cjc

Carolina--ya your set and forget was good advice but Im not hearing everyone else talking about the AQ dropping pots.  That T/H is an excellent stabilizaton tool andtthe conditons I hunt in are fast water with high saline content.   Was hoping that this detector had had it's fun and was now ready to work and  get me some gold....

Im going to ask Alexandre if he has any suggestions. 

rgrdz clive

8 hours ago, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

Both of my AQ's have a warm up period of about 15 minutes, been that way since day one.......after that 15 minutes no more adjustments needed. If my Pot goes, I guess I'll be the first to do the repair. If that is the only issue I'll be Happy.... My question then would be what pot does the TDI use for it's threshold for I never heard of them having the same issue. More than likely I'll be putting the guts in a water proof case of some type after... so it will be easier to work on.

This may sound a little crazy but I can't wait to get my hands inside of that monster..☠️

You're the master--get in there.  I'v e swapped out a lot of these Vishay pots on my Aquasearch--really a lot and did warn FT for that reason.  Not sure I'm ready to crack this case though--shoot over a picture if you do these mailing costs are eating into my retirement fund...fotunatly its an amazing machine and it brings in the occasional bit of gold to offset it's travel bills. 

cj

cjc

8 hours ago, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

You ever notice how hot the AQ gets in one area? (right below) One of the first things I did when I got one was do a temp check on the corners and middle of the case. ANd this after 10 to 15 minutes if I remember correct...Got pictures  of it some where..

 

Interestiing--thanks for posting Joe.  Lot of juice flying around in there we do know that.  One would think that there would be a doide or something that couild be put in to protect any vulnerable parts of the circuit.  

That is a hot running circuit!

cjc

9 hours ago, Jim in Idaho said:

On my TDI SL, the threshold slowly gets louder as the batteries decline. Have to readjust as I detect. Just food for thought.

Jim

wish that was the problem.  The AQ has gated power that's why Im surprised to see this as usually it's  a result of  power surges. 

cjc

On 1/28/2023 at 5:41 PM, stateguy said:

Is that’s what wrong with mine the pot I lose the threshold at times and tap behind the control box and sometimes it comes back. 
 

Hard to say but these vishay pots are dodgey.  They can develop  hot spots or blank spots.  They can also have the entire range of adjustent at one end of  the turn radius.  Its a shame because one trick that Eric Foster taught me is to stabilize a pulse--bak the threshold off.  This works well with the AQ but other buddies are telling me to set and forget to reduce the chance of a fry. Amazing that a tap fixes yours I will try that too but am not that hopefull.  Looks more like an $85 sojurn to El  Paso

cjc

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas as to why the threshold pots on this machine keep going and what might be done to effect a permanent repair.

cjc 

It takes quite a while to learn to hear the subtlties of  the AQ's delay  ranges.  Down below 10 there's this background noise that is not the machine performing at it's best, intterfering with the smoothest threshold possible.  In still water these low settings might be viable but not in my conditions.  With a pulse, nothing is more important than a smooth threshold.  Handling  the coil is easier at these higher levels.  As with all signal  balancing challenges, practice hearing the extremes.

cjc

29 minutes ago, Tony said:

Thanks Clive…..what sort of salt “conditions” are we talking about. You know I like to have 3 foot waves breaking over me and with headphones stripped off my head every minute or two…….and then go looking for my scoop in the whitewater 🙂

None of this boring millpond conditions for me……..gimme fast water any day .

Maybe I could take my surfboard next time and mix the two hobbies together.

HH

Tony

Aaahaaa--I always  say that when people are surfing past you maybe time to quit.  Ya, the AQ does sing a bit when  the surge goes over.  Im guessing that up at 11 / 15 uSc it would smooth out though.  I run at 10.5 pretty good.   Take a big elastic or several tied) and wear it around the phones.  Might save your cable sometime.  

big waves dislodge gold it's the price we pay.

cjc

Just commenting on the original  topic, all of the air tests I've seen to not do the AQ justice in salt water.  16" is V LF depth and not  the reason  we look to pulse machine for extra performance.  Having gotten a few bugs out of this machine and developed a few precautionary measures (Co-Axe Seal, high quality dielectric grease to keep any corrosion out) this machine is a smooth performer in salt, that has no problem hitting targets at much greater depths than any VLF.   These are not the ultra faint threshold changes I've seen in air tests either.   It's a question of running a balanced signal and using the coil well with smooth, even sweep speed and flat axis.  Having tried to run a TDI in salt many times--the AQ is much more stable and can be run down at prime gold delay ranges.  This machiine continues to amaze me with the many things its capable of.  

cjc

at the risk of talking "hunt by numbers" (something I disagree with) I will say that it takes a "freak of nature" ring to hit above  24, but these lunkers and 22k items with silver for hardness do exist.  I run 24 as a cut off checker a lot of the  time but it's a dangerous game and anything thats smashing up against that top should be looked at.  B1 is a lot deeper and if you can manage it by bringing up the 1st Tone Break or even adding some (Feild mode style) disc do so.  I ran some tests and in Horseshoe saw B1 hitting haloed small coins at 17-18" on a salt water incline--big coil.  This represents a full signal  balancing task--Sens, Rec Spd, sweep speed--all of it lol....

