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Explorer II, How hard to learn?

A

Anonymous

Guest
Hi Everyone,
I'm so new to MD'ing that I don`t even have a detector of my own yet but I'm pretty certain I'm buying one tonight, atleast I plan to. Just need to decide once and for all, which one.
I've looked at many different models, read reviews here on the net, and talked to local detector users. I've also talked with a reputable "all brands" local dealer and still haven`t found the definitive answers that I'm looking for.
I do realize that my needs are specific, just as anyone else's are, so generalized advice on a model is hard to give. I plan to use the detector for relic hunting at old homesteads(dumps and outhouses too!), battle sites here in Upstate NY, parks, and beaches. I'd like a detector which is relatively good on gold jewelery while doing well in the other areas as well.
I can afford the Explorer II and I'm really impressed by virtually every comment on this detector being positive with the exception of one recurrent theme, it's hard to learn this detector.
I'm also considering the Garrett GTI2500 which offers alot for the money and is reputed to be the easiest higher end detector to use, and the White DFX which is supposed to be easier and less costly than the Explorer II.
So after all this longwinded explanation, all I really want know is how difficult is the Explorer to learn vs another user adjustable machine? I just bought my 7 1/2 year old son a Garrett Ace 250 and having it available could probably be seen as both a plus and a minus I suppose.
I'd appreciate all serious replies and thanks for bearing with me as I got to the point.
BTW, are there and clubs or experienced Explorer II users in the area around Oswego or Syracuse,NY that might help me learn to effectively utilize this detector or another that I might end up with?
Thanks, Russ
 
When you first get it. Read the manual and watch the videos. You will learn alot from them. Then go out and practice with it. It is a turn on and go detector however, to take advantage of all of the options that you are paying for, it will take awhile. You will pick it up a little at a time. Don't cheat yourself and not get it. You will be sorry later. It is worth every penny!
 
have a learning curve, since you're just starting and can afford it you may as well start with one of the best. I have a 1500 Garrett and the instruction manual for it said to leave it on factory settings for the 1st 100 hrs. of operation. So get the best and follow the instructions and as you become more competant with the machine use the adjustments to fit the area your detecting in and you will have many hrs. of enjoyment that are priceless.
 
Thanks for the encouragement tencents. I think that the time I spend detecting will truly be priceless when I consider the enthusiasm my son has for it already. Taking a small liberty on the NRA slogan of "Families that hunt together, stay together", I think a detector for myself is a good investment. <img src="/metal/html/grin.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":grin">
Russ
 
...so I can speak to the learning curve. Yes, it's a little steep but then again any machine you get takes time to know the ins and outs of.
I read the manual over and over way before I got the machine. That cut down on the start up time. It was a bit frustrating at first hearing all the tones. Last week, it was like turning on a light switch. I started targeting and pinpointing coins with greater accuracy. Then I hit my first silver, the next night another. Last night I got my third. The coins I'm picking up are deeper and deeper. Currently, I'm waiting for my X-1 probe to come in. Combine that with this awesome machine and I'll be loaded for bear.
Go for it. Put the work into practicing / learning the machine and it will pay off in no time.
Joe
 
if you can run a computer and post on here , you can run a minelab! use the fact. setting for a while. take it to a non trashy area, like a local school yard. learn what a quarter , dime , penny , nickle sound like. i would say the tough part is learning how to pinpoint. targets 1 to 4 inches . without making a mess. after you get good at pinpointing and being pretty sure what a coin hit is , move on from the school yard to something else. i would not take it to the oldest park in town untill you master the above. about 3 months from now start playing with the adjustable items on the detector . 5 years later i still love this machine. its almost as much fun as a girlfriend! take good care of it. treat her with respect and she will give you her heart and many silver coins ,relics and indian heads.once you learn how to control her! shes loves to visit old sites and trashy parks!
 
