Vez

If you are going for pure depth a PI machine or the Tarsacci will probably whip both the XP and Minelab.  I am interested in the Deus II for the swiss army-like ability to be up to 66ft deep + ability to work so dang well in the iron patches of farm fields.  I look forward to seeing how it does 20ft deep in saltwater. 

I dial back my sensitivity to 14-16.  I still get solid hits on coins at 8" with 16 sens.  FeBias at 3.  Give it a shot and see what you think!  I do alright like that!

On 1/4/2019 at 12:09 PM, flakmagnet said:

I recently decided to "learn" Beach 2, I had been using Beach 1 on dry sand and down into damp sand. I was pleasantly surprised at how responsive this setting is even in dry sand. I had the Sensitivity at about 23, Iron bias at 3. Has anyone else found this setting interesting? 

If you are using this out of the water 23 could be ok if you have a sifting pouch.  With the Equinox line, if you want to discriminate against small objects you will need to dial back your sensitivity.  I do not do much saltwater hunting, but when I do go in the water I dial it back to 16-18 depending on target density.  On dry land in an old park I am almost always at 16 to avoid things the size of 22 lead have me chasing a target with my pinpointer 6-8" deep for 15 minutes.  GL and HH!

I personally have issues with iron in any machine.  Now since the update has come out, the area that I live in has become more precipitous and as a result the ground is more wet.  This makes the iron halo more conductive and appealing to the machine.  The science behind this is actually pretty interesting.  Iron can actually become water soluble when iron oxides (rust) are put in an anoxic (low-no oxygen) environment.  What happens is microbes will cleave the oxygen off of the iron reducing the electron charge of the iron.  The gain of an electron by the iron makes it behave dramatically different and when they are making algorithms for machines they are probably using Fe(III) and not the reduced Fe(II) when creating the way the machine behaves to a metal in the ground.  Makes me wonder if I could take some anoxic ground water loaded with Fe(II) and get it to ring up on my machine. 

Anyways, what I am trying to say (in a long winded way) is that ground conditions are changing a lot from day to day and I would give it more time before chalking up to the update being bad for the 6".

I did once when I was under some high power tension lines in 5k and the emi noise went away.  Otherwise I am in multi!

I have met a lot of other hunters and they are often lurkers on forums.  I like to think most of them are trying to learn more about their machine or the hobby.  Hope I am not being too naive. 

12-13 depending on depth, GB, and soil saturation.

Find a bunch of gold, its mine, I lost a bunch here.

LOOKING FOR GOLD?

I have gotten out a total of 6 times this year, this hunt made 7.  A new friend of mine and long time 3030 hunter challenged me to go to a football field that he has hunted for years with the 3030 and the 17".  He said he would be shocked if I pulled a silver as they are all 8" or deeper and the ground is difficult.  I too swung the 3030 for years, but feel the technology in the 800 is superior and would alert me to any keepers that were under the coil.   I went in the rain/snow and played in the mud for 3 hours looking for keepers in his football field.  Results and settings below.

Park 2, Fe Bias 3, Recov. 5, Sens. 16-18 depending on Fe noise density, Ground Balance pumped out to 16, Volume 20 (want to know more or if I left something out just ask)

WARNING:   There is some cussing in the videos, I was excited as I went in there having zero expectations. 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/syyarSRTC4XgPXjN9

1 hour ago, GB_Amateur said:

Nice finds!  The condition of that Sterling ring makes me think your soil there in that park isn't very friendly to silver.  One of the V-nickels looks to be in decent shape, as does one of the IH's.  Hopefully these will all clean up to be presentable.  Someone ought to write a book on that....

We have organic soil and as a result there is a lower PH and it can tarnish the silver.  It actually looks pretty good, I just hadn't gave it a wipe down.  I picked at a nickle today to see how the face up side looked and it didnt fare as well as the V which was that side that was down... 

Dew, Chase covered all I was going to say!  Yes it is much quicker, more than twice by Minelab's estimation.  I wish I could beach hunt and get wired in, but I am relegated to the back yards of old home in downtown Akron ?

Nice!

52 minutes ago, Steve Herschbach said:

Ground balance numbers have nothing to do with the amount of mineralization. My ground is intensely magnetite laden and ground balances in the single digits. Ground balance reflects the type of mineralization, not the amount.

In the end I think the CTX and Equinox are just two different options, and for most people it will make a difference that we are talking a 5.2 lb $2500 detector versus a 3 lb $900 detector. The fact there is a $1600 price difference and that the performance difference is even debatable at all is pretty remarkable in my opinion.

Well put.  My friend asked me after the hunt what I needed the CTX for and I said to dive one day LOL.  The 800 is asking me to use different muscles so my wrist was sore after a full day, but I think that will change over time.  In all seriousness I am toying with selling the 3030 and getting a second 800, but I want to see people figure out the weak points for the waterproofing and take it up to 20 feet. 

Just now, Steve Herschbach said:

While people may debate about CTX and Equinox on high conductors all they want, there is absolutely no doubt in my mind which one excels on low conductors.

Well I cant honestly answer the high conductor question, but the two silvers I found at a spot that I have hunted like crazy with an Etrac and 3030 for over 5 years.  It is where an old footpath was and at one point slag was used with gravel for the path and the silvers came out of there.  The rosie was 8" and the washington 7".  It was very entertaining to see results like this and I cant wait to get back into a park.  Trouble is the good ones are so far away and in the semester I can only get 1-2 hours to hunt and a 30 minute drive kills that ? 

5 hours ago, dewcon4414 said:

You can also use the Bluetooth. ... no need for the WM08.

It is much faster and closer to what the wired user is hearing.  Doing it with the bluetooth will cause you to fall out of step with your student, which can be tough when you are working with a person new to visualizing a target under the coil.  I suggest the WM08 with some nice in-ear earbuds.  The work phenomenal and no sweaty sore ears after 6 hours!  If you enjoy over the ear headphones I understand, just sharing my experience and successes.

My son hunts with headphones wired to the head unit and I listen in giving tips with the WM08 AT THE SAME TIME.  So if you want to hunt with 2 folks that worked out well.

Click on the link that Steve provided, the user answered a few of the questions posted here! :)

2 hours ago, Chase Goldman said:

Great idea.  I knew you could hook up multiple WM08s to the same detector but at $250 a pop I would just get a Go Find instead of another WM08 for teaching purposes, lol.  But the wired/wireless solution is genius.  Thanks for passing it on.  Great hunt and great bonding opportunity.  Going to try to do that more this summer with my family.

I can't take credit.  It was my friend cdv that told me to try because his friend dew did it with the wireless headphones and wired ear buds! Figured it was worth a try with the 08!

Tried turning some of the hunt into a video! 

double posted...

Find some more!!!! Look forward to more pictures.

I didn't think there was anything wrong with it, but my son had trouble with it.  I mean coming from the 3030 I have stamina for days with this.  He liked the CTX feel better, but weight very quickly became an issue.  It is what it is.  I think the handle bulk is fine, but I am a bigger fella, I have heard others complain about that.  It makes sense to me as it is a great place to put the battery to keep things simple and compact.