New machine, how do YOU transition?

[Dirtslinger]

I picked up a new machine, very different from my teknetics Greek machines. I decided on an Equinox 800 and I’ve been reading the manual, playing in the yard which I never stop pounding as the frigid weather permits. It’s an old junk yard from the 50’s, so there’s no shortage of issues and signals. I’ve been marking targets with the minelab and then going over them again with my Gamma that’s got a nel sharpshooter on it. That’s my comfort zone, so I wonder if I am doing myself a disservice by going back to it to confirm my targets or just leave the Greek in the closet and force myself into the new language of the 800. I have an old property outside of town that we own and I spent all morning hunting it with my 9 year old and he had his new (to us) Garrett. We spent the better part of three hours in a 100 square foot piece and I just dug everything. I’m sore, but it was worth it. I tried calling the targets on the 800 and rechecking them with the gamma. I’m half tempted to just leave it at home, but that thing such a security blanket for me. I would not even consider leaving it at home, but it would rang up an easily picked Wheatie that my gamma missed. My gamma called out a trashy pewter door handle that the minelab slammed up to a 29-31. Time is the key factor here, I’m sure if I had half the time on the equinox I might have heard it clip off, but man those numbers had me thinking I had a digger.
TLR, when you get a new detector, do you go “all in” or do you ease into it? I consider myself very lucky to have this question and even luckier that I got my kid outside today.

 

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[smokeythecat]

I read the manual, then pick a commonly used set of presets and dig everything for the first few weeks at least.

 

[Dirtslinger]

I’m a fairly voracious reader, so I may have understated that I read the manual, I still pick up things on my other machines from the manuals. I really do love the internet and useful information. I have read the 800’s manual at least ten times already. Winter is great for studying.

 

[pa-dirt_nc-sand]

Hunting an old junk yard sounds like it could be just about the most challenging dirt you could find. The Nox will gladly tell about all of the metal it is finding, can definitely be overwhelming especially at an ultra trashy area like a junk yard. With time, like several weeks of dedicated use, your ears will tune out the trash chirps and you will be able to hone in on the kind of signal you are looking for. Takes patience, persistence and lots of swinging and digging, but once you get there you will not look back. Good luck!

 

[cudamark]

You'll need probably 100 hours of digging everything before you and the Nox are speaking the same language. I'd keep the rest of the machines in the closet and go full blast with the Nox to speed up the process. After each 25 hours or so of use, reread the manual.

 

[ArfieBoy]

You transition from one detector to another by using the new one. You practice, practice, practice. Next you practice, practice, practice. In between practicing you read and re-read and re-read the manual. Then you practice, practice, practice some more!

 

[Dirtslinger]

I would like to thank everyone who posted so far. I left the security blanket in the car, never even turned it on. I hit the home site again and certainly learned that the universal language of a pull tab translated well to this machine. I thought I had something every time I hit one. I can kind of hear the “round” noises now. I’m happy to be able to say that. I am far from learning the numbers, so I’m just trying to hear the shapes for now. Do any of you minelab users use the 50 tones more than the 5 tones? I think that would be great in a clean site, but it’s nauseating in a busy mixed old/modern setting. I just tried it for a couple minutes before I bailed on it. I think I’ll stick to five tones for now. I have a few new permissions to play with this spring, so I’ll get some good hours in on the nox. So far, every one of the new properties is 1900 or older. One of them should be unhunted. I’m excited to see what that turns up!
Thanks again for the input, I do appreciate it!

 

[halfstep]

I would like to thank everyone who posted so far. I left the security blanket in the car, never even turned it on. I hit the home site again and certainly learned that the universal language of a pull tab translated well to this machine. I thought I had something every time I hit one. I can kind of hear the “round” noises now. I’m happy to be able to say that. I am far from learning the numbers, so I’m just trying to hear the shapes for now. Do any of you minelab users use the 50 tones more than the 5 tones? I think that would be great in a clean site, but it’s nauseating in a busy mixed old/modern setting. I just tried it for a couple minutes before I bailed on it. I think I’ll stick to five tones for now. I have a few new permissions to play with this spring, so I’ll get some good hours in on the nox. So far, every one of the new properties is 1900 or older. One of them should be unhunted. I’m excited to see what that turns up!
Thanks again for the input, I do appreciate it!

