Park 1 Settings and Park 2 settings ?

[Gare]

Does anyone know the difference in the two settings ?

 

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[Gare]

Found them in teh manual thanks all and Sorry for wasting your time

 

[vferrari]

In a nutshell, Park 1's Multi IQ frequency weighting is more suited to high conductors like silver and larger profile targets. It is a 5-tone mode that also has heavy iron bias filtering which tends to quiet down the machine a little when there is ferrous trash present. Park 2's Multi IQ frequency weighting is shifted to lower, mid-conductors and small targets like gold jewelry, nickels, brass, and lead relics and is a 50-tone mode that has no iron bias filtering.

Either search profile mode will find a spectrum of targets. For example, you CAN find gold jewelry with Park 1 just as you CAN find silver coins with Park 2 (I have done both) it is just that the modes are more "optimized" for the targets I mentioned. Also, each search profile mode needs to be treated like a separate detector with separate noise cancelling and ground balancing (if necessary).

A more detailed explanation down below. You don't have to read the whole thing. It is part of an introduction to the Equinox I am putting together for an eventual sticky post but down below is a discussion between Park 1 and Park 2 and the other search profiles. Welcome any feedback. This is part of a broader work in progress (hence the "Part 3" reference).

Introduction to the Equinox - Part 3 - Detailed Search Profile Rundown and User Profile


This is a multi-part introduction to the Minelab Equinox series detectors including differences between the 600 and 800 Equinox models and some advice on how to start out detecting with and learning the Equinox. It includes a description of modes, search profiles and their settings, how to quiet the machine, how to ground balance, pinpointing, unmasking/target interrogation, trash avoidance, and details some quirks. Included is a quick start guide and how to best approach learning and using the Equinox to get you out there swinging and finding targets. It is focused on the Equinox 800 but I will point out areas where the 600 and 800 differ.

Before I get started, a little clarification on terminology. The Equinox has several different “search profiles” (Park 1, Field 1, Park 2, Field 2, Beach 1, Beach 2 etc.). Sometimes these are generically referred to as “modes” but this can get confusing because the detector also has different “modes” that are separate from the search profiles. For example, when you are in Detect mode, you can select you individual search profile (say Park 1, for example). Within Park 1 you can select Settings mode and adjust the individual settings for that mode (e.g., noise cancel, ground balance, the various tone settings, the discrimination pattern, recovery speed, and iron bias). There is also Pinpoint Mode, All Metal Mode, Single Frequency Mode, and User Profile Mode [800 only]. So I have tried to stay away from referring the individual search profiles as modes, though I may have slipped up here and there.

Detailed Search Profiles Rundown:

If you make any changes to the search profiles settings, they stick. You can individually reset the search profiles or reset the entire detector to get back to factory defaults. Check the manual

Each search profile is set up with a frequency spectrum (Multi IQ) that favors certain types of conductors and has software algorithms and user settings that enhance the resulting signal you hear assuming certain environmental conditions. The Multi IQ frequency spectrum is comprised of a combination of all 5 frequencies but the processing for each search profile "favors" or weighted towards either the high or low frequency signals, even though it "listens" to all the frequencies. It works out like so (forget about what Minelab called the search profiles because I think that just confuses things).

Park 1 is weighted towards the lower frequencies in the spectrum and therefore favors high conductors like pure copper, silver, and clad coins which tend to be detected better/deeper at low frequencies like 5 and 10 khz. Regardless, all five frequencies are still used so you are also still going to hit on mid conductors like nickels, brass, aluminum and even gold. This is probably the best "all around" search profile to use and to learn the machine with. Probably best for coin shooting in parks and athletic fields.

Park 2 is weighted towards the higher frequencies and will hit harder on the mid-conductors (nickels, gold) and small targets (earrings, pendants) than Park 1 but will still hit on the high conductors too, perhaps not to the same depth as Park 1, though. Good search profile if you want to zero in on jewelry, especially gold jewelry. But will hit small silver and copper jewelry and also coins as well. Some like to use this search profile for relic hunting, too.

Field 1 is similar to Park 1 in that it is biased towards high conductors, but is a two tone search profile. Have not used this search profile at all.

Field 2 is similar to Park 2 in that it is biased towards mid-conductors. It has slight differences in ferrous/non-ferrous tone break and recovery speed vs. Park 2. This search profile is my favorite relic hunting search profile and the search profile I have found the most old silver with (because that silver was in the same fields as the relics I was hunting).

Beach 1 is biased to high conductors and is for dry and wet sand salt beaches. Great search profile for beach hunting. Don't be fooled by the fact that it biased to high conductors, it will find gold, too.

