Minelab Equinox owners - Question

How many Equinox owners are utilizing/employing the Iron Bias '0' setting? If so...…. and you have the time……… tell me a little about it. (Why?, Where?).

(We're not sleeping!)

This will be an interesting read. Not me I’m using 2. In the water it seems to help on bottle caps and Bobbie pins as does using AM.

Should probably start with settings on the Equinox 600 Field 2, sensitivity 20-22, 50 tones, 0 disc, iron volume 10, recover 2 or 3 depending on site (equal to 4 or 6 on the 800) and in my soil I always ground balance numbers are usually anywhere from 25-70.

Iron Bias....Works a little different on the Equinox as compared to the Deus. One both units I run ZERO DISC. On the Deus I run "0" iron bias (silencer) 100% of the time, it has great unmasking ability and iron is easier to evaluate on the Deus compared to the Equinox IMO

Equinox I will run iron bias at 0 when little or no iron is present. In my moderately mineralized ground it makes the deep good targets sound better. Iron buzz on a deep target is common with most detectors. However, when I get into the thick iron patches, bumping the iron bias up a little is necessary. Otherwise I'm digging a lot of nails that sound good in multiple directions.

Zero iron bias on the Equinox allows to many closely grouped positive numbers mixed with negative numbers when working iron. Some might say well don't dig anything mixed with negative numbers, problem is that could be a good target next to iron and I've dug plenty of those type signals that have resulted in good targets. Those numbers usually fall in the 13-14 or 15-16 range. If you're digging coins only, not a big deal but if you're relic or beach hunting it's a huge deal. To me running 0 iron bias in an iron patch isn't worth it with the Equinox.

Did a test one time in a badly iron contaminated 20' by 20' area. Used both the 11" and 6" inch coils on the Equinox running 0 iron bias. good to bad target ratio was 1:5. 6 inch coil was a nightmare, ratio was even higher, everything sounded good on it. Marked off a 20' by 20' area right next to the first and repeated this time running the iron bias at 1 (equal to 2 on the 800) ratio good to bad was 3:1 what a difference!

People that are running some discrimination probably have a different experience. I personally don't like using any discrimination, I like to hear it all and evaluate each target.

It will be interesting to see what others have experienced.

I started using the Nox 800 in Park 1 with the factory setting of 6 on the I/B. Most all my detecting is now done around old home sites, lots, and ghost town sites. As I became more familiar with the Nox, I started lowering the I/B gradually and now only run it at "0". I found that by running the lower I/B that I could go back to areas I had hunted before and continue to pull more non-ferrous each time I lowered it. I dig a little more iron now but the unmasking benefit makes it worth it to me. If I was traveling and only had the opportunity to hit a spot once, I'd increase the I/B to basically cherry pick it, but I feel the lower the I/B the better, if you don't want to miss anything.
I've been detecting for about 45 years and my hearing is still very good. I most always hunt with the disc set a zero or with the horseshoe button engaged. I make most all my dig or no-dig decisions on what I hear. The meter comes into play on those signals that my ears can't decipher. Most of the time, I'm looking for reasons to dig a target, not reasons to not dig it.
If I'm hunting a modern park and looking for clad and jewelry, I set the I/B at 6 but around iron infested sites I'll run the I/B at zero with my first tone break set to zero and my first bin volume also set to zero. I don't need to hear the iron "to keep me on the site" as the sites go from this fence to that fence, or I can just keep a look out for rusted cans.
That's how I do it, anyone else?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/26/2019 03:47PM by Tom Slick.

My issue might be on the 800 is iron wraps around to that second bin. 0 IB seems to get me more stop and check targets..... that are iron falsing falling in my small gold area. Obviously beach hunting especially in the water would be different than dirt hunting in a nail bed.

