Minelab X-terra 705 General Tips, Advice, Questions

[Goldpick]

What is your main objective when detecting - coins/relics, beach detecting or prospecting? Nothing wrong with the 705, it has been quite a popular detector in the past and many people have had good success with it. It has now been superseded by the Equinox range, though that means prices have also dropped making it much more affordable. It will definitely be a step up from the Ace 150 which as you may know is very much a beginners detector.

If you have beach detecting mind, it may prove worthwhile upgrading to at least the Equinox 600 for more stable operation on wet sand or in the water using multi-frequencies vs the single selectable frequency 705.

 

[Northeast]

Heaps of info here. https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15568

No personal experience with a 705.

I know Roy Cobb on here recently upgraded from a 705 to an Equinox and I believe he is very pleased with the change.

You could PM him for some more info or he may pop up here with some comments.

X-Terra 705 $580 at Miners Den at present.

Equinox 600 $899.

 

[roy cobb]

Thanks NE yes I had a 705 as many others on here have and they are are great detector for the dollars so it would depend on your budget kindu .
Roy

 

[kindu]

What is your main objective when detecting - coins/relics, beach detecting or prospecting? Nothing wrong with the 705, it has been quite a popular detector in the past and many people have had good success with it. It has now been superseded by the Equinox range, though that means prices have also dropped making it much more affordable. It will definitely be a step up from the Ace 150 which as you may know is very much a beginners detector.

If you have beach detecting mind, it may prove worthwhile upgrading to at least the Equinox 600 for more stable operation on wet sand or in the water using multi-frequencies vs the single selectable frequency 705.

Thanks Goldpick for you're input, at the moment the 705 is in my price range, I was also looking at the Bounty Hunter Land ranger, but kept looking back at the 705, I also live about 100 meters from a beach, so thats one of the reasons I was looking at it, so thanks again for you're input

 

[VicGoldHunter]

So i took my 705 out for the first time after reading the manual and watching some youtube videos on the detector. I just had a few issues with the detector which left me kind of frustrated and not enjoying myself all that much.
I was working and old gold mine area with TONS of junk around, i put on the DD gold 18Hz coil that comes with the dual pack and just walked around randomly lol. I was starting to get very put off though and didnt know what to dig and what not to i just had no idea what i was doing.

1. I couldn't understand the sounds the detector was making, it acted like there was stuff absolutely every where i swung it. and when i dug it just continuously moved around and made it really hard pinpointing exactly where the target was. I ended up not knowing what to dig. Half the time the sound would just cut out then start again.

2. the warble sound was very inconsistent, it would change pitch when i went over a certain area then stop and not do it again or would do it but only in one direction etc just very confusing.

3. How do you pinpoint targets? i was getting multiple targets sometimes but ended up digging for ages just trying to find it. Seemed harder than it should have been.

I also was wearing steel cap boots which i thought might be contributing to the issues i was having. and had keys and phone in my pocket. I noise cancelled and ground balanced it to.


Thanks guys hope you can help

 

[VicGoldHunter]

I was having this exact same thing happen today on my first day out with the 705, constant sounds that would stop then start but then not work from certain directions like you has left to right etc. I ended up digging lots of holes and finding nothing the sound would just dissapear

 

[roy cobb]

How high did you have your sensitivity set.
Roy

 

[Northeast]

Evening VGC.

Haven't used an Xterra before but a few simple things to check could be that the coil connections are nice and firm at both ends and that the coil cable is wrapped firmly and secured around the shaft as the cable moving will create noise.

Putting your phone on the opposite side of your body should fix the issue there. Keys shouldn't make any difference.

Were you using a speaker or headphones? Just check connections, etc there.

When first using a detector it is also probably worth starting at an almost clean site and practice finding small bits of aluminium, lead, etc (they should simulate small gold re: VID's and tones). Starting in thick iron and being able to sort out all the noise is a big ask.

And as Roy is about to suggest, turning down your sensitivity may help so that the unit isn't just overloaded with so many intense signals.

There is also a thread here that you may not have seen that may help https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=15568

Best of luck. I hope you get things under control

 

[savage bitter]

So i took my 705 out for the first time after reading the manual and watching some youtube videos on the detector. I just had a few issues with the detector which left me kind of frustrated and not enjoying myself all that much.
I was working and old gold mine area with TONS of junk around, i put on the DD gold 18Hz coil that comes with the dual pack and just walked around randomly lol. I was starting to get very put off though and didnt know what to dig and what not to i just had no idea what i was doing.

