Xcal tones

Ive been youtubeing it listening to various tones the Xcal makes on targets. Sounds a lot like a plainer in a wood shop lol. It may improve my SE hunting ... because it appears to a little like hunting in LONG.... where the target tones are stretched. Also.... curious how do you hang onto both the scoop and detector? I saw some had handles close to the scoop... which seemed practical. Some appeared to have both hands on the scoop once dug for the lift.... but where did their detector go? In the surf some used a rope on the scoop... but not on the detector. Do you hang on to both? This may be an interesting learning experience.

Dew

The Sov/Excal have some of the best audio invented, it conveys tons of info.

The scoop is hung over your shoulder or dragged behind you when searching. When digging a target, NEVER leave the detector unattended or let it go. Just hold the detector in the hand that you are NOT using to scoop with...just hold it so it's standing upright with the coil falling flat on the sand. Then with the other hand you use the scoop to dig up your target. It's tricky (even more so in the water), but, you'll get the hang of it after digging 50 to 100 targets. Strongly suggest you start in the dry sand or the wet sand before going into the water

Yes njnydigger is correct.
The Excal is one of the best water if not the best of all the discriminating machines and its takes some hours to get used too. I think the hardest thing to learn on the Excal is the pinpointing...and Im still learning it.

Just wondered if you put the detector in your arm pit and leaned on it in the water. Then you slid the hand down the scoop once you make the dig to lift it? Ive used them on the dry and wet sand... cant believe its nearly the same in chest deep water. I dont think PP will be the hardest for me since im used to the DD coils. I have no doubt the Xcal is an excellent machine. The Sov is one ive always wanted just never popped for it since i live in Indiana. Aaron you used the Explorer..... dont the tones sound like the LONG setting? Its a great setting especially in trash. I might drink a lot of salt water before i learn how to use the scoop..... but im sure its going to be a ball.

Dew

It depends how deep the water is, if its over waist deep, I will let the excalibur float once I get the scoop to surface if I need to reach into it. If the water is so shallow that there is stress on the headphone cord I will let it lean on myself if I have to let it go.
Dew, the tones between a explorer and a sovereign/excalibur are totally different.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/14/2011 03:24AM by Aaron.

For professional water hunters................. use a web-belt (dive belt)...... and two 'D' rings........one on either side of the body. Then............. on the scoop (and also on the detector)..... use a brass clasp (with nylon cord) to hook to the 'D' rings on the web-belt. Once you find the target..... you can let go of the detector (as it's attached to the 'D' ring with a brass clasp and nylon cord)...... and use both hands for the scoop (after you unclip it from it's 'D' ring).

Have to agree the tones take a bit to get used to but once learned are an invaluable tool.

Tom hit the nail on the head with his setup but have seen many ways scoops have been attached.

Having said the above water hunting is another animal and takes getting used to especially pinpointing while looking thru the water and above all takes a lot of energy so eat your wheaties.

Last but not least be careful as every year we hear of drownings and the like due to undercurrents, dropoffs...or just plain disreguard for the dangers of the enviroment we are hunting in.

Pinpointing looking through the water?....shoot Dan, most of the water I'm hunting in I can't see the bottom.
Yes...hunting in the the water is entirely different, takes a lot of time and patiences.

Aaron my experience has been in freshwater although I have followed the tide out on saltwater beaches in kneedeep water. The suns rays filtering thru the water takes some getting used to. Rayban or shooters colored glasses are recommended and do help the scooping process at least in freshwater crystal clear spring fed inland lakes...
Always equated 1 hr. in the water equals 2 or 3 on land so indeed better than hitting the gym to work out...

Agreed Dan, good advice.
Unfortunately our lakes here in Michigan are becoming more and more polluted from inland motorboats ect. Last weekend I was hunting in Lake Huron, the water was really clear, more clear than I'm used too, and the sand was perfect, not a hint of clay or rocks, the scoop went through that sand like a knife through warm butter. I was working on the end of the beach where people park jet skis and boats and sunk my scoop down into sand and pulled it and up (there were some small rocks down there) and all the rocks in my scoop were just covered in oil! Then I look and all the oil started rising to the serface creating a slick. Somebody must have spilled it into the water while trying to put it in the engine. What a shame.
I guess its just like that in that Alaskan sound where the Valdez spilled 22yrs ago, or any other oil spill site, it never gos away.

I saw someone using a dive belt with what looked like a tool hock on it. He attached the bottom part of the scoop to it on his side and the handle drug the ground. This was wet sand hunting..... but my SE with pick up my hand scoop attached that away every time i swing it. Not a pro here Tom but will be in the water a lot since im retired and 5 min from the beach. I wanted one of the dive bets anyway for a place to put my finds. Ill give your setup a go. Thanks. Like they say necessity is the mother of invention...... we all find what works if we think about it.

Dew