As for the 50 tone, it depends on what kind of trash is in the ground. If it modern trash with lots of aluminum, I tend to stay with the 5 tone. The 5 tone helps me identify digable targets faster. I don't have to process as many different sounds myself.

I also like 2 tone for high trash areas. I can set ferrous items to a low pitch tone with a low volume and set the non-ferrous items to a high pitch tone with a high volume. The I listen for the high tones that are separate from the low tones. Some high tones are connected to the low tones like on big iron targets. If you listen, you can learn to distinguish between a separate tone and a connected tone. By having the ferrous tone at a low volume, I can sweep thru the trashy sites and hear the low and quiet tone of iron in the background while the are high and loud tone of coins and jewelry stand out. The I can investigate the high tone targets and listen for clean quality repeatable sounds and also watch the numbers to see what it may be.

 

[CoinHunterAZ]

If I was brand new to the machine, I'd do like Minelab recommends and just use the stock settings until you get the hang of things. It didn't take me long at all to transition from the AT Pro to the Equinox. I use 50 tones exclusively now, and think it affords a lot more target information, even in the trashiest spots. I mostly go by sounds, rather than VDI numbers alone. It just takes some time on the machine is all, you'll get the hang of it in short order.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Practice a while in the test garden until I am familiar with the settings and controls and then go find stuff. Dig everything until you get comfy with the new unit.

 

[cudamark]

98% of the time, I run 50 tones and all metal. I find it gives me more info that way. The other 2% of the time I turn off all metal If I get overwhelmed with shallow iron signals while cherry picking high tones. I still run 50 tones however.

 

[nuggetdog]

Transitioning from my old detector to the nox 800 was very enjoyable, I’ve only used the pre-set program of park 1 but I like to run it in all metal. When Mother Nature decides to melt this 10 inches hard pack snow around here, I’ll be able to get out and learn the machine more.

 

[Dirtslinger]

I’ve been trying more 50 tones and when I got out of the trashy parts it does help. Very interesting machine, but man this curve is steep.

 

[Dirtslinger]

Transitioning from my old detector to the nox 800 was very enjoyable, I’ve only used the pre-set program of park 1 but I like to run it in all metal. When Mother Nature decides to melt this 10 inches hard pack snow around here, I’ll be able to get out and learn the machine more.

What are you coming to the Nox from?

 

[nuggetdog]

Ha ha, ya, not to hard to transition to a nox from a bounty hunter IV. But I’ll tell you, the 800 is an amazing machine. I’m getting another soon to use as a back up or the wife can come along sometime. I shouldn’t be to hard on the old BH, we found a lot of good stuff together.

 

[nuggetdog]

I’ve been trying more 50 tones and when I got out of the trashy parts it does help. Very interesting machine, but man this curve is steep.

I started out using the preset park 1 but for some reason I just like the all metal mode, even in very trashy machine -gun areas, I love hearing what’s in the ground. Most of the areas I hunt are in the mountains so I don’t use headphones for obvious reasons. Hearing all those tones wearing headphones might be overwhelming, don’t know yet.

 

[Dirtslinger]

I’ve been running park 1. I’ve been into the other settings, but I am focusing on park 1. Stock settings, in open areas, sensitivity at 22-23. Clean areas with a threshold tone. I do like that, in fact I’d really like to get better at using it that way. Always through the headphones and the wm-08. I came to it from a well bonded teknetics gamma. I miss the simplicity of those three tones and the larger vdi range. I know those numbers inside and out. This year is going to be a fun one. I am ready for this challenge!