Explorer SE question

[CharlieW]

Hi everyone... Explorer SE Newbie and first time forum poster.

I have a question about the SE. Maybe someone can help me? When I am hunting, I get lots of good digital (and Smartfind) reads, they also pinpoint well, but when I dig... most of the time there is nothing there (good or bad). Anyone have a thoughts on this? This includes the sand beach and the ground in parks.

My settings:
Sens: 24
Threshold: 8 (2 clicks above not audible)
Gain: 6
Accept everything except Ferrous coins and Nails.
Iron Mask Off
Noise cancel after every startup.

Thanks in advance for your feedback and tips.

Charlie

 

[NH Bob]

This is only a suggestion.
Just try this for a day. Go to iron mask and it should be preset at 22. If not then set it there. Leave everything else the same with one exception. If your machine is making an excessive amount of noise and crosshairs jumping around, lower your sen. until the crosshairs settle down.

 

[tomtowns]

Sounds like maybe you need to practice finding & pinpointing with a target you can see...when pinpointing, put a coin down & keep the coil up about 8 inches...go past the coin so it detunes & recenter the coil over the target...you will notice it's under the minelab logo when the signal is strongest... I do take it that the good target signals you're talking about are repeatable signals...??? Tell a little more about exactly how you are zeroing in on these signals & the steps, one by one that you take, also how deep you are digging...TT

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[dm]

if your a newbie stay in the smartfind program until you have a few good hours under your belt and get to know your machine and you feel comfortable with it. Dont do like some these guys do and run all-metal right away it will only confuse you and blow your mind. So just run smartfind for awhile get to no the tones and dig anything repeatable and have some fun out there good luck h.h.

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[Rick(ND)]

Being you are new with the SE I would run the factory quick start mode until you have some time on it. This is what Minelab recommends to help you with the learning curve and understand the detector. Once you know it a bit more than build your patterns and such as the quick start will give readings on all the coins and most all the normal size jewelry.
Next thing being you are not finding the targets could be you are chasing false signals, not getting a good pinpoint, or some are deeper than you are digging. Make sure you get a good repeatable audio before looking at the display as the audio will tell you more than the display will. The display will read the last target it sees, so if you hear the audio and it see a trash item next to it your display may show the trash item and this also goes the other way around too as a edge of iron may give a good signal and it will show good also, but it is not repeatable as you will see. If you are new to the Explorer and have too much of the screen open you will get more of these type of signals too and why to begin with it is nice to run the factory presets until you get to know it better.
On pinpointing with the Explorer is something you may have to find the best way that will work for you, but I find I get the signal I want to check out and will move the coil away from the spot and even have the coil in the air a bit so it don't see anything else, push the pinpoint and go over the spot i want to checkout. I move the coil side to side over the target narrowing it down and with the SE it is the easiest to do, then while bringing the coil back to me while going side to side which is only about a inch or 2 until I lose the signal or gets weaker. Now being I know where the target should be on side to side I will now just push the coil forward and back a little trying to get the best signal and when I do with the SE I find the target will be about 2-3 inches in front of the very center of the coil.With the XS and the Explorer II the target was about 2 inches from the tip of the coil, so with the SE the target is closer to the very center then the other coils were. Now if this was a surface target or a bigger one you may get 3 differnt signals as the edge of the coil will also read if it is too close to the coil, then I just raise the coil a little so the center of the coil is only getting a signal.
One more thing i would recommend for you too is get a X1 probe as it will help you a lot finding the targets you may be missing now.
Like I say with the Explorer you have to start out getting to know the detector first like DM (Denny) says and after you know the detector you may wan to try what NH Bob says and maybe when you get to really know it you will want to hunt with a complete open screen or set one up that will work the best for you. If the screen is opened too much you just hear too much to begin with it can and will confuse you too much to enjoy this detector.
I do feel you have the best of the Explorers to learn with as they have made the SE easier and better to learn than the others and I think many will see this once more people get out and use theirs.

Good luck as you got a great detector.

Rick

 

[CharlieW]

Thanks to everyone for all the excellent advice. I'll certainly try out the suggestions and get back to you.

 

[CharlieW]

NHBob,
I tried your suggestion and ran the beach here in Delaware for about 3 hours. I picked up a few nice old silver dimes, some newer pennies, and quite a few pop tops (which I suppose must be dug if you are looking for silver, right?). The finds were way below the high water line as the tide was out. You could tell that time had really worn these coins.

Bottom line.... I am hearing things much better now and I really like the SE. It really comes alive on a target. Today, the finds were about down 5-6 inches.

It was a nice day here about 55 degrees. You gotta like it! Take care.

Charlie

 

[NH Bob]

Your Gold rings will come in the pulltab and lower range. Glad its working for you. One more suggestion. Take the coil cover off when hunting the beach or at least clean it befor or after each hunt.
Have fun and dig lots of good suff.