JP.Diggzzit

Two more weeks left in 2018, some good low tides and possibly some wave action coming up, but this is my favorite to date.  13.6 grams 14k with ice.  CTX 3030 with 11" coil.  Still my #1 detector for majority of conditions on beach.  Intertidal wash zone/water line 12"+ deep.  

Available on Ebay now.  I just ordered one up.

Yes, auto ground balance - 0.  I only use tracking on occasion when gridding from drier sand to wet/water.  No discrim./all metal, relatively clean beach w/minimal targets.  Hit three deep lead sinkers before the ring, so I knew the possibility of a deep ring was good.  I have had targets sink and move around in the soupy sand but in this case it was hard packed.

Hit this deep, 10 gram Platinum ring on the beach recently.  Initial signal was a faint, choppy tone, jumpy 12/13 ID.  After the 1st and 2nd scoops the signal went to negative #'s and gave me the iron tone.  After the 3rd scoop the signal was gone.  I utilized pinpoint mode thereafter and recovered the target after the 5th scoop.  Solid 13 out the hole.  Wet sand was hard packed so I don't believe the target was moving or sinking, no water filled the hole.  Has anyone else experienced an initial good target going to negative #'s/iron readout?  Halo effect on non-ferrous?  Positive this target was at the brink of detection range...14" - 15" inches.  Impressive depth but I will not trust that iron reading/tone if it is mixed with a positive reading/tone going forward. 

I run Beach 2 with no discrimination almost exclusively on the beach.

GL & HH!

On 7/9/2018 at 6:57 AM, staffydog33 said:

I use beach 1 sensivity to 16 on dry sand.

Beach 2 for very wet sand and in the shallow watter.

 

Matt.

Same here.  Although I rarely hunt dry sand.  I am able to crank up the sensitivity over 20 in Beach 2 in the wet sand/shallow water and is generally more stable on my local beaches.  Beach 2 does have a lower transmit power though, as stated above.  The higher transmit power of Beach 1 and differing weighted low frequency processing could have been the difference on the "very small" pendant recovery.  Basically, Beach 1 is going to be more sensitive to smaller, lower conductive targets from my understanding.

20 minutes ago, Cal_Cobra said:

That single find just paid for the EQ600 !!  Nice going, would love to dig that monster!

Melt value would have been close...if only my dear old Mum didn't confiscate it! Haha

I have a pair very similar to these from amazon.  I think they changed the name since I purchased a few months ago.  I prefer the over the ear hooks and I have not noticed any lag at all. $29.99

If you don't want to bother with the module.

Conious Wireless Headphones with Built-In Mic and CSR8645 Chipset Featuring Bluetooth 4.1, APTX Audio and CVC Noise Canceling. Waterproof Sport Bluetooth Headphones with 15 Hour Battery and Carry Case

51 minutes ago, NCtoad said:

That's a great piece of gold!  Sure beats finding those measly 6 or 10 gram rings?

The engraving on it is beautiful!  I'll take 6 gram gold rings all day, any day! 

17 minutes ago, phrunt said:

Well, it's hardly luck, as he wouldn't of found it without being out there swinging the detector, that doesn't make it luck.  Luck is walking along for another reason and seeing it on the ground waiting to be picked up.  He had to actively find and dig it.

Those who put in the hard yards end up with the goods.

 

I think he said it more out of amazement and disbelief.  The look on his face was priceless when we located the 14k stamp.  It was heavily worn and we both have bad eyes.  Had to use the loupe.

55 minutes ago, Jackpine said:

That's a monster chunk of gold!  Congrats to your Dad.

Thanks.  Even after this find, he is still a bit of skeptic.  Saying it was "shi* luck" and "I'll never find anything like that again."  I keep on telling him " ya never know", haha.  What's the saying?  Fortune (luck) favors the prepared.  Best to be equipped with an Equinox if that's the case, IMO!

My parents recently visited so I took my Dad out to the beach the day after Father's day.  Keep in mind, he is a complete novice and usually only detects with me.  Beaches have been sanded in, so I told him not to expect much.  I was swinging the CTX 3030 with the 17" coil and he took the Equinox 600.  After a quick initial setup, he was on his way to finding this...14k gold bangle bracelet, almost 25 grams!  I was about a 1/2 mile down the beach so I didn't see the recovery.  He said it was "loud" and about 6 or 7 scoops down (big stealth scoop).  It was in the wet sand and waves kept on filling in his hole.  It rings 13 on the Equinox 600 and 12:13 on the CTX.  My wife usually has 1st dibs on all jewelry, but my Mom got this one.  I have found beach 2 works best (more stable) for my local beaches, auto GB 0, Recovery 2 or 3 (depending on target concentration), iron bias 1, full tones, sens 21 or 22, no discrimination most of the time.  The Equinox 600 out shined the CTX on this day as I only found about $2 in change.  Looking forward to the 15" coil for big low tides and the 800 with 6" coil may also be in my future for heavier trash sites (on occasion).

