Minelab X-Terra 70 Reference Manual
These quick start instructions allow you to begin
detecting straight away and fi nd impor tant reference
information for setting up your X-Terra 70.
Minelab encourages all users to read the entire
manual to ensure a complete understanding of all
the features and functions that your X-Terra 70 off ers.
Tur n on (pg. 12)
Choose a detecting mode (pg. 12)
Coin & Treasure Mode (pg. 18) Prospecting Mode (pg. 19)
Choose a Discrimination Pattern (pg. 22, 24) Set the Iron Mask Level (pg. 22, 24)
Set Noise Cancel (Auto or Manual) (pg. 34)
Set Ground Balance (Auto, Manual or Track) (pg. 42)
Begin detecting!
The World Leader in Metal Sensing Technology
From our origins in 1985, Minelab have specialised in advanced electronics
technologies. Our competitive advantage was created almost immediately
with a highly competent and innovative Research and Development team,
inspired by the genius of Mr. Bruce Candy.
This commitment to innovation has enabled us to successfully market feature-
packed Consumer coin and treasure detectors enjoyed by hobbyists worldwide
as well as high quality gold detectors used by both professionals and amateurs.
Minelab’s advanced technology is also incorporated in detection equipment
designed for military and humanitarian de-mining projects throughout the world.
Today Minelab has manufacturing, distribution and customer service operations
in Australia, Europe and the United States, and is an ISO 9001 Quality Endorsed
Company. ISO 9001 is a worldwide quality standard certifi cation that ensures
the highest level of product quality for our customers.
Item Number: 4901 - 0059
Revision: 1.1
THIS DEVICE COMPLIES WITH
PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES
Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) this device may not cause
harmful interference, and (2) this device
must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause
undesired operation.
For Consumers within the European Union:
Do not dispose of this equipment in general
household waste.
The crossed out wheeled bin indicated
on this equipment is an indicator that this
unit should not be disposed of in general
household waste, but recycled in compliance
with local government regulations or
environmental requirements.
Please dispose of this equipment via a
recycling service or centre, or by returning
the unit to the respective Minelab or Halcro
outlet as appropriate for your unit. This will
enable the equipment to be disposed
of in an environmentally safe manner.
Disposal of unwanted electronic equipment
in landfi lled waste may contribute to
adverse long term environmental eff ect
due to the leaching of contaminating and
toxic substances contained within some
electronic equipment.
Working for a Clean er,
Greener Future
Disclaimer:
The Minelab metal detector discussed
in this operating manual has been
expressly designed and manufactured as
a quality hobbyist metal detector and is
recommended for use in coin, treasure and
general metal detection in non-hazardous
environments. This metal detector has not
been designed for use as a mine detector
or as a live munitions detection tool.
Please note:
Since there may be a variety of options
available for this detector, equipment
may vary according to the Model or
items ordered with your detector. Certain
descriptions and illustrations may also diff er
(in this manual) from the exact Model that
you purchased. In addition, Minelab
reserves the right to respond to ongoing
technical progress by introducing changes
in design, equipment and technical
features at any time.
Please return the
tear-off section
of your warranty
card to Minelab
as soon as possible.
Metal detecting is a fascinating and rewarding activity
enjoyed by people all over the world. By getting to know
your X-Terra 70 you can become one of the many who find
valuable coins, relics, gold and jewellery on a regular basis.
The X-Terra 70 is a high-precision instrument incorporating
Minelab’s latest single frequency technology, VFLEX.
VFLEX processes a pure single frequency, ensuring
that you can enjoy the hobby at all times, confident
that you are using a highly-tuned and dependable
detector. In other words, a SERIOUS detector.
This manual is designed to help both the
beginner and expert treasure hunter get the
best performance out of the X-Terra 70.
CONGRATULATIONS ON
PURCHASING YOUR X-TERRA 70!
