Equinox 800 and ID Numbers - Park 1 and Park 2

[ATPRoDon]

[FONT=&quot]Just wanted to put out there something I have been looking at with the Nox 800, and I assume this also is true of the 600. So I hunt mainly in Park 1 or Park 2 modes, so I concentrate my time there. [/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I have all 3 coils, 6, 11, and 15 inch coils. So there are differences in ID#'s if you switch coils and if you switch from Park 1 to Park 2. Not all ID's change, but some, for instance a Jefferson Nickel for me is a solid 13. But a Zinc Penny is a 20 in P1 or P2 with a 6 inch coil but moves to a 21 if you go to the 11 inch coil in P1 or P2.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I still have to look at the 15 inch coil and when I am done I will post the numbers.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]I have also found that if you’re just sweeping across the ground and ID a coin in the ground you get one # and then do the old “Coil Wiggle” over the coin the numbers can change.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Another example, a 50 cent clad Kennedy with a 6 inch coil in P1 is a 32 moving to a 33, if you switch to P2 its a solid 33. If you’re using the 11 inch coil in P1 its again a 32 moving to a 33, but if you go to P2 the ID is now 33.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]A 10K gold band ring with the 6 inch coil is a 15 in P1 but a 16 in P2, mainly because the Bias is more towards jewelry in P2.[/FONT]
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[FONT=&quot]Anyway, I am still experimenting and as soon as I have my list completed I will post it.[/FONT]

 

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[N/A]

Im new to this, is one digit that big of a deal?

 

[vferrari]

Im new to this, is one digit that big of a deal?

Exactly, it is not a big deal unless you are trying to not get zincs, but I really don't like to take chances like that. To me the audio is key and the target ID is secondary. I don't get wrapped up on specific target ID numbers for targets. Looking for clean, crisp audio tells more about the nature of a target than just a number. A pull tab can ring up with the same number as a nickel but the tones can sound different depending on whether the tab is bent. If it sounds like a coin I am going to dig it regardless, knowing full well that a 20/21 may indeed be a zinc, it can also be spanish silver too. Seen it happen.

 

[Hawks88]

Interesting. Thanks for the info.

 

[HighVDI]

Exactly, it is not a big deal unless you are trying to not get zincs, but I really don't like to take chances like that. To me the audio is key and the target ID is secondary. I don't get wrapped up on specific target ID numbers for targets. Looking for clean, crisp audio tells more about the nature of a target than just a number. A pull tab can ring up with the same number as a nickel but the tones can sound different depending on whether the tab is bent. If it sounds like a coin I am going to dig it regardless, knowing full well that a 20/21 may indeed be a zinc, it can also be spanish silver too. Seen it happen.

Totally agree! Dug a cut spanish pistareen with my F75 that rang up a little high in the zinc range. Also a 1737 KG2 at a zinc penny VDI with the same machine....same field. 3 days ago I was getting a wheat penny signal with the 800 and out popped an 1899 Barber dime.

If there is one machine that is not the right unit to "screen watch" it's the Equinox.

 

[ATPRoDon]

Well my point of this post is not that 1 digit makes a difference it’s that if you change coils and modes your Target ID can change and if you only go by the ID# you might miss something not realizing that a change in coil or a change in the mode will make things look different on your screen. P1 and P2 also make the tones different because it’s 5 tones vs 50 tone.

 

[vferrari]

Well my point of this post is not that 1 digit makes a difference it’s that if you change coils and modes your Target ID can change and if you only go by the ID# you might miss something not realizing that a change in coil or a change in the mode will make things look different on your screen. P1 and P2 also make the tones different because it’s 5 tones vs 50 tone.

Don, I understood your point completely, and the point I was trying to make is that the change is so slight it shouldn't matter unless you ARE going solely by target ID which is a fine way to start out learning Equinox but ultimately should not be your sole focus for target information once you become more proficient with Equinox.

Target ID number and even Tone ID (i.e., the pitch of the tone) are what should grab your attention, but you can only get so much information out of a number or even a tone pitch at 50 tones, if the number is your sole focus then you are going to miss a whole lot of information contained in the audio itself. Understanding the audio nuances is the key.

Like I said, a 20-22 can be a zinc, a 23 can be a copper penny but those numbers could also be a half reale or half dime or even a falsing nail. Since that is the case, I am going to probably dig 20-23 (just as an example) so if the TID changes from 20 to 21 or even 22 (which is really the maximum range of variability for changing coils and modes on Equinox +/- 1 or 2 TID max), it is not really relevant because of the uncertainty of what the number REPRESENTS in the first place in terms of target variability. Besides, any variation in target ID due to switchups of coils or modes is small and relatively fixed but the variation in target ID for even a zinc penny or any other target subject to corrosion is much larger than 1 or 2 TID clicks or tone ID pitch changes (in 50 tones).

So what I am REALLY listening for is tone QUALITY. How crisp is it, how fast does it rise and fall. I am also interrogating the target to find out if iron tones are present (using the horseshoe button), the target footprint (using the pinpointer I can tell by tone quality and footprint that I have a can and not a quarter under the coil), how the tone or ID changes if I DO switch modes (which is where the 800's user profile button comes in handy), what type of site am I at, what has been the average depth of targets, what kind of trash am I digging. Mostly this takes about 5 to 15 seconds of additional swinging.

I do not have TID numbers memorized for specific targets, I have probable TID ranges in my head. Target ID (tone or number) falling in those ranges makes me take notice when I am scanning, target interrogation of primarily the audio quality and a couple other factors makes me decide whether to dig. The number is but one of several inputs I am integrating to make a dig decision, and knowing there is slight variability due to settings and coils is something easily factored in because I am not solely focused on visual or tone target ID. HTH.

 

[CoinHunterAZ]

A 21 on the equinox might be a zinc cent,,,but it also might be an Indian Head cent. Still gotta dig it. Same with the 23-24 readings, could be a squashed aluminum cap, or it could be a worn flat barber dime. I'm still learning my equinox, but it has yielded several surprises for me in an old park that I've hunted for a lot of years.

 

[ATPRoDon]

Don, I understood your point completely, and the point I was trying to make is that the change is so slight it shouldn't matter unless you ARE going solely by target ID which is a fine way to start out learning Equinox but ultimately should not be your sole focus for target information once you become more proficient with Equinox.

I didn't want to quote your entire post. But I agree with you. I started out on metal detectors that had only sound and no gauge of any kind, and I always thought who needs a fancy gauge? and then I got my V3i which is amazing at what it can tell you about a target before you dig. The tones are great but not 50 tones, nobody's brain can process that many. So really 5 tones is pretty good across the spectrum. I don't memorize the ID's but I do carry a nice laminated card for reference. I am over 60, and I'm not going to kill my back and knees pulling up trash. So If I can learn everything about my Metal Detector, I can try to dig what I think are good targets vs trash. Hey I am an engineer, so I tend to analyze things. I am keeping a nice data base of everything of value I find and if you guys find it helpful great.

Cheers,

Don