UtahRich

Very unique looking ring. Nice find.

Advise 1. Don't upset the wife. Advise 2. Save up for it. Let the wife know you're saving up for it. If it's not worth saving up for, it is likely not worth buying in the first place. JMHO Rich -

I'm a 50 tones guy too. Actually, I've been an audio Target ID fan since I bought my first Target ID machine, a Teknetics Mark I, back in the mid-80's. I continued with the Minelab FBS series beginning with the Explorer XS when they first came out. I'm with you on the tones. I am most comfortable with them and like I stated above, it is my go-to for general hunting. So why try this other method ? It Works in the conductive trash. Rich (Utah)

Nice ring. Looks hefty. ? Rich (Utah)

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)

I just picked up a pair of the Minelab (Koss) Waterproof headphones. Haven't had them in the water yet, but initial testing seems ok. Will drop a note here down the road once I've had a chance to get a feel for things. Rich (Utah)

SteveG I'll dig out my war nickels tonight or tomorrow and check them all and report back. Curious about the 43-S'. Perhaps they are mixed with a little unobtanium? That would explain a lot. Rich (Utah)

Pretty sure that is a custom gear shift knob for a wagon, likely from early traders on the Old Spanish Trail. It is missing the glass insert. ? Rich (Utah) Some really nice finds there.

I am with Bryan on this, 12-13. I've dug a bunch of deep targets bordering 12-13 on either side, but it seems that nickels will find 12-13. There are some newer square tabs hitting this same spot and, of course, folded pull tab tongues (beaver tails). My nickel percentage has jumped significantly with the 800 using 5 tones and a narrow segment of 12-13 just for nickels. Rich -

Speculate what might have been? That’s a tall order for Steve. Rich

Congrats on the ring. Rich

My heart always jumps a moment when I see round in the hole. Some buttons are a prize, others can be a let down. Im seeing a lot of digging time sitting on the table there Rich

Was out with the 800 today for an hour before work. Visited a well hunted location. Turned up an 1887 V Nickel at 7-8”. Had to remove a bottle cap at 3” that was very close to get a clear shot at the V. Had a rusted nail in the hole with it. It was a good find. Rich (Utah)

I have to say that I like digging nickels, especially Buffalo Nickels. They're one of the older denominations that is a little time travel piece that takes me back. In my area of Utah, we seem to get a good mix of both Denver and San Francisco mint marks on our coins; perhaps since we sit half-way between the San Francisco and Denver mints. Some areas I hunt seem to treat the nickels better than others, but I've found a number of 'keeper' Buffalo's since I started swinging a detector. Here's a couple pics of a nice example, a 1913-D type 2 in pretty good shape. Some other better dates that have turned up under the coil; 1913-S type 2 (2) 1914-S (2) 1915-D 1916 (multiples) 1916-D 1917-D 1918-D (2) 1918 1920-S 1925-D 1926-S (2) 1935 While they may come up with some 'toning' on them, they are certainly attractive coins to fill your collection with and some may have collector value as well. I received my Minelab 800 in the mail last week and took it to a few spots I am very familiar with to get an idea of capability. It was certainly fitting that the first old coin found was a 1936-S Buffalo Nickel. 6" deep, in the tabs and low conductivity junk. (12-13) In that short hours hunt, I turned up 6 nickels. The 800 can find nickels, for me anyways, I keep an eye out for them. Rich (Utah)

Headphones - I turn off the 800 and then reach up to the earcup and press the off button and listen for the descending tone. Then I tuck them away in the travel case. The itsy bitsy teeny weenie lights that indicate on or off are hard for me to see in the daylight. Rich (Utah)

My 800 arrives tomorrow. Question. My etrac has a volume gain setting that controls audio modulation and has a 'boost' point near max beyond which all shallow and deep signals basically sound alike. Does adjusting the volume or tone volume on the equinox have any impact on perceived modulation? Does the sensitivity setting? Many detectorists set volume to max on the machine and control volume at the headphones is why I ask. if I am reading reports correctly, there is little to no modulation in discriminate mode until approximately 6" depth on coin sized objects. Rich

Judy, Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. It's suppose to be a secret. Rich (Utah)

Excellent report Wayfarer. thanks for taking the time to work it up and post it. Rich (Utah)

