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Showing content with the highest reputation on 08/12/2018 in all areas

  1. I got to hit a yard for a little while this morning. Yep, I'm going back. ?
    9 points
  2. I decided that since it's been a while from my last visit to one of my favorite gold hunting locations It was time to charge up the batteries, brave the heat and find some gold. Only managed to dig up these 3 little ones but still it was a good day ?
    5 points
  3. Ya ya, you're probably getting tired of all the "new Equinox just got gold" threads, but here is another. Same old tired cliche, first day out with new said wonder-machine, then BAM out comes a 8" deep, 1/4 ounce gold ring from a previously pounded location. Sigh. I mean come on, it was right under the soccer net, 4 feet from where I usually set down my drinking water. The place I stand when I look at other gold I find. The place that every newbie heads to. The place I did a tight over-lapping spiral around both posts with a Deus and a Lobo. The place that my 2 friends have detected on multiple occasions with a Deus and Etrac. Yet it was right there the whole time. I walked up to the net, dug a penny and thought "hmm, I'm surprised that is still there" but hey it is a multi-freq Mineslab right? No big deal, stranger things have happened. About 14"-16" away I get the almost identical signal, perhaps slightly jumpier, flickering 20-22 ID. I saw that soft edge golden glow in the bottom of the hole, I said "F-you don't be something or other" cause this place has gold toned aluminum scraps and beaver-tails that would make Peter Munk take a triple take. I thought the ring looked to be about 3-4 grams, my eyes almost bulged out of my head when I saw it weighed in at over 8 grams, a good size piece of alloy around here. It might be higher then 10K due to the heft, the mark is worn and my acids are expired so I will get it XRFed when I get a chance to stop in. This is my forth Mineslab and the third time something like this has happened. There was that week of silver running around town with a new Etrac, I also hit gold 45 minutes into a first water hunt when my Excalibur was new. My old friend deep 2 1/2" square nail is back, some of his big brothers too. They are a rough bunch to hang with but I usually get the old silver when they are around. For those wondering, the ring is a 22. I was in Park 2, 7 reactivity, sens21-22, multi-IQ
    5 points
  4. Actually, set up properly, the Equinox is the PERFECT tool for a trashy park, if you hope to snag keepers that would otherwise be masked by the trash, due to its high (and adjustable) recovery speed. If you are not hearing the machine gun bursts of trash target then you are not going to hear the keepers either because the silence you would hear with slower detectors is just the recovery circuit playing catch up while you pass the coil over that keeper target. Some suggestions: First of all, you need to figure out what your objective is. Grab all jewelry, nickels, clad, and silver. Or just cherry pick the high conductors. That will tell you what mode to use. For example, if the trash is indeed modern (i.e., aluminum can slaw, pull tabs, freshness tops, twist tops, crown caps) then just try notch out everything below 20 and go for the clad and silver because you will be hard pressed to pick out the gold rings and nickels amongst all that mid-teen stuff without a trained ear (after awhile you can start to tell the difference between a nickel and a pull tab and a gold ring and a crown cap by tonal quality) and will just be digging it all. Sure you will give up on gold and nickels, but you will lower the audio fatigue as you just listen for the the high conductors to ring out. If you are just going to cherry pick high conductors, then keep it in Park 1. Depending on the ferrous situation you might want to consider lowering the iron bias as that may exacerbate high conductor masking in iron, but that will also create more iron falsing. Avoid the "2" Park/Field modes if there is a lot of modern mid-teen trash, those modes which are optimized for mid-conductors and you will just hit that trash harder. Key is DO NOT MODE HOP and DO NOT TONE HOP. Pick an objective, pick a search mode and stick with it otherwise you will drive yourself insane. The only time I will switch modes during a hunt is if I want to use an alternate mode to interrogate a specific target (i.e., see how the target sounds in Park 2 vs. Park 1 for example for a mid teen target. Pick the tone setup that you are most comfortable with. I prefer 50 tones because it gives me a lot more information about the target than just a visual number. I think of TID number as a Black and White television - sure you get a single tone corresponding to that number in 50 tones but the audio "quality" not just tone gives you so much more information than a number. Is the tone sharp or pinging with steep rising an falling edges (likely coin) or is it soft an long (freshness cap) or distorted (bent pull tab) or unstable and flutey (rusted crown cap). Just a wealth of info - I call that Color TV! 5 tones gives you less audio fatigue but also less