RayfromAK

Well, too late for me since all I received was a military discount.  But I am not going to have any regrets about it and treat it as "water under the bridge."  Things like that may happen about a lot of product we buy, including automobiles that are discounted shortly after one buys it.   Haven't you noticed all the EV-discount offers these days, including Tesla EV's?  A few months ago these buyers had to pay a lot more $ for some of these cars.  I am taking about a bunch of money, not just two or three hundred dollars.

I don't plan to buy any more detectors. Well, maybe a gold detector one of these days.  But in reality, with some many of us swinging detectors it won't  take for a few short years for the "old dropped" coins to disappear. These things just don't grow like plants do.  And yes, beach hunters will continue finding new coins and jewelry; I do understand it.   Minelab has been fine with me, and so Toyota, Honda, Ford, and even Canon cameras. 

On 4/24/2024 at 12:17 AM, TampaBayBrad said:

I don't understand where you're saying you put the silicone Ray. So you're putting silicone on somewhere AND using the coil cover?

Maybe I wasn't clear.  I put a bead of silicone all around the edges of the coil cover to stop water and things like that from getting trapped between the coil and the cover.  I don't detect in the water but looking at the edges of the coil cover (or skid plate) you will notice that it is possible-at least for some beach hunters in areas where there is mineralized sand-for it to buildup on these skid-plate edges.  Maybe I am overthinking this issue, but I have always felt that it is too much trouble to remove the coil cover in order to wash or clean the coil's bottom.   

By the way, I am not saying that I only silicone the outer edge of the coil cover.  I put a bead of silicone over all the cover's edges, while preventing the silicone to get inside or between the cover and the coil.  It is much easier to just pop the cover off, and then reinstall on the coil, too😀

On 4/21/2024 at 4:32 PM, Tony said:

I know what you mean.....the design of the coil has a lot of 90 degree leading edges that "grab" the sand (especially wet) but not too much of a problem. The ribbing traps sand underneath and you need to clean this out if you can. I'm tempted to not use the coil cover as the trapped sand and water stays trapped.......you do notice the extra weight.

I have always sealed the edges of the coil of all detectors that I have ever had.  I used black-color RTV silicone on the two Equinox 800, and plan to do the same with the 8" and 11" coils  of the new Manticore I purchased a few weeks ago.  I did upgrade the firmware, but I have to wait until the snow melts and the ground thaws.  This should happen past mid May or so.  I just make sure to not get silicone between the coil and the cover, and that's about it.  But it takes time and a good supply of tight-fitting Nitrile gloves, and rags. You can also use the blue color paper towels used at mechanic shops, but I just use cotton and other rags instead of terry cloths and towels.

If the OP has the time or desire, he may want to read the details about the Tom D's settings in the following link (below).  Just pay close attention to ground balancing the detector relating to coil distances from the wet salt, and the distance between the coil and the water's surface.  Also, read what he has to say about sensitivity and noise cancellation:

https://www.detectorprospector.com/topic/24667-tom-dankowski’s-settings-for-the-minelab-manticore/

If you want the answers you seek, it will take a lot of time to read everything about the Tom Dankowiski's settings. There is enough information from "Nasa Tom" to be able to write a book about it:

https://www.dankowskidetectors.com/discussions/list.php?2

10 hours ago, Yatahaze323 said:

One thing to note about Tom Dankowski's is that he lives in Florida so his settings work great for the beaches conditions down there with basically no black sand/mineralization.  So if you plan on using his setting you may need to make adjustments if you don't have similar beach conditions.

I'm gonna try that freestyle program out at some cellar holes with the 8" coil and see how it does in some nail infested areas, I was already playing around with the upper ferrous limits to try and deals with the square nails so it may help. 

 

That (above) is true.  👍

About the Freestyle settings in the video I posted (where the settings are written on paper), Neil Jones has updated or slightly modified those settings.  He also uses the Stabilizer, and says in one of his videos that one has to be very careful with the Stabilizer, because it can affect  detecting "depth."  

