Too technical?

[jhamner]

I am still trying to learn all the nuances of my new Equinox 800, especially in some of the specialized programs. Maybe I'm trying to get too technical before it is time! I tried some of the programs with advanced settings and got a lot of falsing, chatter, and overload. With some the machine just kept spitting out sounds and numbers even when held waist high and parallel to the ground.
Instructions inside the box say to just pick a program area, noise cancel, and detect as a starter.........but how accurate is this--just wondering.
Someone suggested, maybe on this forum, to keep it simple with these settings:
Choose program - Noise cancel - Ground balance 0 - Volume 25 - Threshold 8 - Pitch 1- Tones 5 Accept/reject -9 to2 (?) Recovery speed 5. Sensitivity 21.
I tried these settings yesterday and the machine seemed to calm down a lot, but with a little trouble locking in on targets. Also, I was digging a lot of medium to large iron targets. Does anyone know if I would be missing lots of good stuff with this program? Also, short , simple programs that work best for you would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks.

 

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[RobNC]

It is worth noting that deep iron signals can spew out a high tone. I think you may have tinkered with some stuff and its a bit unstable now(Hey, I did and DO this too so I'm not picking on you). Some modes are more sensitive than others, and have zero iron bias. That is cool once you get good with the Equinox but right now you just want to understand it. Take small baby steps. Do not change a lot of settings at once. Change one, test the results and then if you like it change something else. Otherwise put it back the way it was if you don't like it and change something else instead.

Try starting out with a Factory Reset. Hold down the power button until you see FP then release the power button.
You can also factory reset each mode by holding down the detector button until you see SP.
The next thing you want to do is use Park 1 and get to know your new friend.
Take your time and learn it. Set up a little trail in your house, turn sensitivity down to 10 or so(only for inside use/air testing). le. Coins, pull tabs, etc. Record your target ID numbers. This will give you a good reference.
Outside you should do a noise cancel first. Then if you hear chatter reduce your sensitivity by one until it goes away or is only sporadically audible. After that you want to do an auto ground balance. Make sure you hit the horseshoe button and go to all metal, and find a spot on the ground where no target is detected. Remember to press it again to go back into Discrimination mode.Then onto detecting.
Please re-read the manual. That thing helps. Although it may seem a bit overwhelming at first just keep reading it and see how what it says versus what you see with your tests relates to you and your machine in the real world. Good reference stuff.

Take your time with the Equinox. It's a dang good unit. I'm still learning myself but it is a very capable machine. Whatever you do, never rush.

I am still trying to learn all the nuances of my new Equinox 800, especially in some of the specialized programs. Maybe I'm trying to get too technical before it is time! I tried some of the programs with advanced settings and got a lot of falsing, chatter, and overload. With some the machine just kept spitting out sounds and numbers even when held waist high and parallel to the ground.
Instructions inside the box say to just pick a program area, noise cancel, and detect as a starter.........but how accurate is this--just wondering.
Someone suggested, maybe on this forum, to keep it simple with these settings:
Choose program - Noise cancel - Ground balance 0 - Volume 25 - Threshold 8 - Pitch 1- Tones 5 Accept/reject -9 to2 (?) Recovery speed 5. Sensitivity 21.
I tried these settings yesterday and the machine seemed to calm down a lot, but with a little trouble locking in on targets. Also, I was digging a lot of medium to large iron targets. Does anyone know if I would be missing lots of good stuff with this program? Also, short , simple programs that work best for you would be greatly appreciated!!! Thanks.

 

[jhamner]

Thanks so much RobNC--sounds like some really good advice! Also, i haven't been an auto ground balance--that could make a BIG difference!

 

[RobNC]

Thanks so much RobNC--sounds like some really good advice! Also, i haven't been an auto ground balance--that could make a BIG difference!

I own the 600 and do that every time I start to detect.
Simply find yourself a clear spot of ground without signals then go to the settings menu until you are in the ground balance section. Hold down your +/- button and pump the coil from off the ground to almost touching then back up again and repeat. When the numbers no longer change you are ground balanced.

Really hope I can help you. How well I know the frustration about trying to learn something new. Best of Wishes!

 

[jhamner]

I own the 600 and do that every time I start to detect.
Simply find yourself a clear spot of ground without signals then go to the settings menu until you are in the ground balance section. Hold down your +/- button and pump the coil from off the ground to almost touching then back up again and repeat. When the numbers no longer change you are ground balanced.

Really hope I can help you. How well I know the frustration about trying to learn something new. Best of Wishes!

That is extremely nice of you to try and help a complete stranger and I think you already have! Thanks so much!

