My FIRST hunt with my new SE AND my surprising settings...fast/deep..etc..

[Hotcz70]

Well I actually got to hunt with my new SE today. I tried it out yesterday for a few minutes but I got almost 2 full hours in today.
What makes these finds GREAT to me is the fact that I found these at the same county fairgrounds I have pounded for 25 years. In the 80's with my xlt...in the 90's with EACH of the CZ detectors...2000 on up with my CZ70pro and some with my Explorer2.
I decided to go back to conductive sounds and I'm glad I did. Here are the settings I started out in Gain at 8...sensitivity at 21...IM at 20...response-normal...volume-max...variability-10...Limits-10. Fast ON AND DEEP ON. The first deep signal I got was around 6"+. I decided to test signal strength and response right THERE to see how the detector would respond at different settings. The first thing I did was try fast only...then deep only. Keep in mind I initially hit the signal with fast on/deep on. Out of the 3 settings...deep on ONLY was by far the strongest and most solid signal. I then started to up the gain. I was actually able to get the gain to 9 and then 10 and the signal was definately more solid and clear. The initial signal was a little "iffy" to begin with but when the gain was upped and I went to deep only...the signal was much nicer. I then messed with the sensitivity. I went as far down to 14 and as high as 28. With it as 24 the signal was the best. It honestly wasn't a drasric change at any sensitivity setting bit it was a little clearer and more solid at 24.
After 25 minutes of fiddling with the settings on the target....I started digging the said target. Out popped a wheatie from 6"+.
After all the setting changes to find what worked best at this given time...I left them at...Sens-24...gain 9...deep on. It seemed pretty stable so I upped the gain to 10...yes 10 and the sens to 26...and swept the coil SLOWLY and I mean SLOWLY. That is when coins started to come. I dug 4 more wheaties...two 8" non wheaties and the merc at 8" to 10". It did get a little chattery at some points so I backed the gain to 8 and the sens down to 18. I did have quite a bit of nulling...but the high coin sound sounded off loudly when I hit a coin. I was able to get gain back to 10 and sens back up to 26 and I found ALL but 1 coin pictured at those settings. I know I will not be able to have the gain and sens set that high on most occasions...but today I was and I definately saw a HUGE difference in coin signals and sound/strength of said signal when the gain was UP. The sensitivity honestly didn't make that nuch difference,,,but the gain did. I know this for a fact because I messed with EACH coin signal before I dug... and the setting results were the same at each target. It was really noticable on the 8"+ merc. The higher the gain...the better the silver dime sounded...and again this was actual field tests...BEFORE I even went ahead and dug the target.
I dug 2 pieces of junk...but I felt they were junk and iffy before I dug them. I dug a tin can lid at 10" and it read ferrous 20...conductive 30.... I then dug a thin washer at 8" that had the same kind of high ferrous reading instead of the usual 00 to 02 that a silver coin makes. I just wanted to dig everything to see how it registered on the digital and see how accurate it was.
It might be a while before I have time to hunt for any length of time because of work...but I was pretty pleased after today.
Happy Hunting

 

[NH Bob]

n/t

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

Good report. I do a lot of that kind of stuff as well, to see what does what. Though I have never pushed the gain over 8. I might have to play with that too.

 

[Hotcz70]

about being able to learn some things today. I really feel I figured out a few new settings to try and some different combinations. Next place I hunt it may all be different but that's half the fun...learning new things.

 

[Hotcz70]

experimenting and playing around. When I got my explorer2 a few years ago I just set it at what worked for most other folks and never really did much trial and error stuff. I learned more in two hours today with the SE than I did in a year with my ex2. I know each site will probably be different so I look forward to literally learning something new each time out. Once I begin to get at least somewhat comfortable with the SE...I will start to research some new places.

 

[savage]

Greetings Bryce-IL, Thank you for sharing that information. I am sure that it will be helpful to others on this forum. I'm sure that if we all took that approach at every site, we would maximize on our finds. Happy Hunting Grounds,

Savage (EX-II)

 

[James N.D.]

Now you will be able to find what settings work the best at particular sites and get an idea how to run the machine close to Max. performance. I wish I could have been there with my XS and went over those signals and did some comparison's between my machine and your New Explorer SE. Sounds like you may be spending some time at that Fairgrounds when you do get out and I hope you make some great finds. Good Luck and HH

 

[Hotcz70]

way. For the first time out with the SE...I felt I learned a lot. I did have one hole however that was a solid 02 30 reading and I dug down well over a foot and there was nothing there. I knew it had to be junk of some kind because I still got a solid reading after raising the coil 10" off the ground...but I STILL would have liked to have known what it was. I can't wait to get the x1 probe put on my SE. I sent payment today....so shortly after Christmas...I should be ready to rock. Of course by then it will be cold but I'm sure I can squeeze in a short hunt somewhere.
Good Luck with your hunts and keep the finds coming.

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

I took that approach with the Explorer II for the last year and am following it with the SE as well. To me, the two machines are very different. I'm pretty much having to re-learn how to hunt with the SE because the same settings produce different results and the SE seems more sensitive than the II in my opinion. I'm not saying it goes a lot deeper...it may or it may not...but it hunts differently and pinpoints differently. My biggest problem right now is that like you, I need to come up with some new places as well. I've hunted out everything I can find nearby. I'm working permission on a few new spots and need to put on my thinking cap on some more.

