What's the learning curve

[TURNMASTER]

Sorry for not searching for 2 hours to find the answer.

But, how steep is the learning curve. I am running an Xterra 705 and an Explorer SE now. I am doing about 70% with the Xterra. I have been considering a trade; SE for GT or towards an Excal. How much do I really gain, how much simpler to run is the Sov. I know some of you guys have ran the Explorer series before.

I still may try a Pro coil before I do that though.

Thanks
Jeff

 

[Rick(ND)]

Jeff,

The Sovereign like the GT has the learning curve and to learn it depends on the person and how much time they spend using it. I found the Sovereign took a while for me, but once it click it wasn't so hard anymore plus you learn more every time out with it. To set up the detector the Sovereign is much easier and we say it is more of a turn on a go detector where the Explorers have so many different setting which is good if you really understand them and set it for the area your in. The biggest mistake many make with the Explorer is copy others setting that live in a different area which will not work for them in their area. The Sovereign you can copy others setting with in reason and still do good once you get to now that Sovereign.
Now what you will be learning in the learning curve is going slow which you also do with your Explorer. also with the Sovereign it keeps the tone of the last target it see, but the volume changes over the target. With this the tones are always changing and nulling and a null will come back with a very low tone (more of a growl). With the Explorer the tones will change them go back to the normal threshold which sometimes is very small so you have to listen closer not to miss the tone change of the target as when deep it is a very fast tone and back to threshold while the Sovereign you know easier with the tone of the last target staying until the next target. This is some of the thing you will be learning in the learning curve. Those the go from the Explorer too the Sovereign find it harder to get used to the Sovereign while those that go from the Sovereign to the Explorer can learn the Explorer faster it seems. I have use all the different Sovereigns and the Explorers and like them both, but to me the Sovereigns I can do better with getting good targets versa trash than I can with the Explorers and to me the E-trac will also do better than the Explorers for me. I use a GT and the E-Trac now and like them both, but the GT I know better so I favor it more as i want more good targets for each hour I detect. The E-Trac i use more for the tougher areas as i feel it can see more good targets masked by trash the GT may not get a signal or one I would normally dig, so both are needed by me and my hunting.

 

[TURNMASTER]

Thanks Rick.

Anybody else?

 

[JimmyCT]

Hi Turnmaster,

I am new to the GT but not to metal detecting. I have only been using mine for almost a month. Total different animal then other detectors I have used. Like Rick mentioned go slow and learn the tones. I have a sunray DTI meter on mine which to me, really helps to learn the subtle tones. ( I have some hearing loss so the meter is a must for me) One thing I am really enjoying is the tone of the last target staying until the next target.(RickND mentioned this in his message) I feel this really helps me out with last target id. I do not have a lot of experience yet, but I feel overtime, this will be the best detector I will have ever owned. To setup the machine and go is a matter of a minute or less. For me, I leave it Iron Mask ON, light threshold hum, leave the TRACK / FIX / P/point switch on pinpoint, leave disc and notch off (completely counter-clockwise, volume full blast, and sensitivity on auto (auto for now until I learn more by fooling around with it in manual settings)

Like I had mentioned to Ricknd, if there wasn't this forum to help me out, I would of quit before I even started. Do not let this statement discourage you, but empower you as many on here are wicked smart with experience in running the GT. This forum accelerated the learning curve of the GT for me. I was reading through articles here on findmall months before I bought the detector. By the time I decided to plunk down the money and purchased it, I had a lot of book knowledge on the operation of the detector. Now, it was time to put "theory into practice" In the very short time of owning the GT, I love what I am seeing with the capabilities of this detector.

Should you decide to purchase, always remember that you have "technical support" here on findmall. Everyone here on findmall are wonderful with helping with questions. - Jim

 

[TURNMASTER]

Yes the people here are always a great help.

 

[Smudge]

A detectorist I once knew said you had to put in at least 100 hours on any machine, even different models by the same company, before you really understood it and could judge how well it works for you.

I have found that to be sound advice.

 

[Rick(ND)]

n/t

 

[Rick(ND)]

Your setting are right on, or the way I have found to be the best from experience with the Sovereigns. To me also the meter is a must and really save time and find I dig less trash and once you know the tones the meter is another way to help ID those odd signals, also those deep targets that are all so iffy the 180 meter helps so much for me. also agree with you that many would have not kept the Sovereigns if it wasn't for this forum and the help of those that have the experience with their Sovereigns to keep pushing others not to give up.
I bet there are many that would have gave up after a week or 2 if it wasn't for this forum to help those get over the learning curve, I know I would have back in 1996 when I tried a Sovereign as I read about all the finds being found, got one and read what i could and ask some questions of those well experienced and still though a lot of this was BS, but one day it all clicked and my worked out place was like it was reseeded with older and deeper coins.
I had a guy buy a used Sovereign from me I knew worked good as I always use them before I sell them in case someone has tinkered with them, this guy after a week thought I was lying to him about how great it was and I kept telling him it worked good and just keep learning and using it. After 2 weeks he was doing OK and after 3 weeks he really started liking it and after a month his hunting partners didn't like hunting with him as he was finding everything that was good while they were digging trash. He said he sure was mighty glad I didn't let him give up.
I would like to ask that question to other, were you ready to give up in the first week?? Glad you didn't??