Tend to leave mine at zero most of the time. Sometimes will go up to 2 if I'm in a hurry. Too much of a chance to discriminate out good targets next to iron. If I get into an iron infested patch, I just turn down the sensitivity to knock out most of the falsing. You won't get a lot of depth with iron saturated ground anyway. I can hunt square nail infested colonial sites with zero iron bias, but only 12-15 sensitivity. The only nails that still come through are generally bent. There is nothing you can do about big iron.

I always leave mine at iron bias 0. In iron if you increase iron bias you will not be digging every non ferrous target possible with this detector. It also makes deep targets not sound as good. Try Gold mode w/ zero iron bias and in all metal. The signals become very smooth. I haven't tried increasing iron bias in gold mode with all metal on. Now it makes wonder what gold mode in all metal could do to iron with iron bias increased. Nugget hunter would know.

You guys are providing the exact data I was/am looking for. . . . . . and in short-order.

FYI = I have not deviated from Iron Bias '0'...… for about 20 months. (((Learning-curve was a little tough. Results were stunning.)))

Rick...… If you are in carpets of nails..... and in Prospecting Mode (1 or 2)…. and Iron Bias is on '0'...…. you will find that Notching out:
A.) -9 through -2
or
B.) -9 through -1
or
C.) -9 through 0
will be your 3 primary (probably = only!) options...….,,,,,,,, all dictated by the decomposition status of the particular site(s). And...…. there is a dramatic delta/difference between option A or B or C. Choose the right one for the particular site...… and there is a tremendous non-Fe target recovery rate difference. It's eye-opening. So far...….. about 83% of my sites dictate option B (-9 through -1).

Andrew = good data!

Tom, Dew, 1967 GTA...….. well stated!

I've had mine set at zero for a few months now. I figured it might provide more targets to dig, some of which might be non-ferrous. I don't seem to be digging any more iron than before but I feel like the non-ferrous targets have increased to a small degree.

I’ve kept my iron bias at zero because you set it up like that last time we hunted. I’ve tried various setting in low/iron high and always end going back to zero. Overall, It always seems to work best for me.

TARSACCI - “Digging deeper, BEHIND the competition!”
[forums.tarsaccisales.com]

I learned the machine with iron bias set at 1. I am going over to zero...

Yesterday a few of us went to a old park we have been pounding for months now. When I first got the Equinox 800 I was using a recovery speed of 5-7 with iron bias set at 2-3. Pulled many of silver from this old park that others told us was hunted to the point that silver was very hard to find. I would say around 40. The last few times my friends and I have hunted there the silver finds seem to be none. So I told my friends lets go back to this old park one more time and if we don't find any silver we will move on. So without telling my friends I decided to run my Equinox at a recovery speed of 3 and iron bias 0 and slowed my swing speed down. Mind you this old park has lots of iron nails. At the end of the hunt my friends and I pulled out what we had found. One found 2 wheats and the other 3 wheats. When I showed them I had found 5 silvers and 6 wheats they were amazed as so was I and they ask what I had changed on the Equinox. I said 0 iron bias, 3 recovery speed and slower swing speed. I said was it the new settings that made the difference in what I found compared to them or was it all pure luck. You tell me.

Mccrorysjewelry2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I said was it the new settings that made the diffe
> rence in what I found compared to them or was it a
> ll pure luck. You tell me.

There is always a chance you will find something in a spot that was hunted 100's of times, just due to the changes in the environment, angles of the coil, etc....even if the settings on the detector haven't changed.

I say in your case, it was the setting changes and slower sweep speed. 1 coin...maybe part luck. 5 silvers and 6 wheaties...that to me is mostly due to the setting changes, slower sweep and the detector set up to give you better information on the targets in the soil.

Unless of course you went to a super secret spot that no one ever detected before !! HA !

therover61 What was funny the spot I hunted was a area that all 3 of us pounded to death at every direction we could go in. When we got to this old park we wasn't expecting to find much. It wasn't until the end of the hunt that my friends seen what each other found. They both seen the spot I was hunting and they both was thinking the same thing. He isn't going to find anything in that area because we pounded it. I was just as surprised as they were. It just goes to show you changing up your settings and swing speed can make a difference.

