Man, I hate to go through this again but

[StephenA]

I really want to learn how to use a Minelab Explorer SE. I have owned four Explorers since the XS first came out and all four times I have given up before going through the learning process. I just got a new Explorer SE and I am sitting here looking at it and going to give it one more try. Ok guys, give me your opinion on how I should go about falling in love with this detector. I have successfully used a Fisher CZ, Troy X-2 and X-5, White MXT and Minelab X-terra 70. My issues are that I have a bit of a learning disability and my attention span is pretty short. I have recovered over 50 rings in the past ten years numerous coins in silver and clad, many Civil war relics with the other detectors. I know in my heart that this Explorer is top of the line and really want to be a educated user of it. Email me or post hints, programs and tricks. I will be studying the book and this forum. I would appreciate any help you can offer!

Thank you
sarmstrong@allsportinc.com

 

[Magicman]

WOW... I was at this point last year. I remembered asking myself "How am I going to do this?" and "Did I just make a big mistake?" I can tell you now, I wouldn't know what to do without my SE. First thing was determination. Second, don't give up. Thirdly, don't give up. I started off with a Joey coil, 5x10, the company I bought my SE gave me the coil and said it would be easier learning with it. ( I like the Joey coil in high trash areas, I really can pick signals out) I would throw coins on the ground and practice. I buried coins in the ground and practiced. I had my wife tape a coin to a big piece of cardboard and try and locate the coin. Then I would pinpoint and stick a wire through the cardboard to see how close I was. I went to an area and dug up all the signals I received.

I used the following SELECT - Discrimination Patterns, Coins, Fe Coins, Jewelry, and no for nails (page 40 of your manual, for reference) I use Digital Display (Page 30) vs. the Smartfind Display (page 2 this is personal preference. Course now I listen for the sound, which by the way I use SOUNDS - CONDUCT (page 64) I also use the NORAML for the REPONSE (Page 62) and the VOLUME - 10 Max Limit (page 5 and GAIN 8. The tone I use is TH TONE 5 (page 60), VARIABILITY I use 10 (personal preference, also page 60) and LIMITS is 10 (page 60). There is a lot of talk about the RECOVERY (page 54) I don't use either, FAST or DEEP. The SENSITIVITY, another area of a lot of talk I started off with 22 in a Semi-Automatic (page 22) (I change this now depending on the area) And my THRESHOLD is 20 (page 24). Page 38 & 39 shows a good breakdown of the menus.

I stuck with the same settings until I got comfortable with the SE and was confident. Now I experiment with the SE trying different settings. I think you will find most owners of SE will say this "Don't Give Up" and I am glad I didn

 

[kered]

Looking at the machines you have used in the past, my advice would be to swing half the speed you would with them, even on the factory setting you

 

[king-ghidorah]

Learning disability has NOTHING to do with the SE. It's tenacious desire to learn this machine, DESIRE,DESIRE and desire! When you really WANT to do something YOU will do it. If YOU give up in your desire then you will not learn it or really desire to try. You'll make up every excuse in the book to justify yourself. This is a MULTI-FrEQ machine, head and shoulders above the rest so it expect it to take more time. I can say this emphatically because this very problem was my problem. I want to see you put in 5-6 7 days of staright 4-5 hour sessions and you'll be humming a different tune. After a while when I was in my room of self pity & doubt I would say to myself, "these guys are doing it, why can't i" and I did and I am moving forward so please do not take my post as a personal assault on you. I truly believe you are what I was at 1 time, hoping for a miracle but not willing to put in the time.

It takes time, at LEAST 50 hours of CONSISTENT, straight time in the field to get the "gist" of it and from then you start learning from there. I would even say 100 to really feel it.

 

[bazooka]

Turn it on, noise cancel, and detect. Sweep slow. Use stock settings. Throw a quarter, dime, zincoln, and nickel on the ground and see where they come in at on the smart find graph. Then go find an older park (50's or earlier) and start sweeping slowwwww in an area that has maybe two targets per sweep or less. Avoid trashy areas for now until you get that distinct coin tone burned into your mind. If you feel your mind starting to melt, find a spot with less trash and/or sweep slower. It's almost impossible to go too slow with the SE, unlike many other machines.

 

[StephenA]

Great first advice. The funny thing is, I was a dealer for minelab and sold several of these over the years! Time for me to follow though. Thank you!

 

[StephenA]

Ok, you have me fired up! I am in Decatur, AL. Not a dealer any longer but still hunt three times a week early mornings before work. I am excited again about this detector. I even serviced a Quatro once thinking that it was a turn on and go Explorer...it was certainly not. Then this new Safari came out and I thought well, maybe!!!! I decided, to heck with it, I am going for the SE again!

Thank you all for your encouragement and places to find answers.

Stephen

 

[BlackX]

I was going to point you to Mike Moultray's screens the MSN group but theyseem to be gone. But vary simply, start in factory settings except edit the screen to only have the top right quadrant open. And probably sweep at half the speed you're used to. Hunt in Smartfind but switch to digitial when you get a possible target so you learn the numbers as we;;/

 

[Ray-Mo.]

Never read the manual untill several day's later and several great hunt's as well,Good luck Ray.
http://66.51.97.78/coinist/mikesmtipspage1.html