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Metal Detecting Discussions => Metal Detecting Discussions => Topic started by: carling2 on February 29, 2020, 06:56:29 PM



Title: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on February 29, 2020, 06:56:29 PM
Well I've been detecting almost 20 years now and today I took the equinox for the 1st time out on a new field and I must say I haven't got a clue what the hype is about. I've used the se for years and after 4 hours detecting I was wishing I took that out instead. Yes it does get uncomftable maybe because of the balance yes I was digging loads of targets but I wouldn't have quessed any targets were hammereds if they jumped out the hole and into my face.. Tone id was the same sound ( a bit like sooty and sweep having a orgasm) even though most numbers were different and obviously different metals( coins lead, tin, iron bolts etc)  all sound the same but with different numbers.example coins have the same numbers as tiny bits of lead and bits of tin so the tone doesn't help nor do the nunbers. Do I think I will find more with the nox? Nope but I bet I will dig a load more rubbish.. Decided to keep nox as back up and stick to a machine that at least gives you a idea what is below.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Val Beechey on February 29, 2020, 08:54:50 PM
What you have failed to realise is the NOX is a completely new beast.
It has to be learned from scratch. You can’t do that in one outing. 
It can be an ‘out of the box’ machine but it’s basically set up more for the USA users so to get the best out of it here requires a few changes to the settings.

I won’t preach, you’ve obviously made up your mind that you’ve wasted £900.  Horses and water come to mind.



Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on February 29, 2020, 09:38:14 PM
Do you work for minelab or just like to be condescending? I took setting from a forum( UK)  and ran past them with 800 users I know settings were fine.. It was my personnel view on the 800 we all have different tastes some might agree some may not. Some may have advice or ideas.. Horses for courses. Thinking more like different strokes for different folks... After being on this site over 10 years I can see why it's never been so quiet.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Greg on February 29, 2020, 10:04:00 PM
With all due respect, I think you may need to spend some time reading the manual, you may be inadvertently be using single tone.
There are a number of options, single tone; two tone; five tone or 50 tones. You can also configure the tone pitch for each tone and you can set you own break points e.g. -9 to +1, 2 to 8, 9 to 15 etc. Whatever suits your hearing.
Don’t give up it’s a good machine but so is the SE and I would not like to live on the difference.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 01, 2020, 12:15:40 AM
Thanks Greg.. After reading through the full 68 page manual and still non the wiser.. I guess this machine ain't for me... Oh well I live in herefordshire and there ain't a lot to find anyhow so I figure my se will do just a good a job. 😉😁


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Val Beechey on March 01, 2020, 03:36:53 AM
I’m not being condescending, I’m being honest and talking from experience.
I have the NOX and I’ve been a member of this Forum for over 10 years !

One session and one attempt at changing settings isn’t enough to condemn any machine. The NOX is a complicated machine to configure I won’t deny. One setting may not suit all but it can, with patience, trail & error become the best machine anyone could wish for.

But, after all, it’s your decision. It just offends an advocate to see such quick criticism of a now accepted top of the range machine.



Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 01, 2020, 03:44:15 PM
Well thanks to my mate Mr h  coming and putting his settings on my machine I didn't dig any iron today but still dug a load of rubbish yes it's a good machine but still everything sounds the same tin. Lead. Coins etc so I'm not convinced yet and think people find more good finds with it as a law of averages more targets you dig more chance of something decent and with the nox you dig everything


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Val Beechey on March 01, 2020, 08:34:56 PM
I have to admit the tones were my only disappointment when I had mine.
 I was expecting the usual melodic sounds I’d had with the Safari. (And the one I hated and can’t remember the name of)
As already said the tone pitch can be changed (not tried) and the tone break. I did change the break because I’d seen others had found thin hammies as low as 1 on the screen.
I couldn’t discern any difference in the tone between -9 up to about 12, hence the change.
The numbers are nothing like any of the previous Minelab, so don’t put too much faith in them.  Best to use 50 tones, if you can stand it (noisy) or 5, my favourite, and get used to them. Detect by ear only using the numbers as back up.
Pleased to hear you’re half way to liking it. Stick with it, you won’t be disappointed and given a bit of time you won’t dig a fraction of the rubbish 👍


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 01, 2020, 11:23:13 PM
Cheers val I'm sure I wil get used to the tones sooner or later (or not😁) 1st outing I tried 50 tones (didn't like that) last outing 5 tones which I found more stable.. Is it my ears cause when I tried 50 tones or 5 I couldn't figure any difference between them just as said 5 tones appeared more stable, after looking on the Web a lot of people are struggling with tone Id as I say yep great machine if you want to dig everything not so good if your a coin shooter type of detectorist.   


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: probono on March 03, 2020, 03:37:59 PM
I have the NOX 800, and a CTX and an ETRAC. I've been using Minelabs for 12 years.

