cjc

I’ve gotten a lot of questions from hunters (who learn that I have two books out on the Equinox) asking for “settings.” One guy saw some rings I had found in salt water with the Equinox and asked for my “settings.” Others describe a type of site they are hunting--“cellar holes” for example and want to know just what “settings” to run. I can’t answer these questions because what they need is not a “setting” but rather a skill set--a “system” of tuning the detector, (in relation to the specific ground and target matrix), listening to and examining targets with the coil, selecting responses and conducting their overall hunt. To focus on simple “settings” or the technology of any detector type ignores the fact that there are a whole range of skills needed for success at difficult sites. Not all involve the detector itself. The real skill lies in understanding and managing the interactions. A good maxim is that: “…predetermined settings only get you into the ball park—it’s up to you to find the best seat…” The ideas is to learn to recognise what the conditions demand and apply your machine’s strengths based upon basic skills--not hope it will take the place of them. What I advocate is a broad-based approach to learning and detecting. This is kind of like the Equinox itself--just as a multi-frequency signal gathers more information to be analysed, examining your signals from a wide range of standpoints lets you learn and develop a broader knowledge base--faster. Then, as you encounter problem targets or sets of conditions which are new--you have the general skills to adapt. Part of the misinformation about the Equinox comes from those who have had success under highly specific conditions--many in situations where not a lot of skill was needed--flat out “hear and dig” in stable inland conditions. While there are sets of conditions where this is the only way to operate--it’s a narrow mindset. Why buy a detector that has the versatility of the Equinox and not develop the kinds of skills that will let you get the most from it? From” “Skill Building with the Minelab Equinox Series Metal Detectors” by Clive James Clynick (Prestige Publishing, 2019)

Good call, John. When I get a machine I try and read everything out there from the "expert" stuff to what the guy on his first day has noticed...Thanks for your interest in the new one. Kind Regards clive

Anyone in North America able to work on an Aquasearch? Kind of blares after coming off a target. I've gotten different opinions on the problem--all above my electronics hat size (a "2"). cjc

Ya Im guessing that all inclusive booze may have played a role--probably didn't get both sides of the clasp through the loop properly. I do think of the person who lost a big item like that but doesn't mean I'm going door to door with it. Did a bounty for a couples (his) wedding band the next day--maybe pay the karmic debt... It had been down a long time came out super orange. Thanks for the info about the signature. Regards clive

I’m proud to announce my new 120 page book on developing your skills and accuracy with the Equinox. You could say that this is an advanced book about simple skills. These small, basic skills, tricks and competencies add up to “more than the sum of the parts” in what they allow you to do with the Equinox. It’s my hope that the book will teach readers to: -develop skills that can be applied at any type of site–park, relic or shoreline. -create effective custom settings for your sites by responding to the conditions. -understand and manage some of this detector’s performance “trade-offs.” -overcome conditions-related problems. -get more depth and hunt with greater accuracy using this great detector platform. -understand and apply the Minelab Equinox “2.0” upgrade. Skill-Building with the Minelab Equinox Metal Detector By Clive James Clynick Clive James Clynick is the author of some 24 previous treasure hunting “how-to” books and numerous articles. In this detailed and informative book, he explains how understanding the Equinox’s operating characteristics and features can help you to find more treasure. Topics include: Dense Iron Methods and Skill Building Walk First. How Small Skills Add Up to Accuracy Managing the Heavily Processed, Modulated Signal Understanding and Managing the Power Curve Beyond Meter and Tone Accuracy and Conclusiveness Salt Water Stabilization and Depth Tips from Top Hunters Signal Balancing the Equinox for More Depth ‘Micro’ Gold and Chain Hunting Understanding the Upgrades …and much more… (8.5 X 5.5, softbound 120 pages) $16.95 Ordering: http://www.clivesgoldpage.com/shop/publications/skill-building-with-the-minelab-equinox-series-metal-detectors/

Got this running the "Undertune" program---9 GB, Sens 19 seems to make things more orderly. 2 Tone, Non Ferrous Pitch 25, really makes the gold jump out. Jury still out on the upgrade--I run it fast 5 or 6 especially if you want to traverse parallel to shore with fast water. It's 18k 34.9 gr. cjc

Well said but it's doing a remarkable job up at the high settings--killing even alloyed slag. Looking at Steves chart didn't realize that it was an expanded range on both ends = better drawing of targets out of iron??? My intital "cap beater" F26+ range tests (In 2 tone to liven it up--take the cotton...) were impressive and seemed to offer a good solution for those brutal slag and cap infested beaches. Much as I like to complain I open my mouth and nothing comes out...!!!

