Adjusting Zones and Tones: My 3 Tone Setting

[ColonelDan]

Jdiggs asked how I adjusted the factory 5 tone setting to my 3 tone setting. Since I don't do videos, I'll use the excellent video done by our friend DirtFishing.



Although he sets this up for his particular situation and preferences, the overall process is the same.

Instead of using his tone brakes/zones and tones, I used the following:

Zone 1, I set VDI/Target ID -9 to 0 with tone 1;

Zone 2, I set as VDI/Target ID 1-19 with tone 12;

Zones 3, I set VDI/Target ID 20+ (all 3 remaining zones) to a common tone of 25.

To reduce five tones to three simply involves assigning the same tone for three zones of the five possible zones:
i.e.
Zone 1 = Tone 1;
Zone 2 = Tone 12;
Zones 3, 4 and 5 = Tone 25

Does this answer the question adequately? If not, I'll try to clarify it further.

Thanks Jdiggs for the good question...

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Treasure of Victoria Peak - Grab it through Amazon!

[jdiggs_treasure]

Jdiggs asked how I adjusted the factory 5 tone setting to my 3 tone setting. Since I don't do videos, I'll use the excellent video done by our friend DirtFishing.



Although he sets this up for his particular situation and preferences, the overall process is the same.

Instead of using his tone brakes/zones and tones, I used the following:

Zone 1, I set VDI/Target ID -9 to 0 with tone 1;

Zone 2, I set as VDI/Target ID 1-19 with tone 12;

Zones 3, I set VDI/Target ID 20+ (all 3 remaining zones) to a common tone of 25.

To reduce five tones to three simply involves assigning the same tone for three zones of the five possible zones:
i.e.
Zone 1 = Tone 1;
Zone 2 = Tone 12;
Zones 3, 4 and 5 = Tone 25

Does this answer the question adequately? If not, I'll try to clarify it further.

Thanks Jdiggs for the good question...

Thanks for the simple explanation!!! I appreciate it brother... I got it now... just couldn't wrap my head around it... lol... thanks again!!!

 

[ctdirtdigger]

Video is the best I've seen on this subject and steps you right through on how to modify the Nox programming.

 

[Thrasher]

I set mine up like the video suggests and used my Equinox 800 for the first time this weekend. Found 1944 Merc, Tax Token, a couple wheaties, vintage play money, and several modern coins. Pretty sure I may be saying farewell to my E-Trac... been way too long since I've stumbled across silver. First time with the Nox has got to be a good sign.

 

[ColonelDan]

I thought I'd tack on my reasoning for going with 3 tones to this sticky post.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I previously posted a similar thread on this forum but thought I'd expand on and share my reasoning for using 3 tones since I've now used this exclusively/extensively and like it more every day.

Over the years, I've tried numerous ways through a combination of VDI and tones to better identify targets that were under my coil. It didn't take long for me to discover that trying to cut the tone and VDI distinction too fine in an attempt to accurately identify targets was unproductive. Through some trial and error, the obvious finally became clear.

VDI is not an exact science by any stretch. Target ID can be affected by numerous variables such as depth, soil composition, the metallurgical make up and orientation of the targets in the soil. Expecting a consistently exact value for each possible target was unrealistic. I finally concluded that what I wanted was only an indication of what might be under my coil rather than expecting or trying for a precise ID. Can VDI and Tones do that for me? Yes

After realizing what I wanted or needed from of a tone/VDI combination, I settled on a 3 tone option. Below are a few bullet points that summarize my case or reasoning for adopting that 3 tone solution.

~ My attempt at using 50 tones proved impossible for me...information overload! I then tried 5 tones and although much more understandable than 50, I felt that 5 tones was really unnecessary and might even be overkill. Why?

~ ALL targets fall within 3 categories/zones of conductivity of Low, Medium or High so it made more sense for me to focus on those 3 zones and then align the tones accordingly. The tones provided information on what zone I was dealing with while the VDI gave me some rough indication as to where that target fell within the range of that zone.

~ I also wanted a system that wasn't apt to cause me to ignore good targets because they were similar in make up to worthless targets. Example; gold and aluminum are both mid level conductors and generate similar VDI within that range, I therefore didn't want to exclude anything within the Mid or High level conductivity scale. Yes, I'll dig aluminum so as not to pass up potential gold and dig other high conductive targets so as not to pass up silver.

~ I tested quite a number common targets of varying size and metallurgical composition and came up with some common VDI ranges that I see on our beaches for each of the conductivity zones. I then modified the 5 tone option to 3 tones which suited me just fine for the beach hunting I do.

My results:

Low conductive targets ranged from -9 to 0 and I assigned it Tone level 1 (the old iron grunt)

Medium targets ranged from 1 to 19 so I chose Tone 12...a nice mid level tone

High conductors were 20+ so I gave them the highest Tone level of 25



~ In my work with a local museum however, the 2 tone option could also be used. When digging museum quality artifacts, iron is a valued metal so I dig everything. I also dig it all when I detect along Florida's Treasure Coast as remnants of the ships fall within the iron or low conductive range and are often times found along our beaches.



Just the view from my foxhole...your view may vary.

 

[ARC]

Well done Dan.

 

[ColonelDan]

Well done Dan.

