Goldpick

Kellyco also have an inventory of used detectors as well, so hopefully there wasn't a mix up on what was originally purchased. Which detector did you end up purchasing?

Pretty much exactly the same setup as mine. I had to laugh at the over usage of tape, but it was the only way to keep it the damned thing quiet. Both my DD and large mono coil have gone to coil heaven, only the 8" mono has survived at this stage.

I just left the control pod mounted on an aftermarket straight shaft, as I initially had falsing issues from the coil picking up cable movement, lots of electrical tape fixed that problem. Garrett should make a pair of cheap lightweight PI beach and prospecting detectors to replace the Infinium and Sea Hunter The alternative is the heavy and expensive ATX which I would have thought it would have come down in price by now considering its age and competition from Minelab. I know Steve has actively called for a lightweight version of the ATX, though I don't think Garrett are listening. Maybe things might change since acquiring Whites.

When I had my Explorer SE Pro and Etrac, I really longed for a lighter MF detector with faster processing and recovery speeds, though still with the discriminating abilities and descriptive audio of the older machines - and with FE/CO ID's. I guess we got part way there with the Equinox answering many requests and wishes, and at a much lower price than expected considering what was on offer. Forward a few years later and many are probably still awaiting a more comprehensive lightweight package to replace the ageing Etrac, and to fill out that void between the Equinox and the CTX which itself is also well overdue for a refresh. That will probably be the detector that I would be looking for as an upgrade to the Equinox. What I don't know is whether it is even feasible for multi-iq to allow both FE/Co numbers, or offer higher resolution discrimination as on the FBS/2 detectors. I guess we will leave that up the Minelab engineers to sort out, hopefully progress is being made in the background as the Equinox platform gradually matures.

Mine has been retired now for a while, it was mainly used for beach detecting and was beginning to encounter wear related issues with coil plugs, pins, shielding etc. The demise of our local Garrett dealer/service technician made things even more difficult, especially with regards to getting repairs done without having send the detector interstate. Nothing worst than being down the beach at night for a big session, only to have reoccurring falsing issues crop up again. Much prefer to go with a multi-frequency detector these days to avoid digging so many junk targets (did someone mention those annoying little bobby pins).

Just had a thought that the "halo" effect on the screen is actually from the clear protective screen cover from when new - noticed it on mine.

The Simplex+ is certainly offers a lot of bang for your buck, really enjoying mine. Are you talking about the auto backlighting coming on when over a target, or the actual icons?

Not waterproof, just the coil - lots of tech talk to try and bolster sales of what is just another generic Chinese VLF detector. All I can say is to support genuine metal detector manufacturers that offer actual aftersales support, especially in these tough economic times. *Noted that this for detectors under $100.

Maybe also try to run without ground balancing, as there may not be a need to do so on the Nox if the ground/site doesn't warrant it, or if you cannot find clean ground to GB. You might find his may settle the detector down more and run more stable without excessive falsing. Worth a try.

I think due to such low draw on the small lipo batteries contained within detectors, you don't get the same heat issues as those contained on high output RC motors, nor the same issues with charging RC battery packs (overcharging or wrong charger settings for specific battery packs). Can't say I have heard of any detectors exploding due to heat or fires due to piercing of the battery packs, the electronics contained in detectors and chargers these days also make it near on impossible to over-charge or run them totally flat. Considering the XP Deus uses three separate LiPo batteries to operate and that it has been around for 9 years now, pretty much proves how safe and convenient their use is, not to mention good longevity considering my Deus is now 5 years old still with the original batteries. I have never had an issue with long term storage, so long as there is around half charge on the detector (or wireless coils) Since XP implemented the use of miniature LiPo batteries on the Deus, most manufacturers have now followed suit including Minelab, Nokta Makro, and more recently Garrett, both for detectors and pinpointers, so that should say something. We should also thank the use of LiPo batteries for the advent of physically smaller detectors and the inherent lack of weight, and making it much easier to produce sealed waterproof detectors.

As we have quite a few freshwater lakes around our neck of the woods, I always keep check on water heights, especially around boat ramps, piers and swimming areas. A couple of years back we experienced a very long drought leaving many of these lakes partially or fully dried up allowing for some pretty exciting detecting. Aside from a decent number of old silver coins, many silver rings and various other pieces of jewellery came to light using the Deus - just a matter of gridding up the shore/lake bed and reaping the rewards. After a decent bout of rain the lakes were full again, though once again are slowly dropping in levels and a whole new number of targets are starting to appear again (wave action exposing new targets over time). The best thing is the lack of more modern junk targets, at least certainly no where near the density of junk you find in a park scenario. Don't think I have the patience looking for micro jewellery in real junky parks, will leave that for the more dedicated.

