New MXT user seeks advice

[MasonandAlexsdad]

Hey all!! I just bought a MXT (not the 300) and am seeking some advice. I have been detecting some of our local soccer fields here in North sacramento with the 9.5 stock coil. I have found a bunch of clad coins (this entire area is only about 6 years old) and am hoping to find some jewelry. In addition to the clad I have found lots of junk. I am seeing things on my display such as foil,ring or 10,ring. Each time it seems to be 50/50 whether its trash or a clad coin. I am curious if anybody has had any luck with the settings to eliminate most trash and pick up all gold rings and jewelry? I have made some adjustments but am worried about missing the valuable finds. Also I m wondering just how big of a difference a bigger or smaller coil may make. I believe most of my local finds will be no deeper than 4" deep. I am also wondering for those of you who have found rings how definative was the detector? Did the display state ring? or something else? Thanks in advance!! Jim

 

[john65803]

I wish I could answer your question but, I have only owned my MXT for 3 weeks. I do know the the rings and pull tabs will appear near the same VDI number. I have chosen to learn by this simple rule, If I get a good signal all directions of an X pattern, I dig it. I then make a note of the VDI number and what I found after digging it up. I also have told myself that I am not in detecting just to find rings, gold, sliver, silver coins. In other words, all hi- value finds. I feel I will learn my machine faster by digging junk along with the old coins and jewelery. I'll just dig until I learn the MXT, I wont be passing up those "valuable finds" durning my learning curve. HAPPY HUNTING

 

[Hillbilly Bob]

Jim, You will find that allot of things will read the same. Platinum rings, smallest gold rings, gold earrings, sterling chains will read 0 to 15 VDI along with gum wrappers, and bits of chopped aluminum cans. Most gold rings, nickles, oval pull tabs, and chopped aluminum cans will read 15 to 30. Larger gold rings, Silver war nickels iron bottle caps small aluminum screw caps, costume jewelry will read 30 to 45. $5 dollar gold piece, 3 cent silver, zinc pot metal junk, costume jewelry, brass keys will read around 45 to 60. Indian head cents, hot wheel cars, larger aluminum screw caps will read 60 to 70. Modern copper cents, half cents, small sterling rings, and sterling jewelry will read 70 to 78. Sterling silver rings, clad or silver dimes read 79 to 81. Clad or silver quarters, heavy sterling rings, SB Anthony dollars read 82 to 88. Clad or silver halves, large cents read 89 to 92. Clad Eisenhower or silver dollars, large copper pipes read 93 to 94. There is no secret to the readings you should dig every thing till you get used to how your detector sounds on certain targets, over time you will be able to tell the difference. I hope this helps, good luck

 

[BarberBill]

If the site has lots of trash, you may do better with the 6X10, or 5.3 coils. If the trash is very heavy the 4X6 shooter really does the job. These all work thru trash better than the 9.5.
HH
BB

 

[Nancy-IL]

You've got the right idea john5803. That's the way to get use to you machine. Practice practice practice. And Hillbilly Bob has it all spelled out for you. HH to all, Nancy

 

[Gila Marc]

I don't think anyone has found the magic setting to get the good stuff and leave all the trash. Also, you can't depend on the labels that show "5 cents", "ring", etc. They are merely showing what it MIGHT BE with all the information the machine has available. I gave up on the Coin & Jewelry mode after about three times out because of this.

I find Relic Mode works much better for me than Coin & Jewelry, and Prospecting Mode works best of all in my opinion. You can, for the most part, depend on the tone signals for ferrous or non-ferrous in Relic, and along with the VDI number you can make a pretty good decision whether to dig or not. Prospecting Mode is "all metal", seems to go a bit deeper and the VDI numbers are the same. I use the VDI and the "Percent Iron" reading, along with the sound itself, and it seems to work very well.

But, regardless, to find the "good stuff", especially gold, you will have to dig A LOT of trash.

Marc

 

[Canewrap]

I will echo what he said about ya gotta dig trash to get treasure.

