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Explorer SE: Backyard Test Range and First Hunt...Both A Success.

M

Mike (Virginia Beach)

New member
Not overwhlemingly...as I suspected, it's like hunting with an old friend. But maybe one that has learned a few new tricks.

I have 9 targets buried along the fence in the backyard, from 6" to 8" deep, about 6 years ago. They have all sunk at least an inch or so and due to the hardness of the ground as well as an underground power line, it's tough detecting. I used to be able to hit them all with the Explorer II, but only at 18 sensitivity. If I went to 20 it got harder and above 20 you would lose most of them. The Quattro hit them all at 15 on the scale of 20. The CZ-70 hit all but 2 of them at any setting. So today I spent a good hour and a half out there, testing the SE on all of them and changing settings and tones along the way, playing with the sensitivity, etc. I found that with the SE and the new slimline coil, 20 is "the new 18"...at least in my yard and on my test range. It was able to hit all the targets and get good ID on them at that setting. It did not seem to hit a great deal harder on most of the targets, but I did notice that it ID'd the 58 cal musket ball a little better than the other two, which bodes well for it's use as a relic machine since I dug many a deep musket, minnie, and button with both the Explorer II and the Quattro. The SE also hit harder and cleaner on the 8"+ deep Merc dime I have buried there. And it sung out loud and proud with the 10"+ silver quarter and came in with a nice 00-29 on the digital. One thing I really liked was the fact that it ID's in pinpoint mode and the closer you get to dead-center on the target you can really get that digital reading to get good numbers. Like Jerry said, that's cool. I would say that the slimline coil is a bit more sensitive than the Minelab 10.5" was.

Next I went to try some actual detecting, at a couple of sites that have been HAMMERED for years by me and a number of others, with every heavy-hitter machine you could name. These sites produced many silver coins, Indians, a few Large Cents, buttons, etc. over the years. But in the last couple of years, I'm about the only one that will hunt them anymore because they are pretty well dead. I always take my new machines there to try them...when I got the Quattro, I found a few things there the other had missed. Same with the Explorer II. One is an old house site and the other is the sprawling grounds of an old school that goes back to the '30s. Both have a lot of iron and trash as well...lots of rusty nails and roof tacks. So I set the SE to 20 sensitivity and ran the noise cancel and it was pretty stable. Running it up to 22 or 24 was tough...I tried it a few times and, like the Explorer II at those sites, it didn't like it. But I made some nice recoveries with some good depth and nice ID and tone with it set that way. I was running "Deep" on, "Fast" off, Variability at 10, Gain 6, Limits 6, Ferrous tones, Normal sounds, Iron Mask in All Metal...it ran well this way and when I wasn't going over something the threshold was nice and smooth. When I would get a target that had some depth and sounded good I would play around with the sensitivity and other settings but for these sites, the way I had it set was about as good as it could get. I didn't have long to hunt...only about an hour and a half, and I was playing around a lot but I ended up getting some clad and 3 '30's and '40's wheaties from the school and a 1919 Merc and a 1908 Indian from the house site, so definitely a success.

Tomorrow I'm going with some friends to a farmhouse site that HAS been hunted, though we don't know how much or how well. Hopefully I will get to see the SE do some more cool stuff. So far, I like it just fine. Here's my little haul from today...nothing major, but not too shabby from "hunted out" sites.
 
That was Manual...I almost always run Manual. Though I did TRY Auto several times. Like with the Explorer II though, I always felt I was losing too much depth that way. I like to run Manual and set it to where it will run smooth AND get the depth and I'm usually willing to put up with a tad of "chatter" or instability to do that, but not too much. I have also found that with all these FBS machines, you can run them too "hot" and quickly LOSE depth and solid ID.
 
You know I can remember years and years ago when you first started metal detecting using a Fisher and posting and hunting over around Suffolk Va. Later on you went to water hunting and have found some fine stuff in my book. I have always enjoyed reading your posts over the years. I used to be stationed at Nas Oceana Va. in VF 32 and later again in VT 7 at Nas Oceana. I to retired after 20 years in the Navy also. I was a AEC. I retired in Jan of 1984 in Jacksonville Fl. after 20 years. I really think you are going to like the SE. Wait till you get that 4.5x7 excellerator coil and you see how high Sen. you can run it and how well it does in the trash and Iron. Take it, and the SE right back to this spot and watch what happens. Play around with the gain and Sen. a little to get your best audio tone and depth on the targets. I bet you will find you won't be taking it off anytime soon. I know mine is going to stay on. It has already took the place of my Joey coil and I used to run that coil all the time. Oh BTW the pinpoint will pinpoint straight down the shaft. Shallow targets just lift the coil some. Later bud and let me know what you think of the SE. I really do like mine over my old EXP ll. :D: :D: :thumbup:. Jerry aka Tinfoil
 
Thanks Jerry...I set the limit to 10 and will try that tomorrow.

I know you're excited by the SE...it's got you talking a lot more...that's good! I love having a new machine to play with and learn. I still have the CZ-70, still use the Excal at the beach, and now need to find my perfect settings for the SE. I WILL go back to those sites with the 4.5 x 7, for sure. Thanks.
 
