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Finding Musket Bullets / Balls On Fields With Equinox 800?


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I did search on "Equinox 800 EMI" on youtube and found this short video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PV2fVGd17iY

He changed from multi-frequency to single-frequency and then the crazy sound disappeared.

So maybe to problem I have been having is either one or all of this?

1. I did not do Noise Cancel and Ground Balance.

2. I should when I hear a lof of noises all the time, switch from multi frequency  to singel frequency.

3. I have had a mobile phone in my pocket, it could give EMI?

"A cell phone operating in your pocket will drive the 800 and 600 mad as well." ?

Should I leave my phone in the car, while hunting on the field?

 

 

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5 hours ago, Hello said:

 


Thanks for the info Badger-NH.

The fields are located in Sweden.

I should always Noise Cancel and Ground Balance?

But I read on the manual about park 1-2 and field 1-2: "Field 1 Multi-IQ processes a lower frequency weighted multi-frequency signal, as well as using algorithms that maximise ground balancing for soil, to achieve
the best signal to noise ratio. "

It maximise ground balance and gives the best signal noise ratio? Does it not mean that it performs ground balancing and  Noise Cancel automatically if I select these modes? Why do I need to do Noise Cancel and Ground Balance then?


How do I notch the noise from hots rocks out? Aha from Recovery speed 4, to 5-6 to notch the noice from hots rocks out?

Hmm, I want ta have as much depth as possible, because I do not know have deep the bullets may be, if they are still there after 300 years. But as you wrote if the noise is to much, and make noise about everything, then I guees it will be hard finding it anyway. How much depth do you think I will loose by lowering the sensitivity?

Sounds good about Gold mode, would you say it will go deeper than the field mode?

You are misunderstanding what the manual says. Yes, the processes do help maximize the ground balance allowing you to hunt at 0 GB in normal conditions. If you don't hear any false signals coming from the ground, then the machine is okay, you don't need to ground balance.

A false signal is one that is caused by the ground and not a metal target. False signals are random beeps caused by the ground conditions. They move around and cannot be pinpointed. If you are experiencing ground noise, that is when you need to do the GB procedure.

Ground balancing does not affect depth or performance. All it does is help keep the machine quiet over noisy ground. I have a habit of doing it even when I don't need to because it only takes a few seconds. It's your choice.

Don't confuse ground noise with EMI which comes from the air. Noise Canceling may or may not help with EMI. Again, I Noise Cancel it anyway. Why not? It's easy.

Recovery speed has nothing to do with notching. Notching means discriminating out a specific ID number or group of numbers.

If your detector is quiet and stable, you can raise the Sensitivity for more depth. If the sensitivity is too high it might get noisy. In that case, lower the Sensitivity to help quiet the machine.

Gold mode may go deeper in some situations.

Getting max depth and performance out of the Equinox takes many many months of practice. It took me over a year to really begin to understand it. You are better off to stay with the basic settings at first and only move forward as you begin to understand what the settings do.

Lots of things can cause a detector to be noisy. Only when you figure out what is causing the noise will you be able to know what settings might help. Hunting less noisy sites will make the learning process easier.

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7 hours ago, Hello said:

When it's EMI, how do I know? How does the equinox-800 react then, to tell me that there are disturbances? Is it when it beeps all the time on everything?

Here's what I do to determine if I'm picking up EMI:  While the detector is on, I toggle the horseshoe button to get all segments on (that is, I'm not letting the detector discriminate out or mask out anything).  Then I set the coil on the ground and lean the other end against me so that the detector is stationary.  If I hear noises coming from the speaker it's from EMI.  If silent then EMI isn't an issue.

Ground (when you're out of ground balance) only makes noise when the coil is moving.

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Thank you Badger-NH and GB_Amateur for the help.

"Notching means discriminating out a specific ID number or group of numbers."

How do I do that?


"If you don't hear any false signals coming from the ground, then the machine is okay, you don't need to ground balance.

A false signal is one that is caused by the ground and not a metal target. False signals are random beeps caused by the ground conditions. They move around and cannot be pinpointed. If you are experiencing ground noise, that is when you need to do the GB procedure. "

Aha, ok so if I suspect it is false signals, the way to find out is to use the pinpoint, if it sounds as usual when I use the metal detector but does not sound when I use pinpoint, there is false signals caused by the ground?