Given that the latest crop of detectors can be updated with new features simply by downloading software updates, how long will it be until manufacturers offer a cheap base model with pay as you go additional features and capabilities. Want more tone options, prospecting ability, custom frequencies, simply pay a small fee and download to your detector. On the same token have to ability to remove unused or unwanted features to de-clutter your detector, and with the ability to load them up again at a later date as needed. This would give the ability for a beginner to grow with their simplified base detector, adding new features as experience is gained and as budget allows, whilst still maintaining a budget initial purchase price. We also often talk about detectors being too overwhelming or complicated to learn for newcomers, so sometimes less is more. The downside for manufacturers is that it would do away with multiple models of detectors, often earmarked by minimal incremental changes to justify producing a new or improved detector. Good for the consumer, maybe not so much for profit margins. In a way it is already happening with detectors like the XP Deus, with constant updates to extend the lifespan of the platform, though hardly a budget detector and the updates are actually free. Any extra costs/profits are made via accessory coils and other add-ons like pinpointers vs charging for added features alone (some new features necessitate the purchase of new accessory coils to be activated). You do have to appreciate that the Deus's lifespan amazingly started out in 2009, proof that a single platform can last the test of time and still be relevant even today. Imagine a base version of an improved Simplex with added hardware/software ability to run multi-frequency and/or individual frequencies, then being able to unlock MF ability down the track as budget allows. It is not always the case the one can afford the initial cost of a fully loaded detector out of the box, nor want to purchase multiple detectors to gain added features and performance. Silly idea or does it have some merit?

Probably the best value pinpointer on the market at the moment is the Nokta Pointer at $99US, keeping in mind that you may want to do some dirt detecting in the future. Further details linked below: https://www.noktadetectors.com/metal-detector/nokta-pointer/

Deep/large iron can cause confusion when trying to make recoveries, can often sound/read like a shallower target only to end up being a lot deeper down. Deep iron can also cause the the original pinpoint location to move after making an excavation, another tell-tale indication. If unsure, one of the best tools at your disposal is to use your pinpoint mode to get a rough estimate of the size of the target before digging, if you get a foot wide response it ain't going to be a coin, possibly large iron at depth - a coin will have a lot smaller footprint when pinpointing with the detector. You can also get high tone falsing on deep iron, sounding more like a good non-ferrous target - wildly inconsistent target id's will usually point towards iron vs non-ferrous (if your detector has target ID's). Deep targets beyond effective range of the detector can have it guessing on the true dig depth, so I wouldn't totally rely on what the detector display is telling you. Bottom line is that there is no substitute for experience when deciphering what a buried target is likely to be, if unsure just dig the target and after time you will have a greater understanding of what those tell-tale indications are telling you.

I received the SImplex+ yesterday and came away extremely impressed and surprised on the build quality, ergonomics and feature set considering the entry level pricing, this detector could easily sell for a much higher price point and is a real credit to Nokta/Makro. The carbon fibre lower shaft was indeed the Nokta/Makro item and not manufactured by Detect-Ed's, it weighs in at 75 grams vs 115 grams for the stock shaft.

Yes, too often outside markets are forgotten about when it comes to holiday and Christmas packages/specials, usually a case of adding a few extras and then bumping up the price even more. I've had an interest in the Simplex+ for while now, and even better now as a full package with wireless connectivity for both headphones and pinpointer - and at a reduced pricing. I also added in a replacement carbon fibre lower shaft made by Detect-Ed, as the Nokta/Makro version seems a bit hard to source at the moment.

We have a similar good deal here in Australia with the pinpointer, was enough encouragement to get me on board and make a purchase!👌

I see NEL will be releasing a full coil range for the Simplex in December, should make it an even more versatile detector than it already is. https://nel-coils.com/index.php/en/the-news Also noticed that Detect-Ed is now making carbon fibre lower shafts for the SImplex, resolving the issue of lower shaft flex. https://www.detect-ed.com/collections/carbon-shafts/products/simplex-carbon-shaft

Backlit controls, red adjustable backlight, 2.4gHz headphones, s-bend shaft with internally routed coil cable, improvement on tones to give a greater perception of target depth, more coil choices or allow a licensed third party to produce additional coils. One glaring omission is an integrated system allowing both wireless headphones and wireless pinpointer to be used with the Nox, much like that on the Deus and Nokta/Makro detectors. Hopefully Minelab can release a new pinpointer in the future to allow this, though the current usage of Bluetooth may be holding this back (hence why I mentioned about sticking with 2.4gHz). Hell, even the Simplex has this capability at a much lower pricepoint.

