Waiting for the people excited about this machine

[earthmansurfer]

What I am curious about is in the picture it shows the FE-CO screen and there is a line going down on an angle, what do you think this signifies?

I noticed that too bell. It almost looks like instead of seeing a target appear at one place, then reappear at another place, you are seeing the targets movement by drawing a line of sorts between their locations. In other words, you get to see the target move! You know how many say the crosshairs can move in a triangular fashion on the E-Trac? Well, it looks like we'll get to see more of that, in a sense.

I am excited to see the specs and read the manual. Hopefully the manual will be available online on May 11th as well. The price in Europe, according to someone who was quoted, is around 300 Euro more than an E-Trac, 500 more with the wireless option.

I hope they got the balance spot on, with this one, then the 5 pounds will feel much lighter than an E-Trac.

 

[Critterhunter]

If I turn on the GPS chip in my cell phone (an incredible 2) it will cut the battery time in half, which means the GPS chip by itself draws as much juice as the rest of the phone. My handheld GPS only gets 8 hours on fresh alkalines. GPS chips suck a lot of power, add a wireless transmitter for the headphones and you are using even more power. I bet those two features by themselves will consume just as much power as the rest of the machine combined.

That's a good point. I bet that's why it looks to have a cordless drill sized battery on it, and would also explain why it is as heavy as a tank.

Somebody also brought up a good point...With that GPS and all those other extra features they crammed into it stability at high sensitivity levels might be an issue. EMI isn't just from outside sources, but is generated by electrical components on a circuit board on the very detector you are using. Might not be able to run it as high sensitivity wise as another Minelab and that could actually equal less depth.

 

[stasys]

I'm just concerned with the weight. I mean if it weighs 5 pounds that is more than the E-Trac. It would have to be balanced perfectly for me to consider it though, which it probably is ;-)
The E-Trac bugs my back but its balance is poor. Looking at that pic, I just don't see how it can weigh 5 pounds, looks lighter than an E-Trac (was a vicious rumor started? eheheh)

I have a feeling this machine has a LARGE battery and that makes me think they are amping the FBS technology to get more depth out of it. Why else have that large battery?

I really don't care about the GPS and I think few do, judging by the comments. I'd like to know where the cost is coming from, this must be some high end tech here. For the weight to be more, if indeed true, something must be up.

The wireless headphone control box is nice for those that wear their favorite headphones like me (Gray Ghosts) but they are wired and we are paying what, 200 extra for the receive box?

Albert

Albert do you asked your self where is cost coming from Explorers SE if they are the same like XS? and Etrac?

 

[etracjoe]

I currently own both the etrac and at pro......i would love to own this new detector if the price is right. I would be willing to pay $2000 for just a waterproof etrac. I pave roads and my off time without the wife and kids is rainy days!! If it has other features than thats a bonus. But I do agree that companies should focus on performance. I have been saying that for years with cell phone companies. They want to sell you a phone beacause of the picture capabilities meanwhile you have no service when you need it. As far as the weight concern....well I guess we will have to wait and give it a feel at the dealer before we say its too heavy. It could be very well balanced at that weight. Wireless headphones are a huge plus for me in the deep woods where I hunt in. I think Minelab has a winner personally. We will just have to wait and see!!!

 

[Old California]

For years people including myself have been asking for an improved waterproof Excalibur with Explorer features, this new model does just that and then some.

Serious Excalibur users are going to love this detector, more depth and faster processing. Sure, the extra weight will detour some maybe even allot of users but I feel with the new solid shaft setup this new model will be a winner.

Plus, looks to be a serious relic and deep turf detector. Many here including myself see a great value even if it's priced near or at $2499.00. So if Minelab sets the price below this we are getting a bargin.

Paul (Ca)

 

[Critterhunter]

For years people including myself have been asking for an improved waterproof Excalibur with Explorer features, this new model does just that and then some.

Serious Excalibur users are going to love this detector, more depth and faster processing. Sure, the extra weight will detour some maybe even allot of users but I feel with the new solid shaft setup this new model will be a winner.

Plus, looks to be a serious relic and deep turf detector. Many here including myself see a great value even if it's priced near or at $2499.00. So if Minelab sets the price below this we are getting a bargin.

Paul (Ca)

It's roughly twice the price of an Xcal, so it isn't going to replace it in that respect. Many people just can't afford that much money, and you can't use a fancy LCD screen when it's under water as you wade. For some even the Xcal is too much money and they opt for an At Pro, though it's not as deep as an Xcal, especially in salt water.

The "old" BBS machines (Xcal/Sov) will get just as deep or deeper as any of the other machines other there so long as you are using the same sized coil to compare them with. I know, as I've owned another of Minelab's flagship models in the past and the GT has been able to keep up with it. I've also been checking undug targets my friend with a top Minelab using the Procoil has found with my GT and 12x10 coil. Undug targets that are either very deep or badly masked that he finds and calls me over to check, and I've been easily able to see them at depth or masked just as well. That may change in the future, but so far I've seen every coin under those conditions he's had me check.

I think the GT's ability to keep up with it in depth and unmasking ability is owed to the12x10 I'm using. Deeper than the stock 10" coil, and with a razor sharp detection field that it has in the left/right perspective I think it let's the GT hold it's own against the admitted fantastic abilities of his machine.

So far I haven't seen any reason to switch to one, other than of course having more tweaking ability in certain situations which can be nice. Not knocking ANY Minelab. They are all fantastic and above the competition in terms of performance. Just saying that the coil can make all the difference in terms of performance when pushing these Minelabs further in depth and separation abilities. They are already that good of machines that are maxed out in performance as far as VLF technology goes, so one model can out do another or at least keep up with it by just using the right coil. That goes for ALL of them against each other. It comes down to who's using what coil IMHO. Others probably strongly differ, but that's just my experience in the field for me. Still, I don't think I care for this new machine. I think it's too heavy, too costly, and too feature packed. I don't see many Etrac, SE, GT, or Xcal guys buying one. But that's me. I could be very wrong about that. Time will tell.

