Joe Beechnut OBN

First my conditions... Are IN Brackish water....can be semi rough to calm. My Excalibur I can set it and forget it once I have found a deep target and tuned it for the best response. No falsing of the swing and only if I bump something will it make a noise. Rougher the water I do have to set it back some. But normally I run it Hot. In All Metal.. The Limited AQ is really sensitive to the surrounds, if they change..you need to readjust..or use better coil control... My setting as I walk out, in semi rough water ..around chest deep...All metal only. First I work on finding a deep faint, one way signal or just faint.. ....then adjust to get the best response. Most of the time on the open Bay ...settings used Delay of 10, ATS around 6, Sensitivity 7....Volume 8 and Threshold around 5..(just above audible). I try and work on getting the deep target tuned in first then work on the falsing......If the machine is noisy I try slowing the swing speed...and this is mostly in the end of the right swing. if that does not work I go to 11,... then 11.5 (15) delay if needed... As the machine warms up the threshold slowly climbs for the first 15 to 20 minutes.. then... I'll need to adjust the threshold down some. A real oddity is..... If the AQ gets a little noisy I can adjust the delay back to 10 (from 11)...and it goes smoother. (Very strange). And If I happen to go back up to 11 .........I lose the smoothness, something I found out playing with the settings while in the water. So Best, once it is setup to leave the delay dial alone. And this adjust up of the delay, ...then down .....I have experienced at 11 to 11.5 (15) then back down to 11..... then it is smooth. ..........Smooth is steady threshold and no falsing. Also noted, If I'm experiencing a little noise at the end of the swing, left to right ........... I'll hunt in toward shore ...it smooths out and I can pick up the swing speed. Also I can run the machine Hotter but have to deal with the noise going back out,... if slowing the coil does not work. This works, for me at more than one beach. And it only works going into shore, any other direction I can get the falsing. Once I'm in my pattern and all is smooth rarely do I need to change anything. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All Metal....In Calm water..... up the coves and rivers if the water is calm I run it Hot.....water is a little closer to fresh water and I can almost set it and control any noise with the coil swing..... I know I will hear it on this but I run Full Volume, 9....Delay anywhere from 8 to 10, Sensitivity 9, ATS .0 .. and once the machine is warmed up..Threshold just above audible. I believe this gives me the deepest reach at these spots, It has got a little noisy in the left to right swing but most of the time I will do the into shore and out trick .......... or play with the swing speed. In toward the beach a faster swing, going out a slower gives me smoothness. No adjusting once I get all set and in a pattern. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- As far as the Discrimination Modes of the AQ ....I rarely use them... My style of Discrimination is using the right machine for the job..And to determine that the excalibur goes in first, then I decide which is best to find gold at that spot in the time I have because of the tides..... I do have a couple of spots that could go either machine but I do need to sharpen up on the disc side of the AQ Limited. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Only a few times I have had to re-adjust settings and that was because the water conditions got worse.

I know this is going to come back and bite me in the Axx for sharing ........ Those Fisher Boys don't miss a trick!

Some years ago I asked the same questions... ............. I often wondered why Minelab never kept the same CTX M-12 8 pin fitting for the Nox? It worked fine on the CTX and everyone who had the most used water proof fitting on after market head phones could have had them for the Nox. Instead everyone was forced to purchase the yellows or aftermarket phones with the new 1/8 WP plug. And this is 2 water proof detectors from the same company that could have used the same fitting.

X-2! Amen Carolina... What kills me is when a few say the AQ is just a beep and dig detector...🤨

Not to spill the beans, But you will want everything that comes with the New World AQ, Thanks to Alexandre and The Team at First Texas. They have been watching this forum and addressed every detail.

Carolina is tied for second with my brother Mike... 🙄 ... Thomas / Carolina on video would be a first.

Way to go Jim! Two nice 14ks! And looked like some great conditions. Stay safe..