At the Tom Dankowski website: There is a great about of information about salt Beach detecting with both the M8 and 11-inch coils, about ground balancing properly, lots of data about Sensitivity and the difference in noise tolerance between the M8 and the 11" coil.  

12 hours ago, fishersari said:

I don't know how I can ran sensitivity that high without too much noise maybe it has something to do with beach conditions on that day.. every other days on average I can run with max sensitivity of 27 without too much fatigue but I didn't. If I'm using m11 my max sensitivity will be at 25, m8 my max sensitivity is 27.. That is were I'm at now .. still learning and maybe in the future I can run much higher sensitivity (I dont know what it will reveal with much higher sensitivity because sensitivity of 22 can hear targets that sensitivity of 27 heard just fine) once I master the Manticore sound/language.. If not that's ok too,, I am perfectly happy with where I am now..

I agree with @abenson and others, to run low on the sensitivity especially to new users. Once you cranked up the sensitivity too high  the 'language' and nuances  will be a lost.. You can run at sensitivity of 28 or 30.. just note that you entering the 'noise and falsing' area in finding a good target response not to mention the tiny/small good target sound may be lost  within all those noises/falsing and target ID/ good target tones degrading as abenson pointed out, If you not familiar with how very high sensitivity noises and falsing sounds like.. then u inviting problems..  ferrous limit area in 2d screen will become 'ground and ferrous' area...

I for one are very thankful to this forum and every experienced detectorist that are willing to teach, give out valuable information's and remarks about metal detecting in general. Heck even proper/slower swing speed I learnt from this website/forum

Yes, it is possible that the beach conditions that day allowed for high Sensitivity.  About the "slow swing speed" talked about in the video:  I believe that it may be true that one has to slow down some when one is detecting "iffy" signals.  I don't know about the Manticore, but it usually is very possible to miss targets when one walks and swings the detector faster than slower.  

This summer, when I start using the Manticore I plan to use the factory presets and Modes while learning about it.  That's what I did with my Equinox 800, before adjusting the settings to my liking.  The primary reason why I purchased the Manticore is because of the 2D screen, but there are other things that I think I will enjoy, and that is its ability to handle noise from power lines, and so on.  I will probably keep the Equinox and its 8" coil, although more than likely it will be collecting dust as a backup detector.

What Mr. Eberson posts about the soil conditions being different depending on the region of country you live at... is true.   However, the only way one can learn is by doing it by oneself-without help from the experts, or by learning from others.  For example:  it does not hurt for one to try slowing down the detectors "swing" as shown by Mr. Neil Jones.  If it does not work for you, then just don't do it.

For all I know, by reading or course, is that lowering or increasing Sensitivity depends on where you are detecting.  There is a lot of information about the Manticore in the Thomas Dankowski Forum (below), specially about the M8 use at the beach, and minimum/maximum Sensitivity numbers.  The website is being changed, so it will be up to any of us to see what her has to say about the Manticore.  I have not idea if he ( the person called "Nasa Tom") is involved in the design of the manticore or not, although it seems likely.

https://www.dankowskidetectors.com/discussions/list.php?2

Since I haven't use my new manticore (the ice and snow should be thawing/melting by May where I live at), what I have done is to read all the information Nasa Tom has posted about the Manticore at that website above.  One of the things he has said about detecting on wet-salt beaches goes as follows: if you do a Long Press of Noise Cancel, "it is critical that the coil is away from the wet-salt by approximately 1/2-Meter, and the coil be absolutely still/stationary. Then you can concentrate on Ground Balance. Then you can concentrate on high Sensitivity settings."  But again, it is up to you as a Manticore user to explore the possibilities Nasa Tom is referring to. Maybe he's wrong? Yes, it could be the case, but what would anybody lose by listening to what he has written?

