What I think about the 4 kHz

[Truth]

I hunt in public places with all history which has the good stuff deeper than the trash that lays a couple of inches higher and so far I’ve realized that the 4 kHz rings up hi VDI’s on trash weather it be aluminum or nails. Is that program for permission on private property with less trash? If there is a tip or trick that makes sense of these high VDI numbers please let me know. I appreciate it Merry Christmas to all

 

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[smokeythecat]

4-5khz has been around since the 1970's. It is NOT a new thing. Most companies have raised the frequencies on their machines because they found out
the higher frequencies hit harder and got more stuff. 4khz is like retro. It should do very well on lead. I personally gave up on that low a frequency 20 plus years ago.

 

[Truth]

4-5khz has been around since the 1970's. It is NOT a new thing. Most companies have raised the frequencies on their machines because they found out
the higher frequencies hit harder and got more stuff. 4khz is like retro. It should do very well on lead. I personally gave up on that low a frequency 20 plus years ago.

Well smoky I mean new for the equinox 800

 

[charlives]

Hey Truth, I understand and feel the same way. I've not found any conditions where 4kHz, as constituted on the nox, is useful. It falses and hits on everything at my sites.
Don't get me wrong...I love 5kHz! I'm not certain why they're so different on the nox.
When conditions permit I hunt in a combination of 5kHz and multi. I'm usually looking for deep high conductors.
5kHz hits harder and is quieter in my mineralized corn fields. Also deeper at pounded parks where only incredibly deep things remain.
I do have to check some targets in multi, bottle caps mostly.
I'd guess I hunt 40% of the time in the way I described above and 60% in fully multi. Happy Holidays!

 

[FloridaSon]

I have not hunted a lot on 4kHz but I did notice (at my location) that 4kHz was much quiter when compared to 5kHz. I think it must be very site dependent.

 

[smokeythecat]

4-5 khz on most machines should/will behave the same.

 

[Truth]

I have not hunted a lot on 4kHz but I did notice (at my location) that 4kHz was much quiter when compared to 5kHz. I think it must be very site dependent.

I do not hunt permissions every hunt I hunt is on public property and rusty square nails pull tabs can slaw so it’s not my friend in 4kHz pull tabs ring up at 28 the numbers are just too high for junk I’ll stick with my Multi what the equinox was made for.

 

[Truth]

4-5 khz on most machines should/will behave the same.

I don’t hunt colonial sites permissions I wish I could but I don’t have those connections a hunt in the hardest areas to find deep targets and 4 inches above the deep targets are rusty nails brick white shells Oyster shells Coch you name it I dig for it for kilohertz or 5 kHz for that matter Smokey doesn’t do it for me. My best weapon is my shovel.

 

[smokeythecat]

2020 has been a good year for digging for me. I have been running the highest frequency possible, 74khz. Lots of CW items, colonial, etc. Any machine will find a silver dime 8" in good soil, but where you need an edge is in the hot rock places, the hot soil places and the nail beds. Gotta have a FAST processor also.

 

[marjam]

I hunt in public places with all history which has the good stuff deeper than the trash that lays a couple of inches higher and so far I’ve realized that the 4 kHz rings up hi VDI’s on trash weather it be aluminum or nails. Is that program for permission on private property with less trash? If there is a tip or trick that makes sense of these high VDI numbers please let me know. I appreciate it Merry Christmas to all

What you can do is when you get higher numbers is switch frequencies from 4 to 10 khz. If the numbers stay the same, it is usually a high conductor, like a coin or silver coin/jewelry.. If the numbers drop quite a bit, by about 10 or so, then chances are its got some lower conductive metal in it. I seen a guy do this on YouTube with the equinox, and tried it in the field, and it works. I sometimes forget to do it, and I end up digging without going up to the higher frequencies, I dig to only find its a bottle cap or crushed aluminum.

 

[vferrari]

4-5khz has been around since the 1970's. It is NOT a new thing. Most companies have raised the frequencies on their machines because they found out
the higher frequencies hit harder and got more stuff. 4khz is like retro. It should do very well on lead. I personally gave up on that low a frequency 20 plus years ago.

