Minelab equinox 800

[usinadi]

Hello Everyone,

I am currently metal detecting with a Garrett AT Gold which I love but I am going to purchase a Minelab Equinox 8oo. I know that there is a learning curve but I find that exciting because it is due to the abilities of the device. I am also considering ordering a the 6" coil and Andy Sabisch The Minelab Equinox 800 Metal Detector Hand Book as well, are they good purchases being that I am new to the Nox? I do have some old trashy locations that I hunted with the AT Gold that I am interested in going back over. I live in Northeast Oklahoma. Thank you for any information or advice!

 

[ToddsPoint]

I just bought an 800. It doesn't come with an instruction book. You have to go online to get it. That sucks. How do you learn to work your detector sitting on your computer?? I ordered an instruction book but hasn't arrived. Great hope for the 800 if I can figure out how to use it before I die. Tried it using default settings and found a harmonica reed and a flat button so I at least know it works. Gary

 

[vinnywop]

I've been running a Nox800 for a few months now. I can't speak about the 6" coil, since I don't have that (I have the stock coil and the 15" coil), but I did buy Andy Sabisch's book and definitely recommend it. Gives a lot of background on multi-frequency detecting and how it works. It also talks you through the various tools the Nox has and how to adjust, what the impacts of the adjustments will be, etc. It shows a lot of ID# ranges for the different pre-sets which is helpful. It also shows various people's recommended settings for the areas they detect. I don't really pay attention to the other people's settings but I think it helps to see what people are running in various environments as a guide. You're still going to want to go through the manual though. I agree 100% with ToddsPoint, it sucks that you have to go online to look at the manual or have to print it out. I have had great results using the pre-sets (i.e. Park 1&2, Beach 1&2, etc.) while only making small adjustments, if needed, on sensitivity, and recovery speed. Anyway, best of luck with the Nox800 and hope this was helpful.

 

[dts52]

Best of luck to you with the 800. I have Andy’s book, it’s very helpful. Pretty steep learning curve with the 800, I’ve had mine a year and I’m still struggling (mind you, I don’t get out that often). I still have an AT Pro which I use now and then. The big advantage of the 800 for me is the saltwater ability. The Pro was very, very limited in that environment.
HH
dts

PS - There are numerous instructional videos available on YouTube.

 

[usinadi]

Thank you all for your advice, I will definitely print off the manual and get the book as well. Thank you all for the heads up as well about there being no manual with it...that is unusual.

 

[CoinFetcher]

The at series transitioning to a equinox is actually pretty easy.

I’d hold off on the small coil unless you really are in a area with excellent targets masked by trash. The stock coil is what I prefer. I’d get the large coil as my extra coil actually.

Just go out in ‘park 1’ and have a blast!!!

 

[Owassokie]

Hello Everyone,

I am currently metal detecting with a Garrett AT Gold which I love but I am going to purchase a Minelab Equinox 8oo. I know that there is a learning curve but I find that exciting because it is due to the abilities of the device. I am also considering ordering a the 6" coil and Andy Sabisch The Minelab Equinox 800 Metal Detector Hand Book as well, are they good purchases being that I am new to the Nox? I do have some old trashy locations that I hunted with the AT Gold that I am interested in going back over. I live in Northeast Oklahoma. Thank you for any information or advice!

Hello from Owasso! I like the Equinox. I too came over from Garrett. I don't get to hunt very often so I'm still learning. You hear people talk about the ability of a Nox to pick out good signals in trashy areas. I often have the ability to identify a non-ferrous item in the same hole as a ferrous item. It will pick up the high chirp and let you know there's a non-ferrous target. But as far as separating copper/nickel/silver/gold from aluminum junk....doesn't help me at all in terms of separating multiple targets in the hole. And that's the obstacle I seem to face at most of my trashy locations. Like I said, I don't get to hunt a lot but I've owned one for a couple years now and went on a couple dozen hunts. The ability to separate coin from an aluminum pop top or beaver tail in the same hole is non-existent for me. Some people say they can tell the difference based on tones and they swear by the Nox because of it. I hope to get there some day.

I would say the learning curve is steep compared to AT Pro. Not because of learning the machine but because the value seems to be in the tones. I believe the big key is consistent use. For example, I go hunt and start to notice some things tonally. Then I go a month or two without detecting and I think I remember but I don't really have confidence in those tones until I hear it again. So I think the difference between me and more successful detectorists is the frequency for which they detect. It could also be they are just significantly smarter....I'm just not willing to admit that yet

 

[usinadi]

Hello Owasso!!! I am just going to watch the videos and do the main presets at first like everyone suggested. I am excited to go over old house places that I went over with the AT Gold.

 

[smokeythecat]

Sometimes its just the way you "attack" a target. On my one site with a huge amount of iron trash and the hottest dirt on earth, I know I passed over this one minie ball at least 5 times. I finally had just the right moisture in the ground and hit it at just the right angle and got it! I have noticed in trashy areas if you have a larger loop it can be game over, most machines get confused pretty easily.