GUNNA NEED HELP !!

[widebody]

[size=large]ordered my very first minelab today. Andrew at New England Detectors gave me one heck of a deal. i just hope it's not way above my head. have yet to hear anything bad about the explorers so i got one. the explorer se pro. been training on my whites xlt and i already see this is a differant set up. somethings are just called another name but there gunna be alot of reading and learning this winter.i really hope to grow in this hobby by spring. so i'll be watching this forum for wisdom and knowledge from those who know and pestering with questions. hope you don't mind.. it sure helped with my other machine. and i'd like to thank Andrew again. darn good salesman. [/size]

HH

 

[Junkdigger]

Good choice with the SE. Try burying some coins and junk targets at various depths to get the feel for it. There are different schools of thought on settings but they all seem to work, just look at the finds people are making. I am a ferrous tone, wide open screen, high gain kind of guy. Others are conductive tones iron mask people and have great success. Dont get too hung up on what the hot settings are, the people making the finds are good hunters in good spots. Dont just Copy their settings. Experiment and use what works best for you. The explorer is a silver magnet once you learn it. Good luck to you!

 

[dewcon4414]

I used the whites MXT and DFX so personally i didnt find it that difficult to switch over. Dont make it complicated. I set my gain based on the set of headphones i use. With the sun rays i use 7 with a pair of whites i use 9. Start out in factory settings for awhile. The explorer likes slow sweeps and little space under the coil. There is an immulator on the net .... down load it. Learn the tones they are the key... id say the smartscreen is the next part of the puzzle. Most of us whites people liked to watch those digital screens... but they are just to jumpy. As far as Ferr Vs Cond... ive been around long enough to use the one best suited for the condition im hunting in. You are going to dig some trash for awhile. You will miss some things... like easy pinpointing, sizing the target, whites VCO, weight, pinpoint switch, and just telling the size of target by tone. But... it wont take long to get used to the changes. Rule number one.... never trade a machine until its paid for itsself. Bye that time you know if its for you. Find an explorer hunting buddy and read Andys book they will cut the learn curve. Ask a lot of questions and we will try to answer them. I dont think i can remember a person that didnt like these machines once they understood how they worked .... or at least they didnt post it. Good luck.

Dew

 

[teleman2525]

i got the se pro also and my detector before was the xlt also the xlt is a great detector many great finds with it but the se pro is just plane better but does take alittle time to get comfortable with start with your presets first noise cancle and hunt slow listen listen thats the key at first i used the digital screen alot as numbers were better to me but now sound and curser location on smart screen just tell me more it will come to you give it time i felt i made mistake at first but not no more the se is awsome you,ll learn to love it just take it slow each time out gets better

 

[widebody]

[size=large]this is what i'm talk'n about. positive feedback. a very big thank you to youse guys.( i'm in the corner of s.w. wa. but like the east coast accents).i really have to concentrate on the slowing down parts. i'm a little impatiecent and start going faster after a find and must tell myself to go slower. even with the xlt. so the slower swing is going to be a challenge but very good to master. lets me hunt longer and better coverage.
thanks again.

HH [/size]

 

[teleman2525]

ya the xlt likes and needs faster swing to get its depth and is designed that way were as the se is a low and slow detector but you,ll find it can be relaxing sort of like sneaking up on big game the big game of coin and relic hunting that is your are the hunter so sneak up on them thier goodies and have fun

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

You came to the right spot for help and good feedback. Are you in Wa state or Wa DC?

Eddie

 

[widebody]

[size=large]i'm below you Eddie. down here in kelso. had to miss some prime hunting this day cause of dr. appt. i came out and there it was shining and light wispy clouds. gunna have my SE by fri. just intime for two days of semi-cloudy days. feeling like a kid waiting on a new toy. can't wait to get and use it.
i'm gunna have problems with finding a good location for a garden. must be verwy verwy careful about the wifes pretty yard.
and i figured i'd be missing some of the bells and whistles of the xlt. but one must grow, doesn't one? one thing kept sticking in my head was that on another website someone made the comment,"if you want the xlt to act like an explorer then you have to tweak it like this and that. i got the idea that you must tweak the xlt to preform what the explorer does just by turning it on. you don't go after the wanna be. i really like my xlt but i just know the explorer is going to be better and more fun.