Beach 2 is able to deal with the ground phase effects of changing salinity better than Beach 1 and is suited for salt surf and underwater detecting. Same targets as Beach 1 but under water.

[Gold search profile is 800 ONLY]

The Gold search profiles are very different than the other search profiles in that they use VCO audio which varies pitch and volume based on proximity to the target (similar to pinpoint mode). Gold 1 is suited to milder ground and Gold 2 is suited to more mineralized ground. The both are optimized for gold so, again, even though they are multi-frequency, they favor the high frequencies (mid-conductors).

Each of the search profiles are very different in how they sound and behave. Therefore, I would stick with a single search profile (Park 1 if land hunting or Beach 1 if beach hunting) to learn the machine before search profile hopping. Because the machine uses multi-frequencies, it is unlikely that you will actually be missing out much despite the fact that the search profile may "favor" certain types of conductors. It still sees practically everything.

I don’t recommend using the single frequencies except in very rare circumstances. They are purely there for backup purposes or to help with interrogating certain targets. I have never used the single frequencies. Examples, sometimes strong EMI situations will interfere with the MultIQ so you may find that going to a specific single frequency knocks down the EMI. In that case you can still detect, but you are limited by the single frequency you have chosen and some MultiIQ features will not be available like Iron Bias which can help reducing falsing by small iron (bent nails, round iron). Therefore, I would never use single frequency extensively unless I was forced into that situation since you lose the true benefit of the Equinox, Multi IQ and what that brings to the table. Some folks also use the single frequencies to to interrogate targets. By seeing how the VDI changes when you switch from Multi IQ to single frequency, you can ferret out junk targets like bottle caps. I don't bother with this cumbersome method, but use the ALL METAL push-button instead to see if I can hear an iron grunt along with the bottlecap high tone, that is a giveaway that it is not a coin, as coin audio is pure.

Default Settings (by Search Profile)

Be sure to check out page 62 of the online manual to see a table of the default settings for each search profile. Sometimes you just need to get back to factory defaults quickly because you have gotten mixed up on the local settings, the detector is working erratically, or you are just lost. You can individually reset each detect search profile to default settings by navigating to that search profile with the detect button and holding the detect search profile button in for 5 seconds until you see SP displayed. Similarly, you can reset all the search profiles and settings to factory defaults by first turning off the detector and then holding the power on pushbutton for 8 seconds until you see FP displayed. If the detector is just acting up, you just can’t quiet it down, if you are noticing issues with pinpoint or search profile settings, or are having trouble connecting your wireless audio hardware, it is a good idea to do a factory reset. Of course you have to re-do all your Search Profile customization and note that resetting factory defaults means you have to also re-pair your wireless audio accessories as described in a later section.

User Profile Button Tips [800 only]:

About the User Profile button. It is a handy feature on the 800 where you can store your most commonly used, customized program for instant recall or you can store a program there for instant access to see what toggling between your main program or your user profile program does to a target signal when interrogating a target. For example, in relic hunting I like the Field 2 pretty much unmodified, it has zero iron bias by default. If I am at a site that is giving me a lot of iron falsing due to bent nails, I can have a Field 2 custom program with some Iron bias cut in stored in the User Profile slot for instant access to see if the suspected false signal breaks up, indicating probable iron. Other folks like to store their single frequency program there for the bottlecaps trick I described, or you can have a program stored there with special tone breakpoints and notched segments for cherry picking coins. Lots of possibilities.

Two things though, there is a known bug where if you turn off the machine when in User Profile mode, you may lose your individual search profile customizations because they may reset to factory defaults. Also the placement of the button is a little inconvenient and may require you to set the coil on the ground to reach the button, but that still beats toggling through all the user settings to get to a special setting.

HTH HH

 

[cudamark]

One note on the difference in search modes. If you're trying to find tiny gold, use the Gold 1 and 2, Field 2, or Park 2 (in order of best to worst). I've found that the other modes won't find some small gold that the ones I've mentioned will.

 

[AurumHunter024]

One note on the difference in search modes. If you're trying to find tiny gold, use the Gold 1 and 2, Field 2, or Park 2 (in order of best to worst). I've found that the other modes won't find some small gold that the ones I've mentioned will.

I’m curious what you’re referring to as “small gold”?
My 800 registers a TID of 1 & is barely audible on a 0.03gram nug’ sitting on top of mineralized soil in Park 1, stock settings.

 

[Truth]

In a nutshell, Park 1's Multi IQ frequency weighting is more suited to high conductors like silver and larger profile targets. It is a 5-tone mode that also has heavy iron bias filtering which tends to quiet down the machine a little when there is ferrous trash present. Park 2's Multi IQ frequency weighting is shifted to lower, mid-conductors and small targets like gold jewelry, nickels, brass, and lead relics and is a 50-tone mode that has no iron bias filtering.

