Minelab Equinox owners - Question

Well then....make it True AM with 2 tones. It runs quite and would tell me it’s likely NOT iron. Depth, no recovery, less falsing which means it’s quiet enough to hear those faint targets.

Tom D. When using the Equinox on wet or damp ground using a high sens., low recovery speed, 0 bias 50 tones and slow swing speed will iron sound better? Will you get more iron falsing when listening for high conductors like silver? Will it be harder to tell the difference from a old iron nail or silver? I know when the ground is dry it seems I get less iron falsing. Do you get more iron rap around when trying to find the silver from the iron? If so what is the best way to adjust your setting for this kind of conditions? Thanks

McCJ2...….. Wet ground 'activates' iron the most..... and causes havoc ……. regardless of detector or settings. You 'could' increase Iron Bias to mitigate some of this phenomenon; yet, you reintroduce much more masking if you do this. A slower sweep can allow the detector (regardless of brand) to have more snapshot time to analyze/asses Fe targets.

Tom, any thoughts on recovery speed shifting combined with the slower sweep speed?

Past(or)Tom
Using a Legend, a Deus 2, an Equinox 800, a Tarsacci MDT 8000, & a few others...
with my beloved, fading Corgi, Sadie

When it came to exploring and experimenting with the settings on the Equinox, I am one of the guys that kept it near the presets. I did play around with some of the settings I was more familiar with, such as the recovery speed, tones, whether to GB or not, etc. Some of the settings I wasn't sure just what exactly they did. There were speculating posts on the internet and in the books, but nothing hardcore and straight forward. My best source for info was on Steve H's Equinox forum.

I had somewhat of an idea what Iron Bias was doing but the big mystery to me was and still largely is, the frequency weighting of the different modes. When to use which one and why. Every time I was out hunting, this was something I was playing around with, comparing mode to mode. To that, there is a catch...because I was actually doing more comparing between Park and Field modes instead of say Park 1 vs Park 2.

In my mineralized ground areas, I found that a slightly faster recovery speed seemed to do better there than the slower ones. The 15 inch coil favors lower numbers to reach maximum depth in comparison to the 11 inch coil in the same soils too.

----------

Compared to the CTX 3030. I had my GPX for sale for a while and could not move it by selling it. I opened the doors for a trade on a CTX 3030 and a fella and I did just that with a 2019 model CTX 3030. Prior to that, I ended up feeling naked without a detector, even though my work schedule really hasn't let up any. I turned around and bought a used Equinox 800. So now I have 2 detectors, the Equinox and CTX 3030. I've been doing a lot of playing and comparing of the two and validating some things.

If I go to recovery 2 or 3 I don't get a very good hit on my 10" test dime. It is a nice hit on a sweep to the left and when I sweep back to the right I get a little blip. Set Recovery to 4 and it smooths out and hits both ways very good.

My ground is mild but like Daniel a higher Recovery is working better on my Equinox.

Rick, N. MI Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If I go to recovery 2 or 3 I don't get a very good
> hit on my 10" test dime. It is a nice hit on a swe
> ep to the left and when I sweep back to the right
> I get a little blip. Set Recovery to 4 and it smoo
> ths out and hits both ways very good.
>
> My ground is mild but like Daniel a higher Recover
> y is working better on my Equinox.

Rick
I did fairly well at "EJ" using recovery 4 and Park 2 with a moderate sweep. So far recovery 2-3 with Park 1 hasn't netted anything there other than a few deep ring pulls with bent over tabs that rang in high around 20-21. I'm going to give it a go again using Park 2 recovery 4 and compare the response to settings of 2 & 3.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/24/2019 11:36AM by Jackpine.

That will be a good test Tom.

Thanks

Tom D. I have been using the Equinox 800 in Park 1 program with 50 tones lower recovery speed and high sens 0 iron bias with great results. I have been using the 11 inch coil and using a slow swing speed have recovered 6 silvers, 20 wheats and 2 IH's in a area that has trash and iron. My question is would using the 6 inch coil in this same area using a lower recovery speed, high sens. and slow swing speed uncover or unmask good targets I missed using the 11 inch coil? Most of the old coins I found in this area have been 5-8 inches deep. There is lots of iron nails mixed in with the trash. Would the 6 inch coil make much of a difference in a area like this over the 11 inch coil? If yes should I use the same settings with the 6 inch coil as I have been using with the 11 inch coil? I have hit my 100th silver for the year and it took me 4 months. Since changing my setting to the ones Tom D. recommended I have found 25 silvers in spots I thought were mostly hunted out. Thanks