Since I bought the Nox last year, I looked at a lot of Youtube videos to get it set up, and to understand the tones - at least the settings that I had put in (in Field 2).

It's already found me a gold hammy, my first two cut quarters (short cross and voided long cross), my first cut half (last week) and an axe head, most of which was in fields I've been looking at with my ETRAC for most of that time. [mind you I have found gold hammies with the SE Pro I used to have].

Where I haven't found a good lot of settings for it yet have been in a very iron infested area on one field - I'd still much rather the ETRAC there, as I am much more comfortable to input the correct settings for it - it was just too sparky (despite adjusting recovery speed etc). I've also found that I am digging up a lot more big iron than I used to with the ETRAC - which is annoying, but at least it is clearing that stuff out of the fields.

I also didn't have much luck on the beach - but then I haven't there with the ETRAC either.

What I do like - and which took some time to get used to was the 'horseshoe' setting - to see if something is iron as it quickly turns on or off discrim (of a sort).


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 03, 2020, 04:45:17 PM
I've found loads with the se over the years axe heads hammereds by the handful (full, halves quaters and the foreign jobs blind John of bohemia springs to mind)  milled gold coins hammered gold etc but never dug this much rubbish as I have with the nox.. I ve had 7 hammereds this year and 4 milled but been to the same fields with the nox on 3 separate occasions now and found nowt but rubbish and plenty of it..  Yes nox does find what others leave behind but I'm telling myself the stuff I'm finding with the nox I would gladly leave behind 😁(yes I know some of you have found this and that with the nox but that still ain't saying you wouldn't have found it with another machine) Defo looking forward to taking the se back out next outing and stashing the nox in the tectin cupboard. Believe it or not I'm still not saying the equinox is a bad machine I'm saving mine solely for detecting arable floodplains where targets are few and stuff is deep then I think the nox will shine.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Val Beechey on March 03, 2020, 04:46:57 PM
Field 2 is sparky and also picks up coke, making it even more noisy.
 Most have tended to go with Field 1. Recovery 4. Iron bias 1.b
It works well on the beach as well.
Horse shoe is a great feature.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: probono on March 04, 2020, 11:16:21 PM
Field 2 is sparky and also picks up coke, making it even more noisy.
 Most have tended to go with Field 1. Recovery 4. Iron bias 1.b
It works well on the beach as well.
Horse shoe is a great feature.

Do you have some good beach settings - I used the standard beach ones on Barry a few weeks ago, and at some point it just started sounding off, and even ground balancing it didn't help - I thought it had broken  - but it seems fine on land again....it was a very windy and wet day with lots of blown sand.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Val Beechey on March 06, 2020, 01:50:45 AM
Hi Roland. If it does that the best option is to reduces the sens till it settles and noise cancel more often.
Personally I continue to use field 1, even on the beach, and it’s just as good as the beach program.
Being lazy, plus I can’t save settings on the 600 so if I change programs I loose what I’ve selected for the field and I can never remember what they were.
I’ll send you a PM


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 20, 2020, 08:43:11 PM
OK I've gad the nox for 3 weeks now and in that time I've had 4 hammereds and 2 milled silver and lots of artifacts and coins.. I think now after 3 weeks I've got over my learning curve and am actually impressed with the nox.. I wish to retract my previous posts that were full of uncertainty 😁😁


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: roughneck on March 20, 2020, 10:38:59 PM
Well done on the finds Carling, and for getting used to the Nox in a few weeks.  So what's your favourite settings?  Anything you'd like to share with other newcomers to the Nox.  And what about posting some stories and photos of your finds.  We're all interested to hear and see what other detectorists are unearthing. Great stuff!!  Cheers.  Tom


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 20, 2020, 10:56:41 PM
Hi mate well I wasn't convinced at 1st about the nox after using a se for years. But after some moaning 😁I stuck with it and I'm glad i did 3 weeks in and after digging loads of assorted junk  I sussed what I should be listening to  and to read the Id numbers (i use detecting sids ancient site program it is on YouTube)I quickly figured out to dig stable tones and stable numbers ( if you've got stable tones and numbers it's usually something good, the response is good and it's a deep machine that does not miss a lot, would love to post pics of coins etc but this site ain't easy to post pics but had 2 half groats of lizzy and Edward and a couple of eddy penny's several roman grots plenty of other coinage and also today a partifact of a silver decorated buckle + loads more odds and sods...not bad at all for 3 weeks) Yes I will keep using the nox😊👍


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Val Beechey on March 21, 2020, 08:22:19 AM
 ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D.  Can’t resist it  ::). Told you so  ;)


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 21, 2020, 08:40:44 AM
Yea yea 😁😁😁


