SittingElf

I put together my 600 yesterday and adjusted the arm cuff to just below my elbow.  Length to put the coil about 12" in front of my feet for swinging.

Tested swinging it, and after more than 10 years swinging a GTI 2500, this thing felt light as a feather!  I may feel differently after some time, but for now, I couldn't be happier, and don't feel what others are calling "nose heavy".

That's a great, unique way to buy an 800 ahead of waiting lists!  I'm sure you'll get plenty of really good answers shortly!

First positive...

I've read that the 600 and 800 come with the battery at about 50%. I put the new 600 on a 2.1amp, 5v USB charger and it only took 2.5 hours to get to steady green, fully charged. So the Phillips multi outlet wall charger I have will work perfectly for charging.

Rereading the manual one more time......

Well done video!  Helped me understand recovery speeds MUCH better!

Postman just came....with a box! E600 has ARRIVED!

5 minutes later, it's on a 5v, 2.1amp charger getting souped up!

Weather tomorrow is looking perfect. The 600 will be losing her virginity first thing in the morning. 

Big Shoutout to Wayne and Doug at metaldetectingstuff.com for their VERY fast shipping and customer service! ( I ordered on Friday the 30th, and in my hands today! Awesome!)

Also got an email from my other dealer (USADetectors.com) who thinks he may be getting a shipment of 800's later this week, and may be enough to fulfill my 800 order. WOOT!

I love working with small and family owned businesses vs the majors. Always have the time to talk to you and are far more responsive to queries and service.

Results of my first hunt with the 600 tomorrow.

On 2/21/2018 at 3:01 PM, Wloch248 said:

Anyone know if the 15% discount for military would also apply to lets say a Pro Find 35? It is a “metal detector” albeit a hand held one. Just curious.

MInelab stated in their 2018 Special that it is valid for ALL Minelab detectors with the exception of their entry-level GO-Find MD's

After the shortage debacle on the Nox's, I made sure I was #1 on my dealers wait list for any and ALL Equinox accessories and coils as they become available.  THIS time, I'm first in line!

Not planning to work with them ever again. I ordered the Minelab accessory pack Easter Special on Wednesday morning, the 28th. I paid a pretty penny extra for their Priority Mail shipping. As of today, the 2nd of April, the order is still showing "Processing". That is crap service!  Sent an email asking why the delay, and they just kicked back a form mail that didn't answer the question and showed links to the order. No actual response from an individual there.

I have been reading many horror stories lately about them. Nasty telephone reps, delays, runarounds, favoritism, "lost" orders, etc....

Good luck with YOUR order. 

Received a USPS notice this AM that my new 600 is on the truck for delivery! Woohoo!

I conducted what will probably end up as the finis-hunt with my aging GTI 2500 yesterday. (Not that is not a coin hound...2 40's wheaties, 3 60,s dimes, and a ton of copper cents...all from a yard of a soon to be demolished house across the street from our Base House)

The itch I have had waiting for my name to move up the 800 list with my dealer will be scratched by being able to use the 600 to learn all the basics of the Nox. When the 800 finally gets to my door, it'll just be the process of learning the fine tuning of the advanced features.

I saw a post here or somewhere about another person who had both the 600 and waiting on the 800. He said he plans to keep the 600 and use it for the accessory coils when they are available, and keep the stock coil on the 800.  I really liked that idea, so I've made the decision that once I have both detectors in hand, I'll keep them and use the same way. That means the GTI 2500 with 4 coils (two are imaging), and the Treasure Hound "Eagle Eye" dual box coil will go up for sale. ( My arm and shoulder will also thank me, as it weighs about 1.5lbs more than the Nox)

Haven't been this enthusiastic about a purchase in a long time. Multi-generational leap over what I've been using since 2006!

Should work just fine. Nica catch!

2 hours ago, Tiftaaft said:

I am on the waiting list with my dealer for the 6", 17" and any elliptical coil released for the Equinox. 

I will most likely have the stock coil on my 800 (when it finally arrives) and use my 600 for the other coils in rotation based on location.  

That is a great idea. Hadn't ocurred to me. Maybe I WON'T sell the 600 when the 800 finally comes. 
Likely to sell my GTI 2500 with 4 coils and the Treasure Hound instead.  Thanks for the idea...Perfect!

SOUTH AUSTRALIA MANUFACTURING FIRM RAIDED BY FEDERAL TASKFORCE

Adelaide - A South Australian manufacturing company, located in Adelaide, was raided on Friday afternoon by an Australian Federal Police Taskforce, executing a search warrant issued on behalf of the National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme. (NICNAS).

Minelab Metal Detectors, a unit of Codan Industries, was the subject of the Taskforce Crackdown on Illegal Industrial Chemical Importation. A Police spokesperson stated that information had been developed that indicated that the company had been illegally importing a dangerous chemical used in strengthening plastics, named Dibutyl Phthalate (DBP), from Indonesia. Multiple 500 liter drums of the substance were confiscated during the raid. DBP is listed by NICNAS a having an "Absolute Prohibition", and not allowed to be imported under any circumstances.

Minelab was ordered to shut down all production facilities pending the final outcome of the investigation. Employees were all released. Two senior executives of the company are being held pending an initial bond hearing

No court date has yet been set, as the Taskforce and Federal Law Enforcement agencies continue to develop charges.

Codan company Managing Director and CEO Donald McGurk stated that the company intends to cooperate and assist the government with their investigation, and hopes to minimize the impact on the subordinate unit, its employees, and customers. 