HH[/size]

 

[UtahRich]

Widebody,

Looks like you are ready to go. I have 18 or 20" of snow in my backyard, high today is somewhere in the low 20's, so hunting has slowed to a stand still. Be glad you can still swing the coil.

Couple Tips: You'll need to get a DD coil mindset for hunting and pinpointing. That seemed like the biggest challenge to me when I went from using a CZ-6a, with a concentric coil, to an Explorer XS. The other is to be ready to have lots of multi-target holes. I was amazed at the number of coins I found that were in the hole along with old rusty nails, bolts, wire, and the like. If the detector says coin in your ear and you find a rusty nail, keep looking. Sometimes, I get 2 or 3 'other' items in the hole with a coin. Always check the hole again with the detector before you move on.

Lots of experienced Explorer users here always willing to help. I'll second the motion on getting a copy of Andy Sabisch's book, The Minelab Explorer & E-trac Handbook.

Looking forward to a post of your first trip out on Saturday.


Rich

 

[smkunder]

This is a great place to be when you make the switch from another detector to a Explorer. There has been many a day I became so frustrated that I wanted to sell my Explorer and go back to a simpler machine. Just do not give in to that temptation, just keep on swinging and listening and it will come. I have asked many questions and sent many PM to folks on this site and everyone is here to help. I am so glad that I listened to the advice of folks on this site and kept with my Explorer. It just seems that one day it clicks and it is not so hard anymore. Good luck with your new machine, you will love it.

Steve

 

[widebody]

[size=large]i've had that click happen on my xlt. what a feeling when that hits. things just make so much sense and sometimes so obvious.
part of the deal was andrew said New England Detectors includes andy's book on the e-tra/explorer. i'm getting concerned about the arrival date. the money cleared but no confirmation or tracking numbers as of yet. he said it was coming third day ups and i should have it friday. maybe i should go wait by the curb. maybe?? last time i was promised third day ups i paid for it and this outfit in florida screwed it up and it took seven days ground crawl ups. not even a sorry.i missed four days hunting because of them. i payed for it so i wouldn't miss those days. so i get nervous now. a little gun shy, if you will. wonder where it is now?? . [/size]

 

[Erik in NJ]

I hope you shopped around on packages as it sounds like you didn't really get a deal if it just included that book. Another forum sponsor Detector Depot has what I've found to be the best package at the best price and he's right near a UPS hub. Everything I've ordered from them gets here from TN to NJ in two days like clockwork! Maybe you can still cancel the order if it hasn't shipped (you have a tracking number???) and order from them. Check the website for price and what's included in the package.

BTW, if Andrew sold you the machine without a SunRay X-1...I'd ask him to issue a call tag to pick the machine up just as a matter of principle. You need to have an X-1 probe to effectively use the detector and he should have told you that. I strongly recommend supplementing the X-1 with the VibraProbe as well. My favorite headphones are the Gray Ghost NDTs and the Lesche digger is a staple for me as well.

 

[widebody]

[size=large]well i can only say it looked good to me. $865.00 comes w/ manual, s. book, lesche digger, ml carrybag, koss 30 phones and frree third day shipping. already own two garrett pro probes. i must consider weight of the machine. the lighter i can make it the better for me.he did mention the probe but i had to decline.
i'll look at that other web site. but my se should be on it's way. it started out with garmin gps, walky talkys, camers, hand held pin- pointer and maybe something else. all for the everybody price of $1098.00. holiday sale price. same as every other dealer. i just noticed his banner over a minelab e-trac forum and went for it. actually he has a whites mxt pro i was looking at for $700.00, reg $899.00 everywhere else. saving of almost $200.00. so i looked into it and went away with what i figure will be a better nachine for me. i hope. i know the machine is already smarter than me. i just gotta catch on to it.
and no i haven't recieved any tracking info yet. that's why i worry.

