Hi Clifford:
I bought the 15" WOT for my Exp XS in November. Admittedly, my experience has been limited, but I have been able to give it a workout in a field and at the beach. To answer your questions:
-The standard (what you are calling short) cable is the one to get, unless you plan to rig a chest mount.
-I see no difference in the operation of the depth meter.
-In a nutshell, I like the coil, but it has its place. Here are some of my initial impressions:
Obviously, there is a feeling of covering much more ground-and not missing anything. The downside, naturally, is more difficulty in trashy areas. I've managed to overcome some of this by working the "12 o'clock" tip of the coil over the desired target.
Pinpointing feels a little different. In the beginning I was losing targets. Once I got used to it, however, I found it to be even easier than the stock coil, as the WOT is thinner, which lends itself to a more precise line.
I think that keeping your swing slow is key, as target "blips" are shortened, and easier to miss. It requires more concentration.
It's harder to use around plant stubble, brush and tall grass--not only because of the larger diameter, but also because its thinness makes me perceive it as more fragile. Also less mass with which to "whack the weeds."
Thus far, I haven't noticed any appreciable increase in depth over the stock coil (at least on coin-sized targets) In fact, I perceive that I'm getting less depth. This was something of a disappointment to me--particularly because I've heard otherwise. Perhaps others can chime in on this point. If I'm doing something wrong, I'd like to know.
The coil cover is not tight to the coil. In wet grass or sand it traps a lot of water--which sloshes around and gives false readings. Perhaps some sealer can be applied to prevent this.
Bottom Line: It's definitely a worthy weapon in your arsenal--best used in wide open fields or on beaches with widely scattered targets. I would recommend it as a secondary coil for specialized use, keeping the 10.5" as the primary (In fact, if you detect in a lot of trash, I would invest in a smaller-than-stock coil before adding the WOT).
Just my take....I'm looking forward to the spring so I can give it a better workout.