Also, if you want to learn to tune this machine in salt, try B1 to get an idea of the variables and what affects what...

call it signal balancing 101--start with the extremes and work backwards...

practice in 2 Tone to better hear what's going on as you adjust...

Got this big 19k 15.2 gram ring going in behind other hunters by running a balanced 2 tone signal with some Disc / Tone Break, that allowed me to run Sens 23, s  tock coil--super deep and tarnished local pros had been walking over it daily for months. 

cjc

18 hours ago, Jeff McClendon said:

The 600/700/800/900, the Legend and Deus 2 are way beyond the capabilities of even brilliantly gifted beginners,

Thats very well said, Jeff.  The NOX's "funny" latent audio frustrates me sometimes--to this day.  It's like popular knowledge just has not kept up with the tech and new hunters want "shortcuts" to expertise when there really are none.  Ive  gotten some great feedback from hunters who just needed a little theory and a few simple basics to get the results they had hoped for.  Shame that to this day, with the exception of Nokta, these "tech-heavy" manuals just dont give the new guy / girl the grounding needed to avoid a frustrating beginner experience.  

cjc

22 hours ago, Erik Oostra said:

On my beaches both the Equinox and Deus 2 have the same stability on iffy targets.. Both struggle with identifying smaller deeper targets and jump about without settling on a TID until you've got the target out of the hole.. I think it has more to do with working out a detector's nuances over time than any inherent stability problems of a particular model versus another.. There's so many variables that come into play in the 'wild' that only experience can make sense of what the detector is really telling you.. I've dug targets where the TID and tones were telling me it was another bottle top, but there there was something about the detector's reaction which told me it was a gold ring.. I suppose spending time with an Equinox 900 would achieve the same results, it's just that I've also got a Deus 2 demanding quality time.. It's already jealous of my bromance with the Equinox.. 

Ya these high fidelity detectors all have one shortfalling.  They  don't tell you what settings to use from  the dazzling array, or what the condtions call for.  It's like the NOX spoilt hunters into this "push button detecting" mentality that is just not a good way  to learn the hobby.  As  the tech  becomes more involved there's an  over-reliance  on it.  Even as I compete with NOX hunters--I feel sorry for them--digging flyspecks  and quarter panels--anyting metal.  Its basic skills that make you  thorough--not insane digging. While its true discrimination and meters will only take you so far--a broad based approach to target testing can make those anomaly responses stand out more.  People get so fixated on meter and tone they  forget to use the whole detector--much easier.

cjc

That's true.  I want to get a  900 to replace my ailing 800 but will it help me to find more gold?  Don't think so.  Nice upgrades though--it's what the  NOX should have been to  start with.  I also notice reps referring to the Manticore platform as "A" Multi IQ.  Hope this means there's a difference--but I have not heard anyone raving about it yet.  Can't help thinking that the years of deflections / denials on the NOX's problems have hurt M/L credibitly overall and it will be a while before it returns.  Still have my CTX better the devil you know...

cjc

I've shipped  this i'm now looking for a way to reinforce the living @#%* out of it maybe one of  these "wrap a paper towel and soak with crazy glue" type jobs or some primo  marine epoxy.  I've  never found one I liked--Gig is saying that Gorrilla two part is good.  Fisher is the last company that you would expect to make a detector with anything flimsy going on--must just be the molds or a bad batch of plastic.  This is  a nice circuit--shame about the build issues but thats how detectors are--it's always something...

cjc

What makes Multi IQ Plus--Plus?  I do know that there are frequencies which have been changed but has anything been done to the overall tech?

cjc

11 hours ago, stateguy said:

Bklein I suggest you try the test outside with less interference 

exactly. 14.4 V is way to much juice to test indoors.  I even notice EMI in my backyard.

cjc

On 11/30/2022 at 8:36 AM, CTidwell said:

He won't ship to Japan so I'm outta luck...

I do...

http://www.clivesgoldpage.com/shop/publications/a-beginners-guide-to-the-nokta-makro-legend/

cjc

On 2/28/2022 at 9:51 PM, Brushcreek said:

Looking forward to having you write some books for the Legend. Enjoy reading your books on other machines!

thanks for your interest in my Legend book. http://clivesgoldpage.com/

kind regards 

clive

On 12/19/2022 at 8:35 PM, Dan(NM) said:

I got the 900 and it's a step up from the 800 no doubt in several areas.   The coil ears are beefed up and molded different than the 800 coil. I'm not sure how the threaded ear is going to hold up though,  we'll see. The balance feels very good even when the shafts are fully extended, did not feel nose heavy to me. The arm rest is top notch, lots of adjustment and fast to readjust when needed. The lower shaft is smaller than the 800, I  measured 17.5mm vs 20 mm on the Nox. The lower and  middle rod when extended to the red line on the shafts is 36" There is about 4 inches past the factory red line on both the lower and middle rod, so you could extend out 3-4 more inches if you needed to. The magnet on the housing charging port has been upgraded, it has more bite on the charging cable than the 800.