Either search profile mode will find a spectrum of targets. For example, you CAN find gold jewelry with Park 1 just as you CAN find silver coins with Park 2 (I have done both) it is just that the modes are more "optimized" for the targets I mentioned. Also, each search profile mode needs to be treated like a separate detector with separate noise cancelling and ground balancing (if necessary).

A more detailed explanation down below. You don't have to read the whole thing. It is part of an introduction to the Equinox I am putting together for an eventual sticky post but down below is a discussion between Park 1 and Park 2 and the other search profiles. Welcome any feedback. This is part of a broader work in progress (hence the "Part 3" reference).

Introduction to the Equinox - Part 3 - Detailed Search Profile Rundown and User Profile


This is a multi-part introduction to the Minelab Equinox series detectors including differences between the 600 and 800 Equinox models and some advice on how to start out detecting with and learning the Equinox. It includes a description of modes, search profiles and their settings, how to quiet the machine, how to ground balance, pinpointing, unmasking/target interrogation, trash avoidance, and details some quirks. Included is a quick start guide and how to best approach learning and using the Equinox to get you out there swinging and finding targets. It is focused on the Equinox 800 but I will point out areas where the 600 and 800 differ.

Before I get started, a little clarification on terminology. The Equinox has several different “search profiles” (Park 1, Field 1, Park 2, Field 2, Beach 1, Beach 2 etc.). Sometimes these are generically referred to as “modes” but this can get confusing because the detector also has different “modes” that are separate from the search profiles. For example, when you are in Detect mode, you can select you individual search profile (say Park 1, for example). Within Park 1 you can select Settings mode and adjust the individual settings for that mode (e.g., noise cancel, ground balance, the various tone settings, the discrimination pattern, recovery speed, and iron bias). There is also Pinpoint Mode, All Metal Mode, Single Frequency Mode, and User Profile Mode [800 only]. So I have tried to stay away from referring the individual search profiles as modes, though I may have slipped up here and there.

Detailed Search Profiles Rundown:

If you make any changes to the search profiles settings, they stick. You can individually reset the search profiles or reset the entire detector to get back to factory defaults. Check the manual

Each search profile is set up with a frequency spectrum (Multi IQ) that favors certain types of conductors and has software algorithms and user settings that enhance the resulting signal you hear assuming certain environmental conditions. The Multi IQ frequency spectrum is comprised of a combination of all 5 frequencies but the processing for each search profile "favors" or weighted towards either the high or low frequency signals, even though it "listens" to all the frequencies. It works out like so (forget about what Minelab called the search profiles because I think that just confuses things).

Park 1 is weighted towards the lower frequencies in the spectrum and therefore favors high conductors like pure copper, silver, and clad coins which tend to be detected better/deeper at low frequencies like 5 and 10 khz. Regardless, all five frequencies are still used so you are also still going to hit on mid conductors like nickels, brass, aluminum and even gold. This is probably the best "all around" search profile to use and to learn the machine with. Probably best for coin shooting in parks and athletic fields.

Park 2 is weighted towards the higher frequencies and will hit harder on the mid-conductors (nickels, gold) and small targets (earrings, pendants) than Park 1 but will still hit on the high conductors too, perhaps not to the same depth as Park 1, though. Good search profile if you want to zero in on jewelry, especially gold jewelry. But will hit small silver and copper jewelry and also coins as well. Some like to use this search profile for relic hunting, too.

Field 1 is similar to Park 1 in that it is biased towards high conductors, but is a two tone search profile. Have not used this search profile at all.

Field 2 is similar to Park 2 in that it is biased towards mid-conductors. It has slight differences in ferrous/non-ferrous tone break and recovery speed vs. Park 2. This search profile is my favorite relic hunting search profile and the search profile I have found the most old silver with (because that silver was in the same fields as the relics I was hunting).

Beach 1 is biased to high conductors and is for dry and wet sand salt beaches. Great search profile for beach hunting. Don't be fooled by the fact that it biased to high conductors, it will find gold, too.

Beach 2 is able to deal with the ground phase effects of changing salinity better than Beach 1 and is suited for salt surf and underwater detecting. Same targets as Beach 1 but under water.

[Gold search profile is 800 ONLY]

The Gold search profiles are very different than the other search profiles in that they use VCO audio which varies pitch and volume based on proximity to the target (similar to pinpoint mode). Gold 1 is suited to milder ground and Gold 2 is suited to more mineralized ground. The both are optimized for gold so, again, even though they are multi-frequency, they favor the high frequencies (mid-conductors).