For further product information
and detecting tips, refer to:
Menu Operation 28
Adjusting Menu Settings 29
Sensitivity 30
Adjusting Sensitivity 31
Volume 32
Adjusting Volume 33
Noise Cancel 34
Choosing a Noise Cancel Channel 35
Threshold 36
Adjusting Threshold 37
Ton es 38
Tar ge t Ton es 38
Threshold Tone 38
Adjusting Tones 39
Ground Balance 40
Ground Balance (Normal) 40
Ground Balance (Beach) 40
Adjusting Ground Balance 42
Factor y Prese ts 4 4
Mode Factory Preset 44
Erasing Patterns 44
Sounds 46
Battery Behaviour 47
Coil Identification 48
Error Messages 49
Accessories 50
Care of Your X-Terra 52
X-Terra 70 Specifications 53
Model Features 53
User Preferences 54
User Notes 55
Service Repair Form 56
Quick Start Reference Back Cover
1
How Detectors Work 2
VFLEX Technology 2
Assembling Your X-Terra 70 4
List of Parts 4
Connecting the Coil 5
Shaft Assembly 5
Armrest Assembly 6
Connecting the Control Box 6
Disconnecting the Control Box 6
Coil Cable Assembly 7
Inserting Batteries 7
Keypad Layout 8
LCD Layout 10
Turning the Detector On 12
Detecting Modes 12
Holding the Detector 14
Sweeping the Coil 15
A Simple Detecting Exercise 16
Detector Audio 17
Coin & Treasure Mode 18
Prospecting Mode 19
Tar get ID 20
Target ID Stability 20
Pattern Discrimination Scale 21
Preset Discrimination Patterns 22
Choosing a Discrimination Pattern 24
Pattern Discrimination 24
Iron Mask Discrimination 24
All Metal Shortcut 24
Editing Discrimination Patterns 25
Pinpointing 26
Recovering the Target 27
CONTENTS
2
Metal detectors create an electromagnetic field, which penetrates the
ground. Because metal is conductive
it causes a change in this field. The
detector senses this change and sends
a signal back to the control box,
alerting the operator.
Metal detectors can determine the
size, shape and composition of metallic
objects beneath the coil. Typically,
the larger the object, the easier it is
to detect.
“BEEP!”
The X-Terra 70 uses a single frequency
(7.5kHz) as it’s standard operating frequency.
This frequency has the ability to penetrate
deep into the ground and is the most
suitable for general purpose detecting.
Being the the top model in the X-Terra
product range, the X-Terra 70 is capable
of operating at frequencies of 3kHz and
18.75kHz, depending upon the selection
of appropriate accessory coils (pg. 48, 51).
The X-Terra 70 has two main detecting
modes: Coin & Treasure Mode (pg.18)
for general purpose detecting and
Prospecting Mode (pg. 19) for detecting
gold nuggets and relics.
The specialised Prospecting Mode has
improved Sensitivity and adjustable Iron
Mask Discrimination. It is the ideal mode
when searching for gold nuggets, small
relics, and some types of jewellery.
The X-Terra detectors a re Minelab’s fi rst products to
incorporate V FLEX Technology.
VFLEX uses sta te of the art digital and mixe d-signal
components to enhance standard single frequency
technology by replacing most of the analogue circuitry
with digital s ignal processing. The sm all amount of
analogue circ uitry still employed ha s been very carefully
designed and c alibrated to obtain the ou tstanding
sensitivity, stability and repeatability re quired to match
the perfo rmance of the digital pro cessing.
This radical departure from traditional approaches
to metal detector design has been made possible by
advances in el ectronics that power p ersonal digital
assistants, cell (mobile) phones and high-fi delity
portable audio equipment.
Precision VFLEX Signal
Standard VLF Signal
(Without VFLEX)
Power
Supply
Audio
Transmit
LCD ReceiveKeypad
PRIMARY MICRO
(IN CONTROL BOX)
DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSING
(DSP)
CODEC SIGNAL CONVERSION
Analog Signal
Coil
Analog Signal
Transmit
Receive
SECONDARY MICRO
(IN COIL)
SENSING + TRANSMITTING
COIL TYPE, SIZE, FREQUENCY
Control Box
For the X-Terra user, this precisi on means dependable
performance and improved immunity to environmental
conditions such as ground mineralisation, electromagnetic
interference and temperature variations.
VFLEX requires co ils that are accurately construc ted
and calibrate d. Every time the detecto r starts up, the
micro-co ntrollers in the control box a nd the coil establish
communicati on through a digital data li nk.
Informatio n about the coil is sent to the contro l box, so the
detector ‘knows’ what type of coil is attached and can set
the appropri ate operating parameter s.
This optimizes p erformance, and also make s the detector
‘future proof’, in that it will be capable of operating
at diff erent frequencies dep ending on the electro nic
propert ies of the coil.