I now will have a stablemate for my CZ70.I have been watching these posts for weeks now but I took the plunge today. I wasn't sure whether to get a used EX2 or the new SE. Well...I ordered the SE today. It's already down in the 30's here so I'm not sure how much time I will have to try it out...but I will do it somehow. I'm looking forward to reading and learning on this forum. Seems to me that everyone on this forum isn't concerned about who knows more...but more about sharing settings and helping others get to know their machine. I LIKE it!
 
You'll find a wealth of knowledge here and always an answer (or 20) to any question. I will never get rid of my CZ-70...it's a great machine and found me tons of good stuff. But as long as Minelab keeps making machines like the Sovereign Elite, the Excal, and the Explorer I'm afraid the CZ will have to remain my permanent backup machine. The Explorer SE is a completely different animal but I think you will like it.
 
I noticed that you run your gain lower like 6 or so. I run mine even lower 2 - 3 with deep on. I understand that gain only effects the sound you hear not the signal in to the ground. I use Black Widow headphones which are pretty quite but give a good responce to targets. I like to run smooth so I can hear the target coming and going.
I had a thought yesterday about my 4.5 x 7 I used it in a sand lot and didn't care for the way it hangs for a second on larger mounts of sand. I have been using the stock coil in sand lots and just skim the surface of sand trying to keep the air gap down and I can see where I have been. Now I am thing about getting a frisbee and using double sided tape stick it to the bottom of the small coil and let the weight of the detector ride on the coil and smooth the sand better. I may be able to bump up the senseitivity that way. A friend found a nice diamond earing 9 real diamonds! in a sand lot and I want to find the next one. Good luck keep up the posts. I liked the content of the CD by the way.
 
Mike,

Thats a neat haul for first time out!
Always nice to see those Mercury wings!
That round object top pic looks like the glass eye my granpappy used to wear ...

Marti S (CA)
 
Yep...LOOKS GOOD to me too:clapping: I'm really looking forward to picking one up...I know it'll probably be a bit of learning curve but with Ya'll's guidance it shouldn't be too bad:stretcher:...Keep up the good work Mike & keep up the EXCELLENT posts:clapping:...Tom
 
That's interesting...about the sand lots and the frisbee...neat idea.

As for the gain at 2-3, I've nver tried it below 5. I'll paly with that a little.

I also use the Black Widow phones and have the 4.5 x 7 on the way.

Glad you liked the CD and are happy with the Explorer II. I just tossed all the stuff I had for it on there. I have manuals and various stuff on my computer for like 6 different detectors...Now I'm down to olly 3...Explorer SE, Excalibur, and Fisher CZ-70. I don't see myself needing anything new for a LONG time. :)
 
Thanks Marti, I was pleased. It's a real test to go to a place that's been absolutely HAMMERED and find a couple of good targets. Anybody can go to a fresh spot and do well. Not that I don't like to hunt fresh spots...just didn't have one handy! :)
 
Nice finds:clapping: Mike and thanks for your honest post for the maiden detectin day with the SE. Keep up the great posts:thumbup: HH Lil Ben
 
Any time you can go back to a spot that held many old coins or relics and find just a few more with a new machine just proves that you have became a more seasoned hunter and that maybe some of the new upgrades did help ID the targets a bit better which led up to your finds here. Very Well Done! I just wish I had more time with the Explorer SE that I borrowed from Rick(ND). I am sure that the SE is going to be another timeless machine to look back on with the other Explorer lines years from now and even if there is a detector that comes to market that goes just a bit deeper, I know that I will still have my Explorer XS as a back up. No need to get rid of such a great machine that will still kick butt 10 years from now. Good Luck and HH with your new SE and can't wait to see what other kinds of finds and things you see different from the other Explorer's that you like that you post on your next postings.
 
I have a set on my 10.5" Stock Coil and it makes the coil slide across the ground a lot easier than having the open face like it is. Sun-Ray makes them and they are reasonably priced. I believe they are $10-$15 for a set and well worth the money. I also have a back-up Stock Coil just in case the old one breaks down and I just bought a brand new set of Plugs for it. But these are for the Explorer XS and II Model Coils so if you are talking about the SE, you may have to see if they are going to make Plugs for this new Slimline Coil. Something to look into if you want.:thumbup: Good Luck and HH.
 
Thanks for the info. I used the frisby today it worked great with the 4.5 by 7 looks funny it's blue but works great really great just floats of grass and takes a lot of weight of my arthritic shoulder. I have the SE with stock coil plus 4.5 x 7, 12.5" and 18" Excellerators. Have you guys checked out the 2600 y/o armour pierceing arrow head found in the Ukraine? I sold an Explorer to a guy over there that knows the area. I am thinking about making him an offer for my 18" coil for some artifact like that. A coin from the Mongolian occupation would be another great thing. I would love to get over there just can't find enough clad to pay for the trip. Haha
 
No I haven't seen the Artifact that you mentioned. Can you get me the site and post it here for me? I would like to see it. Have you ever gone to Fairgrounds? There is plenty of Clad to be found at these sites along with older finds as well and it just might be what you need to get enough for that trip of yours. :bouncy: Good Luck and HH.
 
Here is the link to the start of the article it is worth reading all the way though mostly pic's anyway. The arrowhead is on page 19. http://metaldetectingworld.com/metaldetecting_medieval_market_p1.shtml
 
n/t
 
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