Well, despite what detector companies have or haven't done with their operating frequencies in general, the laws of physics have not changed and there are some fundamental, competing advantages and disadvantages to running low and high operating frequencies on single frequency detectors. Before selectable single frequency detectors and then simultaneous multi frequency detectors started dominating the hobbiest detector landscape, detector manufacturers had to balance the competing properties of low and high operating frequencies. Specifically, low frequency detectors (6 khz or less) give the maximum possible detection depth and couple best with high conductors (or targets with large metal mass) which makes them great silver coin slayers or cache hunters or deep iron hunters (e.g., cannon balls). Higher frequency detector signals (18 khz or higher) are attenuated more by the ground, so they cannot penetrate as deeply as low frequency detectors but they couple better with mid-conductors such as gold, lead, nickels, and brass, so they are more suited to gold prospecting, relic hunting, and micro jewelry hunting. Detector manufacturers limited to a single operating frequency usually ended up splitting the difference at about 7 khz to 13 to 14 khz or they marketed specialized low frequency detectors that favored maximum depth and high conductive/large targets or high frequency detectors (18 khz and higher) to target gold prospecting, relic hunting (where most of the desirable targets are natural mid-conductors comprised of brass or lead), or micro jewelry hunting.

Once multifrequency detectors came along then manufacturers could make detectors like the Deus that could be switched in frequency to accommodate different target objectives or that use simultaneous multi frequency to enable the advantages of both high and low frequencies to be used to detect a wider variety of targets while swinging. Simultaneious multifrequency also enables other advantages such as salt compensation which makes them more stable than single frequency detectors for salt beach detection and also enables better ground balance compensation and advanced features such as iron bias filtering to reduce ferrous falsing.

4-5 khz on most machines should/will behave the same.

While true in general, that is not the case with Equinox. I have found, like FloridaSon, that 4 khz actually runs quieter than 5 khz on Equinox with ver 3.0 software, which is counter to what you would expect because another disadvantage of operating lower frequencies is that they are more susceptible to power line EMI. This is telling me that ML may be experimenting with noise suppressing signal processing software and decided to put it out in the field in a low risk manner to see what users think about it so that they can refine it and ultimately utilize it on a future multi frequency detector to perhaps replace Equinox or as a higher end alternative to Equinox. Why did they use 4 khz? Because, no one would really care if it did not work out since 5 khz and the other existing single and multi frequency modes would be unaffected.

If you are swinging an Equinox, I do not see using 4 khz or any single frequency as a primary search mode unless you are forced to because of a noise issue with Multi or if you are really looking for a specific target type that would have an optimal signal at that frequency (e.g., silver at 4 or 5 kihz). If you go to single, for example, you lose iron bias because the iron bias filter is disabled in single frequency - that's why users like Truth may be noticing more falsing when running 4 khz. I really see these single frequency modes as a means to interrogate an iffy signal you discover in multi to try to coax a stronger signal by going to single frequency if the TID indicates the target may be silver, for example rather than being used as a full up search frequency. Just another tool in the toolkit. As long as you educate yourself on the advantages and disadvantages from a high level science perspective, then you might be able to gain an edge in the field, by knowing when that tool might be useful to pull out.

HTH explain better the advantages and disadvantages of the new 4 khz setting on Equinox.

 

[Truth]

What you can do is when you get higher numbers is switch frequencies from 4 to 10 khz. If the numbers stay the same, it is usually a high conductor, like a coin or silver coin/jewelry.. If the numbers drop quite a bit, by about 10 or so, then chances are its got some lower conductive metal in it. I seen a guy do this on YouTube with the equinox, and tried it in the field, and it works. I sometimes forget to do it, and I end up digging without going up to the higher frequencies, I dig to only find its a bottle cap or crushed aluminum.

marjam call me old fashion and I’ll just keep my 800 on multi and keep finding all these great treasures.

