Time to detect.

If time is something that is very limited to you, then this information may help you.

I see a lot of comparison videos. Comparing the Nox to ctx, or to the impact. I would just like to give my thoughts on what is getting to be the most important aspect of detecting: Time.

Recently, I have picked up the Minelab Equinox 800. I posted a few videos comparing recovery speed and I have got a lot of feedback.

With attributes like recovery speed, depth, and target identification, you can get lost with which attributes you need the most. But I think what the most important attribute with metal detectors is time. The time you spend, making the dig/no dig decision, searching, and recovering the target. So which of these will reduce the amount of time you spend per each target?

Unmasking
Machines that unmask can, in reality slow you down(to a certain degree). Take the Impact. It is a great machine especially at unmasking. However, the time you spend analyzing the target responses, digging falses, and investigating more possible targets all add up. You may, on average be losing 30 seconds to 3 minutes or more of time per target.

Depth
There are some deep machines. In a recent test I saw, the AT pro got a great deep 10 inch signal. I have dug a 15 inch SLQ with the etrac which was a 15 minute search. So you look at the time to dig, searching and reburying the hole, you can end up digging 5 deep targets an hour on average.

TID
Target ID gives you information on what type of target is under your coil. Depending on the conductivity(or lack there-of), a number or a symbol appears. The closer to the coil and more separated the target is from other targets AND based on the machine itself, you can get an identifier that is a near match to what you are digging.

Looking at these factors, it is clear to me that an accurate TID is the best time saver. Enter the Equinox. The past four times I hunted, I had only little time comparatively speaking. The Equinox's fairly accurate TID has really assisted me in recovering targets QUICKLY at >7 inches. Quickly is the operative word here. I did a hunt last night I had 40 minutes of daylight. I recovered 20 targets(some were on-top). That's one every 2 minutes!

In my opinion, you should always choose a detector based on how much time you would save.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/28/2018 04:58PM by Beyonder-Pa.

Good perspective to think on, Thanks

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
In a democracy, it is difficult to win fellow citizens over to your own side, or to build public support to remedy injustices that remain all too real when you fundamentally misunderstand how they see the world.

Like the perspective but I was hoping you would tell me how to find more time to detect!

Agreed, Beyonder. Good observation. The Nox is super fast which allows you to cover more ground as well and be fairly confident that you didn't miss anything important. I hunted for 2.5 hours last evening in a super trashy CCC camp site that is absolutely covered in aluminum trash both old and new. Because of the Nox's incredible processing speed even with the large stock coil I was able to recover 50 non ferrous targets. Mostly coins. I was cherry picking and digging anything over 19.
I have never recovered this many good targets from this site in so short a time period...with any of the many machines I've run on it.

Dean

I've been detecting for quite a long time now and my hopes and expectations on each outing have changed from when I first started back in the mid-70's to now. Time to pursue this hobby is surely an important factor for each of us. The last dozen or so years, I've tried to 'optimize' my hunting rigs and recovery tools to speed the process of recovering each target that I choose to go after in an effort to increasing the number of keepers I take home at the end of each outing.

I think we've all been watching for those detectors that optimize our time in the field; chasing fewer deep rusty nails, bottle caps, false targets, bits of foil and such. It seems there are always trade offs that need to be weighed against expectations and time available to hunt. The hope for me is that when I call it a day and head back to my truck, I am pleased with the overall experience with my detector and the results of my efforts.

The last handful of years I have accumulated several detectors in my hotel and seem to have a slowly revolving door where a detector can come into my lobby and I'll have a go with it. Some take up residence in the hotel and others never quite take like I thought they would, and they revolve back out the door for somebody else to have a go with. That's the thing about this hobby, a detector that didn't work for somebody else might just be the ticket for me and vice versa.

I do have an equinox ordered and eventually it will arrive. It will be interesting to see where it falls in my detector hotel.

Along the line of Beyonders' thoughts, I'm curious to know what criteria the rest of you have in order for a detector to take up residence in your detector hotel. Are there fatal flaws that are cause for immediate eviction?


Rich (Utah)

------------------------------------------------------------------

Just one more good target before I go.

What is interesting is I have not seen a used EQ for sale yet.

possum mo Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> What is interesting is I have not seen a used EQ f
> or sale yet.


Possum, seriously. Has anyone had one long enough to decide to sell it.

Bill good read for sure....in business time is money....pro or con either way in hobby....spend too much time on a target might miss a good target because of that time spent..on other hand don't send the time on a target and miss a good one......double edged sword at best....Turtle or hare could be the winner...

Gonebeepin' Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I've been detecting for quite a long time now and
> my hopes and expectations on each outing have chan
> ged from when I first started back in the mid-70's
> to now. Time to pursue this hobby is surely an imp
> ortant factor for each of us. The last dozen or so
> years, I've tried to 'optimize' my hunting rigs an
> d recovery tools to speed the process of recoverin
> g each target that I choose to go after in an effo
> rt to increasing the number of keepers I take home
> at the end of each outing.
>
> I think we've all been watching for those detector
> s that optimize our time in the field; chasing few
> er deep rusty nails, bottle caps, false targets, b
> its of foil and such. It seems there are always tr
> ade offs that need to be weighed against expectati
> ons and time available to hunt. The hope for me is
> that when I call it a day and head back to my truc
> k, I am pleased with the overall experience with m
> y detector and the results of my efforts.
>
> The last handful of years I have accumulated sever
> al detectors in my hotel and seem to have a slowly
> revolving door where a detector can come into my l
> obby and I'll have a go with it. Some take up resi
> dence in the hotel and others never quite take lik
> e I thought they would, and they revolve back out
> the door for somebody else to have a go with. Tha
> t's the thing about this hobby, a detector that di
> dn't work for somebody else might just be the tick
> et for me and vice versa.
>
> I do have an equinox ordered and eventually it wil
> l arrive. It will be interesting to see where it f
> alls in my detector hotel.
>
> Along the line of Beyonders' thoughts, I'm curious
> to know what criteria the rest of you have in orde
> r for a detector to take up residence in your dete
> ctor hotel. Are there fatal flaws that are cause
> for immediate eviction?
>
>
> Rich (Utah)
For Me it's has to have Tone I.D. and Modulated Audio.
Preferably adjustable Modulated Audio. But not a Total deal breaker if it fits My ears like My Golden uMax as it's Modulation is about perfect for My hearing.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/01/2018 08:20PM by Harold,ILL..

Unlike the OP, I am not impressed by the TID on the Equinox. It is much more jumpy and doesn't lock on like an Etrac. The Equinox is still probably a time saver though, because you can swing it faster due to the faster reaction time and light weight.