 

[kered]

If you have ever used Pitch hold on the Explorer/Etrac it is similar to the way the sovereign works, only difference being the sovereign will give you a much richer and more informative sound when over the target than probably any detector ever made, sometimes you can distinguish the bridge on the new pulltabs or the hole in a ring when going slow. As Rick says you learn every outing. Settings are usually picked up fairly quick but the tones take a bit longer and also realising how slow the sov can be swung and still work. If you like to swing fast its not for you.

 

[Tony in FL]

I started out with an Excal as my first machine and have been using it for about 1.5 years. Finding two gold rings my first few weeks out got me hooked on treasure hunting. I experimented, read books and Internet forums, and used it in the field. I think that the Excal (and probably the Sov as it basically the same technology) is such than one can quickly become productive but at the same time can spend years mastering.

 

[JimmyCT]

For me, I know I wasn't going to give up in the first week as I was determined to figure this machine out. On the same hand, I suppose I could say I wanted to "throw up" my hands and say "forget this crap"
lol. Yes, discouragement was there, but I knew the meter was on the way that would assist me in learning the tones. What was more aggravating than learning the tones was pinpointing. I think a vein was going to pop on my forehead trying to precisely locate the item in the ground. I would walk back into my house and put the machine away and "cool off". Then the thought of mastering the pinpoint would "knaw" at me. I would start thinking about it and figuring it out in my mind how I was going to tame this beast. Then I would log onto findmall and ask / vent here. In a very short time, ( and reading many posts here) I had pretty much figured this pinpointing out. Yes, I am glad I stuck with the machine. Whether it is riding a bike, or becoming a professional bowler, marksman, whatever the hobby / interest one wants to excel in, much time must be dedicated to becoming a 'professional" in it. Right now, I am obviously a "rookie" but one day (depending how much I get out and learn the machine) maybe in 10-15 years from now, I can have "sargeant" status.

My first few days in my backyard, I found some clad coins and a couple of buttons that other detectors had missed. So I was intriqued by the machine. Although frustrating at first, I was thinking to myself, wow, this machine is picking things up missed by other top end units. Then I went over to one of my local parks and started picking up wheat pennies in an area previously picked over (several times by other top brand detectors( that I know of) That made me feel like this machine had a lot of potential that I didn't even tap into yet. (getting to know the sensitivity settings, turning up the target volume and going ever so slow and listening in between the junk signals. (meter makes it much easier to do) There was so much junk in this one little spot, but I kept thinking back to findmall and the articles people posted (such as yourself) and reminded myself slow down and listen very carefully to the tones. When I would locate a signal, I would sometimes close my eyes and "see" with my ears and listen and listen and listen. My brother that was with me thought I was nuts because I was taking so long to cover such a small area. However, he walked over 5 wheat cents. He did find the only silver (1917 mercury dime) that day but said to me later on, " because you are so thorough you will eventually find something better then my 1825 large cent" Hopefully, one day, I will locate a great find like his. Until then...

Your setting are right on, or the way I have found to be the best from experience with the Sovereigns. To me also the meter is a must and really save time and find I dig less trash and once you know the tones the meter is another way to help ID those odd signals, also those deep targets that are all so iffy the 180 meter helps so much for me. also agree with you that many would have not kept the Sovereigns if it wasn't for this forum and the help of those that have the experience with their Sovereigns to keep pushing others not to give up.
I bet there are many that would have gave up after a week or 2 if it wasn't for this forum to help those get over the learning curve, I know I would have back in 1996 when I tried a Sovereign as I read about all the finds being found, got one and read what i could and ask some questions of those well experienced and still though a lot of this was BS, but one day it all clicked and my worked out place was like it was reseeded with older and deeper coins.
I had a guy buy a used Sovereign from me I knew worked good as I always use them before I sell them in case someone has tinkered with them, this guy after a week thought I was lying to him about how great it was and I kept telling him it worked good and just keep learning and using it. After 2 weeks he was doing OK and after 3 weeks he really started liking it and after a month his hunting partners didn't like hunting with him as he was finding everything that was good while they were digging trash. He said he sure was mighty glad I didn't let him give up.
I would like to ask that question to other, were you ready to give up in the first week?? Glad you didn't??

 

[Snoopy36]

Like you I own an X-Terra 705 and have had that for just over a year. I have been quite successful with it.

A couple of months ago I bought a Sovereign GT mainly to use on the beaches. Man this machine is powerful! Makes the x-terra look real weak on the beach. The Sov GT punches deep and punches hard

Then last Friday I went for a beach hunt but not having much luck I went back to what I thought was a hunted out park (by me with the X-Terra). I decided to give the Sov GT a run in the park and the result was amazing! In an area about 10 sq m, where I pulled out heaps of coins with the xterra until there was 'none' left, the Sov GT managed to find 7 silvers and two large copper coins. I just could not believe that the x-terra missed these coins! I mean there were two hunts in the end where I found nothing with the xterra on that same spot and then there were coins when armed with the SovGT.

You can't go wrong. Go for it!

 

[Gerry]

Jeff, I keep a log when beach hunting, I mark hours spent verses finds etc. I noticed the other day when reviewing my log at the 42 hour mark using the Excal, I wrote I think I am catching onto this machine. That is to say I was beginning to get the hang of it but it took another 50 -100 hours to really have confidence in what I was doing with it.

GREAT MACHINE