Here's the crazy thing. The 6" EQX coil presents several times less volume coverage than the 11" EQX coil. Yet, you will only encounter about 12% better unmasking abilities with the 6" coil. This does make the 6" coil: worthwhile; yet, it expresses just exactly 'how efficient' the 11" coil is.
Yes...… use the exact same settings with the 6" coil. Never deviate from Iron Bias '0' (assuming you have acquired enough skillset with this setting). You may be able to run Sens even hotter...… as ….. the small coil is less prone to EMI. You 'could' use a Target Recovery Response speed of '3' (instead of '2') with the smaller coil.... if you are in carpets of nails. If you have complex-mineralized dirt...…. you 'might' find better performance with higher Target Recovery Response speeds...…. due to internal timing speed processing.

Thank you Tom D. for the info. Would love to see someone make some videos using your settings on the Equinox using both the 11 and 6 inch coil. In all the videos I have seen no one uses the Equinox setup this way. They all use a fast recovery speed and fast swing. Thanks

Tom D. I took the Equinox with the 6 inch coil to a spot that 3 of us hunted with the 11 inch coils. Wanted to see if we missed any coins. This spot has lots of iron and trash. Hunted for 2 hours and never found that first coin. So you are correct saying the 11 inch coil doesn't miss much compared to using the 6 inch coil. So now I feel confident knowing that when I hunt a spot using your settings I'm not missing much using the 11 inch coil. This has truly been a eye opener for me and others in the way we now run the Equinox. Not only has it made a big difference for me my friends now find more goodies and our coin finds have went up dramatically. We have come in to contact with a half dozen others that are hunting the same park as we are. I have ask each of them how many old coins have you found. Everyone of them say maybe 2 silvers, few wheats and no IH's in the past few years. Since using your settings 3 of us have pulled 35 silvers, 150 wheats and 20 IH's out of this park in a month. Every place we go hunt now that we have hunted in the past is now giving up silver and other old coins using your settings. It is truly like starting all over again.

……...and this is where I truly believe the EQX trumps the CTX or any other FBS/BBS unit.
The EQX was never intended to be a 'top-end' (and top priced) unit...…….,,,,,,,,,,, merely: a mid-range unit...… with a mid-range price. But...….. it just so happens that this newest technology (M-IQ) is superior. Sooooooo………. even though the EQX is 'mid-line'...… it is still superior the yesteryear's top-end units.

You are so right Tom. I was saying that about them not realizing how well of a beach machine it was too.

I have to agree the EQX does surprise me at depth it pulls targets and you get the speed if you desire too.
I love the screen of my old CTX but the EQX just seems to work so much better in almost all other areas.

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ……...and this is where I truly believe the EQX tru
> mps the CTX or any other FBS/BBS unit.
> The EQX was never intended to be a 'top-end' (and
> top priced) unit...…….,,,,,,,,,,, merely: a mid-ra
> nge unit...… with a mid-range price. But...….. it
> just so happens that this newest technology (M-IQ)
> is superior. Sooooooo………. even though the EQX is '
> mid-line'...… it is still superior the yesteryear'
> s top-end units.

After one year I have to say the Equinox has been a very good detector. For the price......A really good detector.

I hope that Minelab builds on its success and continues to refine the best features.

I wouldn't take to heart what other people tell you regarding their finds in the same park you are hunting. People by nature, have a tendency to lie. Some will tell you they found more than they've actually found, the one upper type people. If you found 20 silvers, they've found 30. You know the type. Some on the other hand, will intentionally tell you they've not found much of anything even if their goodie bag is running over. I am in the 2nd group there. If I'm actually finding a good bit of stuff in an area and someone else approaches me asking what I have found (especially if they have a detector), I'm going to show you junk and may even say that I'm probably going to write the place off and find some where else to hunt. Haven't found anything good there in the last several outings. You're trying to get into their head and sway them off the trail of your hot spot. LOL