information, it is like having a TID display with 5 numbers on it. You need to decide which is the best tone setup for you, learn it and stick with it. Other strategies to consider to reduce fatigue: Consider lowering sensitivity. If the park is really trashy, it is likely that keepers missed by other detectorists with slow machines are just sitting there at the same shallow trash depth. No need to light up the machine with all that trash and ground noise as the higher conductive targets will be "visible" even with lower sensitivities. Also, avoid the tendancy to lower reovery speed to compensate for the depth loss as that will likely just result in more ground noise plus you will lose a key performance attribute that enables you to separate the keepers from the trash. Consider hunting in single frequency (5 khz). People have run some single frequency tests and have found that running single frequency at 5 khz really helps shallow high conductors pop out of the trash vs. multi IQ. Give it a go and see what you think. Be advised though, once you go single frequency - it doesn't really matter which mode you are in as the only thing that then differentiates the Park and Field modes are the different user settings. It is the unique multi IQ profile (including the multifrequency weighting and target signal processing) that gives each of the Park/Field modes their unique personality. You also lose some other "performance" enhancements that Multi IQ brings to the table like precise and forgiving ground balancing, no iron bias setting is available in single frequency mode, and of course, if you use the lower single frequency, you will be less optimized for mid conductive keeper targets too (besides the mid-conductive trash). But that is what metal detecting is all about - managing and balancing the tradeoffs. Consider removing some of that trash. Getting the trash out of the way will help uncover even deeper, older targets. This takes a lot of time (and multiple visits), effort, and finesse. You don't want to be digging up the entire park and destroying the landscape, but if you have a large beer can impeding your view, then by all means get it out of there. Use pinpoint to interrogate probable trash targets to get an idea of depth and size of the trash and make a call as to whether it makes sense to get rid of it to see what else may be hiding there. HTH HH
    3 points
  5. Getting a week at the beach for a little R & R and yes detecting. I must be honest my first day was not that grand (two zincs and a shell casing) with the Equinox 800. Hunted with the stock beach 1 program with no adjustments found very little in the way of nice finds. I had high hopes the beach was like it was a couple years ago, but sand had been hauled in and built up by maybe 5'. Even the wet slope didn't yield much in the way of finds. But decided to hunt the towel line the second day and found a matching set of earrings some 4" deep at the edge of where high tide and the towel line began. Talk about small, but the Equinox had no problem finding small targets.
    2 points
  6. Well, these aren't as impressive as Gerrys, but I can attest that it is a real upgrade to the GMT.
    2 points
  7. Thank you kindly. Here is what the second charge is looking like. 3 pieces of silver, maybe 4 if you include the earring. (I still have 3 bars left)? I did good to get the silver but that clown ring was the real shocker. Its the adjustable aluminum kind and came from between two sand pits that yielded 3 gold in the past. That could have been a monster miss. Anyhow I'm heading back out now. Its hot and I've already washed the machine once today, but what the heck lets see what else is down there. This site is showing signs of potential building development, so I guess I'll do what I can to ransack the dirt first.
    2 points
  8. Thanks. No, I did not write the Equinox book that is currently out there. That is Clive Clynick. I would need at least a year with Equinox before I could attempt something like that. I am working on a several page "Introduction to the Equinox", though, that I will post here in the coming weeks when I think it is ready.
    2 points
  9. You can cheat with an auto tracking machine if you want to up the GB a bit by ground balancing but only lowering you Coil down to 4 or 5 inches off the ground or even higher and you can make it go the other way by only raising it by about 3 inches from the ground and by letting the coil linger on the ground, So you can off set the GB to suit although you have little control by how much, I know with one pump of the coil it will be slightly negative and at two pumps it will be slightly positive and by the third pump it will be more so making a bit more noise as you lower the coil, but as a rule it always ground balances with 2 pumps of the coil or if I have had the tracking locked If I press and release the ground grab it update to the current GB setting that the detector see's without have to pump the coil and it only takes about half a second or less for it to GB it's self, Manual GB is handy for those who like to tweak things but if you only have Auto track and Lock you can imitate it to a fair degree.