 

[RobNC]

That is extremely nice of you to try and help a complete stranger and I think you already have! Thanks so much!

It's no problem at all. I'm new to the Equinox myself. Still learning it too. So in the same boat as you. Just passing along some little stuff I've used to help in my situations. The settings on the Equinox are good things to have. Just with my 600 changing this or that too far will cause undesired effects. So with the 800 I can imagine that is even more of a possibility. What's nice is we can experiment with these then easily go back to factory settings and there is no harm done except to ourselves when we thought "hey this should be a good change!" and it really wasn't. LOL

My only real complaint is the stupid weather here. It will simply not stabilize. And when the weather is nice I am at work stuck in there. That is far more frustrating to me than anything else.
So far I've already found more clad coins with this detector than I did with others in the past. Not found any silver yet or gold. But that is simply because my coil has not been passed over it yet. Half the battle is getting permission to hunt good places. The other 25% is getting time to go and the rest is learning the machine. But when you're out there it's a lot of fun. Even a clad coin is better than a pocket full of trash. Don't think the 600 will be something I "outgrow" personally. It's just a well rounded detector. With the 800 like you have that is even more fun, but as you have seen it's a handful at first. You can learn it, and once you do should be able to do some things the 600 will not do, like gold nugget detecting. So a lot of things to look forward to!

 

[smokeythecat]

With any new machine, at first, use the factory presets. I knew one guy who missed some great targets as he had the machine notched to eliminate aluminum cans and missed some CW Eagle Breastplates in the meantime.

Go slow, it's not a race. Don't do a "Z" pattern with a machine. Do a zipper stitch instead, slow and tight. You'll be amazed. I was with a friend with his 800 yesterday, I raised my voice a bit and said "slow down". Rabbits don't win the detector race.

 

[jhamner]

It's no problem at all. I'm new to the Equinox myself. Still learning it too. So in the same boat as you. Just passing along some little stuff I've used to help in my situations. The settings on the Equinox are good things to have. Just with my 600 changing this or that too far will cause undesired effects. So with the 800 I can imagine that is even more of a possibility. What's nice is we can experiment with these then easily go back to factory settings and there is no harm done except to ourselves when we thought "hey this should be a good change!" and it really wasn't. LOL

My only real complaint is the stupid weather here. It will simply not stabilize. And when the weather is nice I am at work stuck in there. That is far more frustrating to me than anything else.
So far I've already found more clad coins with this detector than I did with others in the past. Not found any silver yet or gold. But that is simply because my coil has not been passed over it yet. Half the battle is getting permission to hunt good places. The other 25% is getting time to go and the rest is learning the machine. But when you're out there it's a lot of fun. Even a clad coin is better than a pocket full of trash. Don't think the 600 will be something I "outgrow" personally. It's just a well rounded detector. With the 800 like you have that is even more fun, but as you have seen it's a handful at first. You can learn it, and once you do should be able to do some things the 600 will not do, like gold nugget detecting. So a lot of things to look forward to!

Thanks again........I agree about the weather--although I'm retired and can go out almost any time, the "almost any times" are extremely limited due to rain, snow, and frozen ground. I mainly hunt for Civil War relics, and have had some great successes with previous detectors. I'm hoping to go back over some of my old stomping grounds and find even more now!

 

[smokeythecat]

If you take a new machine to the old sites, you'll be surprised what you'll get. It's a blast.

 

[jhamner]

With any new machine, at first, use the factory presets. I knew one guy who missed some great targets as he had the machine notched to eliminate aluminum cans and missed some CW Eagle Breastplates in the meantime.

Go slow, it's not a race. Don't do a "Z" pattern with a machine. Do a zipper stitch instead, slow and tight. You'll be amazed. I was with a friend with his 800 yesterday, I raised my voice a bit and said "slow down". Rabbits don't win the detector race.

Thank you for an excellent point! I am used to hunting with previous detectors with very fast response rates and even then I suspect I was a bit fast. If nothing else, old age is beginning to slow me down quite a bit!

 

[smokeythecat]

It's got me going very slowly.

 

[jhamner]

It's got me going very slowly.

I'll try and do the same-slow is not a problem for me these days, especially if it involves work and not detecting!

 

[CarsonChris]

If you take a new machine to the old sites, you'll be surprised what you'll get. It's a blast.

I have one small site that I feel I hunted out with the AT Pro. I will definitely head back there when I get my Nox. I’ve only found clad but it seems like it should have some older coins.

 

[jhamner]

If you take a new machine to the old sites, you'll be surprised what you'll get. It's a blast.

I'm looking forward to that-like finding new places though not new!