dewcon4414

Yes.... mess that up and get water into the female plug area past that O ring and you could have some problems.    Ive thought about ordering this one and seeing if the threads and plug is right.

https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Headphone-Adapter-Lifeproof-iPhone/dp/B01JCX4NOO

So true Steve.   Just look at the EQ......... cell phone size, external battery supply can be used, USB capable.   Is it me or are we moving toward apps?   Obviously they would have to convince a major company to work with them..... since right now phones are different.    I could see a huge reduction for a detecting company....... fewer repairs.... they'd just replace coils the hardware would be on us. 

Interesting cable.   Do you think this will work?  https://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Headphone-Adapter-Lifeproof-iPhone/dp/B01JCX4NOO

I noticed it has threads and an O ring.  

Recovery speed is something ill have to play with...... in my Fl white sand.   Things change greatly from the dry sand...... wet sand...... and in the water...... such as shear number of targets and even type of targets.   Most of you can nail down your sweep speed too........ that may change for me as well, especially if the coils has the drag the CTX has in the water.   Lot of changes in the water.... targets, black sand, hard pan, soft sand, sweep speed is reduced, TID in salt......... so i suspect i may get to push some buttons for awhile.   No salt settings are available in other programs and it appears different algorithms are used anyway.   I might find adjustment needed only in considerations of trash that tend to build up in some areas.

Hey on the bright side Ringmoney..............we didnt pay $2500 so we can afford them lol

Thats right Steve......not sure they dont already have larger liths now.   Early on i think someone already posted a much larger lith battery that would work.  Larger capacity.... means longer hours of charging using the current USB method.   I understand they are looking at magnesium possibly for batteries.

That size coil and extending it for longer sweeps.... ya its nose heavy..... but because its NOT a CTX or Xcal or many of the other heavy or poorly balanced machines, you may not notice it.  

There have been all kinds of threads on that battery...... yes its replacable.   Down side...... it only has 1 year warranty the machine has 3.   I highly doubt that most will need a replacement.  Most all of my machines even the old blue Xcals with the 700 mah are still ticking.   BUT..... what i suspect will happen first is someone will come up with an upgrade and everyone will jump on the band wagon to replace theirs for more run time.   Thats what we do lol.   One forum has a thread that shows what it all looks like removed.   Im not sure from looking at it that water can get to the box.... much like the CZ.  We all know there are those who just shouldnt be opening anything lol....... so it all comes down to ML.  If you clearly mess it up they have the option to charge you of course for any repairs. 

My question....... why are you wanting to modify?   Are we thinking CF straight shaft?  Cost for replacing the lower shafts?   Ive been discussing it with Cliff out of Clearwater too...... but our need is a bit different.   I feel the 3 piece, those locks, and the aluminum isnt the best choice for salt water.   So we have been looking at CF.   It will reduce weight, wont blister inside so fewer shafts locking up,  we can use a nylon bolt in lieu of the lock.  I prefer a much longer upper and shorter lower which really reduces shaft wiggle out there.   We put a lot more torque on the shaft and cuff than dirt hunters.   My plans are to keep the original for travel or resale.  Of course we are waiting on Pete Anderson as well.... to see which way he goes...... 1, 2, or 3 piece.  

10 hours ago, Cal_Cobra said:

IF Minelab had any sense, they would've started shipping the units back in December, knowing there was an eminent pending firmware upgrade and it would've done two things to cast them in a a positive light:

1) Units would've shipped faster and the forum/FB complaints & frustration would've started to dissipate

2) As Minelab has a pathetic track record regarding firmware updates, the fact that they would've released a firmware update that added additional functionality would've been received as a very positive event, as not only would it instill confidence in buyers that Minelab was finally leveraging user upgrade capabilities, but the fact that it would've added additional functionality would also be a booster as people would perceive it as a value add event, giving their machines more capabilities.

Unfortunately ML did option 3) Nothing....   Doing nothing is still a choice, but it wasn't well received by the general populous.