There was a fellow in this forum who tried high sensitivity numbers. At least he's trying to figure something about his detector in the area he resides at. Could his Manticore be defective? Who knows?:

15 hours ago, TampaBayBrad said:

Thanks Ray, but I am strictly a beach hunter. Aluminum is my problem metal! Dirt diggers will appreciate you sharing these settings to try. 

I am mostly interested in coin-shooting, and in the near future, prospecting.  But I assume that the Neil Jones' "Freestyle" settings should work well for treasure hunters.  What he shows in the video is that some good targets-inland in places that have been hunted many times- can still be found if one slows down the swing speed while listening to iffy signals plus looking at the Manticore's screen.  He's digging pieces or lead and other metals, including coins, that are within 5-6 inches from the surface. Those coins should have been detected already, since they aren't very deep.  He also says that one could very well "swing fast enough" when trying to figure a possible good site, but to come back to the same site right after the rain to look for for more targets that have been missed. In this case, if you find a place that may hold some good treasures, even a heavily hunted site, slow down the swing speed and don't miss the "good" signals found within the "iffy" signal. Do a slow cross-pattern swing over the iffy signal while watching the display.

Since I am not experienced with the manticore nor any other detector relating to detecting salt beaches-nor anywhere else, there is lots of details available about the manticore and the M8 coil by a fellow called Nasa Tom.  Maybe he's the person involved in the design of the manticore?  I have no idea, but there is a "Low Conductor Mode Settings" where he uses a Disc. Upper -4 and Lower - 0, Nothing notched-out, Audio Theme = Prospecting.  But this "prospecting audio mode is not the only one he talks about. He's providing lots of details to beach and water hunters.

 However, his instructions are too long and detailed for me to post in here.  He talks about spending quite a long time to manage the use of high sensitivity, including past 30 to detect the smallest targets by the surface.

This are the "written" Neil Jones Freestyle settings for the Manticore. Just pause the video momentarily to give yourself time to write the instructions, and remember that there is nothing to lose by trying it in iron infested areas, although it is for you to decide 🙂

9 hours ago, TampaBayBrad said:

There is no way I could watch the whole 1/2 hour of that! I could have given those settings in 4-5 minutes. Ha! Thanks for finding it. 👍 I'm sticking with Dankowski's.

Yes, there is a lot to memorize (probably too much). However, The Neil Jones' "Freestyle Mode" for both the Equinox and the Manticore are talked about as being nothing but outstanding.  The "Freestyle" Mode setting can be used at the salt beach, and inland, including prospecting.  What I did was to search for the Neil Jones "Freestyle" Mode on printed form, and finally found it at Facebook. It is a video that scrolls slowly-where the settings are written.  All you have to do is to pause write the settings, a few times.  

These are the detecting Modes I have so far (the ones I plan to try during the summer on land only. Not beach): Neil Jones' "Freestyle" Settings, and the Tom Danakowski's Open Low Conductor Mode Settings (if I decide to beach detect, but will have to give it a try on land).

By the way, there is a Neil Jones video where he demonstrates the use cross-pattern.  The idea is for him to prove wrong the notion that the "slow swing speed" is now "dead with the Manticore.  He shows how numerous "iffy" signals aren't noticed at all or passed-by unnoticed if swinging the coil fast, then he slows down the swing speed, does a cross pinpoint, and several times digs a possibly good target out of the ground.  I will repeat: None of the target "iffy" signal is noticed by the Manticore until he slows down the swing speed.  It is an eye opener.  Just be patient and watch this video:

In reference to the Manticore user's manual, I got Minelab USA to print the "pdf" user's manual on paper and mail it to me.  However, one could easily "laser" print the entire manual at home, or at least as many pages as needed.

Just like CoinShooter I will have to wait until the end of May before I can use my new Manticore.  I bought it along a M8 coil from Alaska Mining & Diving in Anchorage Alaska, since they offer the Minelab 15% military discount.  While I will use the basic inland modes for a few hours, I will create and save a custom mode based on the Neil Jones "Freestyle Mode."  (Freestyle for beach, land, and so on).  I just have to see with my own eyes if that mode is as great as a lot of people are saying.