I fully agree... but these give one a general Idea of what the machine is capable of and really you learn doing these test. Not just how deep it is but the machines characteristic. One of the secrets of the AQ is one way signals. I can't tell you how many gold rings I have dug with the AQ , then even more with the excalibur. Just a faint one way of the swing ...signal. One reason I hunt with my eyes shut, they stand out so much more when your focused... Mike Guard and I have talked about the one way signals with the excalibur for years... And let me add....... Eyes closed........one reason I fell in a hole, not pay attention to my surroundings...to focused on the audio..😬 Thanks Tony, Good to see you... I'm doing very well. Maybe I'll be back out this summer? I would be out there now, family obligations.

There is a piece of crab pot about 2 inch's long with some legs coming off of it, It is a inch or so near the PVC pipe....it's giving the low tone (null)..see if I can find a picture of it..., we have a lot of this stuff in the bay, these are from lost crab pots breaking up.

March I hope to have more time to where I can study the Disc side of this machine. It does work but I'm just not confident enough to take the chance. Carolina does very good in the Tones mode....something I need to work on too..

As far as the discrimination side of the AQ.... My opinion. Keep the Nox. One reason I keep the excalibur, there are places I will not even try to hunt using the AQ. And maybe I'm not experienced enough but when you go into a spot you really want to make the best of it. I just feel the Nox or a Good VLF can be more time efficient. Give me a couple of years and maybe I will feel different but that is me right now....The AQ is just a Deep Pi for me,... great some beach's and others the Excal rules....

Here are a few videos on the Limited model...AQ, I never went for the Tarsacci for I feel my Excaliburs are as good if not better. My opinion ...if you have never owned a PI, more than likely you will dislike the AQ,.... it is not for every hunter and not for every beach. I'm a 50/50 user between the AQ and the Excalibur. Between the two, I do much better then any of the locals..which are mostly Noxs..few Excaliburs, CTX's and CZ21's. I invited my hunting partner (brother) to share in the testing...His reaction to the AQ's performance tells it all... easy 18 inch's on a nickel..And his very first time seeing and using the AQ Then several video's with the limited model..testing and finding gold. https://www.youtube.com/user/oldbeechnut/videos

Your a better person then me DwD, rarely do I share Good spots even with the guys I sometimes hunt with.

X-2 Buddy....lets hope in time we can gain this skill. I think to be the best you can be when hunting requires a team effort of a good VLF like the NOX or Excalibur then the AQ as a special tool for those tough beach's. If you know your beach's well you will know which machine to take. As it stands right now it's a 50/50 split for me.......... And All of these post are just my opinion ..... The one with the 19 inch's in a 14k ring. I have experienced a few of those. For years I've just wanted deep and that is what I use the AQ for.... a deep PI....Now on the Discrimination modes, I just don't see me using them very much.. but I do need to learn or try. Bobby pins were tough for me, along with larger ferrous targets. I do think in time I will get better using the disc modes, but I doubt 100%. What I do like to do is go into a area's where I hunt and skip the shallow targets and go for the deeper one's. And this works at some places and not others. Sad, I think many will say the same if those are the prices. I have to look at it as a good thing, I won't see Any around here other then maybe TVR's.

Very Nice! Love the color!!

I do hope Russ was wrong on the final versions pricing. The best info was a July release, possibly. I'd hoped for more details and a unveiling ...... Never happened.... Sorry.

Could be, We will have to be waiting, I'll need to join then.. And Thank You. Good to be A live and Healthy!

Monday evening 7 pm..EST.. Russ should give a good update this time since he is right at the front lines. Treasure talk... All about what is coming... and I believe he will have the New AQ to show.. don't miss it. https://www.facebook.com/groups/265461581242945 https://www.facebook.com/events/356115269167973

Amen to that, I know technology has provided better results over the years but like you, I'm stunned on how much is left to find. Here we have spots that were dredged over and over and still have given up 40 plus gold in one season. Very nice report on the hunt also, Love the color of the 14k. Sorry about the stock head phones, to many times have we seen the stock AQ head phones fail. Wish I worked at First Texas to solve these issues. I just fixed two sets of excal head phones for a friend, one the stock yellows, the other GGA's. Then I replace the coil on a Old Sword model that had the original stock, big cord red head set.. still working after 30 years. Something to be learned there....

