Tiftaaft

I know this is a repeat post from the videos thread, but I thought it was to the point relevant to this thread.  Another interesting data point to the difference between the different modes and their performance.  Even though this is an air test, and in the ground, mileage may vary... but a controlled test with useful findings none-the-less.  

13 hours ago, Fskafish said:

U answered that perfect that is exactly what i wanted to know thanks tiftaaft

Happy to share anything I can... I love the Vaquero.  It is a power horse in a discreet little package and is sneaky deep when set up right.  And Tesoro discriminates iron as good or better than any machine I have used. 

I am interested to hear about how it performs for you! 

Happy Hunting.  Tim.

7 hours ago, TallTom said:

What you say about being a contrarian makes perfect sense, Steve.

Only one problem.  EVERYONE is buying an Equinox!  You're not going to be a contrarian for long.

 

I may be wrong, but from what I am reading and seeing... this machine in different modes makes it contrary to itself!  :)

4 hours ago, steveg said:

Tim,

I'll be sure to do it next time I am out with it.  But, don't let my results dissuade/discourage you.  You can't possibly believe how hard this little section of this park has been hammered by myself, and my partner, with a half-dozen different machines and COUNTLESS different coil combinations.  And by hammered, I mean digging EVERY tone that could one could POSSIBLY conjure in their mind to have possibly come from a good target.  Chirp, squeak, blip...you name it.  And I mean dozens and dozens of times even SINCE the spot essentially "dried up."  I was SURE the 17" coil attached to the CTX would be the key to nabbing one or two more (especially after the 11" on the CTX did pull that 8" wheatie on edge).  But -- NADA, in two outings, from the CTX/17...

I am here to tell you, with CERTAINTY -- if the Equinox pulls ONE SINGLE KEEPER from this small area, it will be nothing short of miraculous!

Steve

Thanks for the disclaimer Steve.  I won't let the results of the Equinox in your pummeled park lower my opinion of the Equinox if nothing is found... but if you do find something.... WOW!  :)  Good Luck on finding a squeaker or two.  Tim.

4 minutes ago, Skate said:

Steve is this generations EF Hutton. When Steve speaks, you better listen. 

Word!

1 hour ago, Fskafish said:

Thanks, something im wondering is if the ground balance knob gets turned a few full turns either way will that really throw it off? And then would it need turned back the same amount of full turns? Lol im not saying i turn it full turns but what if my little boy turned it with out me knowing it, i mean i dont think he did but what if something like thats happens, do i need to just start turning full turns negative or positive depending on which way i need to go? Or is it only working from 9 oclock to 3 oclock, if what im saying makes since

The ground balance knob is a 3 3/4 turn knob... so it could get out of whack if turned a few times around (your son playing for example... I completely understand, I have kids and you just never know what they find interesting to turn).  The Tesoro manual says to turn 5 turns counterclockwise, then turn back clockwise 2 turns to get it close to center.  The knob will spin endlessly, but you should feel a slight drag in the knob when it has maxed in one direction.  What I have found, is once I am at or near center... my ground will be within 1 turn to balance... and usually only a half or 3/4 a turn to find the sweet spot.  

Tim.

Hey Fish!.  I have had that issue a few times with my Vaquero.  I can only speculate as to why, but when it happens, I walk to a different area and ground balance there.  I usually find the sweet spot then hunt a bit negative anyway, so if I can get close to even, and turn it back 1/8 to 1/4 turn... and I'm good to go.    I have noticed a time or two I will try to ground balance on top of a target (or near to one) and have to move around in AM to find a good clean spot to level it out.    Hope that helps.  Good Luck!

My order is safe with my Dealer, even if that means I have to wait until late March.

Thanks TGO!

7 hours ago, steveg said:

Interesting discussion here.  I never really thought of "Park 2" as possibly being hotter, and thus -- where targets are sparse -- potentially deeper.  I have been hunting exclusively with the 'Nox in Park 1 mode, at a park I know like the back of my hand.  I've pretty well cleaned this park out (i.e. the good targets that were left, that weren't already cleaned out by all the multitudes of detectorists before me) in the last several years.  There's one area in particular in this park where a partner and I hit a hot spot, about 5 years ago, where we dug several dozen old coins generally in the 7" to 9" deep range.  We hit so many good targets here, that we beat it to death with various machines, coil combinations, etc. -- and I've continued to re-check this area for the past couple of years, even though it has stopped giving up deep coins (I did manage one on-edge wheat at 8" deep next to a nail, with the CTX this past November, right after I got it, but that's the only deep/old coin this spot has yielded in well over a year if not two years).  ANYWAY -- I ran through there with the Equinox in Park 1 mode, low reactivity (like 1, I think) and high sensitivity, seeing if I might not eek one more out.  I didn't, but I'm thinking that having a go at it in Park 2, high sensitivity, low reacitivity, might be a neat thing to try.  Targets are really sparse here, in this little "hot spot" area, since we cleaned it out so thoroughly...which might be ideal for Park 2 mode, per Tim's thoughts, above...

Steve

Steve... I am VERY interested to hear your findings on this test.  I think there are a lot of Easter Eggs hidden in the Equinox... this may be one of them.  I have a park exactly as you outlined above... old, pounded hard over the years, found a 'hot spot' where I pulled several oldies... and has now become silent... when I get my E800, that is one of the first places I will go once I get familiar with it, and test out P1 and P2 - and Gold as well since it is the hottest of hot :).    -Tim.

