Received my new Equinox 600 today

[CreakyDigger]

Thanks for the tips!

 

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[McKinney_5900]

I don't doubt what you are saying at all if your ground is mild. It doesn't really affect performance in disc mode, unlike with other detectors. I know that on dry sand on my beaches, GB balances to zero. However, in mineralized ground (basically where I do 90% of my detecting), if you do not GB then ground noise overwhelms horseshoe mode and makes it unusable. Even in mineralized ground, it is not something you would really notice if you never use no disc/horseshoe mode - but I use it often (to find iron concentrations indicative of old building sites and to reduce clipping of non-ferrous targets that have a ferrous signal component due to depth or corrosion).

Doing an Auto GB/ground grab is just part of my normal Equinox startup routine just as noise cancelling, regardless of the site. Like I said, there is no down side to doing an auto GB, even if the GB returns a zero. It only takes a few seconds.

There is a downside if you pick a target rich location and don't scrutinize a perfect, clean spot.

 

[MackDog]

I have both 600/800. Awesome machines. Make sure you have updated to version 3 software. Run in 50 tones and as high sensitivity as you can stand. Swing low and slow. Scrape the ground and goe as slow as it takes for each target to give you a good tone. For deep items the tone is key because it will pretty much remain the same. The VDI?s will jump more with depth because your are at the end of the coils range. Good luck and put the time in to learn how to use your detector you be surprised

 

[CreakyDigger]

I have both 600/800. Awesome machines. Make sure you have updated to version 3 software. Run in 50 tones and as high sensitivity as you can stand. Swing low and slow. Scrape the ground and goe as slow as it takes for each target to give you a good tone. For deep items the tone is key because it will pretty much remain the same. The VDI?s will jump more with depth because your are at the end of the coils range. Good luck and put the time in to learn how to use your detector you be surprised

How do you check/update the software? The only connection I've had to my computer is the port to charge the battery.

 

[Sandcrab]

How do you check/update the software? The only connection I've had to my computer is the port to charge the battery.

Equinox Software update.

 

[CreakyDigger]

Equinox Software update.

Thank you!

 

[vferrari]

There is a downside if you pick a target rich location and don't scrutinize a perfect, clean spot.

Yep, you're right, there's always a downside if you do a GB (or anything else) the wrong way, that's true. But that's not really a valid argument against routinely doing a GB. Like I said, if you royally mess it up all it will do is cause ground noise in horseshoe mode or coil bump sensitivity. The solution is just do another GB. On the other hand if I don't do a GB when I should have, then Horseshoe mode is unusable due to the ground noise. That is definitive operational downside, unless you never use no discrimination.
Then not a big deal either way.

Besides, Equinox is pretty good at ignoring legit targets and focusing on the mineralization influenced ground phase during an auto or manual GB - it's looking for changes in mineralization, not targets during a GB. Unless you are trying to GB over a high strength (shallow or large) ferrous target, Equinox does a fine job balancing. I've done it just to see if I can throw it off with and without a ferrous or non-ferrous target under the coil, and really see no difference unless the target strength or target footprint is large. Like I said previously, less experienced detectorists can be fooled into thinking the spurious ground noise readings you get when the machine is not ground balanced in noisy soil, represent actual ferrous targets and then claim they can't find a clean spot to GB. I simply use pinpoint mode to verify there is no significant target under the coil, and then do an auto GB. So there really shouldn't be an excuse not to routinely do one unless you can't spare the 15 to 30 seconds to do it. JMO.

 

[crashbandicoot]

All this is great info.I plan on getting either the 600 or 800 soon and I,m learning a great deal here as I always do.Thanks for the help guys,this is a great site with helpful and friendly folks.

 

[McKinney_5900]

All this is great info.I plan on getting either the 600 or 800 soon and I,m learning a great deal here as I always do.Thanks for the help guys,this is a great site with helpful and friendly folks.

If your hunt grounds will be in Arkansas, the 800 is over priced for your needs. jm2c

 

[crashbandicoot]

If your hunt grounds will be in Arkansas, the 800 is over priced for your needs. jm2c

Kinda what I was thinking,we don,t have much mineralized soil here where I live,lots and lots of loam and buckshot,what cajuns call gumbo.Tons of sandbars along the rivers.Thanks for the advice,I,ll heed that!

 

[pulltabfelix]

going after coins if you don't have a lot of trash use 4kHz else use multi in park1 or park2.
hint: read the manual carefully. Lots of info there especially if you have a good background in metal detecting.

 

[CreakyDigger]

going after coins if you don't have a lot of trash use 4kHz else use multi in park1 or park2.
hint: read the manual carefully. Lots of info there especially if you have a good background in metal detecting.

I printed off the manual the other day and am taking it to read while on a trip over the next two weeks. So far I've just run it in Park1 with air & ground balance. Haven't fiddled with anything else yet. Only have about 5 hours in.

I do have extensive experience with the old big box White's Eagle II...but it has been a good 30 years since I was active.

 

[vferrari]

Kinda what I was thinking,we don,t have much mineralized soil here where I live,lots and lots of loam and buckshot,what cajuns call gumbo.Tons of sandbars along the rivers.Thanks for the advice,I,ll heed that!

The difference between the 600 and 800 is not bad ground handling capability, they are basically equivalent in that regard. The main difference is in the greater degree and precision to which you can adjust recovery speed and iron bias, the ability to assign different tone pitches to non-ferrous targets, and of course the gold modes (which I use a lot for relic hunting, they are not exclusive to gold prospecting). All that being said, I agree that the 600 is a great value and will get the job done under 99% of the situations you would ever encounter, with the exception being unusually high density junk target situations where the 800 might separate a tad better with the slightly higher recovery speed and access to 20 and 40 khz single frequency. HTH.

 

[MackDog]

How do you check/update the software? The only connection I've had to my computer is the port to charge the battery.

Plug the other end of the chartering chord into the usb of the a computer. Go to Minelab site and follow directions