Eqx 800 Over 9” Dime - Changing Gb (video)

[Guest Tnsharpshooter]

 

[Tom Slick]

For maximum depth, I don't understand why folks don't bother to ground balance. It only takes a few extra seconds. I'm sure there areas where the soil doesn't require ground balancing to achieve good depth but the further away from 0 the ground balances at, the more important it is to do a G/B. 

[Joel]

Interesting & informative. I always GB & this just helped make the point why it can't hurt. Thanks for the video.

[Cal_Cobra]

You sold me, I'll start doing it.

[Monte]

5 hours ago, Tnsharpshooter said:

--- Watch my video ---

And more Equinox users should!  I don't own an Equinox, but I do own two Vanquish 540's and envy the EQ users because they have the Auto or Manual GB and the Vanquish lacks that function.  I can work around it for now, but I called it to Minelab's attention, and anticipated th glitch, because the Equinox has it also ... if you rely on the '0' GB setting.  At least for some search modes and ground conditions in the Multi-IQ function.

I've been telling people to GB every time thy set out on a hunt, but a lot of folks are simply Cnfused  about the Equinox design and functions.  I've talked with people, e-mailed with people, and watched their response to Forum Posts, like yours or mine, saying things like:

"The '0' GB settings is 'just right' for all-purpose hunting." or "I use '0' because it isn't too positive or too negative, that's why it is set in the middle."

"Noise Cancel also handles the GB setting."

"Multi-IQ means the GB is adjusted in the multiple frequency use already."

Of course there are other things people say that leaves me wondering, and I've heard this one for decades now ....

"I just turn it on and use it at default because I don't understand what Ground Balance is or how to adjust it."   .... You can bet they don't understand all the other more particular adjustment functions, either.  Why buy that model in the first place if you'r not going to learn it to use it better?

Thanks for the Video.

Monte

[Guest Tnsharpshooter]

Now, not to insult anyone’s intelligence.  Wonder if the dime was bigger.  Or we would have compared say a deeper Civil War bullet (bigger object).  We likely would not have seen as big a difference signal wise when running GB to zero.

The auto ground balance function does expose some of the inner workings of EQX.  What exactly?  Auto GB number when done when compared to doing auto GB using single frequency, the number that comes in screen is nearer the number acquired when auto balancing using 20 kHz single frequency.

Folks can while in the wild after finding a what seems like a deeper target in the wild using 0 GB setting can always do quick auto GB and listen to target.  To see what advantage may be gotten.  Naturally by doing this one could be sweeping good targets and missing them, or thinking they are iron.

Minelab, 

If you read here.  In my opinion you should edit your online manual for both 600 and 800 EQX model’s in the area of ground balance recommendations. 

To change to read  something like the following.

New users of EQuinox or persons with little detecting experience recommend running GB at zero setting.

Advanced users of Equinox will find when using EQX models in higher mineralized soil improved performance when using auto GB feature allowing detector to balance to actual ground.

[nordic]

I was one of those here that answered I use GB only occasionally, generally I would agree GB does help, but at some expense. 

I went to a well searched field and set it to auto tracking this time, which was showing values between 40-55. I think it did improve discrimination depth a little, especially with smaller targets, but could not not notice an excess of falsing. Constant chirping did my head a lot quicker as I had to concentrate and swing over falses more, however, I did pull smaller items from greater depth it seems. Even with higher FE setting, I couldn't make it shut up. I assume proper GB does sharpen the Nox a good bit.