GB_Amateur

It really sounds to me, based upon the above three things you said, that your lead detector should be a waterproof PI. There aren't many of those -- Garrett ATX @$2100 and Minelab SDC 2300 @$3750 come to mind. Those are new prices. You can find used ones on Ebay, particularly the ATX, for considerably less. There are a lot more choices for waterproof IB/VLF detectors (if iron sand and hot rocks are an issue this is likely your backup) but unfortunately the Fisher Gold Bug 2 (which you mentioned in your first post) isn't one of them. Although it's possible to use a non-waterproof detector around water since most are waterproof up to the control box, one slip and you and your detector go swimming. You might be able to swim but most detectors are very sensitive to water, so much so it can ruin them, but often if you take the batteries out immediately and can open up (voiding warranty...) and dry off quickly you'll be ok. Better to not take that chance unless you have no options.

Didn't take you long to start cashing in. Well done! As far as pitting the Equinox 800 vs. 600, Ok, that can be a discussion topic. But the bigger issue is Equinox vs. all other induction balance (IB) competition, including Minelab's own models.

I've bumped my head on that ceiling a few times (as you likely noticed) but I'm fine with the limit, which seems to be a rolling 24 hours -- that would make the most sense. If it won't let me like a really good post I can just wait a while and try again.

Now here's an irony -- the other day in a different thread we were talking about our US Independence (from Britain) Holiday and you find a coin with the one and only George III's likeness on it! Looked him up in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_III_of_the_United_Kingdom to make sure he was the guy Thomas Jefferson (and friends) despised and sure enough, one and the same. Sixty year reign! And the coin you found and show above was apparently minted in the last year of his life. Small world....

I wouldn't say "out done by Steve" -- just enhanced. Your comment about "having the strength left" emphasizes the difference between a 3 lb detector and a 5 lb detector (do I need to mention names?). Further, a $900 price tag vs. a $2500 one allows you to step up from McDonald's to Applebees. ?

Nice finds, guys! My goal (posted here, but don't remember the thread) was to find a dated Buffie in the first month after getting my Minelab Equinox. It's been 4 months now and no dice, but I did get a dateless one. ? What I have noticed is how many nickels (mostly Jeffersons) I've been finding this year relative to clad. This is with the Equinox. I don't think it's random fluctuations (don't have the numbers in front of me). For some reason the Eqx loves nickels. It also loves trash in the nickel range, but that just comes with the coin-hunting territory. Jewelry hunters are going gaga over the gold rings (in the nickel zone) they are finding. This seems consistent. I reprogram my tones and thresholds to give a 23 tone on 12-13 but dig anything which hits in this range 50% of the time, and maybe even less. I've yet to find a nickel which hits 15 or 10, but spillover to 11's and 14's -- yes.

If you get a chance could you go into a bit more detail about where to hunt on the peninsula, what to expect in terms of targets, etc.? I see pieces at gem and mineral shows but am always a bit suspicious as to what was found and what was subsuently modified. I was told by one dealer (I think I understood what he said...) that the native copper is found in those thin, scraggly sheets and if you see a shiny 'nugget' it has been melted, etc. But since you've been there I'd like to hear what you are finding (and even see some pictures)!

Out this morning with the Equinox 800 in a park which was previously a 19th century farm/homestead. I noticed recently indications they are going to let the grass grow without mowing in a spot where I previously have found old farm parts (but no old valuables). I've found modern coins in the vacinity but those have all been dropped since the park was established in 1969. Unfortunately the lot where the house stood is now in a subdivision with newer homes built in its place. But the driveway leading from the main road to the farm lot near the house is actually on (municipal) park property and I hunted along it last winter without success. I was operating in Park 1, ground balanced, noise adjusted, recovery speed = 6, Fe bias = 2, custom 5 tone, gain = 20. I got a loud hit with ID=21 (solid and steady from two directions). At first I thought it was a recently dropped Zincoln but it wasn't double blipping and that was inconsistent with the signal strength. I checked in pinpoint mode and not only was the VCO indicating strong (large/close?) target and the profile (size) was indicating something larger than a coin. At that point I would have bet 3-to-1 it was an aluminum soft drink or beer can. Three inches down I was amazed at what I pulled out. My first concern (always) was "is it real?" There were no Civil War battles fought in Indiana although the Confederate Morgan and his Raiders did wreak some havoc on our side of the Ohio River, including going into the state of Ohio as well. Still, his path is over 50 miles from where I was hunting. I guess it's possible there were skirmishes with native Americans in the first half of the 1800's. Also, many soldiers (and some regiments) came from Indiana so there may have been an encampment in this field. All highly speculative right now until I can get to a library and do more research. My first thought was "belt buckle" but after doing some research online I found out it is a "cartridge box plate". You can tell that from the four rusty attachment points on the reverse side -- two loops of steel originally mounted on, soldered with lead. BTW, the dimensions are approximately 3 1/2 in X 2 1/4 in (90 mm X 58 mm) which matches pretty closely dimensions I was able to find online. Note the weight (a bit over a quarter pound) and the gray surface on the back of the plate -- the remaining lead which is characteristic of a cartridge box plate. I think it's real!

