Further Thoughts On The Equinox

[Mtwolf2270]

My hunting buddy  Steve and I got out today and hit a new field just mordern trash and then ended up back at the site we first took the equinox's to it's an early 1800s homesite.

.A few additional observations as we continue to try adjustments and and settings.  We have moderate to semi-severe mineralized soil. We also often hunt old homesites on farms with heavy iron contamination and I must say the nox continues to impress it's flexibility is what sets it apart and of course multi IQ. What I mean is you can adjust this machine to really fit both you and the site. 

As a relic hunters being able to peak past that iron and not only lock on a traget but to lock in an id in hot soil is really impressive.

The first new observation is that I truly believe this machine is designed to run fast recovery and it's real magic is that recovery speed. I think if we try to revert back to the old ways it goes against the nature of the nox. 

I say this becaus this machine is so powerful it's plenty deep at a 7 recovery speed in our soil I have hit flat buttons now on 4 different occasions that were over 8 to 10 inches and they were banging signals. Not big buttons small cuff size buttons. Small fired 22 bullets at 8" are loud repeatable tones. In my soil that is a huge improvement over any other machine.

So, I  just don't see a need to  slow it down alot but that's the beauty you can if you choose but I wouldn't unless it's a clean site. I truly believe more targets are masked then super deep. 

 Out of the box this machine is already excellent and the sensitivity at 20 to 22  is truly plenty. We have been testing as it came first. 

Now what we did different today Steve was having some extra chatter so he ground balanced and it of course helped. I know alot of people have been and some say there's no need but here is what I observed in ground balancing instead of  just a cancel the vdi numbers improved and so did the depth meter it's still not exact but much closer.

 The next thing I have come to realize is we think of any iron setting as masking and we think 0 all metal is always the way to go. With many machines that's true with the nox it's different.  I use the horse shoe all metal to hear the environment  this helps me make adjustments on the fly and adding a little iron bias will truly knock down the trash iron sounding good. 

So, don't be afarid if your digging iron bits to add iron bias of 2 and move up to 3 or 4 if need be. You won't miss good targets or enough depth to worry about. Depending on the site if your digging nothing but trash iron because it sounds good your still not finding the good targets and if you you slow the machine down in hopes of depth your losing the separation and targets get masked. 

 The nox excels in trashy, iron and difficult soil.   In carpet iron the tommy gun program from Derek in the UK one of the tester who helped develop this  awesome machine hats off to all the testers  and minelab you  really got it right. 

While I only pulled  2 relics and a wheat  things continue to click with the nox. We have pounded this site now for 30 hours with the nox and I feel we have not left much behind you never get it all but I know it is slim pickings left.   Happy hunting!

[Cal_Cobra]

That's good info.  So Field2 should be good to go in mineralized soil for relic hunting, the recovery is set to 7.  

How about un-disc'ing the iron, and turning down the iron audio and leaving everything else in Field2 set as is so you can tell when your in iron zones?

Thanks for the report, that kind of info's helpful.  

 

 

[Mtwolf2270]

Cal_Cobra I have used field 2 only 2 things I did was when need need added iron bias started at 2 and went 2 5 tones in heavy iron I love that tommy gun program but you could certainly tweak feild 2 depending on site. That's what's so great about the nox you can do so much. 

[Cal_Cobra]

I'm planning to detect all day Saturday, neat place, has turf and relic sites to detect.  Not too old, but I've dug plenty of silver and jewelry there over the years, and I like taking the EQ800 to a place I'm familiar with as you know what to expect as far as soil conditions, iron, etc.  If I can pull some goodies out of this site, I'll be super impressed. 

TNSS I'm planning to try auto tracking tomorrow - noise cancel, auto GB, then switch to tracking and see how she does.  Steve H. said he had found the EQ auto ground tracking to work excellent.  

I'm thinking of detecting in Field2, discriminating nothing, dial iron audio down to reduce audio fatigue so I can hear the iron zones. Not much of a modification from the default program, and maybe, just maybe leaving the iron disc'd out isn't a bad idea, as it sure makes for fun detecting, but on the other hand, it's sure enjoyable to have such a quite detector that brings home the goods!

[Cabin Fever]

Good report MTwolf...  I haven’t tried messing with the Iron Bias much yet but it’s next on my list now that I’m getting more comfortable with the Recovery Speed settings..   I also want to experiment with Auto tracking to see if it’s as good as the CTX/E-Trac.. Some of our parks have variable soils throughout.. Falsing definitely gets worse when you get out of balance and I also found it’s easy to run the Equinox too hot..  The detector will run very quiet at high power but the nail falsing climbs fast with that power increase if that makes sense..

Like you said 20-21 is plenty of power and will get you deep.. At least it has for me..  

Thanks!  

Bryan

[Cal_Cobra]

40 minutes ago, Tnsharpshooter said:

You will be a Nox user I will keep a close eye on, when reporting on your ghost town hunts.

I think you will be impressed.

But hearing it from you will be what really counts.

Your Bud Tom, I think he is in for a surprise too.  His heavy explorer might take a back seat. Lol

So we'll see.

Your hunt stories and videos are some of the best out there.

Finds too.

Thanks TNSS, appreciate the vote of confidence.  

Tom's a tough nut to crack as far as trying new detectors, he's attached to his Explorer, (success is hard to argue) I hope he gives the EQ a fair shake, and if he does, I suspect he'll be pleasantly surprised. It's not a CTX, Etrac, Dues, etc., which I've tried to impress upon him not to expect it to be, it's different, and I think if you go into it with that impression, you can do well with it, but if you try to make it something it's not, chances are you'll be disappointed. 

I can't wait to get to our ghost town sites.

 

 

[Mtwolf2270]

9 hours ago, Tnsharpshooter said:

For gee whiz,

I have an eleven inch deep nickel in test garden.

You should hear the difference in how it sounds with 0 GB default vs actual Auto GB being completed.

Big difference.

I can tell when I am using Nox if the ground changes here quite a bit. By the way the detector sounds when swept.

You won't  catch me in my area using a 0 ground balance default setting.

Now on fresh water beach different story,

Running it out of the box was my goal as so many claim you could with little adjustments and "need to ground balance" . I was sharing my observations on how that does make a difference.  I think alot of the people beating up the depth meter and bouncy numbers may find ground balance will fix that.

[Chase Goldman]

Good info Wolf.  What is the tommy gun program program you are referring to? High recovery speed, primarily?

[GB_Amateur]

13 hours ago, Mtwolf2270 said:

In carpet iron the tommy gun program from Derek in the UK...

Thanks for the report, MTW. 

I don't recall seeing this term used before.  Would someone please explain or post a link to an explantion, including how to activitate it (if not part of a default).

[Mtwolf2270]

46 minutes ago, Chase Goldman said:

Good info Wolf.  What is the tommy gun program program you are referring to? High recovery speed, primarily?

It was designed by Derek from the UK he was a tester as well. 

Equinox Programs - Derek.pdf