Stay safe! I love hunting during the winter, so many perks. But it just not safe if you hunt deep. If I do start hunting the winter again, next year, it will only be shallow. Waist deep the most. I know your temps are twice as low or bad as mine so you be careful. Good Luck..

I agree Dew, a big upgrade from the normal composite material fittings.... Circular DIN Connectors are an ideal solution for ensuring that power and signal connections are not compromised in harsh environments and industrial applications. These connectors feature screw locking, IP67 degree of protection, robust metal connector, and excellent EMI shielding. These connectors are ideal for harsh environments and industrial

Many Thanks Steve and all of my fellow Pirates for the Prays and well Wishes! Just a update, it is now one month since the accident Jan 12th. I was waiting to post here on the one month mark just to show how fast and well my recovery has been. (Thank You lord and all of my friends for the prays!) I've had many test, several MIR's and other scans. All levels and scans came back good. No damage from the hypothermia, shock and low blood levels. I feel great and just about have my stamina back and my rotary cup tear feeling much better.. I was out the other day with the AQ playing around in the wetsand, can't wait to get back in the water, which maybe this summer. As far as what happened, Joe D's post above covers the details.... What saved me, The Good Lord and my Floating sifter. I had a Doning tube (which bleeds out the air from my drysuit) allowing water cold water (slowly) into my drysuit. If not for being able to keep my upper body (head) in the Sifter I would have slowly went chest/head under. And Thank God for the lady who heard my cry and the rescue team that quickly arrived. I did get all of my equipment back, the rescue squad was very kind in dropping all by my home the day after. I have a list of a few who where involved in my recover, I do have plans on thanking each in person. Many lessons learned, first take a hunting partner always. Stay out of the water once it goes below 50F. Trash the Artic Pro boots, Not safe. Stay away from beach's that have heavy equipment moving sand, dredging. Like mentioned, have a Boaters safety whistle. And wear a manual inflate life vest when hunting deep. I still have video of the accident but going to wait to watch. Maybe next winter when I get the urge to go out...😬 Looking forwards, I will be taking off some time. Maybe by summer I can slip back into the water. I would be out there now but family obligations have kicked in so the beach will have to wait. Excited, Yes I am.. Being doing research the past week and Found a right way (path way to the water) to a spot that is very hard to get to .... I know holds treasure. Video of the spot that almost did me in... I have started work on the batteries, I hope to have a few done in the next week. Once close to finished I'll start reaching out to all who have asked. Thank you for your patients.

Similar https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Bulgin/PXPPVC08RAF05BCL020PVC/?qs=YCa%2FAAYMW01ussOYlF60qA%3D%3D M-8 5 pin female B Coded....2 meter cable... # PXPPVC08RAF05BCL020PVC M-8 5 pin female B Coded... 3 Meter straight cable https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Bulgin/PXPTPU08FBF05BCL030PUR/?qs=YCa%2FAAYMW01Di05fJNmwVg%3D%3D I did have the part number for the fitting only but can't find it. Found this one.. PXMBNI08FBF05BSC M-8 5 pin female B Coded .......... Fitting only but expensive at 32.oo https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Bulgin/PXMBNI08FBF05BSC/?qs=%2Fha2pyFadugjuhajDLp1lFTb8QlL0iM87yq%2BqPoZbmIHfehWywZTtQ%3D%3D

Yes, I order my first M-8 4 pin power cable from them. Just like any other place I've ordered from.. Mouser, Allied Electric, Digikey and Newark. I did have a issue with Newark one time but they finally got the order to me. The others including automationdirect have been perfect. https://www.automationdirect.com/adc/overview/catalog/cables/sensors_-z-_switches/pico_(m8)_harsh_duty_-z-_food_-a-_bev._q-z-d_cables

It's mine