NICNAS helps protect the Australian people and the environment by assessing the risks of industrial chemicals and providing information to promote their safe use.

Their focus is the industrial use of chemicals. This covers a broad range of chemicals used in inks, plastics, adhesives, paints, glues, solvents, cosmetics, soaps and many other products.

---31 March 2018
by April Sankowsky

APRIL FOOLS!!!!  Gotcha! 

, 

When I put myself on the waiting list for the 800 with my dealer, I told him to immediately put me on the waiting list for all coils, headphones and other accessories that will be released by Minelab. He agreed, and I'm #1 on the list for the additions when they become available!

Of course, I'm STILL waiting for my 800... I'm #5 on his list. In the meantime, I have a 600 being delivered early next week, and the possibility is that one of the other coils may be released BEFORE I get my 800. No problem! I'll take it!  LOL!

I've read in some other forums that some Nox users are using Apple's wireless buds, and seem to like them.

Definitely on my bucket list. Just have to find the potential areas where they might be found.

The most dumb thing I ever did was leave my MD in the USA when my wife got stationed in Germany for two years. We lived in a village that was below a hill with the oldest castle ruins in Germany. The areas around the castle were populated with small villages of people who relied on whoever was running the Castle at the time...The French, The Spaniards, The Romans, and more.  All those Spring plowed fields that I didn't hunt! Gahhhh!  What an idiot I was!

Only hope now is that my wife (Full Colonel in the Air Force) gets lucky in two years when her next Command Assignment in Oklahoma is up, and possibly goes back to Germany for her following assignment. Won't make the same mistake twice!

Nice! 

I wonder if the Vikings had coins when they discovered North America. (Yeah..it was NOT Columbus!)

One of the attractive features of the Nox's for me is weight. They are more than 1.5lbs lighter than the GTI 2500 I've been swinging, and miserably.

The last thing I would want to do is ADD weight to the Nox. I'll shorten the stem and swing closer to my feet if necessary, but that loss of weight will allow for much longer hunting days without pain or stress on my arm.

Also pointing out that this forum is by far a more instructive and informative place to learn the ins and outs of this new platform. No hype, no bashing... just solid information and assistance. Bravo!

Really surprised this library has not been referenced elsewhere that I have seen. 
Fantastic data and instructions!  

Could almost be the core of a book.

By the way, the 600 was purchased at metaldetectingstuff.com. And Wayne, the owner is a jewel of a dude!

800 on waiting list with USADetectors.com, John Cline...another really good dude. (And he gives automatic military discounts on ALL of his offerings, not just Minelab)  Really love small and family-owned businesses, and will support them wherever, and whenever I can justify it.

Still four ahead of me with USDetectors in Texas, so purchased a 600 from metaldetectingstuff, who had one left in stock, just to hold me over until my number comes up for the 800. Military discount, so I should be able to recover the cost of the 600 once I have the 800 in my hands. 

Wayne is a super guy and very friendly and knowledgeable at metaldetectingstuff. I like working with small and family owned businesses. Much more customer oriented.  Compared to Cabelas and Kellyco, I'll stay with the little guys. Wayne is now on my Preferred Dealer list. 

I like Big Boys too, but will have to bail on them for two years this summer, because we're moving to Oklahoma where my wife will be a Senior Commander on Tinker Air Force Base, and I'd have to pay tax with Big Boys...

Absolutely AWESOME! I would do the same with the Equinox Manual, except that the costs would be prohibitive!

No problem!  I'm just glad to have found THIS forum. I see some familiar names here, but what is much more interesting is that the Equinox forum is FAR more detailed than any of the other forums I am on.  Nice job!!

Sitting comfortably, #5 on my dealer's 800 waiting list, I thought I was in for a relatively quick sale completion, right? Wrong! No movement on the list for a month, and not a lot of optimism about next month either. In the meantime, swinging my 4.6lbs GTI 2500 is starting to really kill my arm. Love it, but it's just too damn heavy! What to do, what to do?

It was Thursday when I saw that a well respected Texas Dealer posted that they had the 600 in stock. Hmmmmmmmm! Eureka! Called the exceptionally friendly and knowledgeable owner, and he had one left and honors the military/vet discount from Minelab. Shot off my DD214 and ordered online at 1:45 PM. Immediately got an initial email confirming the order, and then at 3:20 PM, I got an email that the detector had shipped! AWESOME! (Didn't post the dealer name, because I'm not sure what the rules are here, or if they are a supporting dealer) The way I figure, I'll scratch my Equinox itch by temporarily use the 600 and learning Minelab's little tricks with it, while saving my arm swinging a powerful MD that weighs more than 1.5lbs less than my GTI.

When my 800 finally arrives, and because of the military discount I was given, I should be able to fully recover the cost of the 600, or awfully close, unless I destroy it. It's like a free rental! (Or...I could give it to my 10-year-old son who has been mastering his new ACE 300, and doing well with it)

Now the problem is what to eventually do with my GTI 2500. I am sorely tempted to keep it for the sole reason that I have the dual-coil "Treasure Hound" Eagle Eye, and that is fantastic for deep relic hunting. I also have four other coils for it, including two imaging coils. I DO love the imaging capability of the GTI, and it is pretty accurate, especially on coins. (B size), but having about $1500 of GTI and accessories sitting unused for very long periods is wasteful, so it's a dilemma.

My 600 should arrive at my doorstep on Monday, or Tuesday at the latest. Manual printed, check. USB charger ready, check. VERY attractive hunting areas, unspoiled and not hammered by anyone awaiting (On military base...old demolished housing areas)!