The Equinox Is Great On Gold

[Motherlode Mike]

My summer season consists of a lot of VLF detecting at some old tertiary channels with quiet ground and exposed bedrock. I’ve been using a Gold Bug 2 with a 6” coil for years and found thousands of nugglets with it for quite a few ounces. It decided to crap out on me and I thought it was time for a change after seeing a Gold Monster squeeze out some good gold from old ground. After researching I decided to go with an Equinox 800 I picked up from Chris Gholson. I can say it exceeded expectations with the 6” coil. I only had an hour to spend at an old patch that was hammered with GPZs, Gold Bugs and Gold Monsters. FIRST SWING popped out a gold bug caliber speck. In a half hour 4 more popped out and I decided to give it a try at a cabin site where I found some great relics and bottles and an 1872 seated dime and 1911 nickel. 

It was a wooded cabin with foundation intact and long period of occupation so the trash density is as high as you’d expect. I’ve hit it hard with an XP Deus but thought this 6” coil might have an advantage. The ground is incredibly hot, as in hot with a GPX and GPZ, it drove the Deus nuts and definitely was a chore with the Equinox but with patience I was able to get new and impressive targets. The cabin was built on gold ground and sure enough a foot away from where the nickel was found I picked up the biggest flake in the photo. It’s a flake at only 1.8 grains. I don’t know how this thing picked it up in that ground with that much trash. I also picked up a handful of birdshot lead and small copper sheet scraps amidst everything in the heart of the site. 

Needless to say this thing rocks. And yes it can find gold as well as a gold dedicated machine. It’s the first dual purpose detector I’ve ever seen that can perform at the top of the spectrum with both. No coins or relics this day but I only had a half hour to look and it found unbelievable  targets in the most difficult of sites. I think it could excel on half dimes and $1 or fractional gold coins if they’re around. So many of my patches have cabin or town sites around them and now I don’t have to hike in two machines or spend the full day with only one. Can’t wait to see what more time will produce with this thing. 

[D&P-OR]

Thanks for the report Mike.----I have been wondering how the Equinox would do nugget hunting (with the 6" coil).

[Flowdog]

Great report Mike! You have demonstrated how viable EQ is in hot goldfield conditions. Were you using either of the Gold modes in factory settings or did conditions require some adjustments? Whichever the case, would you mind sharing your settings? 

Thanks,

Curtis

[Rivers rat]

I saw it in action in OZ considering that it is doing very well on Europe beaches i think it has proven it can cover a large aspect of metal detecting.

I think i would have bought one during my trip if i wasn't already loaded with machines.................

 

 

RR

[Motherlode Mike]

5 hours ago, phrunt said:

It's a very good gold detector, but don't be scared to use the 11" coil, it's almost as sensitive on tiny gold but you get the ground coverage too.

I plan on trying out the 11” coil in some tailings piles i can’t hunt with my GPZ due to the overwhelming trash. Your posts were the ones that inspired my decision to go ahead with the equinox 

[Motherlode Mike]

2 hours ago, Rivers rat said:

I saw it in action in OZ considering that it is doing very well on Europe beaches i think it has proven it can cover a large aspect of metal detecting.

I think i would have bought one during my trip if i wasn't already loaded with machines.................

 

 

RR

I only used gold 1 and 2. 1 in the patch where the ground is beyond mild and 2 where it was hot as any. It’s a strange spot because even though the cabin and patch are only a couple hundred feet apart the ground is that different. The patch is solid bedrock and the cabin is about a foot of hot virgin soil on top of the bedrock. 

I will be playing around with the settings next time out but because this was day one with it and I only had an hour I just stuck with those settings. 

[AU_Solitude]

I've followed you on Instagram for a while - just put together that you're also here! Just curious Mike, have you had it across any ironstone or serpentine yet?

[strick]

Some will say they dig too many nails with the Nox.... I'm not one of them 

strick

[Steve Herschbach]

On 5/13/2019 at 9:53 PM, D&P-OR said:

Thanks for the report Mike.----I have been wondering how the Equinox would do nugget hunting (with the 6" coil).

There have been like a dozen threads on finding gold nuggets with the Equinox and 6” coil since last year if you do some looking.

https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/7468-my-tips-on-nugget-detecting-with-the-minelab-equinox/

https://www.detectorprospector.com/forums/topic/9606-tiny-gold-hunting-with-the-equinox-800/

[Motherlode Mike]

4 hours ago, AU_Solitude said:

I've followed you on Instagram for a while - just put together that you're also here! Just curious Mike, have you had it across any ironstone or serpentine yet?

I still only have the one hour in it. Family duties called me away for a bit so no ironstone or serpentine yet. I would imagine serpentine will limit its effectiveness and I’ve found ironstone can vary so much in detectors I'm not sure my report on it would be of great value to you. 

I don’t post on here much but I was trying to decide between a nox and Gold Monster. I’ve used the monster but this is my first go with the nox. I thought I should give my impressions in case it helps others since the users on this forum helped me make the decision. I wouldn’t take only my opinion as a guide but thought another view would help someone get a better overall educated decision before they shell out the money.

I hope you enjoy the Instagram. I do it to help others get an idea of what us gold Detectorists do out there and maybe get some younger people involved in prospecting since it seems fewer and fewer people are doing it every year and kids don’t even get outdoors anymore.