What was the ground like, very trashy, average depth of coins?

TARSACCI - “Digging deeper, BEHIND the competition!”
[forums.tarsaccisales.com]

Aaron The ground has lots of small pieces of old iron and nails and trash. The old coins were 5 to 12 inches deep. You had to move the coil slow to pick out the high tones. I also was using all metal to hear the grunt of the iron. The ground was very dry.

Sounds very similar to my old park, and yes I’ve got tons of old rusty nails too.
What coil were you using?
Thanks

TARSACCI - “Digging deeper, BEHIND the competition!”
[forums.tarsaccisales.com]

Mccrorysjewelry2 = Bullseye! (And I doubt you will revert back).

Aaron I was using the standard coil. I told Neil Jones my experience I had changing the iron bias to 0 and recovery speed to 3. I told him I was using 22 sensitivity. He told me to go back over that same area using the slow sweep speed but, this time use speed 2, bias 0 and sensitivity 25. He said you will be very happy with what you find. Can't wait to give that a try.

I had a feeling you were going to say the stock coil, I had to ask though cause your in trashy ground, impressive!

Yeah, I can’t get any higher than 21 sensitivity, any higher and I start picking up EMI. In fact, even out in the country at the lake, 22 is still the highest I’ve been able to run the Equinox.

IDK...I can’t ever see running the unit wide open at 25, circumstances would have to be very unusual, at for me around here...

TARSACCI - “Digging deeper, BEHIND the competition!”
[forums.tarsaccisales.com]

NASA-Tom This way of using the Equinox is going against everything I was ever taught on running a detector in iron and trash. I was always told to use a high recovery speed and low sensitivity. Now I am being told to swing slow and brush the ground, use a slow recovery speed, 0 iron bias and high sensitivity. So far I have used this new technique in several of my old sites and my silver finds have gone way up. Sites that stopped producing are now giving up silvers. It's like starting all over again.

Aaron I have never run my sensitivity higher than 22. When Neal told me to try 25 I'm like we shall see. But, I do run my Equinox in Beach 1 for land hunting and it does seem to run quit at a high sensitivity compared to some other programs.

I have used Iron Bias 0 since day one with great success..
I think using 50 tones is also an important factor if using 0 Iron Bias to help identify
the increased iron falsing that comes with it.. Sometimes I think the Equinox Audio is a little under rated.
I have really learned to appreciate how good it is after all the hours I now have on this detector.

Bryan

Mccrorysjewelry2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Aaron I have never run my sensitivity higher than
> 22. When Neal told me to try 25 I'm like we shall
> see. But, I do run my Equinox in Beach 1 for land
> hunting and it does seem to run quit at a high sen
> sitivity compared to some other programs.


Okay gotcha, thanks!

TARSACCI - “Digging deeper, BEHIND the competition!”
[forums.tarsaccisales.com]

If you are literally in carpets of nails...… use Target Recovery Response '3'. Otherwise...…. put it on '2' (set it and forget it). Even in fairly thick nail-infested sites. Always run Sens as high as EMI/conditions allow...…. even in carpets of nails. (Audio resolution/resolve is better). I never deviate from the incredible artificial intelligence of 50-Tones. Park-1 (or Beach-1). Volume on '25'.... and Iron Volume on '1'. Hit the horseshoe..... and Notch nothing! Listen to all of it. Don't be afraid to use the huge 11" coil..... even in carpets of nails. Iron Bias '0'. Use Noise Cancel frequently. EMI is the 'quiet' (unsuspecting) MAJOR performance killer. Only stipulation: In bad dirt...… adjust as-necessary …. to compensate/mitigate this bad dirt.
Then...…. (and only then) will you start to experience M-IQ.
((Target Recovery Response is still badly misunderstood by the GP; subsequently, misused/abused.))
((( Lessor settings...… and you have (chosen) to revert back to BBS/FBS performance levels. )))

Very interesting info & thread....thanks!

