A Few Equinox Tips

[cjc]

The first thing I would point to is coil control.  With this detector--coil control is the activator of all the other target info coming in.  When you learn to use the coil to perform tests (sweep direction, length, speed) the results will be there in the audio and on the meter.  Try some hunting in G2 with a low block rejected (0 to 6) to settle the audio down.  Test each signal on the cross sweep and note how caps and anything odd shaped will "stutter" and hesitate.  Smooth responses will be clean metals (not alloys or anything with iron / steel content like caps).  Using this method has upped my beach accuracy by miles and at the most heavily hunted site in Canada--I now look for the areas with the most junk to pick though using this method.  (Take the volume down a bit--it's sharp and loud). This is also a good way to learn to listen for responses with extension in the tone.  The Equinox's gold field quality noise reduction and iron rejection are amazing tools with some practice. 

Two Tone in Beach 2 is interesting to experiment with as well.  B1 is a lot harder to stabilize but it can be done--certainly in fresh water but in salt there is this "bittyness" to the tone--its harder to listen for extension in a good response.   B2 has great stability in salt.  Not crazy on how the low tones stand out in 5 or 50 but if you run a Tone Selection of 20 (T2 in Two Tone) gold sounds off really well and carries better-- deeper--try it!   Kind of like the Jays Gold Program middle tone for the CTX--perfect. You can also custom tune the Tone break (both models) to up above the seabed ground noises. Running 2 Tone is also a better deep water method --louder all around. 

Good Luck Detecting clive

[midalake]

2 hours ago, cjc said:

with a low block rejected (0 to 6) to settle the audio down. 

Have you tried this block in salt water? Would you be worried it would also reject small gold chains?

#2 If I am digging anything with a good repeatable signal say 7 plus, why should I run more than one tone? Just pick one tone and run the "tone volume" all the way up?

Also you call it "coil control" maybe sweep speed? My opinion as a beach hunter: I do not like how sensitive this detector is to sweep speed. 

Dave 

[Jackpine]

I have always used tone pitch at 20 in 2 tone, it just sounds right to my ear.  Headphone volume at max, T2 volume max and adjust to suit with normal volume control.

And how do you adjust the volume?  Start with volume at its lowest and raise to a comfortable level.   Not the other way around as that will ALWAYS result in a setting that is louder and you won't even know it.

[Alluminati]

Coil control is being able to abruptly start then stop your swing on clean ground before and after the target. The actual speed isn't as important as you may think. Minelabs typically have been able to hoover very slowly right over objects, slower then other machines and still get a number and a response. The speed is almost arbitrary if you can get a good sample. ie dont start and stop your swing on garbage. Be aware of the targets surrounding you and how they are going to obviously mess your numbers if you include them in your sample swing. ("X"ing)

This is typically how experience Minelab users have got the best numbers out of the machine in the past, it's how you get deep numbers.

Don't flail round in a loosey goosey wide spiral, grab hold of the machine and do a sharp, controlled 6 inch wide sweep. Directly over the target. Use Pinpoint first if you have to.

I've tried to help new stubborn Minelab users over the years and it drives me nuts lol, the sloppy lazy coil control that some use. Whats's that you say?... you can't lock on?...your numbers not making sense?...you hate minelab now?....minelab is slow?.....minelab doesn't separate?...going back to your "fast" shallow beep and dig?....(lol I guess no null means fast now. lol! , no null means you don't miss anything you say?)

Its a machine used to analyze signals.  To get the best signal, you need the least amount of noise. S/NR. Coil control gets you the best signal on tough or deep items.

Its a bit different then banging 4" pennies with a weed wacker swing. It's really what they mean by "slow down".  Take some of those weird sounds and try and scratch out some good tones from them.

I'm just addressing the aspect of "coil control" since it was brought up, I'm not commenting specifically about this thread, I'm still trying to soak it in and maybe see how I can implement it into my water hunts. Coil control is important.

[midalake]

Bringing back up for clarification by the OP.......

Have you tried this block in salt water? Would you be worried it would also reject small gold chains?

#2 If I am digging anything with a good repeatable signal say 7 plus, why should I run more than one tone? Just pick one tone and run the "tone volume" all the way up?

Also you call it "coil control" maybe sweep speed? My opinion as a beach hunter: I do not like how sensitive this detector is to sweep speed. 

Dave 

 

 

[cjc]

On 9/6/2018 at 11:13 AM, midalake said:

Have you tried this block in salt water? Would you be worried it would also reject small gold chains?

#2 If I am digging anything with a good repeatable signal say 7 plus, why should I run more than one tone? Just pick one tone and run the "tone volume" all the way up?

Also you call it "coil control" maybe sweep speed? My opinion as a beach hunter: I do not like how sensitive this detector is to sweep speed. 

Dave 

The reject block is more of a learner method just to be able to settle the machine down so as to be able to hear it in it's rawest form--rejecting iron and alloys.   In any event this dig a million foils in the hope of getting a small (no pendant) chain or earring is over rated.  

I've never seen a detctor where coil control was more important for accuracy.  It helps you sort though those high gain sound offs--very important area of skill building.  The idea is to identify targets by how they realate to the ground's signal--how well they are  connected to it.  Anything with steel or iron will lack symetry or ID (a lot) differently on the cross sweep.  

cjc

[midalake]

3 hours ago, cjc said:

The reject block is more of a learner method just to be able to settle the machine down so as to be able to hear it in it's rawest form--rejecting iron and alloys.   In any event this dig a million foils in the hope of getting a small (no pendant) chain or earring is over rated.  

I've never seen a detctor where coil control was more important for accuracy.  It helps you sort though those high gain sound offs--very important area of skill building.  The idea is to identify targets by how they realate to the ground's signal--how well they are  connected to it.  Anything with steel or iron will lack symetry or ID (a lot) differently on the cross sweep.  

cjc

 

First I appreciate your reply. I am in your camp on caring less about small gold.

My comment on coil control is just due to lack of time on the Nox. For some reason I felt I could move the coil too fast in a recovery of 6 and miss a target. I am sure with more time this will hopefully pass. Where I hunt if a wave retracts, I like to swing as fast as possible while no water is standing there. I do see what you see once a target is acquired, THEN there is a certain speed which is needed for good ID.

Thanks for the explanation of the block. For some reason I thought you might be using this as a hedge for black sand and/or moving water?  The beach where I hunt has no can slaw and almost no tinfoil. However I will try that block to see the results, it does make sense.   Dave

[cjc]

On 9/10/2018 at 11:21 PM, midalake said:

Bringing back up for clarification by the OP.......

Have you tried this block in salt water? Would you be worried it would also reject small gold chains?

#2 If I am digging anything with a good repeatable signal say 7 plus, why should I run more than one tone? Just pick one tone and run the "tone volume" all the way up?

Also you call it "coil control" maybe sweep speed? My opinion as a beach hunter: I do not like how sensitive this detector is to sweep speed. 

Dave 

 

 

I try to avoid the multi tones--the lows are just to weak underwater.  This is why I like 2 Tone "20".   When I say coil control I mean for target testing not acquisition.

cjc