 

[dc4kkc]

Mason, I went Gold Prospecting with my MXT-300 and read as much information as possible prior to my trip. Jimmy Sierra I guess said it best. He stated if anyone could make a machine that would only find gold, we would all own one, but being one isn't made, we have to dig everything. A great example to this is, I was searching a great gold prospecting area where tons of gold has been found in the 1800's. I got a great signal and double checked all the VDI numbers and I thought I had found a good size nugget based on all the information given to me. I ended up digging up a lid from and old tin can from the 1800's. As Nancy stated, pratice, practice. I love the MXT, and I'm still new to all of this. It pin points great and I have had a great time knowing I found things that have been lost for a long time. On my prospecting trip, I didn't come out empty handed, I found some realliy nice square nails. No Gold, but the thrill of the hunt was fun. I think all of us learn something new each and every time we go out. Keep it up and happy hunting.

 

[MasonandAlexsdad]

Thanks everyone for your input and advice. I really do have lots of fun. In fact I would say this is my new favorite hobby. I love the thrill of not knowing what that next pinpoint will turn up! It sure does seem to take a long time to detect bigger areas. Im hoping patience will pay off. Does anybody know where the good deals on new coils are? Im thinking about going a little bigger for the larger sports fields.

 

[Lowjiber]

My advice:

1. Get a small DD coil for your MXT.
2. The advice above regarding gold jewelry with low, positive VDI's is good. Everytime another MDer shows me his "finds" and there are no nickels...I know he's missing out on the good stuff.
3. Silver does create a large phase shift...resulting in VDI's that are very high (80+).
4. Learn to hunt coins in "Relic Mode". You'll have both the disc and all metal modes working all the time.
5. Listen for "whispers". They're the real deep, good stuff (usually).
6. If you're not digging tabs, you're missing a lot of good stuff.
7. Get a copy of Jeff Foster's book entitled: "The MXT Edge". It is loaded with information that is not in the manual and will speed up your MXT learning curve greatly.

Respectfully,
Lowjiber

 

[gware12]

can someone explain alittle more about coin hunting in relic mode

 

[Canewrap]

Ok, since no dedicated coinshooter types are answering this I'll give it a stab, since I use the MXT and have coin hunted with it. For openers the IDs that the machine provides in relic mode (e.g., button, buckle, bullet) are merely suggestions as to the size of the target, not true IDs. With that in mind, you'll want to pay more attention to the VDI numbers and the sound. Sound trumps the VDI though. The best thing to do is in a new area dig a lot of your initial targets and take note of the what the numbers are before you dig. That way you can figure out where tabs, nails, and other trash are coming in at while still in the ground. I would hunt with the trigger in the middle position as it will give you mixed audio and you're alot less likely to miss good targets as you'll be hearing everything. It is a little more taxing as you'll have to ignore the grunt of iron and go for the high signals, but its worth it if you're going after old coins as it will be easy to miss them if there's a nail laying nearby and you have the iron discriminated out. Also, if I was dedicated to coin shooting I would be using a 6" DD coil with mine as it will get optimal seperation in a trashy area. Hope this helps.

 

[gware12]

I do have a 6' DD Excelerator, I will try this mode next time I hunt.

 

[Ben Diggen]

Hey!! MasonandAlexsdad. Great choice with the MXT. You will never regret it. Best advice for any MXT owner, new or old, is to get the book "the MXT Edge" Next to the MXT it will be the best investment you make. Good Luck and kee your coil on the soil.
Ben

 

[Lowjiber]

Hey!! MasonandAlexsdad. Great choice with the MXT. You will never regret it. Best advice for any MXT owner, new or old, is to get the book "the MXT Edge" Next to the MXT it will be the best investment you make. Good Luck and kee your coil on the soil.
Ben

"The MXT Edge" is the bible of MXT users...IMHO. I always recommend it to new users.

 

[gware12]

I ordered the book and I love it!

 

[droz-il]

n/t