600 Finds. Depth Meter Useless?

[WisconsinPirate]

Went out for a few hours today. I was in Park 2; 5 Tone; Recovery 3; Sen 22; GB Tracking; Multi. Found all modern and a dollar coin (VDI 30; tone a little bouncy; VDI was stable though). All the coins registered between 3 or 4 bars in Depth. Everything I dug except 3 items was less than 2" most were just below the surface. Towards the end of the hunt I switched modes to see what each mode showed against what I dug. I noticed that the VDI did fluctuate between the modes by 1 or 2 numbers, and any mode 1 had the depth usually maxed out for everything I dug. Again, all coins were just below the surface except for a few.

I have no confidence in the depth meter whatsoever. I don't think the park is mineralized heavily, so I am not sure why this happening other than I am not sure the depth meter is accurate. The only thing that seemed to work for coins was raising or lowering the coil to gauge depth. Next hunt I am going to dig everything to see if the VDI is accurate. I'm not really sure what multi-frequency is doing at all, because I feel like my AT Pro had a more accurate depth meter and VDI.

My trash signals: 16 Pull Tab(s); 12-13 Foil; 9 Foil; 19-21 Bouncy Bolt; 18 Battery; Solid 11 High Tone Battery; 18 Small Laser pointer; 19-21 Part to matchbox car; 9-10 Bouncy Foil; 21-36 Bouncy Larger Battery Disintegrated in hole;21 Screw Cap; 22-23 Screw Cap; 23 Beer Can; 21-22 Bouncy part of a beer can.

Ironically the depth meter seemed more accurate for trash. Most registered 2-3 bars and that is where I pulled things out of the hole. Not sure how this happened but if I was looking for a pull tab and wanted to know an accurate depth - the machine nailed it!

 

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[fuceye]

Page 35 equinox manual:


The Depth Gauge is a guide only; fewer arrows indicate a shallower target, more arrows indicate a deeper target. The accuracy can vary depending on the target type and ground conditions.
The Depth Gauge has 5 levels in increments of approximately 50 mm (2").
When there is no detection, the Depth Gauge icon and arrows are off.
After a target is detected, the Depth Gauge will remain on the LCD for up to 5 seconds, or until the next target is detected.
Here is an example of the Depth Gauge reading and the approximate target depth for a US quarter detected in benign soil:
50mm 100mm 150mm 200mm >200mm 2" 4" 6" 8" >8"


I have found similar findings....but I love digging so its not a problem for me....this is one of the things minelab failed with....and it started with the go-find products....either its a bean counter thing or the engineer who did the fine depth design on the ctx has died...

 

[Phishfarmer]

I got to get one of those T-shirts

 

[WisconsinPirate]

I got to get one of those T-shirts

Amazon. Birthday present from the Wife.

 

[WisconsinPirate]

Page 35 equinox manual:


The Depth Gauge is a guide only; fewer arrows indicate a shallower target, more arrows indicate a deeper target. The accuracy can vary depending on the target type and ground conditions.
The Depth Gauge has 5 levels in increments of approximately 50 mm (2").
When there is no detection, the Depth Gauge icon and arrows are off.
After a target is detected, the Depth Gauge will remain on the LCD for up to 5 seconds, or until the next target is detected.
Here is an example of the Depth Gauge reading and the approximate target depth for a US quarter detected in benign soil:
50mm 100mm 150mm 200mm >200mm 2" 4" 6" 8" >8"


I have found similar findings....but I love digging so its not a problem for me....this is one of the things minelab failed with....and it started with the go-find products....either its a bean counter thing or the engineer who did the fine depth design on the ctx has died...

The parks I go to are very trashy. I use depth to help figure out if targets are worth digging so it kind of sucks. I was used to the ATP pro and CTX both with reasonably accurate depth meters. I wonder how much extra it would have cost to get the depth meter accurate. Maybe they rushed these due to demand before they got it right. Who knows.

 

[fuceye]

The parks I go to are very trashy. I use depth to help figure out if targets are worth digging so it kind of sucks. I was used to the ATP pro and CTX both with reasonably accurate depth meters. I wonder how much extra it would have cost to get the depth meter accurate. Maybe they rushed these due to demand before they got it right. Who knows.

(like deus) maybe this is something they can fix with a software update....but I think minelab whore the software out...I think deus can do so many updates cause they keep programers on staff...

 

[detectorben]

Depth meter is pretty near dead on in my soil on coins on my 800. Not sure if it is the soil your in or if your machine is not ground balanced right or if there is another issue but it has been very useful for me as a coinshooter. I would play with settings and setup. I use ground tracking most of the time and rarely manual ground balance. Not sure if that effects depth readings or not I have not tested both ways. I have no problem hitting coins 10+ inches deep in auto ground tracking either.