Good luck out there.

 

[MikeW]

Nice report.I dont have the SE but the EXp 2 and may try that.When you use Conduct, do you have a problem digging rusty nails??

 

[Hotcz70]

this was only my 2nd time out with the SE. I got out again today for only the 3rd time or so with the new SE and found my second silver dime...1917...and three more wheaties...all in about an hour. I only dug one nail and one screw cap. I was able to get the gain at 8 and the sensitivity to 24. Both settings were lower than the other day..but there was a lot of iron junk in the ground as I got a lot of nulling. I am learning each time out...and that's what counts.

 

[MikeW]

and learning a new detector.Ya did better then me today.I took the Explorer2 out for a few hrs and got $ 1.61 and a lone 1953s wheatie( year I was born), and a cache of 11 rusty keys in one hole)
I used fast,ferrous,man sensitivity 24,and gain about 7, and a modded SmartFind screen, switching to digital to double check targets.This field is littered with deep trash and a rare silver now and then.Conduct seems to give too many nails in the far upper right hand screen though I hear theres a slight difference in the tone from the tips Ive read, if I recall right.Also many crushed aluminum cans.The wheatie was about 7 inches and was screaming at me.Wish you continued sucess in the field!!

 

[Hotcz70]

screwcap as stated...but it had pretty high ferrous so I should have known that. The merc I dug however jumped around a little too. Although it read consistent 28 conduct...the ferrous jumped from 3 to 5-6. I think that's what prompted me to dig the screwcap...but I'm sure my share of rusty nails and more screwcaps are on the way anyway!
I hunted in Smartfind too... modified with iron mask at 22. I always switch to digital to check too. Sometimes I hunt in digital and switch to smartfind to recheck as well. I am trying different things each time out. Good luck

 

[Arturo de Zorro]

The SE I had was just like my Exp.II when using the X-1 probe, a lower gain setting works best on the X-1 probe, be ready to lower the sensitivity when you start to dig.

 

[Hotcz70]

then drop the gain and sensitivity before I click on the probe?

 

[Arturo de Zorro]

I set mine at no more than 22 and no less than 14 sensitivity to get an accurate ID or to keep the cross hair from jumping around, but only when I try to use gain at 7 or more do I start to have trouble locating the target in the hole which leads to straching the coin. I have been to many old site inwhich none repeatable signals that never lock on and nothing can be found for several minutes but as soon as I lower the sensitivity to 14, now the coins are everywhere.

 

[Mike (Virginia Beach)]

You know, whenever I talk about the fact that running the sensitivity too high can lose you depth...BIG TIME...I always get folks contradicting that. And I always explain that I'm not talking about EVERY site, but at a LOT of sites that is the case. And the for the folks that think you will get no depth at those settings, I say the next time you DO get a deep target, try lowering the sensitivity down and see what that does to the quality of your signal. It will often got BETTER before it gets worse. And you might be amazed at when you actually LOSE it. Now as far as running at 14, that's low even by my standards. But I'm sure not going to doubt you.

It all depends on the ground composition and what the target strata is at any particular site. Constantly trying to crank the sens up to what YOU THINK is "as high as you can run it" is a mistake because by the times it SEEMS unstable, you're already running it to high and just don't know it.

 

[Yooper]

I am pretty new to the SE, but have also found that sensitivity does not need to be high to produce good finds. I found a few barbers recently in an iron infested park. Coal is also present in the ground so there is endless chatter. I run the sensitivity between 14 and 18 and it works fine for me. I was worried about running at 14, but the finds are still there. I find coins at 6" with my 8" coil. I think I found one at 7" too. I run my gain at 6.

 

[Hotcz70]

I locate the target at whatever settings I am hunting in. Once I locate a probable target to dig...then start digging...it's then that I'm in question. I am wondering if before I actually turn on my probe...if I'm supposed to lower the gain...etc. to keep the probe from falsing?
I believe if I'm hunting with the gain and sens high...that before I actually engage the probe...I'm supposed to drop the gain?
Thanks-Bryce

 

[tomtowns]

Running the sensitivity too high can lead to all sorts of problems. The first thing I do whether at a new site or one of my regular parks is the first deep target I hit, I adjust the sensitivity...& by first deep target I'm talking 6" & adjust throughout the day as deeper targets are hit...The highest I've been able to go in any of the local parks is 24 the lowest 18 & I'm generally running right around 22 & usually start out at 22...I was amazed when I lowered the sensitivity like Mike suggested that I was actually able to get BETTER depth AND seperation...I have a long road ahead of me in trying to fully learn this minelab electronic marvel but with all the experienced forum members putting out tips & ideas, that long road becomes a whole lot shorter...One very good thing I've learned is that when you get a pretty good hit on a questionable target...take a few minutes to play with the settings a bit...ALL of them...I'm finding not only do I sometimes get a better response from the detector but I also get faster doing the various changes & adjustments. I don't have a dispatch today...YET..So as soon as it warms up a bit I'm gonna go to the park across the street & try some new Ideas I've been schemeing on...see how they work out...HH...TT