    2 points
  10. You are too kind.... the lack of anything remotely resembling poor behavior is a real testament to all the forum members. I was more worried about a troll or spammer joining in my absence and going nuts, and even considered disallowing new members while I was away. I did also figure if anyone tried that you would all step up and just run them off. Part of me just wanted to see what would happen though so I just let it go since truly nothing could happen that I could not clean up on my return as if it had not happened at all. I know people want to know where I went and what I was doing. Yes, I went to some old haunts in Alaska. It would be hard to have a better time than I did in all respects - truly a fabulous trip and wonderfully relaxing. Other than that I have emails and posts to catch up on first. The tale itself will be a long story since I am going to backtrack decades and tell you all a genuine story full of context and photos. What I did the last few weeks will simply be the exciting ending you will all have to wait for. Yes, I do like building a little suspense. I think the tale will be fun and enjoyable for all so all I can say is get ready for a peek at a part of my life in Alaska over the years. It will also be a journey through models over the years and how improving technology really can make a difference. I am looking forward to telling the story as much as as some of you may be in hearing it. Note Sept 1, 2018 - The story is told here Thanks again to everyone for running a great forum. Yes, that is what you all did while I was gone - good job!!
    2 points
  11. From http://metro.co.uk/2017/11/24/haul-of-gold-coins-found-after-being-buried-by-anglo-saxo-king-1500-years-ago-7105000/amp/ “Chris Kutler, 54, stumbled upon the coins after spending four days searching a field in Chelmsford, Essex. The hoard has now been sent to the British Museum for analysis and valuation, but it’s thought they could be worth up to £10,000. Chris said: ‘It is kind of the Holy Grail of metal detectoring. It was an incredible feeling to find the coins.“
    1 point
  12. Go west young man and be sure to take a VLF gold detector. That was the dream I had...so I packed the rig and off I went. My research showed load gold and so I knew the potential for some VLF pickin was possible. The White's 24K performed as I had hoped. Photos of a few more specimen pieces. Yes I did get a manual and it makes a world of difference. I think I'll go back to another site I found a picker and with the new settings, I should be able to and some more to the poke. After all, mama needs more shoes. I'm expecting to have new in box detectors to sell and of next week. Contact me for details.
    1 point
  13. Hey everyone... My focus this year is buffs, V's and war niks..... wasn't thinking of gold. I spent half day at one of my usual pounded Los Angeles parks. Got a little clad and 17 nickels in my pouch. This 600 knocks the cr_p out of nickels. I get another nickel signal (12/13) and dig approximately 4 inches. Because I've been fooled before by coins that initially appear to be gold, I didn't get too excited. But when I cleaned off the dirt and looked real close, I couldn't find any markings. So then I thought, some sort of fake gold or something. Even the white pearl in the setting was breaking down and I thought it was plastic. I did the magnet test at home and it passed but still not totally convinced.... heck this could be brass maybe, I thought? This morning I take it to a jeweler and he puts it through his tests. He says it's 18k. Says it looks made in Asia and markings worn or very old ring. Then another jeweler repeats the process and he concurs with the first jeweler. He then says, "I'll give you $40 for it". I asked, "what's it worth retail?"... he puts it on a scale and says "maybe $1,000 just for the gold". I think you know what I said next. They were interested in setting a new stone in place but I told them it's for my girlfriend and I'll let her handle it. I've made purchases here before so there were no hard feelings either way. Thanx for stopping in everyone and as always.... HH
    1 point
  14. Apologies if im posting a lot, but im really into this hobby. My finds arent stunning by any means, but it does show that this machine is very capable! Its only a matter of time before the treasure is found, hehehehehe. Cheers Peeps! Edit: You may think this is a lot of finds for the amount of time ive been hitting it, but kindly take note, i was informed one location was the spot of an old wishing well. LOL. Andy
    1 point
  15. GB, hope one gets under your coil soon. My settings in this yard were pk1 factory defaults and the coins seemed to be in that 5" + - range in this yard. HH, Tom
    1 point
  16. Hey Andy, I was the guy that wasn't sure about getting the 6"coil because the stock coil separated so well and sure you'll find targets with both coils.... but you might find one with the six that the 11 might miss or you might find one with the stock coil that the six might miss. There's a lot of things to consider when choosing which one to hunt with but they most certainly compliment each other very well. I'm very happy with the addition of the six but I still use the stock when it's' called for. Good luck and HH, Tom
