My dirt is similar to yours, there is no way I would ever get an 8" silver dime with anything but a PI. The key with the Equinox is to set it up to run quiet otherwise you get all sorts of falsing from the ground and nails. Park 2 and Field 2 are hotter than either Park 1 or Field 1. In lots of iron I prefer to run Field 1 and reduce the sensitivity. Also run the recovery at 6 or higher when in bad ground and Ground Balance especially if you're in the mid 50's.
I've even got a place near a lake (lots of black sand) that I have to run Beach 2 because it's the only mode that will run quiet. If I don't run Beach 2 I get good sounding signals and dig down to find nothing. For example I was there last week running Beach 1 to test it, got a good solid 25-26, could swear it was going to be a dime. Switched to Beach 2 and then nothing, dug down 12 inches just to make sure and nothing. Any of the Park or Field modes near that lake and it's nothing but constant chatter. Again the key to the Equinox is to get it to run quiet otherwise you lose the good signals in the chatter, especially low conductors. It's not like the Deus where you can run it noisy and still pick out the good targets.
