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Whites Spectrum XLT

Whites Metal Detectors, , ,

Thinking about buying another detector and have the Whites Spectrum XLT in mind?  It is a  a great machine.

There’s a lot of talk currently about weather the Minelab Explorer is better or not.  The Whites XLT is not as complicated as some make out, but be careful which programmes you put in off the net.  Depending on where you live some maybe good for coin-shooting in America but not for small hammered in the UK.

My advice is buy Bob Bailey’s book if you get the XLT, and use one of his programmes.

I think the C.Scope Newforce R1 was brought in to challenge the XLT…which it didn’t seem to do judging by the lack of R1s I see. My mate has had and R1 for a year or so, but has got himself an XLT because he wasn’t finding hammered. But I reckon that’s down to his bad luck more than the R1. I like the build quality of the R1 they are much more waterproof than XLT but also a bit heavier. It’s strange you never see any posts from R1 owners anywhere, the only makes people seem talk about are Laser/Tesoro Whites and Minelab.

The XLT and R1 are a similar weight and size.

The R1 comes with an extra 6″ coil but no rechargable battery pack as standard. The XLT comes with a recharge & alkaline pack as standard.

Dont be scared off by the people saying “its too complicated”, its really not.

Good Metal Detectors For Beginners?

Metal Detecting Tips

Get a detector with discrimination

I would suggest you buy something which has discrimination, this lets you know what signals are iron and what aren’t. I started off with a machine which does not have this and was forever digging up nails, broken bits of plough etc.

Also it may be an idea to get a second-hand machine first just in case it turns out that you don’t really like the hobby.  You could do worse than look on E-bay.  There are always loads of detectors at what seem reasonable prices.

You have to have permission from the landowner or you could have your equipement confiscated, but trust me this is a fun game. It doesn’t always happen at once, you have to perservere, not all fields have finds. Ploughed land I think is the best to detect on but any land will do at the beginning, if there’s a Public Footpath on it even better.

Anyway, to all beginners out there I wish you luck but beware this hobby can be addictive and it’s not just a case of going somewhere where there was say a historical road.  From my experience you just never know where the good finds will turn up.

Definitely get a discriminator.  Apart from that just go get a machine and have fun.

Whites XLT on the beach?

Whites Metal Detectors, ,

A few people have mentioned that XLTs are not good for detecting on the beach.

My suggestion is if you are getting lots of signals but there is nothing there then this is probably due to sea water storing electricity like a battery and you get a signal from it. I think that’s why they say they are not up to beach detecting.  You might have better luck if you try using it on the drier sand.

I don’t bother detecting on the beach with my Whites XLT, but I know quite a few who do detect on the beach with the XLT and I believe its fine.

I think its a case of setting your machine up right, I know Bob Baileys book has 2 beach programmes in it. Set your xlt up for mineralised search conditions, air and ground balance it on the very dry sand.  Try to stay on the dry sand but if you do detect on the wet sand don’t let your search coil come into contact with it.

Although PI detectors get much more depth (but little discrimination) these are designed just for the beach.  Other than that the Minelab explorer xs is the best all rounder I have used on the beach.