 

[Truth]

Well, despite what detector companies have or haven't done with their operating frequencies in general, the laws of physics have not changed and there are some fundamental, competing advantages and disadvantages to running low and high operating frequencies on single frequency detectors. Before selectable single frequency detectors and then simultaneous multi frequency detectors started dominating the hobbiest detector landscape, detector manufacturers had to balance the competing properties of low and high operating frequencies. Specifically, low frequency detectors (6 khz or less) give the maximum possible detection depth and couple best with high conductors (or targets with large metal mass) which makes them great silver coin slayers or cache hunters or deep iron hunters (e.g., cannon balls). Higher frequency detector signals (18 khz or higher) are attenuated more by the ground, so they cannot penetrate as deeply as low frequency detectors but they couple better with mid-conductors such as gold, lead, nickels, and brass, so they are more suited to gold prospecting, relic hunting, and micro jewelry hunting. Detector manufacturers limited to a single operating frequency usually ended up splitting the difference at about 7 khz to 13 to 14 khz or they marketed specialized low frequency detectors that favored maximum depth and high conductive/large targets or high frequency detectors (18 khz and higher) to target gold prospecting, relic hunting (where most of the desirable targets are natural mid-conductors comprised of brass or lead), or micro jewelry hunting.

Once multifrequency detectors came along then manufacturers could make detectors like the Deus that could be switched in frequency to accommodate different target objectives or that use simultaneous multi frequency to enable the advantages of both high and low frequencies to be used to detect a wider variety of targets while swinging. Simultaneious multifrequency also enables other advantages such as salt compensation which makes them more stable than single frequency detectors for salt beach detection and also enables better ground balance compensation and advanced features such as iron bias filtering to reduce ferrous falsing.



While true in general, that is not the case with Equinox. I have found, like FloridaSon, that 4 khz actually runs quieter than 5 khz on Equinox with ver 3.0 software, which is counter to what you would expect because another disadvantage of operating lower frequencies is that they are more susceptible to power line EMI. This is telling me that ML may be experimenting with noise suppressing signal processing software and decided to put it out in the field in a low risk manner to see what users think about it so that they can refine it and ultimately utilize it on a future multi frequency detector to perhaps replace Equinox or as a higher end alternative to Equinox. Why did they use 4 khz? Because, no one would really care if it did not work out since 5 khz and the other existing single and multi frequency modes would be unaffected.

If you are swinging an Equinox, I do not see using 4 khz or any single frequency as a primary search mode unless you are forced to because of a noise issue with Multi or if you are really looking for a specific target type that would have an optimal signal at that frequency (e.g., silver at 4 or 5 kihz). If you go to single, for example, you lose iron bias because the iron bias filter is disabled in single frequency - that's why users like Truth may be noticing more falsing when running 4 khz. I really see these single frequency modes as a means to interrogate an iffy signal you discover in multi to try to coax a stronger signal by going to single frequency if the TID indicates the target may be silver, for example rather than being used as a full up search frequency. Just another tool in the toolkit. As long as you educate yourself on the advantages and disadvantages from a high level science perspective, then you might be able to gain an edge in the field, by knowing when that tool might be useful to pull out.

HTH explain better the advantages and disadvantages of the new 4 khz setting on Equinox.

I just metal detect in places that there’s so much trash and nails and underneath all of it might be something old I don’t have time to keep switching from 4 kHz the 10 kHz I’ll dig the hole and move on way before I do that. Maybe when I’m old and can’t hunt the way I do I’ll have time to keep switching back-and-forth and analyzing the situation but until then I dig and move on and I dig a lot of plugs and I love it. And the places I dig they don’t have any quiet spots everything is full of trash shells brick when you break through the brick then you have square nails and Coke. Remember 95% of my hands aren’t permissions they’re not private land it’s like I’m digging in the ghetto so multi tones it is and the best part about it is it works for me. What a piece of aluminum is showing a 28 that’s not my style.