    1 point
  17. Awesome finds Andy! I post alot as well and have fun doing it, keep it up and enjoy!
    1 point
  18. You guys are killing me, finding Walkers! I got a good 33 TID reading yesterday and optimistically said to myself "here's mine." Turned out to be a chunk of copper (not sure what it was used for). Keep up the successful hunting and report back more details (settings, depth) when you get a chance. But I too would be out there hunting instead of sitting here writing if the situation was reversed.
    1 point
  19. Hi Buddy, nice finds there, Question is: Are these something you would of found just as easily with the 11 inche'r though?
    1 point
  20. I'd love to know how well the little coil works, no idea when I will see mine ? HH Sillllvar
    1 point
  21. Nice ring. Looks hefty. ? Rich (Utah)
    1 point
  22. 1 point
  23. Interesting, I think I'll have to visit the soccer fields again. Great recovery.
    1 point
  24. Looks like that little coil is "doing you right!" Hope to have mine soon... Steve
    1 point
  25. Excellent finds! Beautiful ‘42.
    1 point
  26. Unearth, I’m impressed with the ability of the 800 to sort through dense park trash. The 800 audio can certainly pound the brain unless you do something about the sounds of those unwanted targets. Early on I stumbled on this YouTube video by Dirtfishin. I took the ideas and adapted them for my trashy park hunting. It got me started on the right track of taking advantage of the equinox features of changing tone and volumes of various target ID’s to allow me to hunt the trashed areas without getting a headache. I can change tones and volumes on the equinox so that unwanted targets are a pleasant low freq tone that’s also very low in volume, then make the ID’s of wanted targets stand out with higher tones and increased audio. Good targets literally jump out at you and stop you in your tracks to investigate. If there is little trash, and my brain isn’t getting pounded, I can go back to Park 2 with multi-tones which I prefer for general hunting and coinshooting . good luck Rich (Utah)
    1 point
  27. Hey Unearth.....Haha !!! Reminds me of my 1st day out with the Nox. I too hunt the So Cal (Los Angeles) polluted parks. My first day out there it sounded like machine gun fire through my earphones. Coming from the ML Safari, which is a much slower machine, I couldn't believe the quickness in its recovery speed. It was overwhelming and I immediately didn't like the machine. It was just too fast for me. But I will say this... I did get a merc and an injun my first day out irrespective of my frustrations with it. Take the advice of Chase & GB.... they have given you some suggestions and comments that are above my understanding of the Nox. As for me, I just slug it out in these parks and try to train my brain to tones and depth. In real heavy trash, I block out mid-conductors but leave 12/13 open (nickels and gold). This for me calms the machine down cuz it eliminates a lot of the pulltabs you are hearing. This way I can hear more high conductor targets and cherry pick from them. Even still, you will hear the screw caps, rusted iron etc. But this is where you listen and learn the tones as there is a slight but noticeable difference from these and coins. In light trash, I just go all metal so I can hear it all as a way to train my brain to the tones & targets. You will get better at it as time goes by simply by getting to know your Nox (as with any machine).
    1 point
  28. Wow! I vote for Steve H. to add this post to the compendium of Equinox tips. My favorite quote of all (but it was a difficult choice) is: IMO, target masking is still the bane of coin and relic hunting. The Equinox has made significant strides in the right direction, but the problem isn't solved yet. Keep working, detector engineers! I have to give my 'honorable mention' award to one more quote: Detectors are going to respond preferentially to the strongest target in the field of view. Sometimes that target is so strong that it masks desirable targets. This has been true since Adam and Eve started using metal detectors, and it's still true today even with these lightning fast recovery speeds. It's not just large iron and aluminum cans that are the culprits. Sometimes modern coins mask the older, deeper coins. I hate Zincolns but I recover them just in case they are hiding the stuff I really want.
