Some more time with my Explorer XS

[bitRAKE]

I've spent about eight more hours getting to know the responses of this detector and tweeking the settings. I'm digging everything keeping mindful of the sound dynamics, depth reading, and other indicators.

If the sensitivity is too low, I get a double reading from the coil as I sweep from side to side, but with it manually adjusted as high as possible there is a solid tone.

I like the Options->Response->Audio 1 setting as the sound has more of a character based on the target.

Last weekend I had the kid I was babysitting do the digging for me, and she dug a three foot hole at the beach to find a square chunk of metal. I was impressed she stuck with me for two hours after that even though we didn't find anything. After dropping her off, I kept at it for another four hours - lots of pull tabs and bottle tops.

Do you ever get those rude people that just have to tell you how much you are wasting your time? Luckily, they are offset by a fair number of interested people.

Does anyone else think detecting has a Zen like quality? Just relaxing and following the methodical routine. Then again maybe it was the sunset - it just felt comforting to dig in the dirt.

[Martin and Athena]

Yeah I am sure we all get our share of smartasses and well meaning people as well.
The worst are the ones who try to convince you that there is no gold there.
heck I am shooting for silver, LOL.
I prefer them to leave me alone. But some are really cool and sometimes interesting conversations start.
It just appears that never cute young girls come up to talk to you.
Only old farts or kids. hehe....
If folks holler at me if I had any luck. I just smile at them and say. Only some change. No need to encourage them to bug the crap out of me. Unfortunately there are some areas where the loonies are overwhelming.
Yeah, that would be Stockton. LOL.
HH
Martin

[LodiTom]

Hey Martin your the only Looney in Stockton

Hey Bitrake once you get use to the machine you will never quit.Your right about metal detecting as zen I guess.When I'm out detecting I forget about everything else for awhile because I am focused on detecting and listing for those sound's.It's like recharging your battery's feel a little refreshed after that.HH,Tom

[bitRAKE]

Thanks for the support guys.

I went out for another couple hours today. Playing with the settings and practicing pinpointing targets. There are so many bullets in this area due to Fort Ord that target separation is a must.

One difficult dig resulted from a large chunk of metal about 14" down and a bunch of smaller stuff at 6". The settings I was using with the XS locked on to the chunk of metal giving the other targets a really strange sound and the crosshairs were jumping back and forth on the display - I thought I was crazy or the darn detector was broken! But I just kept at it until I solved the mistery - which really helped to reinforce my confidence.

I did find where lightning struck the sand and formed a weird shaped chunk of glass. Given the ash and charcoal fragments 6" down, I think it started a fire.

Found some fragments to old dishes - looks like some nice china, but I don't know dishes. If their were any coins in the area they would have been old given the other stuff I was finding. The gophers obviously ran off with them.

I'll check out some easier locations this weekend - digging in the sand in isolated areas should be for the birds.

[bitRAKE]

Another couple hours on the beach:

Lots of bullets (40+)

Alluminum foil

Metal fence pieces

Saw some baby deers they have seeded the area with.

Found a pack of Camels - they were fresh and stashed today by some kids.

Amazing sunset.

I was running sens at 30 and the XS was picking up junk in my pockets! ...and my digging tool until I put it behind my back!

[Martin and Athena]

Hey Tom,
I might be a looney.
But at least a Looney with lotsa silver for the year yet

HH
Martin