HOW DETECTORS WORK
3
The frequency of a detector is the
number of times a signal is transmitted
into the ground, per second (measured
in Hertz - Hz). 1000Hz = 1kHz.
The X-Terra 70 has two basic coil
configurations, each with its own benefits.
A Concentric coil is the
standard coil supplied
with the X-Terra 70 and is
an all purpose coil with
excellent pinpointing
capabilit ies.
Double D coils are available
as accessories. They provide
improved ground rejection
and have a different
detection profile.
5
ASSEMBLING YOUR X-TERRA 70
Connecting the Coil
Plug the two rubber washers into the holes
on either side of the lower shaft yoke.
Slide the yoke into the yoke bracket on top
of the coil. Ensure that the spring loaded
pin in the lower shaft is underneath the coil
shaft, pointing downwards.
Insert the plastic bolt through the yoke
and the yoke bracket.
Fasten with the plastic wing nut provided,
being careful not to damage the thread
of the bolt by over-tightening. This may
need to be loosened to adjust the coil to a
comfortable detecting angle.
The coil cable is directly wired into
the coil and is not removable. Any
attempt to disconnect this cable will
void your warranty.
Shaft Assembly
Ensure that the twistlocks of the shafts
are loosened by rotating them counterclockwise.
Compress the spring loaded pin in the
lower shaft and slide it into the middle
shaft until the pin reaches the adjustment holes. The pin will spring out and
click into place.
Attach the middle shaft to the upper
shaft in the same way.
Once shafts are assembled, lock them in
position by rotating twistlocks clockwise.
The upper shaft assembly location uses
two spring loaded pins to strengthen
the joint, one on either side of the shaft.
List of Parts
Before assembling your X-Terra 70, please
check that the package includes these parts:
Coil
Skidplate (fitted to coil)
Lower shaft
Middle shaft
Upper shaft
Armrest
Stand
Control box
Rubber washers (2)
Plastic wing nut
Plastic bolt
Armrest screw
Armrest strap
Velcro tabs (2)
Warranty card
Instruction manual
you’re holding it
:-)
4
ASSEMBLING YOUR X-TERRA 70
6
Coil Cable Assembly
Wind the coil cable around the lower
and middle shaft enough times to take
up the slack.
Use the velcro tabs to keep the coil
cable in place against the shaft. It is
recommended that one tab is used on
the lower shaft close to the coil and the
other tab on the middle shaft before the
cable reaches across to the control box.
Align the coil plug and push it into
the socket in the back of the control box,
firmly tightening the retaining ring to
hold it in place.
Armrest Assembly
Place the armrest onto the top of the
upper shaft, lining up the central hole in
the armrest with one of the holes in the
aluminium shaft. Position the armrest to
suit your arm length
(Holding the Detector, pg. 14).
Insert the screw up through the stand,
upper shaft and armrest. Tighten the
screw, being careful not to overtighten
or damage the thread.
With the velcro side facing upwards,
thread the armrest strap through both
slots in the armrest. Ensure that the end
of the strap will be fastened outwards
from your arm.
The X-Terra 70 is designed to be
used in either the left or right hand.
This diagram shows the velcro strap
threaded outwards for the left arm.
Connecting the Control Box
With the LCD facing up, push the control
box onto the end of the handle until it
fits into place.
The LCD window has a protective fi lm
affi xed to prevent scratching. This may
be removed when the detector is fully
assembled.
The control box may be easily removed
for packing and transport.
Disconnecting the Control Box
Brace the detector firmly against
yourself, grasp the control box and
pull it away from the handle.
Inserting Batteries
The X-Terra 70 uses 4 X AA batteries which
are not included with the detector
(Battery Behaviour, pg. 47).
Access the battery compartment via
the battery door located on the side
of the control box. Slide the battery
compartment door upwards with your
thumb.
Place individual batteries into the
compartment as illustrated, ensuring
the positive (+) and negative (–) contacts
match the diagram on the control box.
Close the battery door by pushing and
sliding it downwards.
If the detector does not turn on
correctly, check the battery orientation.
The detector will not be damaged if the
batteries are inserted incorrectly.
7
8
9
PATTERNS
Scrolls through the different
Discrimination Patterns
(Coin & Treasure Mode only).
KEYPAD LAYOUT
POWER
Turns the detector on/off.
Adjusts settings, reduces
Iron Mask and scrolls to the
left through the discrimination
segments.