 Wireless, it's not standard bluetooth, I have 6 APTX Low Latency devises I used on the 800, nothing will connect. I tried the WM08 and it's a no go. I even tried to pair with my phone, it listed the headphones as Minelab ML85's,but, would not connect.  I have a transmitter mounted on the bottom of the armrest, wired into the headphone jack that will allow me to use my wireless earbuds.  I have another transmitter on the way for the Manticore.

The headphones paired up in a couple seconds, no waiting like the 800.  They sound much better than the ML80's, very clear and crisp and very little delay in response time. I will use them when its cold outside, but I prefer earbuds otherwise.

Not much difference navigating the menu or controls, basically the same as the 800.  The battery was almost dead when it arrived, so I wasn't able to play around with it much today, plus it was raining when it arrived. I have a day off Wed before the big freeze moves into Texas and will take it to an old sports field here in town and give it a test run. 

NIce improvements!  It was  gradual flexion that was killing those ears I guess the threading will remedy that.  Keep us posted. 

cjc

Now that I've had a chance to look at this more closely with the foam down--I guess it is a break--but a very clean one like it was  on a mold seam.  In any event it's not that serious--I can always try that super hard graphite / baking soda / crazy glue combo that looks pretty efffective--if FT can't help me.  Shocking though in that nothing was done to it (coming from a vetran of detector destruction)--this one never took the slightest impact. 

cjc

2 hours ago, Joe Beechnut OBN said:

I get back into the mod of changing things I want to change out that shaft to carbon fiber along with the handle, be interesting to see if I can work my battery into the carbon fiber. 

Nice sounding mod--if anyone can., you can Joe.

cjc

On 7/14/2020 at 10:58 AM, Steve Herschbach said:

I will add things as new information develops. This proved handy in the Equinox forum, and helps new people get started. There are less repeat questions and one handy place to aim people with questions.

Great job, Steve!

clive

Just for the record, I posted this problem because there's no broken plastic-it looks like an easy fix.  There's a screw visible which looks likie it woulld have something to do with how the pod is held in place.  If this looked like a serious problem I( would not have posted it here because I love this detector.  

Had hoped someone would  just clue me in to how it re-joins--period.

That said, it's clear that the AQ didn't turn out to be the "discriminating pulse for the masses" but for my purposes and with the skills set and tolerence for works in progress that I bring to the table its pretty good.  

Key word here is tolerence...😁

Kind Regards 

cjc

Has anyone had  their control pod come lose on this detector?

Pressed my thumb aganst the panel and noitced that it was moving and not secured. Doesen't seem to be any obvious fix although there's a screw visible at the side of the handle when you roll the foam down.

Still works but only an impact away from disaster...

cjc

On 11/17/2022 at 4:17 PM, Gerry in Idaho said:

Buddy,  I'm totally with you on the leak issues.  It's funny as the amount of CTX-3030's I personally had leak, yet my 1st NOX lasted 2 yrs before a leak.  Now I'm not here to say their % numbers are right or wrong, but for the amount of then that I sell (hundreds) and the few that leak, I'm quite pleased.  I guess the reality is the style of detectorist.  Guys like you/I who are in water to our chin all day long will have a greater chance than those who shallow water wade.  I seriously feel post covid NOX are not as well built as early ones. (my opinion) I conclude this based on the amount of machines my staff/I had submerged for hours while on trips vs in the last 2 yrs.  Same amount of machines each yr but more issues since Covid?

You know me well enough, not a YES man.  But the reality is their technology is some of the best.  Not saying it's the best, as the new Deus II is a great detector, but guess what, that machine can leak as well and I have proof.  In fact, I have never had a detector that was said to be 100% and it never leaked.  Sure the old tank size detectors didn't leak as much, but my poor arms, back and shoulder couldn't get as many hours a hunt either.

Again, I feel you/I have the same water detecting styles and yes we have both had detectors leak and ruin part of a trip. Funny how we now have to take 2 detectors on each trip.  Who knows how well the Manticore will hold up but I do expect it to do better than the NOX.  After all, the NOX was better at keeping out water than a CTX.

Either way, we'll both own one because that's what's in our DNA.  How long with they go without flood and is the extra finds made worth it?  Only time will tell.

Just curious, have you gave up on Caribbean hunts?  Sure beats our winters and even summer water temps any day.  Plus the eye candy is good for the old ticker...  Chunky Dunk in Idaho 45 degree waters or skinny dip Cancun 75 degree waters... We must be crazy gezzers Clive..but at least we have fun.

Kind of reminds me of a wider problem.  If you say something loud enough and gather enough support in so doing--it passes for the truth.  The problem is realy a lack of--credible argument.  Instead there's this system of patronage--of vested interests.  The truth is that you can't hunt as a pro in the water with either one of these detectors--and for the price they go for you should be able to.  

cjc