 

Cal...... im just wondering if ML is gun shy?   We all remember the CTX..... no salt setting and those bad O ring issues...... then we had the ML repair issues when Barry died.   May have been a conscious decision to put them out a few at at a time so if there was an issue.... they could fix it without overwhelming the repair shop again..... or worst case having to throw away a ton of the handle/boxes.   Maybe why we dont have those cables and headphones too.   BUT.... if it were me id much rather have tested it in the water before putting a ton of them on the street.  I know Gary  Dryden got a pair of the phones awhile back to test.... not sure why it took so long thou.

I used most of the explores, ET, and the CTX.    There was about a year learning curve on the Explorers....... especially to find deep targets.   Then came the others...... they just got better at reducing that learning curve.   With the 40 single digits .... we may have taken a step back.   Looks like there may be a learning curve........ not for the machine, but maybe targets this time.  I dont know that anyone believed it was going to get the depth of the FBS...... but the processing speed may well prove to separate targets better and in the long run produce equally well.   On this machine....... id use the philosophy .... dont sell it until its paid for its self.

That was one fine statement Steve....... very well said.   Also take a look at your coin books...... a lot of coins change composition over the years.   The nickel has been pretty consistent.... except for the war nickel.   BUT....... watch nickels on the smartscreen of an Explorer shallow then deep....... they may go from mid screen all the way to the right hand bottom.   TID screens are great if you want to cherry pick so are programs that disc out targets....... but when im looking for gold with its varied composition, size, shape..... and on and on......i dont need a reason to NOT dig.   At certain depths...... most targets get read as iron even.   Ive dug many a deep bottle cap....... that turned out to be nice pieces of gold.   Im not a dig it all ..... dont get me wrong........ but you have to understand like Steve said..... its a numbers game.   Some like to pass on pennies, pull tabs, broken signals...... we have people that if it falls thru the scoop leave it........ or to grid or not grid to cover more beach.   Where you hunt and for what makes a difference too.   I see a lot of snow birds every year..... whose ears are tuned to high tones picking up the change for me.  Numbers game..... and sometimes, just plan blind squirrel luck.

ML didnt have a problem with me using Epoxy ........ but they did frown on bedliner on the coils.    The problem with metal flakes in something like bedliner.... you wont notice it because it moves with the coil..... but you can loose depth.   We used to use SS bolts to connect the lower shaft....... didnt notice them at all.   It wasnt just the price of the bolts, but they found they could reduce sensitivity or blank areas under the bolt.

I agree....... it all gives you a chuckle now.   But....... we clearly know where the bottle neck is and whos to blame.   Hardware should have been just waiting on the final software change...... then out the door.   ML could have even started shipping machines....... and distributors or dealers could have down loaded them.  Lot of things could have happened...... but hasnt.    I have to believe some dealers are taking care of their locals and serious customers regardless of pre-order........ and i also KNOW some guys were on more than one list and bought them and now offering them to friends who dont have them yet.   People find ways of getting them even with short supplies.   I just look at it .... eventually there wont be a need to cut in line...... who knows not having one might save me some money if they find a problem.... .. 

Steve...... have you tried playing with the iron bias?   Did you try disc out those top two digits to see what happens?   The scary part....... unless we get a lot more doing testing on already found targets......you dont know what you are missing if you missed it.   Ive got a good bit of gold ill be testing.   Steve ...... is large silver the only coins doing that?

On other ML machines ive used for water hunting...... its like Steve said.   Warranty is written always to their interpretation.... but MLs been pretty good to me.   The best stuff ive found is loctite marine epoxy.  You have to be careful because some products contain metal in the mixture.  Loctite spreads easy and gets hard as a rock.  I used to go thru a coil cover with the Xcal about once a quarter before i started using it..... $30 a pop.   The CTX and EQs coil cover is just poor for water hunting.  It fits well on the outside but those inner bars that make an X.... arent attached ... they quickly stretch and pull up the inside as well and act just like a rudder in the water causing a LOT of drag.  You can use zip ties to hold them in place....... but then black sand builds up.   Epoxy ON the coil might be better with this type of coil..... depending on the cost if you need to replace one.