Each of the search profiles are very different in how they sound and behave. Therefore, I would stick with a single search profile (Park 1 if land hunting or Beach 1 if beach hunting) to learn the machine before search profile hopping. Because the machine uses multi-frequencies, it is unlikely that you will actually be missing out much despite the fact that the search profile may "favor" certain types of conductors. It still sees practically everything.

I don’t recommend using the single frequencies except in very rare circumstances. They are purely there for backup purposes or to help with interrogating certain targets. I have never used the single frequencies. Examples, sometimes strong EMI situations will interfere with the MultIQ so you may find that going to a specific single frequency knocks down the EMI. In that case you can still detect, but you are limited by the single frequency you have chosen and some MultiIQ features will not be available like Iron Bias which can help reducing falsing by small iron (bent nails, round iron). Therefore, I would never use single frequency extensively unless I was forced into that situation since you lose the true benefit of the Equinox, Multi IQ and what that brings to the table. Some folks also use the single frequencies to to interrogate targets. By seeing how the VDI changes when you switch from Multi IQ to single frequency, you can ferret out junk targets like bottle caps. I don't bother with this cumbersome method, but use the ALL METAL push-button instead to see if I can hear an iron grunt along with the bottlecap high tone, that is a giveaway that it is not a coin, as coin audio is pure.

Default Settings (by Search Profile)

Be sure to check out page 62 of the online manual to see a table of the default settings for each search profile. Sometimes you just need to get back to factory defaults quickly because you have gotten mixed up on the local settings, the detector is working erratically, or you are just lost. You can individually reset each detect search profile to default settings by navigating to that search profile with the detect button and holding the detect search profile button in for 5 seconds until you see SP displayed. Similarly, you can reset all the search profiles and settings to factory defaults by first turning off the detector and then holding the power on pushbutton for 8 seconds until you see FP displayed. If the detector is just acting up, you just can’t quiet it down, if you are noticing issues with pinpoint or search profile settings, or are having trouble connecting your wireless audio hardware, it is a good idea to do a factory reset. Of course you have to re-do all your Search Profile customization and note that resetting factory defaults means you have to also re-pair your wireless audio accessories as described in a later section.

User Profile Button Tips [800 only]:

About the User Profile button. It is a handy feature on the 800 where you can store your most commonly used, customized program for instant recall or you can store a program there for instant access to see what toggling between your main program or your user profile program does to a target signal when interrogating a target. For example, in relic hunting I like the Field 2 pretty much unmodified, it has zero iron bias by default. If I am at a site that is giving me a lot of iron falsing due to bent nails, I can have a Field 2 custom program with some Iron bias cut in stored in the User Profile slot for instant access to see if the suspected false signal breaks up, indicating probable iron. Other folks like to store their single frequency program there for the bottlecaps trick I described, or you can have a program stored there with special tone breakpoints and notched segments for cherry picking coins. Lots of possibilities.

Two things though, there is a known bug where if you turn off the machine when in User Profile mode, you may lose your individual search profile customizations because they may reset to factory defaults. Also the placement of the button is a little inconvenient and may require you to set the coil on the ground to reach the button, but that still beats toggling through all the user settings to get to a special setting.

HTH HH

V I’ve learned more from you then anyone. Just wanted to say you’re appreciated.

 

[cudamark]

I was using an 18K gold bracelet with tiny links in an air test. Totally silent in Park 1, Field 1, Beach 1&2. Sensitivity 22 and in multi on all modes. Other settings stock for their program. Park 2 got a sound if I virtually rubbed the necklace on the coil. Field 2 got it at about an inch. Gold 1 and 2 got a nice hit and a good 3+ inches. I haven't played with adjusting all the settings for optimal use, but, I thought it was interesting that the stock settings were so different in multi on the same target. Oh, and when I did get a signal, it was 1 also.

 

[Hawks88]

I agree V is the man. Thanks again.

 

[Gare]

This forum is so very lucky to have people with the knowledge as Vferrari and others Thanks again V and others

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Well done V!

 

[Underwonder]

Thank you, vferarri...I am used to White’s’ and wanted to love the Equinox 600 but have tried it a few times and haven’t gotten used to the settings and tones...keep going back to what ai know...I’ll have to keep trying and give it more time I guess. I precise your detail!

 

[Underwonder]

Thank you, vferarri...I am used to White’s’ and wanted to love the Equinox 600 but have tried it a few times and haven’t gotten used to the settings and tones...keep going back to what ai know...I’ll have to keep trying and give it more time I guess. I precise your detail!

Should read “I appreciate your detail”.

 

[ctdirtdigger]

Thanks for the valuable information, all in one place !! I'm going to print it out and keep with my manual.