 

[Jason in Enid]

If the target is "coin sized" and nothing around it, its pretty accurate. Otherwise its useless. Use the pinpoint sound to determine depth, its WAY more accurate.

 

[charlives]

I have to agree with you.
I used the T2 for years and the depth meter is spot on. Why can't Minelab even come close to Teknetics in this realm. Also, the T2 overload-screams at you when there is a can under the coil...or the tone gives it away. Minelab shows you a coin shape perfect 22 VDI.

There IS some Minelab magic though...I always go home with coins in places I've already hit with the T2. Sometimes I dig a can, sometimes a coin...I've yet to figure out which

 

[smokeythecat]

Funny, I have never used a depth indicator. I mainly dig relics, fortunately most sites I go to do not have aluminum in them, so I'm very blessed. I did notice something today on the 600. My one spot in the horrid red Virginia dirt, the highly mineralized stuff, it is corrupted with pieces of Civil War ration cans in it. There can easily be 5-8 pieces of the ration cans, now rotting and a button or bullet under a 9-11" loop at any one time. Among those cans pieces, most the size of quarters or half dollars, there are eagle buttons, bullets, etc. I was doing another comparison test with it and the 600 did fine away from the ration can areas, but in them, it just went berserk. Trouble is those areas are the last remaining places with good relics. And it had to have a time out.

 

[Rawhide]

Not owning a Nox or Deus I will say when depth is off I lower sense and up disk if I am looking at a certain depth. Usually I just dig good signals, or dig it all. But you have a detector, not a gpr lol.

 

[smokeythecat]

Casca, I do a lot of the dig it all sort it later too.

 

[toasted]

I hunt plowed fields so depth is meaningless to me. Besides, the places I hunt are very old so you dont want to leave any targets in the ground. I dont have to be selective or neat with my plugs for that matter. That being said, I can understand park/yard hunters having a problem with the lack of audio modulation or accurate depth meter. My Deus is great for picking out deep high squeekers amongst shallow modern trash just by audio alone. I think the Equinox was built to compete with the Deus in finding stuff mainly in fields in areas contaminated with iron. That it can do. Etrac and CTX for parks/yards. I personally would prefer my Deus over the Equinox for parks/yards but theyre near equal for hunting in iron

 

[smokeythecat]

I'm with you toasted no matter which machine I use.

 

[Jason in Enid]

...... Also, the T2 overload-screams at you when there is a can under the coil...or the tone gives it away. Minelab shows you a coin shape perfect 22 VDI......

No, it doesnt react exactly like a coin. If you cant tell the difference in response between a coin and a can you need to pay more attention to the sounds.

 

[johnwon2]

I mostly beach hunt in the towel areas and have found the depth to be pretty accurate there, however, I wish there was one more bar since we tend to get hits on clad 12+ inches down in this area (mostly 1980s nickels). I've spent some time trying to work a site where the house was built in the 1930s recently and the entire yard it seems was graveled at one point. There's about 6" of gravel and the depth meter isn't doing very well. I have noticed that any coins I get above the gravel are newer than 1963 so far and the few that I have found below are older, however, once I get below the gravel I am finding a lot of trash like old engine parts. I tuned out everything under a 20 due to the trash for the time being and the deep engine parts hit in the high 30s until I dig them out, then it discriminates them out... so it's more than depth that is bugging me in the trashy gravel yard. I definitively prefer the beaches over this yard, but I know I can find some old coins if I am patient.

 

[jeg208]

Perhaps it's that most of my experience has been on tesoro machines, but I rarely look at the depth meter.

The audio response tells me all that I need.

Double beep on target? Use my small trowel because I know it's less than 4 inches.

Next I take a quick pass to see how high I get a response hovering over the target. Either way I am cutting my plug with the shovel, but if I am scrubbing the ground with the coil I will cut as deep as I can.

As for the can thing, the audio response will tell you it's a can. Coins are small. Cans are big, wide responses 6+ inches from the center. Additionally, you can usually still be hitting them 12" hovering over the target

The depth meter on my AT pro was mostly useless too. It's just another bit of information, but audio fredback will give you far greater info

 

[curious2]

Compared to my Etrac, the Nox's ID and depth info are not accurate at all. For that, I think we'll need to wait for Minelab to roll out the successor to the ET/CTX. It will have the Nox's strengths plus bells and whistles including accurate FE/CO and depth info--but at a CTX-like price

 

[doggoneitdignit]

Amazon. Birthday present from the Wife.

I personally like the T-Shirt Beach better have my money.

 

[doggoneitdignit]

For those that want a better understanding regarding T2 on sounds on aluminum cans vs coin and readings mentioned earlier please refer to your T2 Comprehensive Operating manual especialy on page 26.