    1 point
  29. Hey gang, I saw this Gladiator wake board bag at Overton's and thought, "That looks like it may be a great metal detector bag." Typically I find that bags made for other sports seem to be much better padded and better made than bags made for metal detecting. So I ordered one. This bag kicks butt. I really like the fact that it has a lot of padding. It is really wide. It has a big zipper mesh see-through pocket for accessories. And a little zippered pocket for bits and bobbs. And it's only like $39.99. I tried to find out who manufactures these but I wonder if this is Overton's own private brand because I couldn't find anyone else that carries them. They were on Amazon, now they say they are no longer available. I don't know if that means they are closing them out or what. https://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?pdesc=Gladiator-Padded-Wakeboard-Bag&i=320417&CAWELAID=120030620000073070&s_kwcid=adwords__&gclid=CjwKCAjwkrrbBRB9EiwAhlN8_ANDn26En6JkGu7SOuRtBNkNY64eVkifk97X0etDJT7TZoitbkVVDBoC2QsQAvD_BwE Doc 
    1 point
  30. https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/326548/4901-0249-1 Inst. Manual, EQUINOX 600 800 EN.pdf On page 52 there is a graphic similar to your EXCEPT for the Iron Bias it's only a factor of 2 (similar to the recovery speed conversion which you have shown correctly and is on page 51 of the manual) -- that is: 600 value 0 is equivalent to 800 value 0 600 value 1 is equivalent to 800 value 2 600 value 2 is equivalent to 800 value 4 600 value 3 is equivalent to 800 value 6 And yes, there is no higher Iron Bias setting on the 600 even though the 800 goes all the way up to 9. Good mnemonic: both Iron Bias scale and Recovery Speed Scale on the 600 is a factor of 0.5 times the equivalent value of the 800.
    1 point
  31. From what I've read he's damn near there already.
    1 point
  32. I have a little wall cabinet that I put a few relics etc in My valuable finds are locked away safely
    1 point
  33. I understand where you're coming from. Auto tracking systems can have their advantages for inexperienced operators, or, as you said in"variable ground". They also had disadvantages, at least in some of the earlier systems. Around the late 1990's, well known detector designer Dave Johnson designed the Lobo Super Trac for Tesoro, or Lobo ST as it's most widely known. It had a very good ground tracking/balance system which was great for beginners. It had a shortcoming though. The tracking system could not be locked to the current ground phase when a target was found. As the user would wiggle the coil back and forth to further analyze the signal, the GB system continued tracking. At times it could actually track out (eliminate) the target signal as bad ground. It could/can be mitigated by making wider sweeps of the coil to let the tracking system read the surrounding soil matrix and adjust to that and not read the target as bad ground. Fast forward a year or two. Mr. Johnson, now working for Whites Electronics was in the process of designing two widely popular models for them, the GMT and MXT. He obviously was aware of the shortcomings of the Lobo ST tracking system. He made one huge addition to the whites models, the ability to lock the current ground phase in the tracking system when the user had a potential target. Once locked, the operator can move the coil back and forth to analyze the target with no worry of it being "tracked out" as bad ground. He also added the option to manually ground balance, and the very nice Ground Grab system which at the push of a button adjusts the ground phase of the machine to the ground matrix under the coil, as the computer constantly monitors the ground phase conditions. A great bunch of options at the time! Mr. Johnson has gotten away from auto ground tracking/adjusting systems for the most part at First Texas now. Most of their current machines employ the "Ground Grab" system, or the Ground Grab, plus a manual option most are familiar with. The newer machines of most other brands employ a variety of the GB options including tracking which is quite common now. They seem to work well. I still have a fondness for the GMT's options which are now nearly two decades old. As to the GB2. It's another one of Dave Johnson's excellent designs, and an all-time classic. I don't think I'd change a thing with that one! Sorry for the long winded post.
    1 point
  34. I just found this video of Toms about the 24K and it looks impressive and it is a first class instructional video on Toms behalf too. John.