1. I couldn't understand the sounds the detector was making, it acted like there was stuff absolutely every where i swung it. and when i dug it just continuously moved around and made it really hard pinpointing exactly where the target was. I ended up not knowing what to dig. Half the time the sound would just cut out then start again.

2. the warble sound was very inconsistent, it would change pitch when i went over a certain area then stop and not do it again or would do it but only in one direction etc just very confusing.

3. How do you pinpoint targets? i was getting multiple targets sometimes but ended up digging for ages just trying to find it. Seemed harder than it should have been.

I also was wearing steel cap boots which i thought might be contributing to the issues i was having. and had keys and phone in my pocket. I noise cancelled and ground balanced it to.


Thanks guys hope you can help

hi buddy I used a 705 in the gold fields and it was the biggest pain in the ass I tried dropping the sens down adjusted to try and get some sense out of it a phone in your pocket wont make any difference it picked up every hot rock and some times just dug holes to find nothing the 705 is a good relic machine and I found a lot of coins with it but as a gold machine you are wasting your time minilab should never of called it a gold machine mate save up and buy a sdc or a 4500

 

[Smoky bandit]

I would say save up and get something suited for gold and save the frustration

what ?? a nox :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Plenty of gold being found all over the world with the Nox...Especially when used in the right conditions..
Dont see any reports of gold being found with the CTX

 

[Smoky bandit]

I was having this exact same thing happen today on my first day out with the 705, constant sounds that would stop then start but then not work from certain directions like you has left to right etc. I ended up digging lots of holes and finding nothing the sound would just dissapear

False targets mate..Use Auto tracking...A real target will be much harder to track out.Only dig repeatable targets until you get used to it.

 

[Smoky bandit]

The 705 will false alot.
You just have to learn what's a real target and what's not.
It's a real challenge that puts almost every one off the 705... but once you learn it it will find you shallow gold in the right conditions.
Especially when using the 6inch coil over shallow bedrock.

 

[Ded Driver]

I was having this exact same thing happen today on my first day out with the 705, constant sounds that would stop then start but then not work from certain directions like you has left to right etc. I ended up digging lots of holes and finding nothing the sound would just dissapear

yep, answers stated previously. When mine does weird oop: I just tweak the sensitivity down a tad, & I use Auto.
Although we have Ilmenite (Mineral Sands) in some areas of our beaches here & a bit too much of that can make it misbehave if the sensitivity is up high.

 

[AngerManagement]

705 is a sweet machine, but in gold fields and or wet salty sand, you will need to make a few changes and Sensitivity and swing speed is critical..

Iron and hot rocks will play with your mind...

Other than the SDC2300 very few machines are turn on and go and all machines behave differently. You could watch 101 utube but unless they were all done by people and in the area your hunting, much of what the user will be doing will not be relevant.

As smokey bandit says, you have to learn what is a target and what is noise and that means practice.

Once you have 50 or 75 hrs you will be getting there and if you get Gold and under 150hrs plus of hunting, you are doing well.

 

[VicGoldHunter]

How high did you have your sensitivity set.
Roy

I havent changed it so I assume just on stock settings

 

[Trash]

Minelab put out a free downloadable book on the Xterra

https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/258668/Understanding your X-TERRA A4 size.pdf

 

[Trash]

https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/258668/Understanding your X-TERRA A4 size.pdf

 

[roy cobb]

How high did you have your sensitivity set.
Roy

I havent changed it so I assume just on stock settings

You need to adjust sensitivity to suit ground and if you where in the gold fields and it was set too high it would very hard to use the 705.

 

[AB]

It's hard yakka with the Xterra 705 unfortunately in the gold fields.

I started off with an Xterra 705 and it drove me mad to be honest. The only way it was somewhat usable was to turn the sensitivity to single digits almost which misses a lot. It's been a while but I think level 8-10 was the lowest I would go otherwise any less than that was almost pointless.

It falses a lot and will drive you mad but maybe buy a 1/2 gram little nugget and get the feel for the sound it makes, take it with you and hear what the sound makes will definitely help in identifying.

 

[VicGoldHunter]

How high did you have your sensitivity set.
Roy

I havent changed it so I assume just on stock settings

You need to adjust sensitivity to suit ground and if you where in the gold fields and it was set too high it would very hard to use the 705.

sensitivity was on 20 and i went out again today im not even in heavy mineralised ground i dont think only 40 mins out from melbourne. same problem constant false singles and dug so many hot rocks i think they were, very orange and gave a faint signal. I just gave up and ignored most of the signals unless it was something i was sure was something worth digging like a consistent signal.