ALL METAL
Toggles between the selected
discrimination pattern and
the All Metal pattern.
This button has three functions.
(MODE) toggles between Coin &
Treasure Mode and Prospecting Mode.
Activates Target ID Stabiliser.
(AUTO) selects the automatic option for
Ground Balance and Noise Cancel.
MENU SELECT
Accesses and
scrolls through the
detecting settings.
This button has two functions.
(PINPOINT) assists in locating the exact
position of a target prior to recovery.
(DETECT) exits menu settings and
returns to detection.
Adjusts settings, increases
Iron Mask and scrolls to
the right through the
discrimination segments.
ACCEPT REJECT
Accepts or rejects certain
metals by turning on/off
individual discrimination
segments (Coin & Treasure
Mode only).
GROUND BALANCE
Activates the Ground Balance
adjustment to compensate
for different types of soil.
TRACK
Toggles between Ground
Balance and Tracking
Ground Balance.
Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) area
10
11
Ground Balance can
only be accessed via
the
GROUND BALANCE
button)
Patterns
Preset Discrimination
Patterns are used to suit
different search
preferences (Coin &
Treasure Mode only).
The X-Terra 70 has
three patterns.
(Preset Discrimination
Patterns, pg. 22).
Menu Scale
Consists of 10 segments
within a circular scale line.
This works in conjunction
with the Numeric ID to
show the value of the
selected setting
adjustment. The Menu
Scale also works with
Pinpoint to indicate how
close the coil is to the
target (Menu Operation,
pg. 28).
Reject Identification
appears when rejecting a
discrimination segment. It
disappears when accepting a
discrimination segment (Editing
Discrimination Patterns, pg. 25).
LCD LAYOUT
Depth Indicator
The depth indicator is
a relative guide to how
deep a target is. The
more arrows displayed,
the deeper the target
is likely to be (Coin &
Treasure Mode only).
1 arrow is approx. 0-2” (0-5 cm)
Coin & Treasure
Mode
This icon indicates that
the Coin & Treasure Mode
has been selected
(Coin & Treasure Mode, pg. 18).
Battery
This icon
indicates how
much power
is left in the
batteries
(Battery Behaviour,
pg. 47).
Tra ck
This icon indicates that
Tracking Ground Balance
has been selected
(Adjusting
Ground Balance, pg. 42).
Headphones
This icon indicates
that headphones
are connected and
that the headphone
Volume and Threshold
have been selected
(Volume, pg. 32).
All Metal (AM)
Indicates that the All
Metal Pattern has been
selected. This pattern
has no discrimination
and will allow signals
from all types of metals,
both ferrous and nonferrous
(Preset Discrimination
Patterns, pg. 22).
Iron Mask (IM)
Indicates that the Iron Mask
discrimination has been
selected (Prospecting Mode
only) (Preset Discrimination
Patterns, pg. 22).
Tar get ID
Target ID numbers range
from -8 to 48. Negative
numbers indicate ferrous
targets and positive
numbers indicate nonferrous targets (Coin &
Treasure Mode).
These numbers also have
other functions. They are
used when adjusting
menu settings and for
displaying the Iron Mask
value (Target ID, pg. 20).
Beach
This icon indicates that
Ground Balance (Beach)
has been selected (Ground
Balance (Beach), pg. 40).
Menu
A list of settings
(Sensitivity, Volume,
Noise Cancel, Threshold
and Tones) that can be
adjusted to customise
personal preferences
(Menu Operation, pg. 28).
Prospecting Mode
This icon indicates that
the Prospecting Mode
has been selected.
(Prospecting Mode, pg. 19).
Discrimination Scale
Used for Pattern
Discrimination (Coin &
Treasure Mode only)
and Iron Mask
Discrimination
(Prospecting Mode only)
(Pattern Discrimination
Scale, pg. 21).
Pinpoint
Indicates that Pinpoint
has been activated
(Pinpointing, pg. 26).
Headphones are not
included with the
X-Terra 70
(Accessories, pg. 50).
Actual depth will
be more accurate
for coins than junk
ferrous targets
Tar get ID
Stability
indicates that
Tar get ID Stabi lit y ha s
been selected
(Target
ID Stability, pg. 20).
Deep target
Shallow target
12
13
It is best to only turn the detector on,
when outdoors, away from sources
of electromagnetic disturbance.
