count and the older, deeper coins started showing up in my plugs. This forum has a lot of experience lurking in the shadows and I feel that the information or help you might need is right here....just ask for it, someone will be glad to share some knowledge with you .. they did for me and a lot of others too. HH Gold Nuggets

 

[DoughBoyDoug]

I just got the same detector a few weeks ago but mine came with the big orange wot coil.
i got a explorer 11 coil for a good deal so I hope to start finding some things

 

[amc rulz]

Craig - I see you found THE forum, bud! A wealth of info on here, the first place I signed up when I got my machine!!

amc/jaxmich

 

[craigV3]

MAN!!! Thanks for all the info!!! I cant wait to get it and start learning!! I cant wait for the day to bring a oldie up from 8" plus!!!

Thanks again!!!

"Z"

 

[greasecarguy]

I too would take Bryce's advice as he is the "pope of the forum" as I say. I always try to learn from those with more experience than I. The only thing I would add (and I'm sure there are many other things to add) is that you may want to spend some time digging everything that shows up 1/2 way down the depth meter or deeper. Pay attention to the sounds and learn from those digs. A fellow minelab owner with over 10 years of use told me this and it was the most valuable piece of advice I have gotten on the topic. Now you just have to find targets that are indeed that deep!

Welcome to the Minelab family. As I also say, "is there really any other manufacturer?".