XL-PRO best coin hunting mode

[david bull]

I've used an XL-PRO for several years and have recently gone over some of my sites with Minelab detectors(Sovereign & Etrac).I dug coins/relics at most sites which I had obviously missed with the Pro.I hunt in geb disc and I am curious if the faster sweep speed versus the slower Minelab sweep speed caused these missed targets to be masked.I know the geb/sat mode on the Pro uses a slower sweep but does anyone use this mode on a regular basis?Thanks,David

 

[Hombre]

G.E.B. SAT mode works good if you have the tone mod, this way you do not have to look at the meter all the time.

It is not going to work good in dense trash, a slow sweep detector will out hunt it. I like to use the G.E.B. Disc. mode with a 6½" BullsEye coil in moderate trash. The Minelabs that you have will work better in the trashy sites as you already found out. A good companion detector for the XL Pro is a Mr. Bill modified IDX Pro, it uses the same coils and is a slow sweep 2 filter machine. It will find stuff behind the Minelabs.

 

[david bull]

Thanks, Hombre.I do have the tone mod and 6" coil.I really like the ferrus/conduct readout on the Etrac.I'm beginning to think there is more involved than sweep speed!

 

[Hombre]

Yeah.......I understand your statement " I'm beginning to think there is more involved than sweep speed." The IDX Pro has a fast response and quick recovery in the trashy sites, it has a simple meter and will find stuff in the iron nails. The E-Track has a lot more going on than the ferrous/conduct number readout, a lot has to do with discrimination patterns or an open screen. You never mentioned the type of ground conditions or trash type that was causing the target masking. But when hunting in the iron nails, not many detectors will trump a slow sweep, good 2 filter machine like a Tesoro Bandido or a modified White's IDX Pro both outfitted with a small coil. Try out that ETrack on Monte's nail board sometime, it can be found at AHRPS.org and tell us what you think.

 

[david bull]

I've lately dug two silvers,one a Franklin half,the other a Washington quarter, in well hunted public places.Both came out of the ground with several nails mixed in they plug.Something's going on here!

 

[Hombre]

David,

Nice finds on the Franklin half and silver quarter, glad you are having success!

Just wondering, would you care to give any particulars like coil size, settings? etc.

 

[david bull]

David,

Nice finds on the Franklin half and silver quarter, glad you are having success!

Just wondering, would you care to give any particulars like coil size, settings? etc.

The silver half was found with an old Sovereign XS with iron mask running zero disc,auto sensitivity searching by tone only(meter removed),stock coinsearch 8" coil.The silver quarter was found with an Etrac using the stock coin program,8x6 self coil,read a solid 12/46 fe/co.I run my Pro with the 6" bullseye coil,geb disc set just above nails,hot rock accept.I have found it better to run lower sensitivity for smoother operation and don't seem to lose too much depth.I think one of the biggest rookie mistakes is to try for max sensitivity,making it harder to id targets and creating falsing.Depending on where I hunt,I will dig most positive meter readings,ignore the ones that peg the meter as those are usually iron.I consider the Pro as a fun to use detector due to it's perfect balance and quick setup and very accurate target id.The tone mod is just an added bonus.Thanks,David.

 

[Hombre]

David......

I was only interested in the XL Pro settings but thanks for the Minelab settings also. I run my settings almost the same as you do except on Signal Balance, I run mine a little on the hot side. I can get away with it since I have milder ground, then I fiddle around with the Auto-Trac to get a slightly positive ground balance when checking in pinpoint mode over clean ground. Once set this way, I then "Lock" the ground balance setting and I am off hunting and able to use a slower sweep speed with my 5.3 BullsEye coil.

 

[david bull]

I got permission to search a 1933 one family owned yard today.I wanted to move pretty fast since this was a one shot deal,so I used the XL Pro,geb/disc,with the 6" bullseye coil.I dug 28 wheats,a 36 buffalo,42&44 mercs.It was pretty obvious the site had been "cherry picked" sometime in the past.After I finished,I still had some time so I broke out the Etrac to see if it would locate anymore coins.I chose an area surrounding a garden fishpond ,since it would be the most likely to produce anything that I might have missed.The only coin that I failed to find was a 36 Washington,only a few inches in the ground.I think that I probably missed it due to thinking its signal was an iron "wraparound" on the Pro and if I had tried to pinpoint ,I probably would have got it ,also.I really believe the XL Pro can hang with most high end detectors being sold today!

 

[jimmie]

Anybody selling the Pro XL tone mods ?

 

[HaroldILL.]

There not being made anymore and very few are around. It took me putting a want ad and waiting for about 6 months to find a kit,But wouldn't you know a week after I bought mine one pops up on the Classifieds. So if you want one put a want ad and wait it out. The guy who put mine in has a XL-PRO with the mod kit installed that he is thinking of selling if anyone is interested. Its the last year 05' XL-PRO made.