White’s Electronics MXT 300 User Manual

Page 31

Chapter 6 MXT 300 Searching

PROSPECTING MODE

The Prospecting MODE will require greater pa-

tience to use compared to the Coin & Jewelry and

Relic MODEs. It is designed to locate all varieties

of metal alloys and then give some indications as to

if the metal being detected is made of ferrous (iron)

or nonferrous (not iron).

As the name and target labels imply, the Prospect-

ing MODE is designed to ﬁ nd gold nuggets, how-

ever, these settings and features will also respond to

all metal alloys including common coins.

In the primary Trigger (on the hand grip) center po-

sition, any target likely to be iron (ferrous) produces

an audio grunt and any metal target not readily

identiﬁ ed as iron (nonferrous) produces a traditional

VCO pitched beep (zip sound). With the Trigger (on

the hand grip) in the forward position, or squeezed

and held position, all metals produce the same tra-

ditional VCO pitched beep (zip sound) and ground

tracking doesn't occur.

The 1st choice a user should consider is the selec-

tion of an appropriate TRAC toggle setting for the

area. The Ground setting and Salt settings should

be almost self explanatory. If you are searching

in typical ground, use the TRAC Ground setting.

If you are in a salt water or desert alkali ground

condition, use the TRAC Salt setting. When to use

the Lock setting can be less obvious. If it seems

like something is wrong with the detector, wildly

ﬂ uctuating Threshold hum (only during search coil

passes), try the Lock setting. Before switching to

the Lock setting, be sure to pump the search coil

up and down over the ground a few times in the

Trac Ground or Salt setting to insure that you have

achieved proper ground balance for that area. If

the detector smooths out and starts operating more

predictably in Lock, you made the correct choice.

If there isn't any change, you may need to return

to the Ground or Salt setting and either reduce the

Gain control counterclockwise and/or increase the

Dual control (SAT) clockwise and try again. An

area littered with man made iron would dictate the

Lock setting. On the other hand an area with very

inconsistent ground would not, such an area would

dictate Reduced Gain and/or higher SAT settings.

The 2nd choice is Gain. Some areas require, and

some operators just prefer, the more predictable

operation normal "P" or reduced Gain settings

provide. Where as others prefer to push Gain to the

limits of their patience to ﬁ nd the deepest targets.

There is a point of diminishing returns either indi-

cated by the display telling you to lift the loop due

to a Gain setting to high for the ground, or a user

missing targets because they can not sort them from

sporadic noise experienced at high Gain.

The 3rd choices goes hand in hand with the Gain

setting and is the SAT speed or level controlled by

the DUAL CONTROL. Higher (faster) SAT speeds

are more user friendly, however, may compromise

some sensitivity particularly to small nuggets as

well as adding additional search coil sweep require-

ments. On the other hand faster SAT will allow for

higher Gain settings and more inconsistent ground

conditions. A balancing act must be achieved be-

tween the Gain control and SAT speed that provides

both good performance and enough stability to

recognize nuggets from ground or external noise.

A new SAT feature "Hyper SAT", provides for the

most extreme conditions with very unique charac-

teristics.

The 4th choice is Threshold level. It is best to

search with a continuous hum or threshold (edge of

sound). You can hear smaller and/or deeper nug-

gets and be made aware when the SAT speed is

doing its job maintaining the Threshold hum. It,

however, also requires more patience and concen-

tration. Finding the Threshold, and then setting

the Threshold just counterclockwise of it, provides

good performance for those who can not tolerate the

continuous Threshold hum.

The 5th choice is if you prefer the normal Primary

search MODE, Trigger (on hand grip) in center

position, that provides a distinctive grunt on iron, or

the Trigger forward position that produces the same

VCO audio tone for all targets.

Chapter 6 MXT 300 Searching