xterra 705 erratic

[lerafe]

Hello,
I haven't been out much lately but the few times I have the xterra 705 is (or becomes) really erratic. It is hard to pick out good signals, it seems like only large signals give a good reading.

The numbers jump all over the place and this is in more then one location. I have tried turning down the sensitivity which SOMETIMES help, but I have to go really low sometimes, and this is in all locations even sites I have hunted before with no problems.

The audio sounds like fast continuous Morse code.
Any Help would be appreciated,
Thanks Lee

 

[Old Longhair]

Check all battery and coil connections.
Try a factory reset.
Then try a different coil if possible.
Make sure that you don't have a cell phone turned on in your pocket.
Underground fences and Wi-fi routers in the area can also cause issues.

Let us know if you still have a problem after going through this list.

 

[lerafe]

Check all battery and coil connections.
Try a factory reset.
Then try a different coil if possible.
Make sure that you don't have a cell phone turned on in your pocket.
Underground fences and Wi-fi routers in the area can also cause issues.

Let us know if you still have a problem after going through this list.

Thanks Longhair,
I did notice this after a battery change.
Only one coil, so far. Not always carring cell phone

What can I check on battery connections?

I will try a reset and see what hapens.
Thanks

 

[michaelosully]

Clean between the coil and cover too.

 

[mapper65]

I had this same problem with one of my coils. I had to run the sensitivity down to between 3 & 7 before the chattering completely went away and I was typically able to run sensitivity at 30 or slightly below. Ironically it was my least used coil but I probably had 6 or 7 hours on and it and it was always stored in a temperature and humidity controller environment. It seemed like one day I decided to use it and it had the problem. I tried resetting my detector and that had no effect on it. The coil was still under warranty and Minelab replaced it.

 

[Billium]

Check all battery and coil connections.
Try a factory reset.
Then try a different coil if possible.
Make sure that you don't have a cell phone turned on in your pocket.
Underground fences and Wi-fi routers in the area can also cause issues.

Let us know if you still have a problem after going through this list.

What is the deal with the cell phone? Does the RF cause interference? I have always had my cell with me.

 

[Old Longhair]

What can I check on battery connections?

Just check to see that none of the contact tabs are bent or corroded.

What is the deal with the cell phone? Does the RF cause interference? I have always had my cell with me.

Yes. Your cell phone is in contact with the tower every six seconds, even when not in use. And RF harmonics do interfere, since you are using radio waves to excite the target metals that then generate the eddy current that your machine then receives and (based on programming) interprets.

 

[Billium]

What can I check on battery connections?

Just check to see that none of the contact tabs are bent or corroded.

What is the deal with the cell phone? Does the RF cause interference? I have always had my cell with me.

Yes. Your cell phone is in contact with the tower every six seconds, even when not in use. And RF harmonics do interfere, since you are using radio waves to excite the target metals that then generate the eddy current that your machine then receives and (based on programming) interprets.

Wow! Thanks Old Longhair. I had never heard that. I am guessing just being around others with cell phones may cause the same issue. Is this assumption correct?
Some times my machine seems to act funny so I end up doing multiple noise cancels and GB's per hunt.
There have been numerous times I think "She just doesn't seem to be running right". This must be the cause.
I have a smart phone so I can simply put into "airplane" mode which turns the radio off and I can still have a camera/video and communication with me when I need it.
When it drops below 95-100 degrees here I can get out and try this.

 

[BillF]

When you say you have communication, what do you mean? I put mine in airplane mode and tried calling it, it went straight to voicemail. If I was expecting a call I wouldn't get it.

I have a smart phone so I can simply put into "airplane" mode which turns the radio off and I can still have a camera/video and communication with me when I need it.

 

[Billium]

When you say you have communication, what do you mean? I put mine in airplane mode and tried calling it, it went straight to voicemail. If I was expecting a call I wouldn't get it.

I have a smart phone so I can simply put into "airplane" mode which turns the radio off and I can still have a camera/video and communication with me when I need it.

BillF
You are correct. If you are expecting a call you will not get it. I am just thinking each time I take a break I can turn airplane mode off and check for missed calls, VM, txt, etc. At that point I can return calls or messaging. I usually check the phone every 1/2hr anyway. And the whole time I still have my 8mp camera. Also when in airplane mode the battery lasts a very LONG time.

 

[lerafe]

A reset worked great, it seemed to straighten it out BUT when I swiched to a new area it was slightly erratic, but there were a lot of power lines.

I will try it again at another spot and see what happens

 

[Old Longhair]

Glad to hear that it's better.

As for changing sites and having it seem erratic again....
I was hunting an1850's home this evening, and it has the toughest conditions that I can remember ever coming across. I'd already worked part of the place with the 15" 3kHz coil, but wanted to play closer to the house tonight. Since I had already been there with the 705, and already had an 8" coil on the Explorer SE, I decided to start out with the Explorer this time. Even with the 8" coil it was virtually un-huntable with that machine. It was unbelievable, like literally hunting a landfill. So I went back the the van and changed coils on the 705 (put the 6" Digger on). It is still more work than I think it will be worth, but at least I can pick my way through it. So far, the best find from there is the nicest #4 Petal Bell that I've ever found.

Point being, that a new site can have conditions that you didn't imagine. So it's possible that what seems erratic is actually reality.

 

[Billium]

Check all battery and coil connections.
Try a factory reset.
Then try a different coil if possible.
Make sure that you don't have a cell phone turned on in your pocket.
Underground fences and Wi-fi routers in the area can also cause issues.

Let us know if you still have a problem after going through this list.

How do you do a factory reset?

 

[BillF]

Hold the menu button and turn it on. It will show FP. You only have to hold it down for a couple seconds.

 

[Billium]

Thanks. I didn't see that in the manual. Probably didn't look good enough. Think I will do it whether it needs it or not.

 

[BillF]

I know I probably dont need to, but I've been doing mine once every couple of weeks. I dont have anything programmed into it myself so no big deal.

 

[Old Longhair]

Think I will do it whether it needs it or not.

Some consider it to be periodic maintenance Bill. Once every couple of months probably isn't a bad idea even if it seems OK.

Some of these glitches aren't just ugly things that rear up and cause big problems. Some can be innocuous enough so as to go unnoticed. But enough of those little unnoticed ones cumulatively can one day make your machine seem alien.

 

[cypearl]

Hold the menu button and turn it on. It will show FP. You only have to hold it down for a couple seconds.

Is it the same for XT 505 the reset procedure?

 

[Old Longhair]

Is it the same for XT 505 the reset procedure?

Yep. Just as it says on page 63 of the Users Manual.

Turn the detector off.
While pressing and holding Menu button, turn the detector back on, by pressing Power once.
During the start up sequence, release Menu button.
After the start up sequence, the factory preset message (FP), will appear for 3 seconds to indicate that Sensitivity, Ground Balance, Noise Cancel, Threshold, Volume and Tones have returned to the preset values.

 

[cypearl]

Ok, thanks a lot. The reason why is The last couple hunts was a bit erratic I could say with the low range sound like of irons and confusing me recognizing the good tones, I have n't encounter the same before in three deferent sites and I was a bit worried if my coil has been broken. I treat the coil the same manner as user above and I even applying on it my cars dashboard sun protection fluid. I use the 10.5 Mf coil and this is my favorite.