Ordering a New EX II Tomorrow

[Clifford Powell]

Have been lurking on this forum and the Explorer Classroom Forum for the last month or so. Read about all the messages that are still up and learned a LOT.

Got back into this hobby after a 20 year absence with an Ace 250 about 6 weeks ago and have really enjoyed it. Living where I do (New Mexico) I can hunt about all year long. Trade off is we don't have the really old stuff like you find in the east.

I want to thank all of the posters on these forums who take the time to post all the help. After first hearing how hard the EX II was to learn it was great to really see that was not entirely the case at all. I can see where there is a learning curve, yes, but as a tech junkie (programmer by trade) I can see I'm really going to like this machine.

As a newbie I'll probably have a lot of questions -

Cliff - - -

 

[timmer114]

Cliff,

Glad to see you getting the Explorer, it's an awesome machine. I have to sell mine because I lost my job. You might want to check out what I have over in the classifieds. For an extra 100 bucks that what you would pay for brand new, you can get a near new Explorer II (October 2005)with Sunray probe already mounted, and some extra coils, books, along with the warranty card.

Either way, congrats on your new Explorer, it truly is a great machine!

Tim

 

[cachenut]

Good luck. Get ready for some deep old targets.

Near old buildings you will find old coins. The older the building the older the coins. Find the earliest maps of your area and see where the buildings were. Also close to rivers is where development occurred. And next to ocean if there is any. And along the oldest roads is where earliest development took place. Old maps will show these. Wagon trails. Indian trails. Cattle trails. There are old coins there someplace. Around springs or water sources.

 

[Mike Bearden]

The Explorer really isn't that hard to get a grip on to begin with. Learning what it's truly capable of and understanding how to tweak it for different hunting styles is what overwhelms some people. You being a tech junkie surely will help to learn the in's and outs because it can be tweaked more ways than Bubba Gump could cook shrimp.
Best advise I could give anyone starting out would be to get a 8" coil and use it religiously, hunt slow and TRUST the tones more than the screen.
You've made a wise decision on the purchase, don't hesitate to ask away if you need help. And ... don't forget to post those finds too
H.H.
Mike

 

[Richard@BackwoodsDetectors]

I did... When I got my EX II, instead of complicating things, I went with the basics...no major adjustments until I understood the machine some...kinda like taking a few steps at a time... Too, what Mike said is true, get an 8" coil...I thought the 10" was a little big for hunting in some of the areas I hunt... Have fun ..Richardntn

 

[Clifford Powell]

Just ordered the puppy along with an X-1 probe. Didn't order the 8 inch yet as this (along with Christmas) pushed the budget enough for this month. I ordered from my local dealer who gave me a great deal (plus I like the guy and he spends his money right here at home) Haven't made up my mind on rather to get the Sunray Stealth 8, 5 or the Joey coil next. I have a few places to hunt that are not too trashy and will have to get started with the ML standard coil. Been using the 12 inch on the Ace 250 all the time.

Thanks
Cliff - - -

 

[bunn leonard]

wait till you get the wot

 

[Ace]

You did one fo the smartest things, getting an X-1 probe along with your Explorer II, you're in for truckloads of fun, a few tips I can give you on easing up the learning curve and making it a whole lot easier is:

1.) Read your Explorer II Manual 2-3 Times so that you can get to know your machine before you get to toy with it, download it from http://206.188.2.79/products/detectors/explorerII.htm and click on 'Download Manual' (Right click: Save As). Reading it before you get your machine will help you understand what does what in your machine.

2.) Buy/Borrow Andy Sabisch's book: 'Mastering the Explorer S & XS' it will really open your eyes and explain you thoroughly each and every function fo your explorer, when to use what settings, etc. Really worth its weight in Gold. Since the Explorer XS is almost the same as the Exp.II it applies to the Explorer II.

3.) Watch the training presentation DVD or VHS once your detector arrives.

4.) Go over in the manual/book/DVD/VHS what you didn't understand very well.


About the X-1 Probe; When using it in the field and you've located the target, get the X-1 probe away from any metal and press the Pinpoint button, if you press the pinpoint while the Probe is near metal it will become erratic which can be fixed by pressing pinpoint again and just get it away from metal and pressing the pinpoint button.

Pinpointing with the Explorer is easy contrary to whats some say, when you've got a target just move your coil side to side until your signal disappears, then slowly move the coil, the target should be right in the tip of the coil, and there's where you should dig. I do it and I have the target in the hole I've just made 100% of the time.

About the batteries, don't bother buying a set of rechargeable batteries from Minelab, go to Amazon, get a 30-Minute charger from Sony (comes with 4 AA 2500MaH batteries, they last 20 hours on the Explorer and keep on going), and 4 extra AA 2500MaH batteries from Sony + an Alkaline battery pod from a Minelab dealer and you've saved about $40 and gained more hunting hours due to the fact that 2500MaH will hold lots and lots of hours of detecting until they start running low.

Hope this helps! You'll simply love the Explorer II, all of us Explorer users couldn't be wrong, the ones who don't like it either didn't get the hang of it or simply just didn't have the patience required for detecting.

 

[Clifford Powell]

I downloaded the Explorer manual 2 weeks ago and, oddly enough, Andy's book came in the mail today (via ebay). All this gives me something to do until the machine gets here about Tuesday or so. I can tell from what I've read and heard that I'm going to really like this. Like the hunt side AND the tech side both. Sure beats reruns of Law and Order - -

Cliff - - -

 

[Clifford Powell]

I really need info on the differences in all the add-on coils. I am looking at Sunrays little 5 incher.

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

You too? I want the 15", 8", and the 5". That and about 2 weeks vacation time to try them all out. Im writing my letter to santa as we speak....ha ha

 

[Clifford Powell]

Send a duplicate for me too!! My toy allowance is a little weak after today.

Cliff