Finding small gold with Minelab Explorer SE

In another thread it was talked about the Explorers' lack of sensitivity to small gold. People were curious as to how come such a matter could be with the multitude of frequencies put out by the detector as this quote puts it:

Detector said:

SNIPP

Both the FBS and White's multi-frequency systems have advantages. The one thing that has always confused me with the FBS is that it is killer on deep silver, but lacks in the gold area. One would think using up to 100khz would kill on gold, but that doesn't seem to be the case. Oh well, the right detector for the right job.

SNIPP

Click to expand...

I have gold samples in the sizes of 1 grain, 2 grain and 3 grain.

I always figured that my Minelab Explorer SE wasn't using the 100KHz frequency all the time; this depending on wich channel it was when we noise cancel automatically or manually.

I have therefore made some tests playing with the channels and looking at the most sensitive one.
I also established that Ferrous rejection could only be set at 31 at most to obtain a reading of my small samples, Conductivity readings were in the 00 to 05 range.

It was mandatory that I set the DEEP option to ON for any detection sensitivity and consistency

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that I have tested with the default 10.5 inches SlimLine coil and it was not as good as my 4.5" x 7" DD Excelerator coil. All tests below and their results are reflecting the use of this small DD Excelerator coil

1- I started with my 3 grain sample and sensitivity at default of 22 and channel default #5.
--> Result: the sample was not detected

2- I then changed channel to #1 and kept same sentivity of 22
-->Result: 3 grain gold sample was Detected with some intermittence

3- I set sensitivity to 23, nothing else changed.
--> Result: The sample was detected with consistency

4- I tried now with channel #2, 3 grain sample, sensitivity 23.
-->Result: the sample was detected with some loss of consistency

5- I tried now with channel #3, 3 grain sample, sensitivity 23.
-->Result: the sample was detected with intermittence.

6- I tried now with channel #4, 3 grain sample, sensitivity 23.
-->Result: the sample was not detected

7- I reverted to channel #1, used the 2 grain sample, sensitivity 23.
--> Result: the 2 grain sample was not detected

8- Still on channel #1, 2 grain sample, sensitivity now at 25.
--> Result: the 2 grain sample was detected

Conclusions:

-Any channel above #3(three) wasn't sensitive to small gold.
-Sensitivity needs to be at minimum set at 23 on most sensitive channel.
-You need to be in "All Metal" with "Iron Mask" set at 32. At 31 it will detect also but less consistently.
-Deep option(in Recovery sub-menu) needs to be set to ON
-Detection of the sample is most sensitive within 2 inches of ends of the DD coils' center blade.
-these findings are also verifiable with the Sunray inline probe fitted on my Explorer SE

So it appears we are using these gold sensitive high frequencies only on channel #1 to #3.

-Also, I will need to obtain small gold ear pins to verify their coordinates as to the Fer-Cond numbers, to see if one can set more Ferrous rejection than 31 with these targets
UPDATE: I obtained small gold ear pins and they were reading often at 31 of Ferrous content! So do not discriminate out 31 if you want every bit of small gold.

I hope this thread will catch on with current users and others. I'm hoping this will have people report that they have found something golden that they know they wouldn't have in the past

Lets say you find a medal and before this knowledge, it was almost assured an Explorer user wouldn't find the small chain. But now with this new knowledge, the person succeeds in finding the small chain to the medal, this would now be awesome!

Enjoy!