GB_Amateur

I'll start out with a disclaimer: I don't have a Garrett AT Pro and have never used one. I'm sure it's a good detector as it has a lot of happy users. (Interpretation: I'm not a detector disser.) I do have a Minelab Eqx 800. Although the AT Pro did better in this test, not only does the setup cover a limited part of phase space (coplanar targets with fixed separation, not in the ground, coils swung directly over the objects), but why did he choose Beach 2 mode and those settings? There is such a huge choice of settings for the Eqx. Just showing us one arbitrary set and trying to draw a (negative) conclusion is meaningless. Maybe the AT Pro is better for this kind of masking situation. But the video hasn't shown that. It's shown that for settings A on the AT Pro and settings B on the Eqx that the AT Pro performs better here. This is the reason I don't even bother watching detector comparison videos. There are so many minefields, including/especially the bias of the detectorist.

Nice! Looks like the ground you hunted is nice and green. Is that from sprinklers or have you had a wet September? I found a curb strip yesterday I definitely will hit, but it's been so dry here I would make a real mess digging. I hope when I get around to it that I'll have as good of results as you.

The trash in National Forest campsites is particularly noticeable and annoying. Glass, cans, paper,.... You can see it without digging and if you dare turn on your detector to hope to find a few coins you really get an ear full. But these sites are frequented by lots more than just detectorists/prospectors. What get's my goat the worst are the target practice idiots shooting up anything in site and leaving their shells laying on top of the ground. At a GPAA claim in the NF outside of Idaho Springs, CO, I was finding plastic pigeons (disks). For the most part the GPAA claims I've been on are pretty well taken care of, with a few exceptions, of course. Northern Nevada deserts have some unfilled holes, usually large&deep as if either the excavator was PO'ed he didn't find anything or too tired to fill it back in. Not making excuses for them. I fill theirs in as much as I can without spending too much of my time doing their cleanup. One surprising postive experience I had in one of the mountain towns outside of Denver. I was detecting a city park finding old coins a few ring-and-beavertail pulltabs, and old rusty crown caps. I found almost no square tabs nor fresh c-caps. I suppose it could be park employees going around cleaning up but I suspect that in this particular area people are more respectful of shared land. Not enough of that in this world, that's for sure.

Just be careful. There are much worse things than having your personal property stolen/destroyed. You're obviously not dealing with anyone with a conscience/morals/respect for others.

Thanks for the report! Sounds like you really enjoyed your California visit. Two specimens and 1.2 g from gravity methods is a nice haul for a few days in the field. I agree with Phrunt -- 1.2 g panning is a lot. It looks chunky enough that I'm thinking some of those pieces might set off the Equinox, and likely (as you've concluded) you were in the right place to find some larger pieces with the two detectors you had in your possession. Wish you could have stayed longer. Oh, and if you still want more square nails, come visit me. I have a couple old sites I'd like you to clean up. 😁

Don't forget to point out all the dogs that have died this summer from swimming in algae. Get the dog lovers riled up and you'll see some action.

I agree, and I hope it doesn't come off that I'm complaining about the Equinox TID. My other detectors don't lock onto the TID, either. Maybe some are a bit tighter -- I haven' t really studied it closely. But I'm digging everything above 23 and usually 19-23 (Zincoln zone) as well. There do seem to be a lot of targets that come in right around nickel but, again, if 50% (or more) 12-13's I'm digging it.

You need to come try your Equinox in my test garden (but I realize it's a pretty long drive 😁). Deeper means less TID stability. My interpretation is that it's my soil mineralization (3 bars out of 7 Fe3O4 on Fisher Gold Bug Pro, 0.1% to 0.3% Fe3O4 on Fisher F75). For example, on a 7" deep silver dime the TID can vary (in a jumpy way, changing with each half swing) from 21 to 35. (Air test 26-28.) That's with 11" coil in Park 1, Recovery Speed = 5, Gain = 20, Iron Bias = 0, both 5 tones and 50 tones. By comparison, at 4" depth it's tighter but still not locked in -- TID range 25-30. All these are with coil centered on target (since it's test garden I know where the coin is). I also hold out the possibility that there's a variation between actual detectors (manufacture 'tolerance') although I realize some have poo-pooed that. Another reason for you to bring your detector to my test garden.

I'm confused. The 10 inch deep dime was with what configuration? Same question for the 8 inch deep dime.