Ive been drilling a hole to release sand and water every since the CTX came out and i realized it was hard to get all the sand out of the lower shaft.   Im afraid those locks being used in the salt water.... and the shaft being aluminum (it blisters inside) are going to require rinsing and taking them apart EVERY time.   Salts is harsh...... even those push buttons that i believe are SS....... rust and catch stuff.  Best advice..... if you plan on using ANY machine in the water you best set some money aside for repairs.

Gerry...... i know the feeling about being an after thought.   I felt as a water hunter beach mode ment wet and dry sand.   Even our phones and the cable is an accessory.   BUT..... things are starting to come together and i see this more in the future..... those who dont will be left behind.   It was a VERY GOOD move for ML.

Cliff...... i like Xergix earbuds over a pair of phones...... but we have to consider Gulf noise.  Most of the good phones thou have some sort of leather muffs..... really go fast with the salt mist.

Steve the one thing that really makes this even more impressive was he was using the larger standard coil.   Im wondering how the norm may change with the new tech using the small coil for wet sand hunting and the results you might get?   Looking for smaller gold.... might get more interesting with the 6" and those freq combos.  Have you done any testing with the 6" Steve.... or did they even have them available to use yet?

Dew

You tech gurus catch the things that ole guys like me miss.   So ..... are you guys saying any additional LIKE devices like headphones will require their own WM08 which must be purchased separately ..... and the max number of WM08's is 4?   But you can use say a cell phone and headphones at the same time?   I see on page 57 it say .....

"The ML80 can be paired with 2 devices at once so you can also pair them with your smart phone."   

I guess the last part explains why you cant do two pairs of headphones on the same ML80...... because it shuts off if you get a phone call thus both pairs of headphones cant receive signals at the same time. 

You are right Chase...... i like the multi charger USB especially for this machine.   I just dont like the clutter of stuff plugged in all over the place or waiting to plug in another.    Personally i like this idea and we are leaving some of the old school ideas behind.   Cant believe a lot of people are complaining about not having a charger........ most have them all over the house..... if not a $20 would do the trick nicely off freebay.

Another good thing about this machine is ...... the number of devices that can be blue toothed.   Add a pair or two of ear buds and the grand kids can take part i what you love to do.   Free diggers...... and they can even swing this machine.    I dont know how good wireless ear buds are.... but you always have an option of putting gun protector muffs over them.   The WM08 and wireless phones may become a problem on salt water beaches if you spend the time i do out there ..... salt water mist works on everything.

He had the machine for several months and was in phone and Email contact routinely suggesting changes that the engineers listened to.   It wasnt just one version he had a hand in..... takes time to test and rewrite..... then get it back out to him and the testers.   This was a very good move for ML and will in fact give us an even better machine.

1 hour ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Just people excited to get a new toy blowing off a little steam. If Minelab would come out with a statement of clear actual facts as they are in this moment of time, it would help a lot. It is all the uncertainty that is driving people crazy. I am a big fan of laying it all out and let the cards fall where they may.

One thing I learned running a service department. Call someone the moment things are getting delayed and be honest with them about it... generally no problem. People just want to plan their lives. But keep them in the dark and hanging means someone at the counter pounding a fist and yelling. It is not the lack of machines right now that is the issue, it is the lack of credible information. Minelab may not be able to help with delays in development, but this information thing or lack of it is totally under their control. They are choosing to keep people in the dark, and that is not sitting well with many people.

Wow, you are right on Steve.... you may never get to test another ML machine lol.   So Steve, did they want their machine back?   I betting you could rent that baby  right now for top dollar...... there would be another line lol.

This could get ugly if the machine is just a $900 machine....... nothing special.

Chase..... no, thank you for correcting that..... my fingers didnt type what my brain told them too ..... again lol.