    1 point
  35. Cool. Saint Louis Ordnance Plant, 1943? http://www.odcmp.org/1101/usgi.pdf Small-Caliber Ammunition Identification Guide. Volume 1 Small-Caliber Ammunition Identification Guide. Volume 2
    1 point
  36. Hi Mac, GPX 5000 - just so that no-one thinks Minelab has brought out a new detector ? I have never used a GPX of any model nor even held one but...it is one of the reasons I went for a GPZ 7000 - I was told they were less complicated with the array of settings. And I have found the 7000 very easy. But, there is a bloke on Prospecting Australia that goes by the name of BJay and I have been out with him a few times. He has a GPX 4500 and he always finds gold, usually more than me. He says that he basically leaves it in default and changes only 2 or 3 settings up or down depending on the type of ground he is in. I suppose it depends if a person wants to over complicate things or not. Then there is the plethora of coils that can be used on a GPX - my bank account couldn't afford wanting the latest and greatest coil every 3 months ? Good luck with your choice.
    1 point
  37. How rare is this? One of my customers has been finding native Michigan copper nuggets with his Minelab Equinox 800 and said I could share this amazing discovery. Kind of makes my nuggets look like dinks. What do you think something like this is worth?
    1 point
  38. I seem to be getting something good every time I go out lately, and I use a different setting when I go back to places I've been before and new finds keep popping up. It's like having a different detector each time I go back to a place. Got a nice rare Seated dime 1861 s, Ben Franklin cleaned up nicely, and got my first two Indian heads in a long time. I also got about 4 other silver and a dozen wheats. Not trying to go too deep, but listening for clean tones between the trash.
    1 point
  39. I have been detecting for 40 years, found a lot of different coins. But there was one on my bucket list I never thought I would find.I found a beach that use to be a resort in the turn of the century and found a lot of silver coins there.Every week is a new adventure with the movement of sand. Today was one of those days. Got a 27-28 signal on the 600, dug down , got a 1907 barber dime. After checking the hole got a 37-38 signal. Called my son over with his etrac and he got a 12-40 signal. After a few scoops, down about a foot came up a 1935 Peace dollar! Wow! Never thought this day would come!
    1 point
  40. I got into the hobby of metal detecting three years ago and have a couple of Teknetics detectors which work just great. I watched the development and release of the Equinox brand with interest as a friend is an avid Minelab user. To cut a really long winded story short, I bought an Equinox 800. Nobody has been more amazed at the capabilities of this detector than I. In the short six weeks I have been learning to us it, I am in awe of it's simplicity, or if so desired, it's complexity. I have not ventured too far in adjusting settings yet as I learn the basics of this machine. One of the standout features of the detector is the wireless headset capability; I did not think I would enjoy it as much as I am. Anyway, I don't always find silver when I head out detecting but when I do, it is magical. I'll let a couple of pics tell the rest of the story.... The quarters are 1918, 1951, 1952 and 1960. The dimes are 1942, 1949, 1950, 1960 and 1965...and that Merc is a 1944. The ring on the left is stamped sterling and the other two are stamped 925. I think I've caught the silver bug that is going around!!!!! Thanks to everyone who contributes to this forum as it is a very impressive resource for folks like me. Thank you all!!
    1 point
  41. Yes Sir, the 1965 is 80% silver. Canadian quarters and dimes were silver up to 1967. In 1968, some were silver and some were nickel...only a magnet knows for sure. And at some point, we digressed into steel garbage... I just reviewed my files and a conservative estimate would put me about 35 hours or so over 10 outings using the Equinox. Yeah, I take pics of everything I dig even if it's 51 pennies and a bunch of nickels and then file them by date and location. And the missus has the unmitigated gall to say I have OCD. It's CDO, dammit...the letters have to be in alphabetical order!!! LMAO!!!
    1 point
  42. Yup, what Terry said. If two people listen to 100 targets, they will differ as to how much stuff they dig as being “good targets” and “bad targets”. In other words, what one person may decide is a trash target may be good enough sounding to dig to the other person. We vary in how aggressively we reject trash, which goes hand in hand with potentially missing good items. Then add the fact that the local trash mix varies tremendously and how much it interferes with your detecting depends on the targets you hunt and how much local trash reads the same. This leads to situations where one person says “this works for me” and another says “it does not work for me”. It’s not a matter of making things up or anything, and no reason for anyone to take offense or argue. So whether it worked for Sinclair or not I will just say thanks staffydog33 for sharing your advice. Even if it does not help Sinclair it may help someone else, and helping others is a large reason for this forums existence.
    1 point
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