 

[Truth]

Hey Truth, I understand and feel the same way. I've not found any conditions where 4kHz, as constituted on the nox, is useful. It falses and hits on everything at my sites.
Don't get me wrong...I love 5kHz! I'm not certain they're so different on the nox.
When conditions permit I hunt in a combination of 5kHz and multi. I'm usually looking for deep high conductors.
5kHz hits harder and is quieter in my mineralized corn fields. Also deeper at pounded parks where only incredibly deep things remain.
I do have to check some targets in multi, bottle caps mostly.
I'd guess I hunt 40% of the time in the way I described above and 60% in fully multi. Happy Holidays!

charlives I hunt something like a park but also add 1 million square nails that are 5 inches down and the goodies might be 8 inches down and I don’t think anything hits on an object I found most of my objects if it falls is on a 23 I’ll go far it then I’ll take out every piece of iron out and then I’ll re-check the hole once I break through the brick and then like today I find my 1857 O seated liberty half dime. Merry Christmas my friend

 

[vferrari]

I just metal detect in places that there’s so much trash and nails and underneath all of it might be something old I don’t have time to keep switching from 4 kHz the 10 kHz I’ll dig the hole and move on way before I do that. Maybe when I’m old and can’t hunt the way I do I’ll have time to keep switching back-and-forth and analyzing the situation but until then I dig and move on and I dig a lot of plugs and I love it. And the places I dig they don’t have any quiet spots everything is full of trash shells brick when you break through the brick then you have square nails and Coke. Remember 95% of my hands aren’t permissions they’re not private land it’s like I’m digging in the ghetto so multi tones it is and the best part about it is it works for me. What a piece of aluminum is showing a 28 that’s not my style.

I didn't say you had to switch back and forth I just said that I would not normally search with single frequency (like you were doing) because you lose most of the advantage of having a multifrequency detector and are subject to the falsing issues because of no iron bias. I would recommend primarily using 4 khz for target interrogation (but only if you want to) or if multi wasn't working due to EMI or something like that. It is just a tool in the swiss army knife that is Equinox. You don't have to use every blade just the ones you need.

charlives has found a way to use both multi or single to advantage in searching depending on situation, but that is not something that works for everyone.

But there is also nothing wrong with sticking with just multi, digging what you want and never touching single frequency.

Equinox is versatile and gives you plenty of options, doesn't mean you have to use them all.

 

[Truth]

I didn't say you had to switch back and forth I just said that I would not normally search with single frequency (like you were doing) because you lose most of the advantage of having a multifrequency detector and are subject to the falsing issues because of no iron bias. I would recommend primarily using 4 khz for target interrogation (but only if you want to) or if multi wasn't working due to EMI or something like that. It is just a tool in the swiss army knife that is Equinox. You don't have to use every blade just the ones you need.

charlives has found a way to use both multi or single to advantage in searching depending on situation, but that is not something that works for everyone.

But there is also nothing wrong with sticking with just multi, digging what you want and never touching single frequency.

Equinox is versatile and gives you plenty of options, doesn't mean you have to use them all.

I see what you’re saying V I don’t have any problems with EMI I really don’t I do see what you’re saying I guess I’m just a multiguy that does a lot of digging lol Merry Christmas to you and yours I had a wonderful 2020 year detecting I hits so many bucket listers i’m so fortunate. It’s so strange I have found 4 Seated Half Dimes and 4 Capped Half Dimes and I’ve only found 1 Seated Dime EVER!!!! What a crazy hobby

 

[charlives]

4-5 khz on most machines should/will behave the same.

Yeah, that's what I thought too...but for some reason, they are very different on the nox.

 

[67GTA]

Yeah, that's what I thought too...but for some reason, they are very different on the nox.

Same here. I have one spot I hunt directly under power lines. 5Khz goes crazy and 4Khz is really quiet.

 

[Truth]

I actually talk to a big field next to the Bayou where I had found my banner 8 Reales and my cannonball so I used 4kHz the whole time which I find works much better in an open field than it does and an iron patch but that’s just me. It’s a learning curve and I’m up to the challenge I did a four hour hunt and came out with nothing but that’s because nothing was there.

 

[smokeythecat]

Iron patches are hard on every machine. Good job this year.