Alluminati

Somebody just got the day off.

2°C / 35.6°F and rain. Not too windy.

On 11/1/2018 at 6:44 AM, Sinclair said:

I think the angle at which the coil meets the target is very important - more important, than any software change made so far.

You'll never hunt the same area exactly the same way each and every time, that's why you'll always find something you've missed...

Check some coins 90° to the middle of the DD coil + on edge for example .. our € coins fall into the solid iron range.. no chips and chirps. Chances may be small to hit a coin buried like that, but there are chances..

Imho only a side by side test could reveal, if the observations are true. Othervise there are too many variables and subjective feelings involved..

 

I agree, those slight variations in swing on fringe targets, as well as your attitude. Some days my coffee tastes better then others.

It will be something to test this winter when everyone gets cabin fever (I think it's setting in already ? ), it will be interesting to see what the tangible differences between firmware variations. I'm all for them releasing updates as long as they keep the old ones available. For example, when they "fixed" that big silver on edge thing, did we loose something else? That's why lots want the old firmware available should they dumb the machine down for mass audiences.

Success is more overall an overall aggregate, so I haven't spent enough time with either firmware to notice any tangible differences myself, but I'm sure there are differences.

It could also just be the collective group of Equinox users sort of getting in sync with their machines around the same time, as most have less then one season on the machine. with a new FBS style machine this is when things usually get exciting, once you start to recognize those deep old targets and can run the machine a little hotter, noisier. Etrac users know what I mean, a 5" penny is 12-42 but a 10" silver dime is not 12-42. ?

Go to the beach.

Yes the Xterra apparently does the processing in the coil then sends a digital signal to the display.

Welcome.

No worries, you have plenty of time to detect before the snow gets too deep. I am hoping for up to two more months myself.

I suppose I could make a few. I debated real hard about just giving the STL files away, or selling water marked files but it's too hard to control the CC license IMO on an international level. That is why I stay away from that type of stuff. I couldn't really stomach seeing someone else selling them for profit.

There are others here selling shafts and such, so I didn't really want to just give stuff away that would directly compete with them either. I respect the effort and cost they layed out, whatever that may be.

It's probably hard for average 3D printers to accept who are used to getting files for free, but for me its potentially another tool to manufacture ideas, which takes time and experience and is also how I make money. For years and even now, I have to more or less give away hours of re-design, simply because it makes everything works smoother for others. Less conceptual and more of a working drawing. Now I get paid something it, before it was on my usually on own time, regardless it was/is never as profitable as the person who makes the original design, they pay us. lol.

I'm in the same boat, some of the coolest files I've found online are not free. 

This is just me kinda thinking out loud for those wondering why I wouldn't post the STL files. It's not that I don't trust the first person I give them too, I don't trust the people they give it too, I don't trust their physical printers as many run hardware/firmware from unknown sources or use things like Octoprint without securing it, sharing their files with everyone. Somebody could use a search engine like Shodan and access the print files of thousands of unsecured printers. While most of it is useless Benchys and figurines etc, you can be sure anything good has been stolen.

My printers are currently not network enabled although I'll admit I'm guilty of using some of the SD cards that came with them from time to time.
The printer I am currently building will be an online device with a web-server, though it will be Ethernet only and behind and be secured on a localized network to the best of my ability.

I went out this morning for a few hours. There was a few inches of snow on the ground this morning, though not particularly windy.

It wasn't long until I happened upon this gold earring. I'm pretty sure it's real gold but a CZ type stone. If it turns out to be real it puts me into a double digit gold count which is cool because I've pretty much just been a weekend warrior this year.

I finally put a couple sets of rare earth magnets in my scoop. They didn't really do anything today one way or the other, the thought was when I get into an area that has some small ferrous items, or bobby pins, the magnets would help recover some of it. In reality with this new style of detecting, I'm either not in the thick iron or when I am, I can handle it a lot better. The bobby pins I dug today didn't seem to stick to the magnets lol. I guess I didn't think of that.

As mentioned earlier, I don't really get any iron "falsing" in Gold2. This little earring from today flickered a -1 a few quick times but the rest was a positive 1, so I knew it was a good target, just like the 3mm piece of aluminum I dug right after which was considerably smaller.  
With the exception of maybe the odd deep beer cap, all other ferrous items give a pretty good indication by the amount of negative numbers they give, no more of that "chirp" that makes you dig it anyway lol.
Again, keep the screen wide open (Horseshoe button) because the numbers behave differently in all-metal, allowing you to get a good sample directly over the target, (A good strong negative number) rather then trying to "X" out a false beside it.

Still loving the Kevlar straight shaft. The added visibility in the water while not necessary is a welcome comfort. I made an end cap for it, with a drain hole as well to finish it off. 

26 minutes ago, midalake said:

flying 1200 miles  not being able to use my machine was not a pleasant experience.

Dave

That sucks man, I'd be pissed too.

One day we can all look back at this and laugh.

Can you repeat the test using a silver quarter and a silver ring?

I'm just wondering how much of the boost is from the wider "shadow" of a solid object laying flat vs the added excitement of the induced eddy currents in the ring. (As you know if you cut the ring the number will drop and the target may seem smaller)

By all means if you have a gold coin...

Your observations make sense.  If you viewed the whole shebang a transformer sharing the common core of the coin, the two wingdings of the coil being the primary and the secondary, it would make sense that more magnetic energy could be coupled (transferred) better from one side to the other if the core "coin" was oriented in the proper fashion.