TARSACCI - “Digging deeper, BEHIND the competition!”
[forums.tarsaccisales.com]

Bryan,

I totally agree with you here. 50 tones is a "must," IMO, when sorting through iron with this unit, and YES -- I totally agree that the Equinox audio is under-rated by many. LOTS of intelligence there, at least to my ears...

Steve

Cabin Fever Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have used Iron Bias 0 since day one with great s
> uccess..
> I think using 50 tones is also an important factor
> if using 0 Iron Bias to help identify
> the increased iron falsing that comes with it.. S
> ometimes I think the Equinox Audio is a little und
> er rated.
> I have really learned to appreciate how good it is
> after all the hours I now have on this detector.
>
> Bryan

Question NASA Tom-are these settings optimized for silver only? Looks like most people are talking about hunting parks for silver in this thread. Seems Park 1 would be best in that case but what about relics which for the most part are lower conductors. Field 2 is what I generally use do you think Park 1 is better? I did go out today to my favorite iron infested relic site and adjusted my settings to 0 iron bias and sensitivity to 25 and did quite well. I'll have to post the videos later.

Great Thread

I have only a few hours on the 800 now, but having transitioned from a Deus, I get the tone ID concept and am glad to get all this field data as I am working a park that is within a 1/2 drive from the Whites factory and is 1840's vintage. It has been hammered over the years but even with my old etrac would from time to time toss up a silver and a few war nickles etc. so I know it still holds some prizes and I bought the 800 thinking this would be the technology to unlock the hidden potential in the park as this part of Oregon has very high levels of naturally occurring magnetite etc.(volcanic) and the site has lots of square nails etc. so I figured the 800 might be the perfect tool.

The information you guys have laid out here is a fast track to getting this old park to play.....

Thanks to all for sharing.

NASA-Tom --

Fascinating post. It truly is.

When I first got the machine, I played around with recovery speed. I settled on 4. I was undecided between 3 and 4. I ended up on 4. So I "set it and forget it." For iron bias, I wasn't sure, but I knew I didn't want to use much, so I set it at 2, and haven't moved it from there. I have grown quite used to these settings. I run sensitivity as high as I possibly can -- usually 23-25, EMI-dependent, 50 tones always, nothing notched/discriminated, and horseshoe button pressed (to hear all iron).

So -- I run relatively similar to you. HOWEVER, I am going to run for awhile with the settings you are talking about -- adjusting recovery speed down to 2, and iron bias down to 0. I find it extremely interesting that you say "any less" than these settings, and you are losing the advantages of Multi-IQ and "reverting back" to FBS/BBS.

Thanks for this thread (and all who are chiming in)...

Steve

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you are literally in carpets of nails...… use T
> arget Recovery Response '3'. Otherwise...…. put i
> t on '2' (set it and forget it). Even in fairly th
> ick nail-infested sites. Always run Sens as high a
> s EMI/conditions allow...…. even in carpets of nai
> ls. (Audio resolution/resolve is better). I never
> deviate from the incredible artificial intelligenc
> e of 50-Tones. Park-1 (or Beach-1). Volume on '25'
> .... and Iron Volume on '1'. Hit the horseshoe....
> . and Notch nothing! Listen to all of it. Don't be
> afraid to use the huge 11" coil..... even in carpe
> ts of nails. Iron Bias '0'. Use Noise Cancel frequ
> ently. EMI is the 'quiet' (unsuspecting) MAJOR per
> formance killer. Only stipulation: In bad dirt...…
> adjust as-necessary …. to compensate/mitigate this
> bad dirt.
> Then...…. (and only then) will you start to experi
> ence M-IQ.
> ((Target Recovery Response is still badly misunder
> stood by the GP; subsequently, misused/abused.))
> ((( Lessor settings...… and you have (chosen) to r
> evert back to BBS/FBS performance levels. )))