Andy, hope your invitation is long standing because being able to take one's time at such an historic site has to be the way to approach it. Definitely post pics of your finds (it's pretty easy as even I've shown), despite if they seem modest by British standards. My wife is supportive but that's as far as it goes -- she has her own hobbies. No dogs but the cats couldn't care less as long as I don't bring home any feline competition. Tomorrow is a US holiday (so as not to rattle you Brits I won't mention which one ?) and I'll be able to get in a few hours before the family reunions, barbecues, fireworks, etc. (and humid heat) commence. Good fortune in your hunts!

Here's an ironic twist -- you know those ads on the top and sides of the forum? One just showed up for silicone wedding bands. You probably think I'm kidding (wish I were) but you'll see them pretty soon, I suspect. I guess they're not selling enough breast implants anymore and they've got to make their money somehwere. At least (if really silicone) they won't trigger our detectors!

A while back (last autumn?) you broke the forum into different topics. That seemed to allow people faster access to the topics they were interested in and less scanning/searching through posts they weren't. IMO that worked well. In the last several months the Equinox Fan Club (a special sub-forum) appears to have dominated the traffic. I see the advantage of that special forum and I do think it needs to continue. However, now that much of the excitement, anticipation, frustration, etc. has calmed down significantly I wonder if many of the "finds" reports being posted there should revert to the (now) traditional forums (coins and relics, jewelry, etc.). If a topic/post is primarily questions or comments about settings, features, peripherals, etc. then the Fan Club forum still seems like the appropriate spot. Even though I have an Equinox, I've wondered if the 'club' aspect has turned away and/or maybe even hurt some feelings of those who don't share in that common bond. They all use detectors and dig interesting stuff -- that is one of the things that bring us together here. Why don't we join them back on the appropriate forums when reporting our finds?

Welcome, Andy! Sounds like you are off and running with your Equinox. You detectorists in the old country have the advantage on us by a couple thousand years of lost valuables, but I guess that means a couple thousand more years of trash, too. ?

Are you running with discriminate on or off (toggle horseshoe button)? My guess is that you are running with discrimination and missing the low conductor signal because it is below threshold. I suspect in "all metal" you will get a high tone one direction and a low tone the other. I haven't noticed this much with the Eqx (more frequent with other detectors) and one time I dug a target it was a keeper. However what Mark said about possibly "some type of iron" is the likely culprit. Until you know the (any) detector inside and out, I'd just dig it. That's the best way to learn.

Nice haul, Dan, especially the silver! Did you leave the ground balance setting at 0? About how deep were your key finds?

I don't understand what this video shows. He adjusted iron bias (Eqx 600 so range is {0,1,2,3}) but I didn't notice much, if any difference in the signals. Also, I wish he had used all metal mode in all his testing (just saw that on in the very first run with iron bias = 0).

Quite a day, FT! Virgin old homesites are what most of us coin hunters live for. That is very high gain. I've never been able to get my Eqx quiet above 23, and most of the time I hunt in 20 or lower. Keep in mind that higher gain also increases the ground interference (and possibly masking if in iron infestation), so even though in air tests that adds to depth, in the ground it can do just the opposite. But bottom line is that you were finding the goodies so your setting must have been pretty decent.

I see a connection....

Welcome, Ruthless! I see 'Colorado' is your location. If you're in or near Denver I suggest attending one of the monthly meetings of the Eureka Club: http://www.eurekathc.org/ Lots of friendly, knowledgeable people there who are happy to help and advise. Also check out Gold-N-Detectors (and visit with Louise and Bill) in Golden: https://www.goldendetectors.com/ In the meantime you've come to a great place to gain knowledge on detectors and detecting.

What this thread (and one or two other recent ones) just made me realize: Make a list of the longest running (in market) detectors in history. Here are 4 that may be in the top 5: Fisher Gold Bug 2, Fisher CZ3, White's MXT, and White's GMT. What do they have in common? Pretty amazing trophy to have on one's mantel in this modern electronic age.

A nice bonus of these is that they come with three sets of the soft plastic earpieces (transparent structures in Steve's pic above) to accomodate different ear sizes. For $40 the ergonomics is very good.

https://www.ebay.com/p/Bose-SoundSport-In-Ear-Only-Headphones-Black/238696192?iid=263520826168&chn=ps were recommended by Steve H. and have worked well for me. They are comfortable and stay in place pretty well. I use them with the WM08 receiver which I put in a shirt pocket. I've been using these for over two years with my other detectors (in those cases with the Deteknix/Quest transmitter-receiver units). The one downside with using in conjunction with WM08 is that there is no volume adjustment downstream from the Eqx control module. Yes, you can adjust the global volume plus individual tone volume in the Eqx control module but the top end could have higher amplitude, IMO. I set the global volume at max (25) and same for the local volume of the nickel range (TID = 12-13) and high conductive coin range (variable depending if I'm wanting to reject Zincolns or accept Indian Head pennies) and that works, even in my noisy sites. My hearing is probably about average for someone in his mid-60's.

Nice! Here's a similar (but certainly not identical) bottle find (post #30 at bottom of page 2): http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/bottles-glass/239791-who-collects-cobalt-blue-bottles-show-us-2.html

So you don't count this one?

Interesting response by a commentator (seen at end of blog): E.T. on June 3, 2018 at 11:01 There is no uPC inside the coil and it means that there are no “protection codes”! 6 month for R&D and 6 month to start “production” so in spring 2019 we will have a great choice of coils from MarsMD, NEL, MGC Lab and so on! Thanks to great variety of coils Equinox will be extremely popular metal detector! I would have thought just the opposite.

Nice finds, Gerry! I think this is the company that made your spoon: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Parker_Company