As you have discovered... some people describe the ExII as having a steep learning curve, or as being a difficult detector to master. I had one... and sold it. I can't say the issue I had was with it being too difficult, as much as not having the time to use it enough to learn it. Since I was only getting a chance to use it once or twice a month I had to re-learn what I'd forgotten during my down time. The tones were the hardest part, not being able to remember what tone meant what two weeks after I thought I had them figured out. I'm sure if you have the opportunity to use it at least once a week and practice, practice, practice you will figure it out... but since I was unable to find the time. I discovered I would be better off with a turn-on-and-go detector. (But that's a different story!)
Something you might want to consider... depending on the age of your son (and even some adults) I'm concerned he may loose interest if he doesn't start finding stuff right away. After all thats the fun part. I've known many fellow MD'ers that had trouble keeping their kids interested because it ended up being more of a "learning exercise" than just having a fun time. Kinds don't necessarily want to learn and practice when they'd rather be having fun.
Anyway... in my research I discovered a post from Doc that might help you with your decision on the ExII. Rather than point you to the link... I'll just cut and paste his advice below. Enjoy!
_____BEGIN CUT AND PASTE_____
Posted By: DOC
Date: Monday, 24 January 2005, at 11:15 a.m.
When I have customers that come in with the same predicament I ask them to tell me a bit about themselves.
Because to me, the difference between the Explorer II and the Quattro it not just electronic and mechanical, it's a matter of personality.
Are you a spontaneous person, like to pick up and go? Quattro
Are you a very particular person who likes to study everything, every detail? Explorer II.
Are you a person who can get easily frustrated by a computer software program that is a bit difficult to learn? Quattro
Are you someone who sees a difficult computer program as something of a challenge. Do you take it as a personal accomplishment to become proficient with it and learn every nuance ? Explorer II
If you play video games, when you sit down to play a new one, do you become obsessed with beating it? Explorer II
Do you hate video games ? Do they give you a headache? Quattro
Are you a "control freak" wanting to be able to manipulate every second of your time ? Explorer II
Are you more laid back? Do you have a tendency to say, screw it, it can wait until later. Quattro.
If you picked up a new detector and it took you three weeks before you totally understood the detector and started finding good stuff, would that be OK with you ? If so, Explorer II.
Do you expect to be digging coins the first time you pick up a detector without even reading the instructions? Quattro.
As a kid did you like to tear things apart and examine every part to find out how something worked? Do you still like to ? Explorer II.
Do you have a tool bench. Do you own more than $200 worth of Craftsman tools? Do you own both a soldering gun and a soldering iron? Do you know how to wire a 220v AC outlet ? Sweat a copper pipe ? Explorer II.
Do you hate to read and study things ? Quattro
Did you ever or do you now own a Sovereign with a meter? Did you love this machine ? If so: Quattro.
Did you ever own any other metal detector that had a graphics screen that provided a lot of detailed information? Did you like it ? If so, Explorer II.
------------
Ask yourself these questions, and you will pretty much know which machine you will enjoy.
And make no mistake aboout it, the most important variable in how successful you will be depends on how confident you are in your machine, and how competent you become in learning the machine.
If you do not have the personality that will handle the learning curve of an Explorer II, then you will probably end up using the Explorer as a very expensive coat rack.
Hope this helps !
DOC
_____END CUT AND PASTE_____
Heres a link to the original post: http://tinyurl.com/alxb6
Elton
 
Thanks to the sage advice and helpful encouragement of many fine posters here, I made up my mind and bought and Explorer II tonight. Now I need to scour the manual to get ready for tomorrow when some friends and I are getting together for an afternoon of hunting. I feel like a kid on Christmas eve. <img src="/metal/html/lol.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":lol">
Many thanks also for being open and welcoming to an utter noob.
Russ
 
Hi Elton,
Thanks for posting the questionaire from Doc here, luckily I answered most of the questions properly to support my purchase, lol.
I`ve already considered the importance of making sure that detecting is fun for my son and have already begun the salting of the edges of my sidewalk and driveway with coins. He gets pretty excited when he finds a coin and doesn`t even consider that all of the coins that he has found so far have been on the surface of the ground. I do however know that I will need to become more sophisticated in the future.
Have a good one, Russ
 
They seem to have a nose for where the oldies lie.
Charlie
 
My weapon of choice is the explorer and feel it is a turn on and go machine. Learning all that it can do takes some time and practice but that is true of most machines.
If you do decide to buy the Explorer, go to my website and review the simple set up and you will find it is easy to find lots of coins with this great machine.
Good Luck!
 
Hi Charlie,
Hopefully he will kick my butt, that would be pretty cool and hook him into a wholesome pastime for sure!
Russ
 
Thanks for the instructions Jim, I printed them out and I`ll keep them in my backpack along with the Quickstart guide until setup begins to be second nature.
Russ
 
Well I have good news and bad news. The bad news is the battery takes 16-18 hours to charge. So unless you get it extremely quick the pack will not be ready for your hunt. The good news is it also comes with a spare battery pack in which you put store bought AA batteries in. So I would buy some AA batteries if I were you. I have a spare recahrgable pack so I know I am always ready to go. Good luck and HH.
 
I take my sons with me quite often. I only have 2 detectors so it can be a headache. I usually make them take turns finding treasure. The last time we went out my oldest son(10) found his oldest coin yet a 1936D wheat penny. He was sooooo excited that I felt excited. You will know what I mean if or when it happened to you. Right now the sons use a Radio Shack Discover 1000. The plus side is it does not go deep 3-4 inches tops. So they do not have to dig deep holes and will not get worn out as quickly. The down side is it does not go deep so they really only find clad. Which my oldest is starting to understand when he compares his finds to mine. They are usually good for 1-2 hours so if I plan to be longer I take a snack and something else for them to do. That is enough of my babbling. Good luck and HH
 
you don't have to start setup anew each time you turn the machine on. once you have settings you're comfortable with, that part of the work is done. the machine will now start with the same settings it had when you shut it off.
some people think you have to go through a complicated series of start-up steps. not so. as a matter of fact, the factory presets are pretty darned good for learning & i don't think you lose much at all. just my 2 zincs worth. hh.
neal, UT
 
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