Mccrorysjewelry2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tom D. I took the Equinox with the 6 inch coil to
> a spot that 3 of us hunted with the 11 inch coils.
> Wanted to see if we missed any coins. This spot ha
> s lots of iron and trash. Hunted for 2 hours and n
> ever found that first coin. So you are correct say
> ing the 11 inch coil doesn't miss much compared to
> using the 6 inch coil. So now I feel confident kno
> wing that when I hunt a spot using your settings I
> 'm not missing much using the 11 inch coil. This h
> as truly been a eye opener for me and others in th
> e way we now run the Equinox. Not only has it made
> a big difference for me my friends now find more g
> oodies and our coin finds have went up dramaticall
> y. We have come in to contact with a half dozen ot
> hers that are hunting the same park as we are. I h
> ave ask each of them how many old coins have you f
> ound. Everyone of them say maybe 2 silvers, few wh
> eats and no IH's in the past few years. Since usin
> g your settings 3 of us have pulled 35 silvers, 15
> 0 wheats and 20 IH's out of this park in a month.
> Every place we go hunt now that we have hunted in
> the past is now giving up silver and other old coi
> ns using your settings. It is truly like starting
> all over again.


Just curious.
Have you or your buds stuck a Etrac or CTX over any of these silvers located with Nox (undisturbed) to see the real deal???
Like will CTX and or Etrac go whiff??

I agree Tom. I have been saying it since I have the Equinox. The stock coil does great. The 6 inch coil is a lousy trade off. Losing the coverage and depth for very little difference in target seperation. Maybe in an EMI situation. People that have used older Minelabs in the past crave those small coils. They are just not needed on the Equinox. An 8 inch coil would be an even smaller difference maker, but I read posts all the time from people that would love to have one.



With the addition of Steve's shaft I will try the 15 inch coil in about three weeks. Up until now the weight made it a bad choice for me. It would only shorten my hunts. Who knows....Maybe the 15 will not offer much either.

Nice thread. Thought I'd contribute in here as it has been a while and I finally got out a few times in the last week. I spent about 2.5 hours at a site that goes back 500 or so years. I pulled two more coins, one around 100 years old (not old here!) and I picked up what I think is a silver ring that might be a few hundred years old. Have to check if there is anything on the inside to help date it, but I'm soaking it in olive oil right now.

One coin and the ring were down about 8"-9", plus the grass was thick, so there was another 1"-2" in there. Signals on the coins were pretty good. The ring was quite a bit softer but mostly there.

I was running, I think what is now known as Toms settings! Iron bias on 0 and recovery at 2. Running 50 tones, sensitivity at 23 or so and iron EVERYWHERE. Not exactly machine gun but lots of iron and iron flakes. If memory serves me correct, on the coin, iron bias on 2 still let it come through. (user program, only iron bias to 2 changed as a check. I am doing that regularly before I dig)

A suggestion you might want to try. I have turned off threshold and put the iron volume down to 3 or so (have it set for iron sound up to 3 VDI). No discrimination in the iron range now (or anywhere else but the later is the norm.) There is no ear fatigue with the volume down and I can really hear the ground. Works MUCH better, for me, that running threshold and hearing the nulls. Hearing iron around targets at a lower volume is a HUGE advantage over threshold imo.

Once the grass is cut I will head back out there. I expect some deepies.
Enjoy the Equinox guys, special machine, EMS

EMS, that is a great idea and I have done the similar settings, but liked yours better. With regards to the comments on the 9”, the main reason I got one was for water hunting and for getting around corn stalks better. BTW, ran across your old V3i videos on YouTube awhile back. Do you still have it?

reddirtdigger Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> EMS, that is a great idea and I have done the simi
> lar settings, but liked yours better. With regard
> s to the comments on the 9”, the main reason I got
> one was for water hunting and for getting around c
> orn stalks better. BTW, ran across your old V3i v
> ideos on YouTube awhile back. Do you still have i
> t?

Great and flexible machine but not overly complicated. Which is in part why I sold the V3i and then moved to the E-Trac. The latter is just much better in my ground. The other thing, with the V3i I always wondered if I had used the best settings, just a bit too manual for me.

Oh, the weight/balance of the before mentioned, even the CTX, was just not good for my body. Now, I have ONLY the Equinox with stock coil and I actually wouldn‘t mind a Minelab with the simplicity of an Omega 8000, lol. Anyway, out of the box Minelabs seem deeeeeep.

I know I've mentioned this ….over a year ago; yet, it's worth mentioning again.

Iron Volume = '1' (This is for inland sites)
Iron Volume = '4' (This is for beach sites)
Volume = '25' (All sites)

I never use Threshold. It does absolutely nothing in Park Mode 1 & 2, Field Mode 1 & 2 and Beach Mode 1 & 2. It has nothing to do with target-signal....or carrier.
Threshold is a critical performer in Prospecting Mode 1 & 2. . . . . . yet; needs to be specifically tailored to each individuals hearing abilities (inabilities)….. and specific headphones.

