Minelab X-TERRA 70 Target IDs, tips, questions

Thanks for the reply's...

i like mine awesome machine on beach and coin, i have 5 coils for it. i go where people tell me not too they saying been cleaned out, but funny thing i always do good then. also i used the tiny coil in river edges to find hot spot to snipe works quite well that way.

Hi guys,

Just got myself an Xterra 70 and want to get some headphones for it, the Koss UR30s seem to be the standard. Can anyone recommend anything else or should I just go down to mines den and pick some up?

Thanks,
Jonathon

The Koss headphones should be fine, though they do like to slip off your head all the time, and don't isolate ambient noise as well as some of the more expensive headsets. If you are willing to spend a bit more, DetectorPro or Sunray offer some good general and specialty gold detecting headphones, though it will be cheaper to buy them direct from the US via ebay. You can always upgrade later on down the track.

Goldpick said:

...If you are willing to spend a bit more, DetectorPro or Sunray offer some good general and specialty gold detecting headphones, though it will be cheaper to buy them direct from the US via ebay. You can always upgrade later on down the track.

Click to expand...

Not from what I'm seeing on eBay at today's exchange rate. FindersKeepers in Kalgoorlie have got Nugget Buster NDTs and Gray Ghost NDTs for $169 freight free to anywhere in Australia - I can't better that on eBay (and I prefer to support an Aussie business).

Check the thread on heaphones from PhaseTech. I just got the Numark brand as the mids and highs are supposed to be very good for the money and therefore capable of hearing the sweet subtle tone of gold. I don't think the Koss are in the same league as some of the better headphones out there.....if you just want a pair go stock and get the KOSS, but if you want sweet clarity and comfort do some more research on headphones full stop. Good headphones for music will have the same attributes for the detector...until someone proves otherwise.

Thanks guys, looks like there's lots of options out there. Not sure what I'll settle on but I'll keep an eye on eBay.
Nugget Buster - what great name!

Hey guys am using a x70 at moment and had it for about a year. Love how it works for coins so well but not to good in gold fields with high min soil. Any tips on good nugget finding coils or should I start looking at pi units

Have you got the round concentric coil, or the 18.75 kHz elliptical DD coil on the 70?

I purchased the 6inch DD, waterproof and 18khz for my 70.

At the end of the day, apart from great iron discrimination and ...yes it will ping on gold..... I would not be recommending the Xterra for Gold no matter what people say. It will ping on everything else too and unfortunately in hot ground, that's not a good thing. If you were to find a reef...different story!

So as much as its a great Coin/Relic, id keep it at that. If you are prospecting as a pair...perfect. Having a PI and a VLF combines both strengths.

So my opinion, don't waste time on new coils for the VLF, look for a second hand Minelab PI or comparable Whites etc. You will not look back.

On a footnote, my F1A4 (PI) was having issues pinging on ironstone similar to the VLF....was almost too sensitive. Switched to a larger coil and it now runs very sweet in hot ground. Hope that helps.

Thanks guys am running the 18.75 elleptical dd for gold but just not cutting it. Might start looking at pi units

In this months (June) issue of Gold Gem & treasure there's a short article about a guy useing a X-terra 70 with either a 6-inch mono or 15-inch DD saying he can usually jag a nugget. Might be worth a look. (The article is about finding buttons, page 8

Thanks NL will have to have a read of that story

The xterra 70 (and 705) will find gold but you need to target the right areas.

1. White pipeclay heaps

2. Quartz wash areas

3. Exposed non-mineralised bedrock

4. The slopes directly below a quartz reef mine, or the dumps themselves

For all these spots the 6" dd is the best choice.

Another spot you may find gold as well as relics is very high trash areas in the goldfields.

Nenad

Thanks phasetech very helpfull info. I'll put in a bit more time in gold fields with the 70 but would like to find at least one nugget before upgrading

Good afternoon all, Bushtrackbuddy here
I am wondering if anyone can point me in the right direction, I have an Xterra 70 that I bought new when they came out and over the years, with very little use I might add, one of the connectors in the battery compartment has been damaged from leaving the old batteries in to long between uses, yes, don't worry I've given myself a few uppercuts, where do i start looking for a replacement battery compartment.

Not sure but could be the odd one on e-bay or in the USA.

But also depends on how far the corrosion has traveled and how much other damage...

Pics would help.

BTB,

I agree, pics tell a lot of detail of the problem.

If you are not game to have a go at repairing it yourself, you need to find someone with a bit of electronics ability.
As for possible replacement parts have a look at Jaycar catalogue and see if there is something similar or can be adapted.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/search?text=battery+holder&CSRFToken=7db92580-a1b8-4372-a737-ed588e645126

Regards,

Ian

Thanks for the replies, I was able to get the battery compartment out without doing any damage and on closer inspection only half of one of the springs on the negative end was corroded.
Have cleaned it up and stretched it a bit.
Unit back up and running.

Thanks once again.

Regards
Bushtrackbuddy

Hi everyone I have been using a xterra 75 which I bought about 15 years ago only recently started using it last 3 months parks etc found over $220. In coins + pennies & 2 florins is their any better coils that would suit my machine I am using the standard coil it came with