There are many metallic objects inside
a house (e.g. nails in the floor,
reinforcing in the walls) that might
overload the electronics of the detector.
There may also be interference from TV
sets and other household appliances.
In this environment the detector may
perform erratically, giving numerous
false signals.
If the detector emits an overload sound
and displays OL on the LCD move
the coil away from the source of the
overload
(Error Messages, pg. 49).
Press
POWER.
A short start-up sequence will display
and a tune will be heard.
Once on, the detector will be in the
factory default Coin & Treasure Mode.
There will be no numeric reading
until a metal object is detected.
TURNING THE DETECTOR ON
Press MODE AUTO to toggle between
Coin & Treasure Mode and
Prospecting Mode.
13
The Coin & Treasure Mode and
Prospecting Mode symbols will
appear throughout the rest of this
manual to indicate functions
specifi c to each mode only.
Overloading is not harmful to the
electronics of the detector.
Many of the screen diagrams in this
manual, that refer to features and
settings common to both modes, show
the Coin &Treasure Mode display only.
This illustration is a representation
of the LCD layout showing some of
the icons that appear during startup.
Please note that not all LCD icons are
displayed at the same time.
Detecting Modes
Be fo re d et ec ti ng, it is i mp or ta nt to
understand that the X-Terra 70 can
operate in two different detecting
modes (Coin & Treasure Mode, pg. 18)
Prospecting Mode, pg.19)
.
The X-Terra 70 can save separate settings
for each mode. When a mode has been
selected, the menu settings that have
changed will fl ash for three seconds.
E.g. default Sensitivity is 16 in Coin &
Treasure Mode and 22 in Prospecting
Mode. When changing modes, the
Sensitivity icon will fl ash for three
seconds.
If Sensitivity is adjusted to 16 in
Prospecting Mode, the Sensitivity icon
will not fl ash when changing modes.
(Menu Operation, pg. 28).
Prospecting Mode Factory Presets
Iron Mask 5
Sensitivity 22
Volume (Speaker) 25
Volume (Headphones) 20
Noise Cancel Channel 0
Threshold (Speaker) 10
Threshold (Headphones) 8
Threshold Tone 22
Ground Balance ( Track)
Coin & Treasure Mode Factory Presets
Discrimination Pattern 1
Sensitivity 16
Volume (Speaker) 25
Volume (Headphones) 20
Noise Cancel Channel 0
Threshold (Speaker) 12
Threshold (Headphones) 12
Target Tones 4
Ground Balance (Fixed) 27
14
15
To hold the detector, thread your arm
through the armrest and strap. Grasp
the handle of the detector and rest your
forearm in the armrest.
Your elbow should sit just above the top
of the armrest. Lightly tighten the velcro
strap and secure it around your arm.
The correct position of armrest and
length of shaft should allow you to
swing the coil in front of your body
without any uncomfortable stretching
or stooping.
Shaft is the
correct length
Shaft is too short
Once outside, practise sweeping the coil
over the ground in a side-to-side motion,
while walking forward slowly. Slightly
overlap the previous sweep to ensure
full ground coverage. An average sweep
speed is three seconds from left to right
to left.
coil parallel to
the ground
1” (2.5cm)
HOLDING THE DETECTOR
To adjust the length of the shafts, undo
the twistlocks, compress the spring pins
of the shafts and move them up or down
to suit. Once all shafts are clipped into
position, rotate twistlocks clockwise onto
the shafts until they are firmly clamped
(Shaft Assembly, pg. 5).
To adjust the position of the armrest
remove the armrest screw and move the
armrest and stand to the desired position
(Armrest Assembly, pg. 6).
It is important to keep the coil close
and parallel to the ground at all times.
This will increase detection depth
and response to small objects. Avoid
excessive brushing of the coil on the
ground, as this may result in false signals
and inaccurate Target ID’s.
A variation in coil height at the end of
each swing may also cause confusing
sounds and reduce detection depth.
Think of the detector as an extension
of your arm. It should be straight
with your forearm and feel light and
comfortable when you pick it up.
SWEEPING THE COIL
The X-Terra 70 coil is waterproof.
(Care of Your X-Terra 70, pg. 52)
Try sweeping the coil faster in Coin &
Treasure Mode for improved target
detection and identifi cation.
Try sweeping the coil slower in
Prospecting Mode for improved target
detection and separation from ground
mineralisation signals.
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