4 minutes ago, Tiftaaft said:

As long as we are making a list....  Am I the only one that liked the pinpoint trigger on the CTX?  I thought that was a nice touch (pun intended)... Anything I can do to keep my muddy glove off the screen is an ace in my hand.  :)

I have only hunted with the Equinox once, but reached for that trigger a few times. Put it on the list! 

I have the 600 and purchased aptx earbuds from Amazon ($20). They are not LL but I do not notice a lag at all. I bought a pair of low latency over the ear headphones as well, but I think I will end up using the earbuds more often.

Put it on the list for Minelabs next flagship detector...using multi-IQ technology or IQ II. I'd like to see a visualization screen (similar to CTX), carbon fiber shafts, hidden coil wire, etc. on the next one!

Maybe bring the recovery speed and iron bias down, if you want depth and there is not too much trash.  I plan on hitting a cleaner beach Saturday for my 2nd hunt.  I am going to bring the speed and iron down to the lowest settings on the 600 to see what kind of depth it can achieve.  I am liking the aptx earbuds (separate purchase) that go directly in ear...granted you wont be able to hunt in the water above the control/handle.  They are plenty loud.  Let us know how your next hunts go after your work schedule.

1 hour ago, Toddbbq said:

nope not magnetic...9k or maybe even less but I am 90% sure it is a gold ring IMHO

It did clean up quite well. Could have been there awhile...1940's and 50's swimming hole/beach.

1 minute ago, Toddbbq said:

did the acid turn green which is a sure sign of brass if not probably 9k and tarnished due to high copper content

Ohhhh! No it did not turn green. Would it be magnetic at 9k. My cheap magnet doesn't attract it, i have a better one on the way.

2 minutes ago, Toddbbq said:

Any markings on the ring as it looks in the photo as too yellow for brass. I would atleast have it acid tested.

I was hoping someone would say that. I am still wondering. No markings, although I have a couple gold rings that are not marked. It rang kinda high for gold, mid 20's. I did do acid test and it slowly dissolved at 10k. 9k maybe will ring a little higher? I have not found one.  It was heavily tarnished like the silver that comes out of there. It won't go in the junk ring jar just yet. 

2 hours ago, Cal_Cobra said:

Nice job JP, that's the kind of vids I'd enjoy seeing until I get mine!

Are you in San Diego?  I'm in NorCal, so am looking forward to hitting HMB, Santa Cruz, etc., to see how it does.  This winter has sucked for beach erosion though

Thanks. Yes, San Diego. We need a storm or at least a good swell to move some sand. This is going to be a fun detector!

9 minutes ago, Thegoldenone said:

Very nice Report with a video to boot!

Awesome to see how that thing works and that trashy area

Thanks. It's speedy in the iron and trash. Separation was good, even with the 11" coil.  A few times I thought it was falsing on iron but out popped a coin. I can't wait to hunt with it again. Hopefully Saturday on a cleaner beach!

25 minutes ago, Skate said:

Thats a great hunt. If you could do that every time you hunted you could move that retirement date up a bit. 

I think I will need to hit some more gold!

13 minutes ago, JoeRivers said:

Nice video 

Thanks. I would do more if I had the patience to edit, upload, publish etc. 

I hit a super trashy, saltwater bay beach yesterday after work for a quick hunt. Not my first choice for locations or style of hunting but it is close to my home and I was itching to swing the Equinox. Pulled a few silver coins and very little trash. I prefer eroded ocean beaches with moderate trash.  The brass ring had me for a minute...it rang in the 20's, was tarnished but it rubbed off just enough to see a glint of yellow. So far so good! 

Beach 1 and 2

GB - Auto 0

Sensitivity 18 (mostly) went to 21 briefly

2 tone (reject 20 and under) for cherry picking high conductors in heavy trash

Recovery 3 

Iron Bias 0 and 1

https://youtu.be/Sq8KV79OtIU

I received my Equinox 600 on the 6th business day from Cabelas. Their website never gave me a tracking # after it shipped. I did use the chat box to obtain the tracking # but it was not available until after a couple days in shipped status. Drop shipped from Minelab Americas, Naperville, IL. UPS ground. I'll never pre-pay/pre-order a detector again. A lot of misinformation from the dealer IME. Will not get into specifics here. Not sure if it was coming from Minelab or if the dealer was just stringing me along...with my $ in his pocket.

We need a big swell or storm in So Cal to move some sand. I was out Saturday with the CTX 3030 and it was bleak. Literally, one zinc cent and a handful of pull tabs and canslaw in 3.5 hours. I have a few real trashy saltwater bay sites that can produce silver coins from the 40's and 50's. Will check tomorrow.