As promised, below are my observations of the Equinox update 2.0.1 with concentration on Iron Bias F2 when used on Daytona Beach. Emphasis is on “MY” observations. These are mine and mine alone. You’re observations could very well differ depending on your beach...they’re all somewhat unique.
The beach I hunted was at the Bahama House Hotel in Daytona Beach Shores. The conditions were sanded in but I did hit it at low tide. I can’t speak to or test in an environment that some characterize as a “bed of nails” since we don’t really see such conditions on our beaches. The junk we routinely have that causes detector problems is bottle caps from a variety of manufacturers, pull tabs, can slaw and aluminum foil with a few tent stakes thrown in now and again.
Primarily I wanted to observe the 2.0.1/F2 function based on detected targets found at an actual beach using various 2.0/F2 settings vs the 1.7.5 FE iron bias function. You’ll not find any “scientific data” here as these are just my subjective observations….as was always the objective.
Bottom Line Up Front: As fully expected, update 2.0.1 F2 is better at identifying various forms of “junk” alloy than 1.7.5 FE in this beach environment.
Observations:
1. The signals I got from a variety of bottle caps not surprisingly differed depending on the metallurgical composition. Not all bottle caps are the same although they ring up as junk if they aren’t 100% aluminum. Some have more aluminum than others while others have more ferrous material. Success in identifying those signals ranged from “no doubt junk” to “no doubt good targets.” The all aluminum twist off caps for example still ring up solidly as good targets...same with the ever present pull tab but I have to dig them or risk missing out on gold.
2. I once again confirmed the importance of properly “dialing in” the settings appropriate to the environment. The relationship between sensitivity, recovery speed and F2 made a big difference. I found that a lower sensitivity (13-18) was best when paired with a recovery speed of around 3-4 and an F2 setting of between 5-7. Those were the “sweet spots” for me that day at that beach. Anything lower on the F2 scale than 5 the more the targets sounded like “dig me” targets. Anything above 7 and I sensed a potential masking issue. Again, just what I saw that day in an environment that had significant EMI I might add. The sweet spots will differ when EMI is not as much of a problem. The takeaway however remains...”dial it in” regardless and you’re detecting life will be much improved over the FE settings on the same targets.
3. I didn’t detect any caps in the surf so my testing was limited to the wet and dry areas. I did try my test sticks again as well and they confirmed what I was finding in the “real world.” “Dial me in Colonel and you’ll be rewarded.”
4. Not many targets that day but I did find a productive coin line...which even yielded an English 20 pence coin.
Conclusion: I’ll use F2 with a high degree of confidence and be diligent to “dial it in” after noise canceling based on the local conditions.
Any additional thoughts from your beach experience is highly encouraged and most welcome.
Just the view from my foxhole...
The beach I hunted was at the Bahama House Hotel in Daytona Beach Shores. The conditions were sanded in but I did hit it at low tide. I can’t speak to or test in an environment that some characterize as a “bed of nails” since we don’t really see such conditions on our beaches. The junk we routinely have that causes detector problems is bottle caps from a variety of manufacturers, pull tabs, can slaw and aluminum foil with a few tent stakes thrown in now and again.
Primarily I wanted to observe the 2.0.1/F2 function based on detected targets found at an actual beach using various 2.0/F2 settings vs the 1.7.5 FE iron bias function. You’ll not find any “scientific data” here as these are just my subjective observations….as was always the objective.
Bottom Line Up Front: As fully expected, update 2.0.1 F2 is better at identifying various forms of “junk” alloy than 1.7.5 FE in this beach environment.
Observations:
1. The signals I got from a variety of bottle caps not surprisingly differed depending on the metallurgical composition. Not all bottle caps are the same although they ring up as junk if they aren’t 100% aluminum. Some have more aluminum than others while others have more ferrous material. Success in identifying those signals ranged from “no doubt junk” to “no doubt good targets.” The all aluminum twist off caps for example still ring up solidly as good targets...same with the ever present pull tab but I have to dig them or risk missing out on gold.
2. I once again confirmed the importance of properly “dialing in” the settings appropriate to the environment. The relationship between sensitivity, recovery speed and F2 made a big difference. I found that a lower sensitivity (13-18) was best when paired with a recovery speed of around 3-4 and an F2 setting of between 5-7. Those were the “sweet spots” for me that day at that beach. Anything lower on the F2 scale than 5 the more the targets sounded like “dig me” targets. Anything above 7 and I sensed a potential masking issue. Again, just what I saw that day in an environment that had significant EMI I might add. The sweet spots will differ when EMI is not as much of a problem. The takeaway however remains...”dial it in” regardless and you’re detecting life will be much improved over the FE settings on the same targets.
3. I didn’t detect any caps in the surf so my testing was limited to the wet and dry areas. I did try my test sticks again as well and they confirmed what I was finding in the “real world.” “Dial me in Colonel and you’ll be rewarded.”
4. Not many targets that day but I did find a productive coin line...which even yielded an English 20 pence coin.
Conclusion: I’ll use F2 with a high degree of confidence and be diligent to “dial it in” after noise canceling based on the local conditions.
Any additional thoughts from your beach experience is highly encouraged and most welcome.
Just the view from my foxhole...