Does the sound, sound very different when there are false signals caused by the ground, unlike the usual signals caused by metals?


"If Multi is too noisy, 15 kHz is a good all around frequency to use. 10 kHz leans more towards silver. 20 kHz leans more towards gold or lead. If necessary, pick the frequency that is quietest. The differences are minimal."

By the way I think muskel balls/bullets, often are made off lead, so 20 kHz might be ideal for searching for it?


Do you think I should leave my cell phone in the car?

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Notching refers to accepting/rejecting certain targets in the ID scale. Learn how on page 49 of the manual.

Unlike metal targets, false signals will not repeat the tone over the same spot. Just swinging the coil over it should confirm if there is no target there.

20 kHz might have a slight advantage on lead but if 10 or 15 kHz are quieter, I'd choose one of those. On musket balls, the differences will be trivial. Musket balls are very dense targets. The detector will easily pick them up.

I don't know about your phone. I guess if it is causing interference, you could not carry it on you.

 

 

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Any special things to think about, or something else?

Hi, no idea on detector settings - I was reading the comments but looking at the field!

I have found musket balls in all kinds of places, but if a battlefield the sides of the ridges, the old treeline (if there was a map or any clues it has moved?), hedges, or a description of the action. The tactics of the time may give some clues, routes in, numbers of men in lines shooting at who, where?.

Each find is likely to be a clue to a bigger picture. Un-fired musket shot (normally no marks),  spent (just grazed slightly) or direct impact  - normally flattened or mushroomed. Other finds would be expected. The or something else in such a big field is to keep a note of what found where - it makes the big picture easier to see in the long run. Hope you find what you are after.

 

DSCF3449.JPG

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15 hours ago, Hello said:

Does the sound, sound very different when there are false signals caused by the ground, unlike the usual signals caused by metals?

Small rusted iron (typically nails) and ground sound quite similar.  But if pumping the coil up and down *everywhere* gives sounds then your ground balance is off.  If pumping the coil in several different locations typically results in no noise then it's ground balanced and the 'grunts' are iron.

Important Note:  The above applies if you are *not* discriminating out the lower TID channels.  When you turn on the Equinox it comes on *with* discrimination meaning (unless you've programmed it differenly than default) the low channels are ignored -- in sound, not in Digital Target ID.  So push the horseshoe button and notice that the incomplete circle (approximately 8 o'clock to 4 o'clock) of boxes around the outer, upper part of the screen are all dark.  Then check your ground.

Some (like I) always have iron (low channels) active, but turn down the volume some.  If you leave the iron volume turned up the sounds can get tedious if you're in iron infested areas, which is pretty common around buildings, for example.  But other people like to block out the iron tones completely.  There are 50 Digital Target ID notches (-9 thru 40) on the Equinox and you can blank out any you desire.  Detector presets have the lowest 10 or so blocked.

2nd note:  I'm specifically talking about the Minelab Equinox, but most detectors with ground balancing capabilities work similarly when it comes to ground noise and how to know when you're out-of-balance.

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I always hunt with the horse shoe on (all metal) and have the iron volume turned all the way down. That way, I hardly notice the low tones.

All metal enhances the non-ferrous tones in a good way. There is definitely a difference in tone quality with all metal on.

I also constantly monitor how much iron is around so that I know where to set the Recovery Speed.

 

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On 8/21/2020 at 2:11 PM, Badger-NH said:

Notching refers to accepting/rejecting certain targets in the ID scale. Learn how on page 49 of the manual.

Unlike metal targets, false signals will not repeat the tone over the same spot. Just swinging the coil over it should confirm if there is no target there.

20 kHz might have a slight advantage on lead but if 10 or 15 kHz are quieter, I'd choose one of those. On musket balls, the differences will be trivial. Musket balls are very dense targets. The detector will easily pick them up.

I don't know about your phone. I guess if it is causing interference, you could not carry it on you.

 

 


Thanks for your reply Badger-NH.

"Unlike metal targets, false signals will not repeat the tone over the same spot. Just swinging the coil over it should confirm if there is no target there."

Except from false targets as hot stones, right?


You wrote earlier that: "Looking at your field, I would use Field 1."

Why do you prefer field 1 instead of field 2 in this case? Is there anything about field 1 that makes it more convenient and better to find musket bullets than  field 2?

 

 

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