Thank you sir....

 

[ATPRoDon]

Also note that change in coil size, and mode will also change your ID#s on the Equinox.

 

[Shooting Star]

I changed my Park 1 to be 3 Tone. I was intrigued by the coin settings in the video, so I also made my User mode to the coin hunting

 

[ColonelDan]

I changed my Park 1 to be 3 Tone. I was intrigued by the coin settings in the video, so I also made my User mode to the coin hunting

I now use 3 tones in all modes...I prefer as much simplicity as possible in just about everything.

 

[Grizz12]

I'm new to detecting and nox 800 so bear with me please

I was beach hunting and tones were all over the place. I was in beach 1 factory settings. I would get a number 4 with growling tone and other times I would get a 4 with higher pitched tones. And that was happening with all numbers, not just 4.

Am I doing something wrong?

Should I pay more attention to tones than numbers?

I had quite a few targets disappear on me after I started digging, this was very frustrating. I doubt clam were eating my targets and scurrying away with them, so what going on there?

One time I had a great signal and started digging in wet sand. I got about a foot deep and the target disappeared? I used my pinpointer to go through every and it was void. I stuck the pinpointer in the hole to rinse off the sand and it went crazy so I started scooping out sand for 15 minutes and got no closer to whatever was setting off the PP. I swung the 800 over the hole and didnt get a signal, stuck the PP back in and it went crazy? I gave up.....

Is this normal for beach hunting or should I adjust something differently?

 

[ColonelDan]

Are you detecting in highly mineralized sand? Is it a very trashy beach?

Sometimes targets will disappear in sand as you dig because they are sinking as you dig and the wet sand and surf continually cover them up.

I’ve also experienced a large piece of junk buried pretty deep that produce strange signals.

I'm new to detecting and nox 800 so bear with me please

I was beach hunting and tones were all over the place. I was in beach 1 factory settings. I would get a number 4 with growling tone and other times I would get a 4 with higher pitched tones. And that was happening with all numbers, not just 4.

Am I doing something wrong?

Should I pay more attention to tones than numbers?

I had quite a few targets disappear on me after I started digging, this was very frustrating. I doubt clam were eating my targets and scurrying away with them, so what going on there?

One time I had a great signal and started digging in wet sand. I got about a foot deep and the target disappeared? I used my pinpointer to go through every and it was void. I stuck the pinpointer in the hole to rinse off the sand and it went crazy so I started scooping out sand for 15 minutes and got no closer to whatever was setting off the PP. I swung the 800 over the hole and didnt get a signal, stuck the PP back in and it went crazy? I gave up.....

Is this normal for beach hunting or should I adjust something differently?

 

[A2coins]

Great info I like it ?Thanks

 

[vferrari]

I'm new to detecting and nox 800 so bear with me please

I was beach hunting and tones were all over the place. I was in beach 1 factory settings. I would get a number 4 with growling tone and other times I would get a 4 with higher pitched tones. And that was happening with all numbers, not just 4.

Am I doing something wrong?

Should I pay more attention to tones than numbers?

I had quite a few targets disappear on me after I started digging, this was very frustrating. I doubt clam were eating my targets and scurrying away with them, so what going on there?

One time I had a great signal and started digging in wet sand. I got about a foot deep and the target disappeared? I used my pinpointer to go through every and it was void. I stuck the pinpointer in the hole to rinse off the sand and it went crazy so I started scooping out sand for 15 minutes and got no closer to whatever was setting off the PP. I swung the 800 over the hole and didnt get a signal, stuck the PP back in and it went crazy? I gave up.....

Is this normal for beach hunting or should I adjust something differently?

You need to balance your pinpointer in wet sand by turning it on with the tip inserted in the wet sand.

 

[holepuncher]

You need to balance your pinpointer in wet sand by turning it on with the tip inserted in the wet sand.

I do that even in the dirt.

 

[FloridaSon]

..... reasoning for going with 3 tones.....

Just checking in to see if you still prefer 3 Tones? I am getting things ready (waiting for the erosion to arrive) and looking at two tones as well as three tones.

Treasure Coast beach hunter

Appreciate all your insight Col.Dan!

 

[ColonelDan]

..... reasoning for going with 3 tones.....

Just checking in to see if you still prefer 3 Tones? I am getting things ready (waiting for the erosion to arrive) and looking at two tones as well as three tones.

Treasure Coast beach hunter

Appreciate all your insight Col.Dan!

Yes, I'm using 3 tones...it serves me very well.

Thanks for the kind words and good luck....

 

[MikeRo]

Hello.Great info! i changed my zones and tones in Park 1 with no problem. I took it out and tested. I then tried to change Park 2. It wont let me change the zones. so i tried field 1&2 and same thing....cant change the zone out of T1. Any ideas? or do i possibly have a defective machine? Thanks

 

[MikeRo]

i think i got it figured out. thanks

 

[vferrari]

i think i got it figured out. thanks

So others can learn, the problem was that the default tones for Park 2 (and Field 2) is 50 vice 5 tones, so if you want to do the same thing in those modes, you need to switch tones from 50 to 5.

Even if you figure something out on your own, it helps to post back and let people know what the fix was as it may help people now or in the future who are having the same problem.