Explorer question.

[AgileMJOLNIR]

I have an Explorer SE and I am very aware that there is a bit of a learning curve. So basically I am asking for any tips related to my dilemma below and thank you in advance for any help....

1) Basically I am trying to learn what is a good sound on the Explorer and what is not. The million dollar question I suppose. There are so many different sounds the Explorer spits at you that I am having a hard time picking out the good from the bad or even the bad from just the usual Explorer flutes.

As I am digging I am getting great depth and I can recognize most clad coinage but there is still alot of fluty noise to sift through. I currently use these settings: Gain 6 or 7, Ferrous, sensitivity at 27 in Auto and Iron Mask at -10.

After alot of research these settings seem logical to me. How can I learn to recognize the sounds of these targets in a dirt matrix compared to the usual air tests and or test gardens? Thanks!

 

[detectorbase]

Hello

I'll take a stab. I'm a SE newb, but I'm having some good success with the machine lately. I think the biggest thing you need to get away from is the air tests and test garden. Practical 'real' experience will be your best guide. I also don't believe those tests are very accurate. In a perfect environment.. yeah, that might be accurate, but the world is a noisy, cluttered and corroded place, so those sanitized rules don't apply. With that said...

You didn't say if you're using SmartFind or DigitalDisplay for your primary readout. When I first started, I had a heck of a time associating the numbers for good target ID. I really felt that I was over thinking targets in my head.. and was getting confused. There are definitely two camps. One for SmartFind, the other for Digital. You need to find what works best for you. In the end, I settled with SmartFind. I still dabble in Digital to get some more 'info' on the target, but I find myself looking at digital less and less.

To me SmartFind gives me easy to understand 'zones'. From there I can compare tones with the zones. Top right is a good zone, bottom middle is a good zone, the rest is usually junk (if we're talking about coinshooting).

While establishing my 'zones', I like to run in All Metal (IM32), this allows for tones to come out while the target is jumping in and out of zones.. the 'iffy' signal and avoid the 'nulling'.

For me, digging targets isn't about one thing. It's not about the ID, it's about a combination of variables. Tone, Target ID, Depth and pinpoint shape all factor in as possible 'good' targets. It's good that you're trying to get a handle on the tones, and associating it to a zone on the SmartFind might make it easier to remember... it did for me any way.

Hope this helps. Again, this is just how I do it, and by no means I'm saying it's 'the way' it's suppose to be done. I'm still learning, and I'm sure I'll change as time goes on to other theories and settings. Helps keep the hobby interesting for me.

Hopefully, others will offer some suggestions. This forum has helped me alot with my SE learning curve. There is a lot of sage advice to be found here.

DB

 

[Neugene]

I'll take a shot too. I am relatively new to the SE but used an EXII before that. Try reducing the number of tones in the menu system under variability. Reigning the tones in to a lower setting will allow you to get an idea of what is going on and then you can increase the number as you gain experience.

 

[Bill W.]

I've been using the Explorer almost since it was first released. I would recommend using the Smartfind screen and notch out almost everything except coins. Then, gradually open it up more and more as you learn the sounds. The sound ID on the Explorer is alot more accurate than the digital ID or Smartfind screens. Learn your sounds is very important to doing better with the Explorer. I totally go by sound and rarely look at the LCD. That makes a big difference in iron or trash where your threshold doesn't return and update ID on the LCD. Once you get good enough with sound ID on the Explorer you can start using iron mask. They have change the numbers on the SE from what I hear. But, I usually use IM-12 or IM-13 on my original Explorer. I'd also recommend auto sensitivity at 16-18 in the beginning ESPECIALLY in iron. Overdriving the Explorer in iron can make bad sounds sound diggable.

-Bill

 

[Captain Kirk]

AgileMJOLNIR

Personally, I would not use IRON MASK if you are running FERROUS. I find it easy to simply neglect the low "growl" of ferrous targets. I suggest you use the following discrimation pattern.
* Using the IRON MASK mode, open the entire screen. This gives you the capability to quickly go in and out of an "open screen" mode.
* Using the EDIT mode mask out the bottom 80% of the screen.
* Using the LEARN mode open up the region of indian head pennies and nickels.

With this setup you look at the screen for any target that is not a "growl".
* If the cursor is bouncing away from the upper left portion of the screen, then you might want to consider digging it.
* If the cursor is hitting solid in the nickel opening, then about 50% of the time the target is a nickel and the other 50% of the time it is a pull-tab (This applies to my region and may be different in yours)
* After pinpointing the target, then revert to the IRON MASK mode. This produces an open screen to allow you to examine the target more precisely (Sometimes the target will "dance" in and out of the discriminated out area.)

Using this setup you can easily eliminate most of the undesirable targets. After you master the tones, then you can advance to a more comprenhesive discrimination pattern. By the way, I hunt with this setup most of the time to clean out most of the coin targets quickly. After that you can go back and look for the gold jewelry.

HH,
Glenn

 

[scott (wi)]

I would suggest really trying to focus on looking for constistency and repeatability in the tones. A deep test garden coin will give you the sound you should be looking for. It can be chopped a bit in a dirty/trash environment - if a tone is consistent (not a quick beep but a bit more drawn out depending on what audio you use, I usually use audio 1 but will use normal too), and is always there in pretty much the same place as you pass your coil over it, DIG! Some of this takes a while to master because it takes a while to get good at proper coil control. I always wince when my dad or brother try detecting with my minelab, the coil is all over the place like a CSI detective on TV and I don't think they'd ever find anything.

 

[John - Maryland]

n/t

 

[Chris/MA]

Does the SE do things differently on the ferrous numbering than the older machines? I notice all the reading are what I would expect on the conductivity scale but not on the ferrous. Did the earlier machines have the scale inverted so that 32 was the lowest ferrous content and 0 was the highest?