Request For Equinox Hunt Reports

[GB_Amateur]

I really enjoy the reports and photos of finds, but in some cases I'm left wanting a bit more -- that is, settings.  If you think about it, the Equinox 800 is really four detectors (Park, Field, Beach, Gold), or maybe eight detectors since each of these has two submodes.  All of those 8 have different blends of frequencies.  And since you are given the option of going into single frequency there are even more than 8 detectors in one!

As an example, on Saturday in a mildly trashing site I was fine in Park 1.  Yesterday I got a couple hours free and tried the same settings in a heavily iron (mostly nail) infested site.  This is part of my experimentation -- to figure out the limitations of the different detectors, err, make that 'modes'.  Next time out I'll go there and use Field 1, which the operations manual suggests for iron trashy sites.  (According to the manual, Park 1 is for aluminum trashy, typical of parks.)

Please keep up the great reporting, but don't forget to include your modes and settings.

[Nuke em]

I am using the beach 1 mode but in my own settings. Without the machine with me I can't say what they are. 

I think I have it right I think now but maybe the tone breaks need slight adjustments.

I think because I feel that it can do what I want I will buy another as backup and think ? about selling my Explorer 11 . Though I think the E 11 is more stable on the beach. 

[mn90403]

GB,

I know what you mean.  There are so many combinations and an Iron Bias here a Sensitivity setting there and a tweak of the Recovery Speed can make a difference.  Is the difference greater in my mind (confidence) or could I be missing some targets if I had different settings?

Some of the testers like Gordon and Derek 'published' complete settings and Chase put them on this thread:

I'm like you and find knowing someone's settings is very helpful.

When you have a detector like this with different modes it is not like you can take any other mode and make it act/sound like another with all the same settings. (You can't turn Gold 1 into Field 1 with just some settings changes.)  As you say the first choice is Mode and all the settings that come with it.

So far it seems to be a consensus that getting a feel for a setting will lead you to settings that will work for your search area.  I know what is meant by this but it can just be more simple to use someone's setup if you can get the numbers.

Mitchel

[W.Degenstien]

I have a few programs with descriptions and settings that i have collected from various Equinox pages. They are PDFs i can share somewhere....

[W.Degenstien]

Daniel Spencer Searcher Power Program.pdf

Derek McLennan Equinox Programs.pdf

Gordon Heritage Equinox Programs.pdf

Luke O'Meara's Cherry Picker.pdf

Neil Jones Equinox Program - 'Winkler'.pdf

[Nuke em]

One or two of those might come in handy. Thanks.

[BquamB]

New to this community, but very excited to keep active and help support the forums. Some of those links W.Dagenstien are fantastic. Thank you for posting :)

[Guest Tnsharpshooter]

9 minutes ago, BquamB said:

New to this community, but very excited to keep active and help support the forums. Some of those links W.Dagenstien are fantastic. Thank you for posting :)

Welcome to the forum.

Some good info here, and good folks too.

[Cal_Cobra]

Using someone else's setting only works for you if you're hunting the exact same type of environment as they are, like if you're relic hunting and the settings are from the tame grounds of the east coast, but you're in highly mineralized soils in the west coast, then, IMO, it's not a great idea.

That was a hard lessen for me to learn, I used to follow NASA Tom's reports religiously, and I'm not saying there's anything wrong with his detector reports, as they can be the most comprehensive detector capability analysis on earth BUT his inert Florida soil is nothing like what we have to deal with here on the west coast and in the Nevada deserts.  So what may work great for him, can be (and has been for me in many situations) a complete bust for me.

I think the key is really leaning what each setting does and when to use it, so that you can set it up for optimal performance in YOUR detecting environment.  So if I'm detecting an alkali soil site that my VLF machines can't even ground balance at, and it's loaded with iron, I need to have a completely different approach to setting my EQ800 up then someone in England, the east coast, or where ever.

That said, that's not to say that you can't learn a lot about the detector by understanding WHY people are setting up their detectors the with the settings their using so you can modify it to suit your environment.

Just my V nickels worth