Hi friends, I have a question about EXPLORER SE and need some help

[gabrams]

Hi,

My name is Gary and I just purchased an New Minelabs Explorer SE and just waiting for the winter weather to L E A V E MA and NH and get down to hunting. I really want to learn this machine. Love to hunt for artifacts, war relics....obviously silver and gold (jewels) etc etc. Can anybody recommend settings and ALSO....is there a better coil to purchase NOW that out does the one that comes with the detector... Any helpful hints are much much appreciated.


I will stand by for answers...

Thanks and to everyone.....great hunting in the future.


Gary

 

[Tom_in_CA]

If I was you, and this is your first experience with an explorer, I'd stick with the factory presets. All too often, newbies to this (and any machine with lots of user adjustable functions), hops on a forum and reads about how someone tweeked this or that, saying it gave more depth, blah blah blah. The newbie reads those things, and thinks they absolutey MUST fiddle with the controls, max everything, lest they be "missing out". Before you know it, they've got it so hot and tweeked, that it runs eratic, etc... So stick with the factory presets till you learn all the basic sounds. Be sure to prop it in your living room, out in the air away from all metals, and pass LOTS of different targets in front of the coil, at varying depths (distances from the coil) and at varying speeds (very important!). By "lots" of different targets, I mean like ........ all the US coins, various sizes of foil wads, tabs, small and large rusty iron, various gold jewelry items, etc.... By making mental note of how the detector reacts with different speeds and depths, you can take that info with you when you go into the field, and start to recognize patterns, sounds, etc.. Also in those air tests try 2 items held together (like .... a coin held behind, and then beside, a nail for instance) and see how items will sound when in close proximety to each other. This will mimic junky sites, where angle of swing, speed of swing, etc... will all have an impact on how to "bring it in", how to interpret waffling signals, etc...

As for the coil, stick with the factory stock coil. Once again, newbies come on a forum, and hear about all sorts of "promise-the-sky" aftermarket coil, and they just ASSUME that the factory stock coil must somehow be inferior. It's not. And to the extent that some coils may have edges in certain environments, forget that for the time-being: start with the factory stock coils and programs. Otherwise you will miss the basic sounds and steps, thinking you are going to learn to run, before you walk.

 

[Mike Bearden]

The winter months are a fine time to do some reading and playing with the control buttons.
There is so much information on this site, I doubt you could read and absorb it all before hunting time begins ... so get busy.
For the most part, settings shared by others to you can only be trusted if the settings are used by someone that actually hunts at your sites.
Everyone's site conditions will vary somewhat, so it's a trial and error thing and half of the fun in learning the Explorers language.
Until constant good weather hits your area, find decent days in between and take some practice targets with you outside or in your garage or basement and LISTEN to the different tones and screen coordination's.

Try to locate a fellow Explorer user in your area and see if he or she will share some hands-on in the field training tips , that is by far the easiest way to learn the Explorer.
You might even want to look for a local detecting club in your area, enjoy the fellowship and possibly hook-up with some great folks to share time with.
About the coil, I can't recommend anything until you KNOW what kind of sites you will hunt and I don't don't recommend buying anything larger than stock right now, maybe a 8" or smaller would be advisable since it will actually make the learning curve EASIER for you and still have good depth.

Good Hunting
Mike

 

[ellis]

hi gary,welcome to the best forum in town. mike and tom gave you good infrmation. IF you can find someone to hunt with (with an se) that would be great.if not,i say one of the best things to do is practice with different items and listen--listen--listen -and listen some more until you can remember those sounds.above all,don't give up and sell out.it takes time on that detector,and don't try to get it all in one day.good luck with the practicing,and keep asking questions.thats what i did.