The sense I get with this upgrade is that you could draw two "bias curves". The F--is lower and flatter--not quite beginning to break up the range of caps--but there are fewer consequences. It also attempts to bring them into the center of the ID scale for a more defined ID. F2 is a steeper curve that does get the entire range of caps but carries with it your typical high bias tradeoff--sluggishness around iron and alloys as all this filtering takes place in software. At the higher levels Recovery Speed does not seem to do nearly as much. While its pretty good at higher levels on "clean" metals such as high kt gold, just as with any "power curve" there is still a loss of overall effectiveness at the higher ranges--where the audio becomes a bit corrupted--the bias takes up a lot of the machine's "work" capacity. Where you are trying to tame diverse fq's to begin with--adding the muting of a scattered type of target (caps) has got to involve "dialing back" the machine's ability to detect all targets. I think the way to get the most from this upgrade is to run a low setting but then--practice speeding up the sweep to knock out a higher range of caps and iron. It's great to have this additional tool to run extreme high bias but there are for sure some tradeoffs to be managed. cjc

seems pretty good to me especially when you get up around 4 or 5. it's the part with the tradeoffs....seems like clean, smooth bias though--a clean signal does not seem to suffer that much at least at those mid settings. cjc

Eric Foster worked with them on some of their boards the CS6--A very sharp PI circuit. In fact when I ask some of the best bench techs I know what they are working on several have said that their projects have this platform as a basis. cjc

...more bearded guys...running around..... ...oh brother... cjc

This is a great and interesting topic that encompasses a large number of the things that the Equinox does. To address this problem --there isn't a single "tweak' it takes a full understanding of detector basics and then specific knowledge of how to apply these basics to the Equinox. The main culprits are high salinity, bottom contours (including inclines) and fast water. There are some good tips in the manual--a faster Rec. Spd. as offset by more sens and Ground Balancing with a side to side "boost." I've also used something that draws from my Excal days--recognising that there are three distinct "zones" in many salt environments--the high "draw", the "lower swish" and the lower flat--each with different balance points. To move the coil while you balance is really just bringing in more randomness. Making for a higher balance point. It's not a bad idea to balance for and hunt these three "zones" separately--so as not to be over balanced for the less challenging levels. I've done a fair bit of testing with the Rec. Spd. dynamic and while some of the speeds I see suggested here (3,4) are pretty low, when you do go up higher there is a risk of depth loss. This is more of an extreme measure--good for hills or rough bottom terrain. How increased Gain factors in here is a tough call--conditions dependent. Trying to get more depth by clipping down a high powered signal doesn't really make sense when you look at the "bitty" audio that signals the Equinox not handling fast or deep salt.... My strategy is just to bring up the TB enough to assign more ground noises down. (1 or 2) I've also experimented with some overtuning methods (Manual -9) that seem to help as well--producing a general smoothing effect with good responses standing out more. I also run 2 Tone--to simplify things. An alternate for the 800 is to use the "Pitch Gap" in 50 Tone. These two methods allow decent Gain settings and let me avoid this constant chasing of half sounds. Sweep speed gives some lee-way to respond to changes instead of some high Rec Spd. Too many hunters think that the Equinox will "quick tweak" for any situation--whereas no detector can. It takes trial and error and a broad based approach to tuning to address the demands of a fast, varied salt environment. cjc cjc

Sorry about the abbreviations--I hear others calling them as such and do it myself without thinking. Not on Geotech here wherein I would be the one asking for clarification.... cjc