Electrical flow does dissipate in heat, so whenever the detector is turned on and then used, it results in heat.  The battery alone gets slightly warmer when being charged or discharged, but both any resistive circuitry in the control panel and the coil create heat.  Even the LEDs for the light, and the screen create heat.  However, these are minuscule amounts of heat that take hours to discharge the battery.

By the way, I don't know anything about detectors, just about electronics (I worked as an aircraft electrician years ago).  The amount of heat from a person standing in front (at a distance) from an aircraft's thermal camera will amaze you.  A lot of the heat is lost from the head and crutch area, and if you pass gas, the plum rises like from a steam engine.  Sorry about that, folks.  I could not help but joke about it 🙂

While the much larger Manticore's 15" coil in the following video is used in iron infested grounds, in where I think is the UK, I wonder if what the person in the video is telling in relation to coil swing speed.  I thought that this video could be quite informative to both manticore and Deus users, regardless of coil size:

A problem I see for a new user of the Manticore and other Minelab detectors is that Minelab does not include the detector user's manual, just two quick guides. For example, I just purchased a Manticore, plus the M8 coil, and had to search for the user's manual, just to figure the proper charging instructions for both the headset and the detector.  While I already know what to do in relation of charging currents (I have other Minelab detectors), general instructions for both how to charge the detectors and headset, plus how to use the detectors, should be provided in printed form.  It does not have to be a full version, just a booklet or something similar.

On 2/13/2018 at 9:07 AM, Osvaldo said:

so, in  kellycodetectors applys this discount??

Kellyco offers it, and so a lot of other stores.  The Sportsman Warehouse stores has Minelab detectors, and a few days ago I asked one of the store manager in Fairbanks, Alaska.  She told me that they don't offer but a 5% military discount.  I explained to her that there is 15% discount offered by Minelab and most stores, and asked her to check with the Sportsman Warehouse headquarters.  Anyway, I called "Alaska Mining & Diving" in Anchorage (they sell prospecting and diving equipment, plus detectors), and they do offer the 15% discount. I bought the Manticore, and used the 15% discount to buy an M8 coil. The discount amounts to $254.85, and the coils costs $251.00 (no discount is offered for optional coils and things like that, just the detector).

On 1/22/2024 at 4:33 PM, Chesroy said:

Just out of Curiousity wondering how many people decided the Manticore was not for them and sold it ! Were you disappointed with it as it didn't live up to the hype ?  or were there other factors that influenced your decision ? Would be interested to hear your reasoning.

Coils and the module are now freely available in Europe.

 

 

 

 

It is the opposite for me since I will be buying a Manticore in the upcoming 2024 summer, sometime in May, I assume, since winters are long and cold in the interior of Alaska (tab the Weather app in your phone, and search for, "Fairbanks, Alaska").  The temperature is supposed to drop from -42º F to -52º F tonight 🙂

Anyway, I have a hardly used Equinox 800 with both an 8" and 11" coils that I may keep as a second detector.  I have never immersed it in water, but I am looking forward to the 2-D screen of the Manticore. Will probably buy the 8" elliptical (?) coil. Will probably take advantage of the 15% military discount, too. 

I don't have as much experience with detectors as some (maybe all) or you have, but in my view a tone that sounds a certain way to a person may not sound exactly the same to another.  If fact, probably most of us as we age become partially tone-deaf. Each person has his or her own way to interpret the target sounds a detector makes, and this is something that takes time and practice.  The ground composition, hello around the target, target metallic composition, and so on, may be different at one location compared to the next, or even in the same location depending on soil wetness versus dryness.

Some of the analog detectors of the past incorporated a series of target tones.  For example, the Teknetics 8500 produced from the late '70s to early '80s had rotary control knobs and switches plus a gage with a pointer, and also target tones much like the detectors of today.  There were low tones from iron, all the way up to high conductive targets such as small silver coins or large ones.  A soda can, specially one with the top or bottom up, would produce a high-pitch sound ?