When we find a target, we are creating a transformer, the sound we hear is effectively the target being loaded up with energy. It takes a few moments to wind up the fly wheel, for the eddy currents to get induced into the target, this upsets the perfect null (tuning) that would otherwise make the machine quiet. I think the motion is needed otherwise the coin becomes "saturated", passing the signal from one side of the coil to the other, in phase. The motion creates a scenario similar to winding up a fly wheel that never quite catches up to speed.

I suggested you test the silver because you've already started and are more experienced. Plus I'm going out to play in the water because it is snowing out. Winter wonderland?

Looks like a bit of a nor-easter brewing out there tonight.

I want to say I'm thrilled, but I only lasted 20 minutes out there last weekend, the wind was just too strong, only 2 degrees Celsius so it felt well below zero. I'll play it by ear I guess.

nor.bmp

Tough call, as if they wire it special for metal detector headphones, are we to assume they wouldn't work with the type of headphones you can get at Bestbuy etc.

I suppose as it's an international product, they went with convention rather then the headphones that are for the most part accessible to north Americans only, for the most part. 

I was kinda happy that I could just plug in my headphones from the Deus etc and that I don't have to buy proprietary headphones, aside from the waterproof aspect.

That 1/4" phone jack is was designed in 1877. 1877. Unlikely a plot to make you buy their cans.

If I am wrong, fine it's just that so far it's only homemade headphones that I have heard about having problems, again correct me if I'm wrong.

On 10/5/2018 at 4:14 AM, rled2005 said:

Ouch! The sky is falling. What detector would be best for meteorites?

On 10/5/2018 at 10:15 AM, fredmason said:

any dedicated nugget hunting machine should work... Coin hunting machine MIGHT work on larger pieces.

fred

I just tested a 7.3 gram Sikhote-Alin meteorite on the Equinox. It's about the size of a nickle.

It hits just like a coin in Park2 but with a -6 TID, hits really good in Gold2.

Allow me to play devil's advocate.

The thing with the CTX is that it is an FBS machine which has an edge on deep ID compared to "regular" single frequency machines. Machines of that ilk, ETrac, Explorer, Sovereign, Excalibur, Safari etc. are purchased for this reason specifically. Most experienced detectorists have no problem paying a extra for tangible results. There really is a difference, that is why people are paying $500 for Sovereigns that are approaching 30 years old and not buying the MX Sport, or whatever the current marketing fad is. 

Now with the Equinox, we don't have to buy a machine in that price range to get a FBS/BBS/Multi-IQ machine.

However, even if you were to buy a CTX, it is still a really cheap hobby in this day and age. Once you buy it, you just have to keep it charged really and you're good to go.

How much money do most people make drinking beer or playing golf? Do you really need that silly motorcycle to get around?

Parks shouldn't be overlooked. I suppose "Park hunting" is generally taken to be detecting1950s silver from amoungst the beavertails, however in reality history is very layered. I use parks specifically as relatively undisturbed portals to access land up to 400+ years old, just wanted to throw that out there, amazing things come from parks.

4 hours ago, Cabin Fever said:

Got my tracking info for my 15x12 today so it looks like they are starting to trickle out..

Bryan

Nice refractor man I am jealous.

3 hours ago, steveg said:

Excellent news, Bryan!

Steve, I totally missed that "hint" from you about a "world-class find" with your 12x15, until just now.  I haven't heard any more about it; have you posted about it yet, and I missed that, too?

Steve

Exciting isn't it.

3 hours ago, midalake said:

Well yes there is. It's called Stereo and Mono. Since Minelab does not provide 1/4 jack headphones with the 600 or 800 you bet your bottom they should provide an explanation.   Zero paperwork in that adapter package.

So what is the problem?, you still haven't explained yourself clearly.

Why don't you complain to Sunray about their weird headphone wiring?

6 hours ago, GaryC/Oregon Coast said:

Well that's disappointing!  Bought the adapter and never checked it against my Sunrays.  Would have been nice if there was a disclaimer from Minelab, or did I just not see it on their website?  GaryC/Oregon Coast

Why would Minelab write a disclaimer, is there something peculiar about the Minelab adapter? I use the WM08 with other headphones, the problem is probably with your headphones.

You mean reales sweet.

I guess if it is the same angle as the original, then halving the flow rater seems like a reasonable place to start.

If you had say a 800 GPH pump you could always dial it back a bit with a ball valve.

Poachers, lol

It looks like the English version of the screen protector. I'm guessing they probably put the Deutsch version on first, then the English. So we know that the machine is pretty new to them.

You'll have to keep an eye out now lol.

.

I think he says silver and gold are low tone on his TDI beach hunter, but others low tone on iron.

I'm not familiar with the machine, but I think that is more or less what he is asking.

Just now, Dubious said:

It's probably silly, but aside from the pecuniary value (which is usually just several dollars or so), I feel more of a historical connection with the person who lost a silver dime than I do with someone who lost a clad dime a few years later.  May be due to the fact that silver coins in the ground fifty years are often in pretty much the same shape as the day they were lost, while clad coins can degenerate significantly in just a few years (apparently because the slices of metal act as a weak battery).

It's not silly at all, that is a big part of detecting for most of us.

These detectors are like time machines. To be able to handle a coin or relic that was last handled by somebody decades or centuries ago is a very cool thing.

It's quite a profound thing that has changed me as a person over the years. You can't help but be more conservative and appreciative for the turmoil that others went through to get these countries where they are today.

Silver and Gold was the money, I don't go out of my way to look for fiat money. If I was in USA I might, because IMO your clad coins hit really hard. (Easy) We had pure nickle coins and now steel, neither of which are easy or particularly pleasant hunting for.

There is a couple hundred bucks worth of silver in those 1964 and older coins.