The Searcher July 2006 | 53
SEARCHER RATING
User Features – (Scores out of ten)
Ergonomics 8
(weight/balance)
Simplicity/user friendly 7
Build quality 9
Accessory search coil 9
compatibility
Arable land use 9
Pasture land use 8
Park land use 8
Dry beach use 8
Wet salt beach use 7
TEST RESULTS
On arable land
Luckily an invitation to detect on some new
land cropped up during my time with the
70 so it was a chance to get on some arable
and pitch it against another detector.
It was rainy as I set out on my journey to
meet my friend Dave, and about an hour
later we were stood in the rain at the edge
of a sodden sugar beet field deciding what
to do next. The field was not our planned
venue as the farmer had decided that the
one we wanted was too wet to risk his
seedlings and offered us this as an
alternative. The field did not look very
productive but we had a go anyway.
I had fitted the 18.75KHz DD coil and
was soon scanning the field stepping
carefully between the young beet shoots.
The field did not seem to be particularly
mineralised so I pushed up the sensitivity
to 28 and used the C&T mode. Before long
the first positive signal gave a reading of
12 on the meter. This turned out to be the
percussion cap from a 12 bore cartridge.
A few steps further and a small button was
dug from about 9cm. From then on finds
were few and far between for us both.
items, the smallest of which was a little
copper alloy ‘blob.’ At one point Dave was
close enough to me to check a signal. This
was rather faint and the meter was not really
sure giving numbers from 15 to 19. To my
amazement Dave’s detector rejected the
target. I dug and extracted a small piece
of molten copper alloy from 10cm. I am
not about to name Dave’s Detector model
as this was only one example and could
have been a fluke but I can say its retail
price is within a few pounds of the 70.
Shortly after we were both soaked
through and called it a day. Neither of us
had anything spectacular. My finds total
though was 14 items and Dave had 8 so
the 70 had proved itself (although find
of the day was a 1904 halfpenny which
fell to Dave!)
Summary
With detectors such as this that edge
towards the top of the range, it is difficult
to do them justice in a short field test. There
are many features that cannot be covered
because editorial space will not allow. Also
because one needs more than a few hours
of use to realise its full potential. I can say
the X-Terra 70 is an excellent all round
metal detector. It has the Sensitivity and
Depth to satisfy the seasoned enthusiast
searching for the elusive ‘Sceat’ or tiny
hammered silver coins, particularly if
the 18.75KHz elliptical coil is used, yet
is suitably ‘turn on and go’ enough for
a beginner to use and get to grips with.
The Prospecting mode is not for the faint
hearted and will take time to learn. If you
are the impatient type, stick to the C&T
mode. Those of you prepared to work with
this alternative mode and master it, will
need to buy a bigger finds pouch! It will
only be the junky sites where difficulties
will be encountered when using Prospecting.
I am enthusiastic about this detector
and have negotiated that it stays with me
for a while longer with a view to submitting
a more Advanced test in the future.
The finds from the suger beet field. The copper alloy
object that eluded Dave's detector is bottom right.
With the rain coming down harder we
both stayed at the lower end of the field
close to our cars in case the rain should turn
torrential. I worked my way steadily across
the field for about half an hour and
unearthed a steady stream of non ferrous
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