HH[/size]

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi - Not a bad deal, but I think the other is better as the Koss headphones are not very good....they come standard with the detector as does the manual....I usually just put the Koss phones away in a box I think I have 4 pairs of them now - never used. The other deal comes with any pro headphone they carry - I love the Gray Ghost NDTs because you can replace the cord in seconds and it comes with 2! Is the Lesche digger a real Lesche or the Minelab knock-off? I'd be concerned without a tracking number too, but I'm sure it'll get there. I like the two-day shipping from TN to my door......like I said, it's been like clockwork since the UPS hub is right there and I have the tracking number next day after my order. Please consider getting the X-1 (and the VibraProbe)....DD usually has a good supply of them...you'll be thanking me. The SE Pro goes deep and it's tough to find the target often without an X-1 in your hand. Best of luck with the new detector and I look forward to seeing your finds!!

 

[widebody]

[size=large]Erik
yes the lesche is the real one. i already bent the minelab knock-off i got months ago. i replaced it with a lesche. now i'll have two. as i said in my p.m. a deals a deal unless the other guy screws it up. then there won't be enough room on this web-site for my cursing and bad-mouthing his/her company. i did see the headphone offer and the two day shipping would of been sweet but i'll wait and see. i'll be calling tomorrow for an up-date. oh ya, he also threw in dust cover. i already own a set of koss. the whites version. may not be differant but i'm very use to them. the se is already 4lbs. i need to lose the weight as much as possible. thus no sun-ray probe. thanks for the info tho.

HH[/size]

 

[dewcon4414]

Garrett probes are excellent hand helds. I just dont care for the EMI handhelds give off. I liked the Koss phones. They were well matched to the detector, but were CHEAPLY made... and why they put a straight jack on them is beyond me. What ive found trying to match my whites headphones to the Explorer is they work well in trashy areas... but in open ground.... i go with a better pair of phones. I HAVE to run with gain 9 to get the same affect as 7 to get modulated signals. What that does for me is allows me to NOT have to look at the screen as often on weak signal when im working an area. Pinpointing may be your challenge at first. Simplest way is to hear a good target.... just wiggle the coil toward you until it disappears... the targets should be right at the tip of the coil. Sometimes on deeper targets its back a little farther. You arent going to cover the same amount of area you used to..... if you do then you are taking the explorer for a walk and missing targets. But... once you learn how to hunt the explorer way you will have a LOT of confidence in this machine. Once you get the Explorer set rarely do you have to do a ton of adjustments.... it kind of adapts to your hunting. I found with the DFX i had to do a lot more adjustments based on soil, moisture, EMI, and trash. Ive had a lot of equipment shipped... i mean even freebay gives me a tracking number the same day.

Dew

 

[widebody]

[size=large]well i called and found, once again , a letter was left out of my e-mail address and all the info went to someone else. got that corrected and received all my info. my machine is somewhere between N.J. (shipping hub) and Portland, Or.( closest receiving hub). so feel much better. as for pin pointer. i must suffer with less than what is best or better because of disabilities. it's like i won't buy a car with standard shifting. i can't hold the shift pedal very long so i'm forced to buy automatics. ya do what ya gotta do. i don't care for the telling everyone in the park ya found something. no volume control. but it's the most portable and doesn't add weight to my machine.
dew, did you find the se to be as balanced as the whites? one of the major things i like about the xlt.

HH [/size]

 

[dewcon4414]

When it first came out i turned the coil around to better balance it. Its no where close to being a balanced machine. I kid you not its heavy after awhile. Now a pro coil is lighter and both the pro and the SEF at least connect in the center of the coil. To reduce this bad balance you can shorten the rod. Id also recommend putting the coil on the soil as often as you can.

Dew

 

[widebody747]

[size=large]Not Good News. now that i've commited to the se i'm finding the cons against it. ml not having replacement parts, not being balanced as i was assured it was or is. i'll be getting the 8" sef i guess. i did well with my xlt and the 9.5" coil but it really helped when i did get my 8"
for it. it also mounted in the center and i enjoy my hunts much more with it.
if this machine falls apart i'll not buy another. i'll try a fisher or go back to looking at the mxt. might just buy the mxt anyway if my taxes work out and i make a real sweet deal with the wifey. some of ya know what i'm talking here. her fingers aren't full yet even after 40 yrs. [/size]

 

[dewcon4414]

I hardly think the SE will fall apart. Its made pretty darn well. Once ML moved from Ireland, they had problems meeting order. Im not sure thats the case now especially for repairs. I think once you learn the SE .... i doubt anyone will be able to pry it from your cold dead finger LOL. Enjoy.

Dew