25 minutes in the backyard and two excellent coin finds! You've made a lot of progress since you first posted here. Glad to have helped but obviously you've learned how to learn on your own. Nothing like a good find to bolster the confidence (and the enthusiasm). Hope your wife doesn't mind your yard looking like a mine field. Tell her it's those damn moles. 😁

The various detector manufacturers have different policies when it comes to distributing information on upcoming products. First Texas corporate appears to keep it quiet and strongly encourages its departments and employees to do the same. Occasionally something leaks out but there seems to be some correction (that is, subsequent silence) when that happens. The bottom line is that you can't buy a promise so might as well sit tight. If you're considering buying a competitive product already on the market, well, then you have a decision to make. C'est la vie!

Great job ignoring the "it's all hunted out" crowd! I'd be happy with any single one of those four coins and you found a nearly century old coin spill. Never seen one of those myself. No argument from me. Anytime I find a ring and beavertail pulltab (circa 1965-75) I know there is potentially gold jewelry in that same region, and even some old coins. Same with with Zincolns. It's easy enough to just recover the trash so why miss the treasure?

Is it a broken piece of jewerly? Seems like a low conductivity for silver or even silver plated copper, but it sure looks like silver in the photo. I sure hate to hear that. I'm one of the fortunate ones who lives in an area where there are still coins buried on public grounds and no rules against hunting for them.

I doubt it's an accidental coincidence that a) Minelab waited until Makro showed its hand (price), and b) that the Vanquish announcement came the day of Detectival when Makro was doing its promotion live at that event. There are pluses and minuses in the performance categories that, depending upon your plans of use, can lead one to stand out over the other. However, it seems one thing Makro has in it's favor -- time of release -- and what is looking like a four month one at that.

When you (well, I guess it's Minelab) say "all metal", I assume that's the Minelab definition, not the rest of the detector manufacturer world. But then how can you say that is an advantage over the Ace 400 (or did I misunderstand)?

I had a couple lead test targets for calibrating in the field but lost them on my last Western expedition. This is the main reason I don't use gold test targets! I'm ready to make a new set. I'd like to hear your advice on what size and shape of lead I should be using, for both LF and PI detectors.

The most sensitive part of the Equinox coils, as well as the place where the most accurate TID will occur, is at the center of the coil. Thanks for the video. Don't expect a consistent, repeatable single TID for any medium to small object. As to whether you open up the entire TID range (to include ferrous region) or keep ferrous discriminated out (as you show on the video) with the horseshoe button isn't obvious to me and I hope experienced micro-jewelry hunters will respond. But AFAIC you have the abilitiy with the Equionox to find your target.

14 September 2019 (Europe, Africa, North and South America timezones) may be a noteworthy day in metal detecting history. Both Nokta/Makro (at Detectival) and Minelab (on their own site as well as the sites of some partners) have given us details and hypberbole on their soon-to-be-released detectors -- Nokta/Makro Simpex and Minelab Vanquish. There certainly are a lot of differences, as well as commonalities. I look forward to others posting the details. (But I'm sure I'll add my own after some more contemplation.) "Competition is good" has been a mantra here for months if not years. We have it now, at least in the near entry-level detector zone. October 2019 Edit - the Minelab Vanquish has been officially introduced. See this thread for the latest news and information.

You sure about that? If memory serves me it was a long time (meaning several weeks) after the 2017 Detectival unveiling before we learned the price of the Equinox.

Thanks for that explanation and double thanks for linking to Steve's excellent article (original from 2010?). Even though I had read it before I had forgotten about it AND it hadn't really sunk in. Both are common for me these days. 🙄

Filtering is something I, for one, am confused about. Take the Fisher F75. There are two "all metal" modes: motion and non-motion. From my understanding, non-motion mode is used by many detectors when they are put in pinpoint mode. On the F75, the detector's sensitivity (and I prefer to use this term as a result or consequence as opposed to a control, i.e. 'gain') is stronger when in non-motion. Does this mean that motion all metal mode is actually resulting from some filtering?

So you're on the wagon for now, but you (and everyone else here) know how easy it is to fall off!

You guys know better than to hold your breath hoping that Minelab does something that puts customer wishes ahead of profit. What surprises me (a bit) is why they didn't use the same coils available on the Equinox (6", 11", 12"x15"). Possibly there is a different inductance requirement, but even then they could have used the same hoursings (which I think the CTX 3030 and Equinox share already). Of course all this assumes that the leaked e-mail is legit. We *should* know in 3 hours or so, but even that is too long to hold your breath unless you are a beetle.

From the Cherrypickers' Guide Survival Estimate: 500-1000. Interest among collectors: Very High (this is the highest on their scale). Liquidity Factor: Will sell easily, and often above listed value (also highest on their scale). Of course this assumes collectible condition. 😢 If a small motto, I guess you just have to be satisfied you found one of the two key date 2-cent pieces ever minted for circulation (only behind the 1872). I'd take that.

Not your typical loner prospector wandering around with all his earthly possessions on the back of a mule.