Dan!  Thanks for the write up... And sharing your settings, and results. Your comment about your Deus and CTX supports what many others are saying.  Can't wait to hear about Day 3.  Tim

Bill is amazing.  Knowing that he received an Equinox and is posting vids makes the wait for mine a lot easier.  Tim

1 hour ago, Mountain Mike said:

Thanks Steve. I have been studying the manual and feel I have a good grasp on the frequency weighting  between the different modes.  I guess that what has prompted me to ask the question. It looks like park 1 and field 1 should really hit harder on high conductive coins than park 2 but I haven't seen a video or test that confirmed that for me. I was just hoping someone would point me in the direction of a video showing park 1or field 1 pounding a coin that park 2 doesn't hit as well. Just for my own peace of mind.

So this is what I gather from the posts above and some of the others.   (and forgive me for over simplifying my understanding due to not having a unit in hand).

Park 1 or Field 1 may not hit 'harder' than Park 2 or Field 2... but they will be a lot more stable where other targets, including smaller targets exist.  Park 2 or Field 2 give you the ability of cranking the Equinox into "6th gear" where there aren't as many competing targets, which allows the machine to be more sensitive to smaller and potentially deeper targets.  I think of it a little like using my PI machine... I won't miss anything with the PI.  It can pick up a flake of iron at 8 inches.  But that isn't a positive when I'm hunting a location that is littered with flakes of iron and everything larger... The Equinox P1 and F1 are tuned to perform in these environments better than P2 or F2.. saving a lot of chasing bb sized targets (or smaller). 

Mike, to your comment, I haven't seen a lot of video footage on that assumption (which may be totally off base), but that is what I can gleen from what I have seen.  Hopefully there will be some more comparison videos to help us understand those differences a little better.

I can think of a few locations where I have spent a significant amount of time "clearing" the path for a hot machine... and other locations that I will thank the heavens for the tuning of P1 and F1 to work around the 'noise' in the ground.  I am also very interested to see the difference between "1" and "2" in my mineralized ground... and honestly no video will tell me how it will perform out my back door.  I need to have the machine in my hands for that. 

Tim.

2 minutes ago, Mountain Mike said:

I've been sitting back reading the reports and watching the videos. I want to thank all of those who taken the time to try to help others. Now that there is a fair amount of tests and videos are out I thought I should start taking some notes. On the first 6 tests that I made notes I noticed that all of them ended up getting their best results using Park 2 after some minor adjustments . Some of these tests involved finding good targets in and around iron while others were depth tests. I am still waiting to see how TNSS test on deep silver  turns out. So what have you guys found Park1, Field 1 and 2 modes to be better at? Surely Park 1, Field 1, and 2 modes have an advantage in particular situation that I haven't noticed. Can someone give me an example or 2 based on real world testing? Thanks  

Mike, I was just thinking about how to ask this exact question on the threads but didn't want to ask a question that has already been answered... so THANKS!!  I am also curious about Park 1 and Park 2.  Especially in "the wild".   

I second Mike's thanks to all those that put themselves out there at the risk of being openly criticized or mocked for the way they hunt, or the settings they use, or the tools they show in the videos.   My appreciation goes out to you.  Tim.

5 hours ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Yup, Equinox loves nickels! Great early hunt Dan and pretty much what happened with me and silver. Anyone that gets one and knows what they are doing is going to have these WOW moments and then the deal is sealed. I have known this and Minelab knows it. The main frustration at Minelab right now is just like everyone else’s - they want to get as many machines into customer hands as quickly as possible because that is what will sell more Equinox detectors. I am amazed that some people still seem to be waiting for news from official testers. What ever happened to just waiting for reports from real users? That has always been the ace in the hole for Equinox.

Agreed Steve.  I'm looking forward to the Equinox threads evolving into more like this one... settings, experiences, questions, answers, finds, results.. from real users (not that the testers aren't real users.... ;)  Just more data points to better understand what is under the hood of the Equinox).  That is where these forum threads will shine like they always have... in good information sharing between users... which will rebuild our network and metal detecting community after the unfortunate tangent we have been on since September.    Tim.

1 hour ago, Mark Gillespie said:

Please note my judgement on the Equinox is based on the red/orange clay where I live.  In my area a target past 5-6 always gives an iron signal.  Case in point, yesterday I spent several hours hunting the same kind of dirt.  These sites have completely dried up several years ago but I started finding coins at depths of 5-8".  Not only did the Equinox give a solid audio, but the target ID was accurate.  I'm still awe struck.

 

You aren't helping my attempts at being patient here Mark... haha. 

That is great!  I'm glad the Equinox is opening up old ground for you.  Crossing my fingers for some similar experiences in my PNW ground.  Tim.

Double nickel trifecta! NiCE! Great finds Dan!!

2 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

I really don't mind waiting, I just really want a fair and even playing field and that has gone right out the window with this Cabelas thing. That is what stings.

Well said Chase.  Stings is a good word.  

Thanks for the update Mike!  So on the wheats next to trash... what kind of sound profile were you getting.  An evident high tone next to a low tone?  Easy to lock in on the high tone?

Hi have a work trip planned the 2nd half of March... will be away from my home for 10 days.  I am certain that my E800 will arrive the day I get on the plane... and will be sitting inside my door mocking me for the remainder of my trip.  

Oh, wait, the question was 'what do I do', not what the Equinox will do.....  

In that case... I will cry.  lol.

4 hours ago, steveg said:

I know I'm not the first, but maybe there are a few items in here that are not on other charts...

Steve 

 

 

Thanks Steve... the more data points the better!!  Tim.

Of course GOLD is where the value is.... but My #1 want for the Equinox is simple.  Old Silver in a Pounded Park.  Everything else falls into place after that.

57 minutes ago, Judy said:

I JUST GOT THE CALL !!!!!  Im in the first round I'm shaking with excitement ? I couldn't drive there I'd have an accident . ?

Congrats Judy.. the 6 month clock starts now! :)

Live digs and settings.  Thanks for asking Mike.  And good luck with your new 600!!  Tim.