Thomas Dankowski's Metal Detecting Forum

NASA-Tom wrote: ↑Fri Sep 26, 2025 12:08 am Looks like: LOWER FREQUENCIES is what works best in your dirt conditions.
BUT....... I thought Beach Mode-2 would have performed better...in your dirt conditions.......due to its lower Freq's & less mineralization blowback/flyback.

It is interesting to see how 'hot' your dirt is. It can be seen/witnessed....when you are swinging the coil NOT over any target........ but on free/clear ground.

Yes, during more than a few years of testing it turns out that detectors working on low frequency / or low weighted multifrequency + provided that the Deep settings of the detector program are used.. are able to achieve good results..

I admit that I tried all the programs on the Equinox on multifrequency... but no result...
Finally I tried individual frequencies.. and on one frequency of 4khz and very high sensitivity / 24/ Equinox started to see 2 targets.-deposits. first deposit also with VDI....

However, the sensitivity setting of 24 already gave a response to the terrain itself .. and after reducing the sensitivity to the more stable setting of 22... the target signals started to disappear.. This conductive terrain contains both hot and cold stones.. so the EQ 800 detector cannot be kept at a high sensitivity setting...
An interesting specific of this conductive terrain is that the detector works very well here even at a low recovery speed setting... which is often the deepest setting for this terrain,,,

Other detectors in the test also need to be set so that they are stable on this terrain... and therefore the settings cannot be pulled too high..
Deus 2 and Manticore with ground stabilizers set to low give a response to this terrain..

In testing the EQ 800 I also tried to use the Beach 2 program but this program no longer had sufficient performance to detect targets..

JCR .. I will answer your questions tomorrow... when I upload the videos VERSA,Manticore, Deus2. , Intronik, and Detekčh Relic Striker on YouTube.

First, let me go back for a moment, to CTX.., and how it can discriminate surface iron..
The iron in the test is from my detections...a demanding iron that can give false signals in many detectors...

https://youtube.com/shorts/ymSqcGj7BQ8?feature=share

yes, in a test for very deep iron it may look a little different..

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iiMDsOnz1pY

and now the depth ranges for coins in my testing ground....

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/VxUwTWduVV4

https://youtu.be/L9K6JBGMn-k

Manticore en condictive Test field ES...

https://youtube.com/shorts/LeqqzT4iGSA?feature=share

https://youtube.com/shorts/oXdt4RwrXiM?feature=share

One thing that comes to mind is......... when you have fairly high mineralization ground.......... it is not a good idea to test any detector over a dug/open (large) hole...... with target(s) in it. The coil is passed over mineralized dirt.................................... then continues to pass over a open hole (with zero-mineralization/air).................................then continues to pass over mineralized dirt (just after/past the hole). The detector (any detector) will see the hole as "different".....as compared to mineralized dirt signal.

The test field is 2.5-3 years old... so the holes are already well sealed... here I wouldn't have to worry that a disturbed ground could strongly affect the target signal...a 4-5cm small piece of plastic pipe is only for marking the target...

2 lines of modern coins of medium conductivity are a good comparative tool for testing different detectors... because the middle conductor is clearly visible to different detectors...
,,but the depth of detection in this conductive terrain reaches a certain limit... 20cm for a 10 eurocent coin and 30 cm for a 50 eurocent coin.. for all tested top detectors..

...Rutus VERSA test sensitivity -50 eurocent coin at 30cm depht..

https://youtube.com/shorts/zZB5k1HHpIo?feature=share


For high conductors and depots the differences between the detectors are more pronounced..

The Versa is very sensitive, even at very low Sensitivity settings. The Audio Gain was only set to 20 out of 30 also. Even at maximum Sensitivity of 30 it is a very stable unit. Excellent.

I think that after minelab, rutus has the best technology

Tarsacci fits in there also!