Testing The Sunray X1 Target Probe For The Minelab Explorer
by Jim Yates
(Reprinted with permission from Western & Eastern Treasures magazine March, 2002 issue)
Let me begin by stating I was never a big fan of handheld probes. Carrying as much equipment as I do into the field, I considered a probe just unnecessary added weight. Where to carry it was another concern, along with having to take off the headphones to hear it, turning it back off after each use to conserve batteries, etc., etc.
Well all that has changed with the advent of the Sunray X1 probe for the Minelab Explorer series. Like the S1 probe previously released by Sunray for the Sovereign series of Minelabs, it attaches inline with the coil cable and uses power supplied by the Explorer.
It is actually a separate 1" coil that has a small switchbox mounted underneath the upper rod arm. This enables you to switch from whatever coil you happen to be using at the time and use the Explorer's electronics to power the probe. It also allows the signals to be sent directly to your headphones, instead of forcing you to take the phones off to listen to your probe's speaker. What's more, it permits use of both discrimination and pinpoint settings from the control box, providing the advantages of using the discrimination circuitry and tone ID, so that if multiple metal targets are in the ground, you can zero in on the one you're looking for.
The probe adds very little weight to the Explorer, and the probe itself attaches with a small clamp setup to the armrest arm, or the top of the upper rod. It is waterproof and can be submersed to the point of the switchbox if you choose to do so.
When you set the detector down to recover a find, you may never have to pick it up to rescan the target area. Just remove the probe from its clamp, switch to the probe, and after cutting the initial plug, insert the probe in the hole. It will find the target without your having to get back up to rescan, or to wave handfuls of dirt in front of your searchcoil. (Hey, you can even wear your watch and rings again!)
Because it uses the Explorer's powerful electronics, the probe has a depth capability of nearly 3" in Disc. mode, and maybe a bit more in pinpoint. Not having to rescan the hole again saves tremendous amounts of time in target retrieval, and further reduces time spent on those deep, "iffy" ones. When checking less promising signals in high-iron areas, or simply because of lack of signals altogether, you can take an initial deep plug, place the probe in the hole, and if you hear no positive signals, replug and move on to the next target assured you didn't leave something behind.
The probe is much less likely to false on deep iron than the coil is, and you can be sure that if there's a good target down there the probe will "see" it, no matter how much iron or trash may be near it. On a similar note, one of the things that can happen to deep targets with some detectors (its very common in BBS and FBS technology) is that the machine may loose the target altogether after you've dug 8" or more. In such cases you may have thought it was just a ghost signal, refilled and left it behind; but with the X1 just a quick check of the hole may reveal that Seated Liberty or Capped Bust silver that's been beyond reach for so many years.
Then there's the possibility of multiple targets in the same sort of scenario. Without the probe, you hear a good signal initially, but then it disappears. Being a good detectorist, you know it's something good, so you keep working until you finally uncover it. Rechecking the spot with the coil, you hear no signal and so you go on. Well, that same hole could be hiding yet another good coin, and the probe would sense it, too. You may be happy with your single coin find, not knowing what you've missed; but once you start using the probe, I recommend a second scan with it, as well as with your coil, before refilling. You may be surprised to discover how many coins you've been leaving behind.
Here's another great use I've found for the X1. When hunting in parks or yards and getting shallow to medium deep signals, you can determine the exact location of the target. Before you even start digging, set the detector down and check just the top of the ground. If your find's within 3" of the surface, you can get the probe right over it. Also, it will generally at least lose threshold over those targets in the 3-4" range; so, you will still know you're over it, thereby greatly reducing both plug size and retrieval time, as well as causing less harm to the grass. This is very handy for getting the surface clads that can be troublesome pinpointing out of the way of the deeper good stuff. I always smile when I probe the surface and don't hear a thing but threshold, as that tells me it's at least a fairly deep target and possibly an older one.
You'll also like the fact that when hunting in very muddy soil that can hide a coin-sized target pretty well - the kind that requires getting very dirty hands when trying to locate it conventionally by waving a handful of mud under the coil - locating the target is a piece of cake for the X1, since you only have to get your fingertips muddy.
Now here's something I use it for that not everyone might think of - the accept/reject feature of the Explorer. For those of you who build reject/accept patterns with the Learn mode, the probe will do this fantastically. When you do this with the coil, it requires precise timing and very steady sweeps, or you will get reject/accept pattern all over the screen. However, with the probe having such a small footprint and also no "hot" edges like the coils have, you can build a very tight and precise pattern. Also, because the probe is less susceptible to outside interference than the coil is, you can even do this indoors. Simply take the target you want to reject or accept, set it on a table, then just move the probe tip to the target a couple of times, and its done.
I cannot say enough as to how much I enjoy using the X1 probe, and after working with it the last few months, I honestly don't know how I got along without it. As with all the Sunray products, this one is a winner. If you own a Minelab Explorer, you owe it to yourself to invest in an X1 probe.
Note: Attachment of the X1 probe requires sending in the upper rod for installation. While the turnaround time is usually less than two weeks, I recommend buying an extra rod so that you can keep on swinging while waiting for your new probe. After all, it never hurts to have a spare around anyway.
Sunray recommends that the initial probe search be in Disc. mode, then hitting the Pinpoint mode for bullseye pinpointing, and then switching back to Disc. before proceeding to retrieve the target, in order to avoid the detuning effect which may cause an annoying audio response. They also recommend being in Disc. mode before switching from probe to coil (and from coil to probe), again to avoid any unnecessary detuning noises.
For more information about the Sunray X1 probe and other accessories for Minelab detectors, visit the Sunray website at www.sunraydetector.com or any of the Minelab or Sunray forums at Findmall.com. Those without internet access can call Ralph at Sunray at (319) 636-2244 or visit your local Minelab/Sunray dealer.