Tom D. let me ask you this question. Multi frequency vs single frequency on deep silver coins using the Equinox. If you were going to set the Equinox up to hunt lets say a old park, home site, school etc. and you knew the old silver was deep lets say 7-12 inches would you use a single frequency like say 5, 10, or 15 kHz's or would you use multi? If the answer is single than how would you set the Equinox up? I have heard some say single and some say multi. Is there a advantage of using multi or single frequencies on the Equinox when hunting for silver in iron or trash? Thanks

Multi has ALWAYS won-out...… over single freq...…. except for a few occasions whereby the EQX was terribly shut-down due to EMI...…….. so...……. single-freq (slightly) improved the situation..... whereby..... allowing me to hunt (but very inefficiently..... due to EMI). Problem was...… only "40KHZ" expressed a slight reduction in EMI...… which is not good for silver coins.

NASA-Tom Wrote:
--------------------------------------------------
Problem was...… only "40KHZ" ex
> pressed a slight reduction in EMI...… which is not
> good for silver coins.

Unless your in the UK Tom, silver cut quarters come in at 5-8, halfs 6-12, full pennies 10-17 on the Nox in field 2.

NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I know I've mentioned this ….over a year ago; yet,
> it's worth mentioning again.
>
> Iron Volume = '1' (This is for inland sites)
> Iron Volume = '4' (This is for beach sites)
> Volume = '25' (All sites)
>
> I never use Threshold. It does absolutely nothing
> in Park Mode 1 & 2, Field Mode 1 & 2 and Beach Mod
> e 1 & 2. It has nothing to do with target-signal..
> ..or carrier.
> Threshold is a critical performer in Prospecting M
> ode 1 & 2. . . . . . yet; needs to be specifically
> tailored to each individuals hearing abilities (in
> abilities)….. and specific headphones.

Tom, thank you! I’ve been running these new settings and have had great results. It took a little adjusting to, but has been amazing since then. Funny how all these spots we have hit with other machines, other settings, other directions, keep on producing. Looking forward to seeing what the vanquish can do. Looking back, did you ever have optimal suggestions provided for the V3i? I know the technologies are some different (and 3 frequencies instead of 4), but being a technical person I enjoyed the configurabililty...but, I never was certain my settings were optimal (just like EMS said above).

I have a E600 and in trying to implement the 0 I/B, high sensitivity and slow recovery approach, I tried recovery speed set at 1, but the tones are too elongated.
So, I went back to firmware version 1.50 and repeated the exercise and I found that in recovery speed 1 the tones are not as elongated as in the new firmware.
Anyone experience similar?

ghound……. I'm always amazed by those …. almost chewing-gum foil 'thin'.... old silver coins. It is really a eye-opener. The only coins in the United States that (barely) compete with them..... are the U.S. 3-Cent Silver coins. They ID in the pull-tab range...…..and are fairly thin; yet.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., hardly a comparison to your 'foil ID' readings.... silver hammered coins. Yes, higher freq's for those low conductor coins....is more suited. Still ………….. Multi is the way to go for your foil-thin silver coins. . . . . especially if mineralization is a point-of-contention.

reddirtdigger……. The V3i has too many (variable) options... that each persons individual dirt conditions can dramatically alter a 'norm' setting(s). Good detector; yet, really needs to follow a more simplistic K.I.S.S. theory.

The Nox just amazes me at how well it picks out these low conductors at funky angles and depth between iron.
A few pics for comparison.




ASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ghound……. I'm always amazed by those …. almost che
> wing-gum foil 'thin'.... old silver coins. It is r
> eally a eye-opener. The only coins in the United S
> tates that (barely) compete with them..... are the
> U.S. 3-Cent Silver coins. They ID in the pull-tab
> range...…..and are fairly thin; yet.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.
> ,.,., hardly a comparison to your 'foil ID' readin
> gs.... silver hammered coins. Yes, higher freq's
> for those low conductor coins....is more suited. S
> till ………….. Multi is the way to go for your foil-t
> hin silver coins. . . . . especially if mineraliza
> tion is a point-of-contention.
>
> reddirtdigger……. The V3i has too many (variable) o
> ptions... that each persons individual dirt condit
> ions can dramatically alter a 'norm' setting(s). G
> ood detector; yet, really needs to follow a more s
> implistic K.I.S.S. theory.