After reading the post on the Equinox 800 being in stock and available at Cabela's, I popped over to the Cabela's site that morning. found the 800, added it to my shopping cart and went most of the way through the buying process. I selected FREESHIP to 'save' some money, winced at the sale tax added to the order and stared at the screen. Hmmm. That doesn't seem right. I have to say that my 'hackles' rose a bit that I've waited on my dealers 'pre-order' list since September 21st, (5 months) and to have Minelab go and do this really irked me. I was on Findmall at that moment and even wrote a bit of a scathing response, under a "Cabela's Has Equinox's in Stock' POST, to Minelab, posted it, and then got to thinking (after I already posted of course). Are we really suppose to think before we post? Most every dealer out there was taking 'pre-orders' for the Equinox's. My dealer had at least 6. because I was #6. I know that Kellyco took hundreds of orders (pay up front) as they were classifying their customer in the 1st 100 or 2nd 100. I had not heard about Cabelas taking pre-orders. All over people jostled for 'pre-order' position. Be first to get your Equinox. Anyway, where I am going with this is that Cabelas has 82 stores in the US and Canada. As a Minelab dealer, are they entitled like the rest of the dealers to get 1 or 2 detectors for each of their stores? I think that or a least a large portion of that. That got me to thinking that perhaps Cabela's was notified by their Minelab Distributor that their initial 'allotment' of detectors for their 82 stores was there and ready to drop ship directly to their customers and off they go. I closed the Cabela's Order Page on my computer. I quickly edited my comments on Findmall and am now sitting back waiting. I'm looking outside. There is fresh snow on the ground, 25* temps with more snow in the forecast for the next week. .And my dealer, whom I've purchased a few detectors from, will have my detector here in the next three or four weeks and I got a MUCH better deal than I would have otherwise. HH Rich (Utah)

Had a chance to get out for a few minutes last Saturday and do some follow up hunting in the yard of a beautiful two story house built in 1900. I call it follow up because I was sure I was not the first to hunt there. The new owner was renovating the yard and had removed all the grass in the front yard and the large parking strip. The ground had also been tilled. I am using another detector while waiting on my Equinox. So the target ID scale is different. First beep and target of the day was 64-65 and right on top of the dirt. This is low zincoln territory. Imagine my surprise when the coin turned out NOT to be a zincoln, but an 1896 IHC. I’m pretty sure the yard had been cherry picked by one or more detectorists as all of the solid signals I was getting were disintegrating zincolns and tabs. Still, careful searching turned up some “good” clad tucked in close to garbage. Looking in some unlikely spots turned up another IHC, this one a very clean 1908. I turned it over hoping to discover an S on the back, but no luck this time. I hunted for a couple hours. The two IHC’s were nice to find. Not a single wheatie though. And no silver. Lots of zincolns and pulltabs to keep me bz. Also a sales tax token, a nice marble and a couple odd and ends. I’m not sure how well the Equinox will separate between IHC’s and zincolns, I am still waiting on mine. But all the machines I’ve used over the years have these two coins very close together on the VDI’s; the IHC’s slightly below the zinc’s. But if the zincolns are corroded, their numbers can fall well below normal. It has always been hard for me to separate these two. Techniques like Gerry is referring to above can help improve your odds by looking for deeper, and usually older items. Keep an eye out though for areas where deep items may have been brought to the surface and within reach of your coil. You may just get a surprise like me. Rich (Utah)

Dry land hunter. Biggest percentage of gold and silver rings are Parks/sports fields. Rich -

Thanks Steve. This is all First Class. Rich (Utah)

There wasn't an exact match on the Poll, so I selected Beach Mode. My primary purpose for the Equinox purchase is for shallow water (fresh) and all-weather coin / jewelry hunting. It will be a Big bonus to me if the Equinox is able to take over 'old yard' and 'park' hunting duties currently assigned to my Etrac or old west sites currently assigned to my Racer 2. I like the simplicity of fewer detectors, although I currently have several, just the way I am. But I see the benefits of having complimentary detectors where the weaknesses of one are covered by the strengths of another. I've also wanted to try a little gold nugget hunting out at Rye Patch and similar and it looks like the multi-purpose design of the Equinox can at least get me in the gold nugget front gate without having to drop $$$$ on a dedicated gold machine before knowing if it's my cup of tea. Rich (Utah)

My take on the accessory pricing is that they are unlikely to cost more than similar accessories for the CTX and could be less if Minelab prices them competitively like they did the Equinox. I’ve been saving since the Equinox was announced. It looks like there is going to be plenty of time to squirrel away money for waterproof headphones. I’m good for the equinox and the 6” coil. If my Minelab calendar is correct, it is the END OF JANUARY and so sometime this week, a container or two of Equinox detectors should be loading onto container ships and headed to North America, Europe and Africa. When I lived in Sydney back in the early 80’s, we called it the Slow Boat; it took packages forever to go back and forth between the States and Australia. I imagine the containers will be shipped from their manufacturing facility in Malaysia, but I don’t know those details. Malaysia and Australia are both on the other side of the Pacific which is one of the bigger bodies of water last time I flew over it. Steve might be able to ask Minelab. Who knows, they might even grace us with an answer. I guess it is good they don’t offer tracking numbers at this point or there would be problems with people staring at a tracking page looking for an update and getting nothing done. All in all, it is a long wait and there is more waiting to be done. I completely understand those that are tired of the wait, the bickering and trolling on the other forums; it wears on you. Suppose that is why I see so many familiar names here is that others are seeking refuge from the same thing. It is a pleasant change to have actual information to read. Thanks Steve. Rich (Utah)

I see the CTX waterproof headphones going for $149 US. If the Equinox headphones are the same but with a different connector it would seem they would be priced similar. Rich