 

[JOHNMARKHAM]

so we don't know price or full options yet??ill wait and keep reading? but if its a water proofed etrac? i might be interested? it ll have to do a better job than my trusted Excalibur 2 100 has done for me tho??ill wait and see what comes out here, I'm home re cooperating any how,from knee replacement so no hunting for me for awhile ..so keep us all informed here..
hh
john

 

[etracjoe]

ok, just got off the phone with a dealer in ny and he stated that the suggested retail is upwards of $2500 from minelab but he is hearing through the grapevine an unveiling price of around $1700. This is a bargain if you ask me.

 

[Critterhunter]

I'll be shocked if it's that price....As that's too close to the Etrac and would hurt the Etrac sales. I'm betting $500 to $600 more expensive at least if not more. Only a few hundred dollars difference between it and the Etrac would kill the Etrac's sales.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Need to stop thinking of this as "waterproof". It's not a "diving" detector like the Excal. It's water resistant to 10 feet, just like the AT-Pro. That means that hard pressure from waves could let water inside, just like the AT-Pro. This is more of "rain proof" and "splash proof", it's not going to be submerge proof.

 

[etracjoe]

I agree critter.... but maybe just a introductory price. They can boost the sales and make everyone want them and then raise the price and have none in stock.

 

[Critterhunter]

Need to stop thinking of this as "waterproof". It's not a "diving" detector like the Excal. It's water resistant to 10 feet, just like the AT-Pro. That means that hard pressure from waves could let water inside, just like the AT-Pro. This is more of "rain proof" and "splash proof", it's not going to be submerge proof.

Very good point I haven't seen anybody on the forums make yet.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

How do you figure it's got "more depth", than the regular breed of explorers and etrac?

And since this is water-proof (everything sealed in), how is an inline after-market sun-ray probe going to be added in?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

N/T

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Most surf hunters that intend to wade, or be subject to the ebbing surf (wet sand hunters who like to go out during the winter storm erosion, and have to "battle waves") will be able to get a full dunk/submersion on this, it seems. I mean, think of it: If it says "water-resistant to 10 ft", then it seems to me that a periodic quick drop in the surf (like if a wave knocked you down), that this will be sufficient for THAT level of "submersion", eh?

 

[Critterhunter]

How do you figure it's got "more depth", than the regular breed of explorers and etrac?

I tend to agree with this statement. VLF technology on the Minelabs is pretty much maxed out in terms of the laws of physics and what it can do depth wise. To get deeper you really are left with two options...Either increasing the size of the coil or increasing the power to the TX winding in the coil in order to generate a deeper detection field. Since this machine appears to be using the 11" Pro Coil, I doubt it will have more depth. Maybe it does have more ability to handle the roughest of mineral ground content where even the current Minelabs have a bit of trouble, but in most moderate to even heavy mineralized soils I bet you won't see any difference in depth. Even the old BBS machines can hold their own with the latest technology if you put the right coil on it. I don't see any depth difference between any of the Minelabs I've owned when compared using the same size coil (10"). That's why I use a 12x10 these days...To keep up with the big boys.

Then again, maybe the reason why they have such a boat anchor of a battery on that thing is that they are burning extra power to provide a higher voltage to the TX winding in the coil than a typical Minelab does? There's another rumor for people to start. Then again, I've heard that there is a limiting factor in just how much power in way of voltage you can supply to a coil to generate a bigger field. It ends up starting to actually lose depth due to stronger interaction or reflection off the ground minerals or something. I know some with Shaun's old homemade amp for the Sovereign that increased the voltage to the coil to try to do this had major issues with even some cases of moderate mineralization...And thus some people couldn't use that amp in their soil. As said, there are limits to what you can do in terms of the physics of VLF technology. The easiest way around those limits in terms of increasing depth is using a bigger coil, so I'll be surprised if that machine gets deeper than any of the current Minelabs.

 

[Old California]

Hey Tom,

Not more depth over an eTrac or an Explorer but an Excalibur is what my post above is referring too. Reread my post, you'll see the depth improvement was over an Excalibur.

Take care Tom see you in later in the year,
Paul (Ca)

 

[Critterhunter]

Well, the Xcal is based on the old XS Sovereign from what I hear. Most say the latest Sovereign is a good bit deeper. You can do a lot for the Xcal by putting a bigger coil on it. A lot of them only have the 8" coil, or are using the old BBS 10" coil which didn't work as well as the new 10" Tornado. And then there's the 12x10, S-12, new 13" Ultimate Coil, or the WOT that will get you just as deep as anything out there IMHO. I still say that when it comes to how far Minelab has pushed VLF technology performance in terms of FBS and even the older multifrequency that some models use that it's all about coil size to really see gains in depth in any of these machines. They are all pretty much maxed out depth wise in terms of what the machine is doing. The coil is the key to increasing that. That's why I'll be real surprised if that new machine has any better depth than the existing machines using the same sized coil.

 

[Nuke em]

I have heard of

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Ok, yes, you were saying more depth over the Excal, I see. But the depth of the Excal and the Explorer are about the same, IMHO. And therefore if that is true, then it's like you were saying this would therefore go deeper than excals and explorers. That's where I was digressing with you. From what I understand, it's just whistles, bells, water-proofing, etc.... Nothing new under the actual hood. No added depth, or superior TID, etc.... right?