Have a search through the Minelab Equinox forum, I think either the Equinox 600 or 800 would be fine replacement for the Explorer (coming from an ex Explorer SE Pro and Etrac user). Despite not having both Fe & Conductivity VDI's (only the latter), the Equinox is much lighter, just as capable depth wise, has much better target separation in junky or iron infested areas, and is fully waterproof. I think you will be surprised at what the Equinox will find in areas that the Explorer has already "cleaned out", especially those older relic sites.

Nope, the only coil I've ever used without a cover is the Mars MD Tiger, and they actually recommend not to run with one. I did get supplied with a cover for it, though the molding on it was pretty crap and a poor fit - easier to run without one. I too wore the epoxy through to the bone on a Garrett 8.5x11" coil many years ago by not running a cover - a silly and expensive decision. In the past I could never understand why coil covers were sold by some detector manufacturers as an accessory and not included with the actual detector - a real penny pinching exercise in my book.

Personally I would have preferred a smaller and lighter stock coil, maybe 8" to start out with considering the Simplex was mainly designated as a starter detector to get the younger crowd to take up the brand. I think the decision to run with the larger coil was to satisfy the more experienced detectorist looking for a simplified or backup machine, though with comparable coverage and depth ability to some of the more expensive platforms. As another example, Garrett probably went down the correct path of offering a smaller more lightweight coil on the Apex given its target audience, anything larger and I think you will find it will become rather nose heavy and ruin the overall balance of the detector. Even so there is the option of a carbon fibre lower shaft to sort the "flex" issues and the shaft plug, even if it is an afterthought. As for the 2.4gHz headphones vs say bluetooth, I really don't mind them running with the former, saves a lot of confusion over which bluetooth headphones do or do not work with their detectors - much like the pages of confusion on headphone compatibility with the Equinox and on which versions of bluetooth allow for lag free audio. There is always the Ezy Wander wireless transmitter if you want to run headphones that are more tailored to you hearing. After all it is mean't to be the Simplex - ie. simple to use and easy to set up out of the box.

Likewise, I too can see so many similarities in finds between the US and here for the same period. Mind you I have found an 1800's Indian Head and an 1830's US Eagle Naval buckle here in Oz as well, most likely left behind by US gold miners trying their luck in Oz. Many of these older house sites do have separate stables, denoted by iron and lots of horse tack, buckles and lead rosettes lying around. Am still pondering on whether to buy the 6" coil for the Nox, or just see what turns up the stock coil for now. Just have to be careful on where I tread due to many snakes being on the move now heading into Spring. Here's a large Tiger Snake I came across on previous trip - usually sits in the top ten most venomous snakes in the world.😬

To give you an idea of what types of targets were previously cleaned out of the same site with the Deus, here's a few pics for comparison - and yes I dig everything in the search for elusive the gold coin. I do consider myself to be pretty thorough, though you never get everything even after multiple visits (and due to many other contributing factors). If anything there seems to be the perception so far that the Nox 600 punches very deep on the sandy/loamy soils around here, even on the highest reactivity setting. Thankfully there is very little local mineralisation to deal with other than pockets of ash/basaltic material from nearby volcanoes, hence cranking up the sensitivity still has the Nox running very stable and quiet on the cleaner ground away from the iron ridden house site. One thing I did have a little difficulty with at first was the perception of depth via the audio, some of those .22 casings and lead targets banged through nice and loud, and from a lot deeper than first thought, so yes it does real well on the small low to mid conductors. Happy hunting!

The other coin is a rather toasted early 1900's Australian Commonwealth half penny, not sure about the knob on the iron shaft though the other item is the centre section from an oil lamp. The carbon shaft really completes the Nox, in my opinion it should have been a factory option from the get go. My previous two detectors before the Deus were the Etrac and Explorer SE Pro, so it hasn't taken too long to get reacquainted with the Minelab tones again. The lack of weight is certainly a good thing compared to the FBS machines, I really have been spoiled by the featherweight Deus.