Back then when looking for silver coins in upstate NY, I would only listen to the high pitch sounds the 8500 made, although clad dimes, quarters, and dollars also produced high tones that were not as high as the ones for silver coins.  I see certain similarities with the sounds the Equinox makes and the ones of the old Teknetics detector I used in the past.  By the way, I felt that I was always learning new sounds whenever I detected new grounds with the 8500, and feel the same way when detecting with the Equinox.

Summary: I don't think that a generic compilation of target sounds or tones I can listen to will help me much. Since I am old and don't have too much time to waste, I am better of by listening to what the Equinox has to say.

No.  But pure RTV silicone is not affected by fresh nor salt water.  The areas you are bonding with it must be clean and dry, just like when using it to seal the corners of tiled-showers. Long ago I used a Teknetics detector along the ocean beach when living in CA, and never had trouble with the RTV silicone I used.  

A final note:  I don't see any trouble at all by having drain holes on the coil cover as long as one detects in the water, simply because the coils is being rinsed constantly.  

8 hours ago, dewcon4414 said:

The only way to properly do the silicon thing is ....... FILL the cover with it then connect it to the coil and remove the excess.   Otherwise if you are SALT WATER hunting silicon easily comes loose enough to get sand in..... UNLESS you use RTV.  Its a little better and sticker.  

I use RTV silicone, and don't fill the coil cover with it, just the gap between the cover and the coil. Never have had any leakage with any of the coils i have sealed this way.  However, the coil and cover must be thoroughly cleaned before sealing. 

15 hours ago, midalake said:

Hi Ray

There are just too many inches of RTV caulk line to make sure a seal is 100% correct where no water or sand will enter. This is why I recommend my process of direct protection without a cover. Also if you are careful and not sloppy the coil cover can still be attached if you so desire.

You also bring up a good point about "holes" in a cover. This will not work in my case as I always "scrub" my targets while identifying them and digging them. The scrubbing will just jam product into the holes. 

Cheers Dave 

It takes me from 20 to 30 minutes at the most to seal the gap between the coil and cover.  What I do is to buy a 10-oz tube of silicone at Lowe's or Home Depot (costs around $2.00), and use a caulking gun to apply it.  I cut just a little bit of the tube's nozzle so that a very narrow bead of silicone flows out, and immediately after push the silicone down into the gap with the tip of my gloved finger, and slide the fingertip along the line or bead of silicone.  The next step is to clean the excess silicone with one of a few clean rags I have near, and then start the same process on the next spot.  There aren't any open gaps or holes when I am done with it, and the silicone looks nice and shiny all around.

Now, I can understand that if one detects in the water holes on the coil cover should not be a problem since both are easily rinsed.  But if detecting dry sand, or muddy areas the holes can be a problem.  But then, coil covers are relatively cheap. One can have a set with holes, and another one without for detecting dry sand or mud.

As I mentioned before, what I have done with the coil covers of every detector I have owned, and now the Equinox, is to seal the top edges of the cover with RTV silicone. Since the Equinox coil and cover are black, I used black color RTV silicone, making sure that none of it gets inside the cover.  I wear tight-fitting latex or nitrile gloves, and next to me I have two or three clean rags for cleaning the mess after I am done.  This is a lot easier to do with covers other than the ones for the Equinox since there are a lot of areas to seal.  A reason why I never drill holes on the coil cover is as follows:

The outer surface of the coil cover is not smooth, but instead a sort of satin finish, which in turn reduces drag when detecting wet sand.  But having holes on the cover creates drag if you rub the coil/cover on the wet sand as it gets inside the holes.  It also happens if you are detecting areas with mud.  In this case, the mud-just like wet sand-gets inside. If you are detecting near water, then you can rinse the coil and cover whenever wet or dry sand get inside the coil.  The choice is yours.

