Precisely, if the OP actually understood just a little about the underlying technology, probably would not be spouting outrageous comments like it should be a "no brainer".
First, as mentioned in the previous "rant" thread, spending quality time to actually "learn" the machine means that after a year, you should readily be able to tell the difference between iron falsing and true non-ferrous target signals. Numerous "tells" in the audio and the Equinox excels in the ways you can quickly (with basically a single button push) interrogate a suspected false or iffy target with alternate settings to give you a pretty good idea whether you are swinging over a falsing iron target or possible keeper. Those are all outlined throughout the painful rant thread:
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/e...bsolutely-love-fooling-my-rusted-objects.html You are still going to dig a bent nail or two, but it should cut down on your iron junk to target ratio.
Regarding the technology, about the only thing that is guaranteed with VLF induction balance detectors, the prevailing technology used by Equinox and most consumer grade detectors is that you can definitely tell you have metal or ferrous containing rocks or dirt underneath the coil. Beyond that, the detector technology is simply guessing as to the type of target based on the response. Since there are so many variables (size, shape, composition, ground effects, nearby target interference) and many metals can and do emulate other metals (aluminum and gold for instance - the cruelest practical joke levied on detectorists), the number on the screen and sound in your ear is merely a high probability guess by the detector designer. The only way to be 100% sure is to dig it out. If it was easy, if it was straight forward, you better believe any of these cutting edge detector manufacturers would have cracked the code and that detector would be selling like hotcakes. It isn't because smart people are not engaged in detector design, it is because the problem is literally very hard to "nail" down.
Congrats on the silver if only because it is good rant prevention. Lol.
Hope you have been able to actually learn and apply those iron "tell" tips and they start paying off with less iron and more silver. HH.