Have you noticed that all coil covers' bottom surfaces, not only the ones for the Equinox, aren't smooth?  What I do with my coil covers for all the detectors I have had and now the Equinox, is to put a bead of RTV silicone all around the top edges of the coil cover, making sure that the silicone does not get between the cover and the coil.  But the Equinox coil has numerous areas that have to be sealed, and this takes some time to accomplish.  Anyway, the 11" coil has been sealed this way, and soon a 6" coil that I bought from Amazon.  

On 4/12/2019 at 5:24 AM, GB_Amateur said:

Did you consider getting the WM-08 receiver module? 

https://www.minelab.com/usa/accessories-1/by-detector/equinox-series#sec321942

(I know, they aren't cheap, but you can find 'used' ones on Ebay occasionally.)  That's what I use almost exclusively with my 800, summertime with wired earbuds (that plug into the WM-08) and in cool/cold weather with standard over-ear headphones.  The WM-08 goes in my shirt or jacket breast pocket.

 

I do have one of those.  The EQ 800 came with the wireless headphones and the WM-08 receiver module.  I just don't want to use Bluetooth all the time,  but occasionally as a backup. Will be using the Minelab wired headphone (around $32.00 at Kellyco).  But I would also like a set of wired earphones to use on hot summer days.  There are some to be found at eBay, but I can wait until Kellyco or Amazon have them.  

I purchased a Minelab wired headphones for my Equinox, and these work fine.  I thought that the headphone receptacle where the jack plugs into was loose, but that was not the case.  I figured that one has to push the jack into the receptacle quite firmly until it sort of snaps in place, at which point the jack is held securely without any play.

 I will also be looking for a set of good quality wired earphones for using during some of the hot summer days.  I can still use the Bluetooth headphones now and then, but these will become a backup set.

On 3/24/2019 at 1:41 AM, Chase Goldman said:

 

I completely understand minimizing unnecessary, avoidable health risks, but if you are reacting to the latest media sensationalized news regarding airpods and other wireless headphones, take a look at this article for a less sensationalized perspective:

https://www.health.com/condition/cancer/bluetooth-wireless-headphones-cancer

Bottom line, there is just a lot of controversy, but not a lot of facts or concrete results from research and the total EMI field from RF radiation of all types basically overwhelms the energy a pair of bluetooth headset can pump into your brain, even from close range.  Furthermore, the health industry is itself conflicted.  Bluetooth or similar wireless technology hearing aids often widely prescribed and used, for example.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with a better safe than sorry approach, though it might be less convenient. 

First of all, the 800 included ML BT phones DO come with a hard wired connection and cable in the headphone case.  Have you tried that with your Equinox?  

Second, if you are concerned about having the BT transmitter/receiver next to your head, try using the WM08 wireless receiver.  Your ipod earbuds should be able to plug right and remain stable since you are not putting any strain on the connection unlike with the control head, and you can still remain untethered to your detector and you can place the receiver in a place not near your head.

If you are looking for wired earbud alternatives for warmer weather conditions, you might want to consider getting a modified pair of wired buds that also include the proper Equinox compatible screwed-in connector.  Here is an example off ebay. That way you eliminate the having to use the ML adapter cable which also only has a 1/4" jack which is great for enabling typical detecting type wired headphones to be used with your Equinox, but I do not know of many earbuds that have the 1/4" plug, necessitating another adapter be placed between your earbuds and the ML adapter.  The other advantage of the earbud with dedicated compatible plug connector is that they are waterproof which means you can use them in foul weather or even water hunting if desired.  My personal preference is to buy a set of over the ear waterproof phones, many of which are designed to give good sound even when not water hunting (dedicated water hunting submersible waterproof phones often have to compromise audio quality by using technology such as piezoelectric speakers to enable them to be audible submerged).

HTH

Thank you, Mr. Goldman for your suggestions.  I can give then a try and see how they work.

During my years in the military working with aircraft (long ago), we took the warnings about RF and other types of radiation very seriously.  I know that we are surrounded by all kinds of RF signals, including Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. I am just trying to keep the transmitters and receivers a small distance from my brain.  

Thanks again.