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: Greg on March 21, 2020, 10:07:00 AM
Glad you are getting to grips with it, I still think you will dig more rubbish than the SE, but the truth is it misses very little.
But don’t get rid of the SE it’s one of the greats.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 21, 2020, 10:49:07 AM
Cheers mate I know I dig more junk with the nox  but you have to use your noodle a bit and decide to dig or not on the info provided. Nice clear tones and stable numbers is the best way to dig less junk.. As for the se.. No mate I shall keep it I now have 5 detecters including a se and a se Pro.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 21, 2020, 04:06:44 PM
Correction now 7 hammereds with the nox both farthings eddy and lizzy from today and Henry cut half (makes 14 in total so far for year)


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: probono on March 23, 2020, 02:46:35 PM
You are doing well with the hammereds :)

I've only managed one cut half this year - my only hammered so far - but I've never found one before and it was on the usual, empty, farm so I was happy.

Do you ever bump into Steve Wood up there? I thought he'd left the place Emptyford rather than Hereford :D

Managed to get out with the Nox yesterday - in South Glos - but I'd set up two new (to me) programs on Field 1 and 2 - I'm sure I have made it worse in a way as I was finding it more difficult to tell - even with the horseshoe - whether I had iron or not - some of those iron numbers were super stable, but when all you are digging from a field are what looks like bits of scaffolding it's hard to find anything else - if it is there at all :)

What settings are you using currently Carling2?


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 23, 2020, 06:48:50 PM
Hi probono yea Steve woods ( hedgehog) saw him a couple of times round my village tectin I even waived at him when I was tectin and he was tectin a field across the lane the miserable sod didn't wave back.. A few years back I had him for a day on 1 of my permissions and I don't know what machine he uses but I'm finding plenty so like everywhere it's where you go and how much time you put in that counts. Glad to hear you had your 1st cut half. I don't think that's down to the nox as I found loads of halves and quarters with the se, but if your in the right places the nox will find em I'm sure.. I'm still waiting for my better fields and the fact that I'm finding with the nox in land I wasn't sure of speaks volumes. I'm using detecting sids ancient site settings and now I've got over the let's dig loads of junk phase I must say what seemed like rocket science is now pretty clear and I'm well happy with the nox but it isn't a magic wand choose and set a program that works for you and learn and stick with that there's loads of info out there but why make life more complicated than is ( my rule of thumb dig  everything 8-40 as long as its a steady signal but maybe + or - 2 figures either side of the target signal)  I might be missing stuff but yesterday as well as the cut half I found a 3mm piece of silver link ( looks like a tiny book clasp) so I don't think I'm missing much and I'm digging way less junk. Again I  think Hereford is far from empty I've been on this site over 10 years been tectin almost 20  on this site I've been paulywow, nfl, monkeman, and carling and found loads in the past (was it you or dragons breath that once brought a rare 2 headed dinari off me?) and as you can see I'm still finding... Its all about where you go and how often as said even these days when it's hard getting permissions and lots of land is hunted out I just spent years getting thousands of acres which I still use.hh mate.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: probono on March 24, 2020, 11:34:44 AM
I'm pretty sure it was me who bought that denarius - Claudius  / Agrippina - I still have it (was looking at it yesterday actually) :)..

Hedgehog can be a bit grumpy some times :) but he's also a good chap who has been very helpful to me over the years. It was him who said I'd never find a hammy with a Minelab, and then five minutes later found my first ever hammy :)

I should have found cut halves before - or indeed any kind of shortcross, but I think a lot of it is the land I am on - the farm I mostly go to has been abandoned by all the other detectorists as being too quiet - and to be fair it is - but I still find enough stuff to keep me interested. I am disappointed with the Glos perm - there's been 1 denarius, 1 Lizzie shilling and 1 gold crown - which are good finds - it's just there isn't anything else there, and I'm thinking that despite ridge and furrow in places and a shrunken village, that it's probably been mostly a sheep place for millennia. I am finding really small metal fragments - it would just be nice if they were something other than junk or bullets :)

Thanks for letting me know what you use - I'd initially set the Nox up using the same program as yours - on the weekend I tried out two others from other forums. I'm sure the numbers do change a bit   - the cut quarters I got last year were coming in at 5 or 6, although generally I'm finding I'm getting foil in that region. I'm also starting to gauge the size and shape of the object by how stable the numbers are and the size of the signal as a sweep over it, though the thing still gets a bit confused over some nails I find.

Anyway, I'm thinking of doing a factory re-set and then put in the Detecting Sid program again - I've 'upgraded' to v2 of the software, so just have to understand the new controls a bit better!

Happy Hunting


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on March 24, 2020, 01:00:09 PM
Hi probono so it was you with the dinari then.... Yes mate as I've said before permissions are very hard to get now but the guys that are finding regular are the 1s sticking to there usual permissions.... I rarely get new perms now cause what usually happens you get 1 you go and find next to nowt but someone that as been doing that particular farm knows where the hotspots are and the finds history so I prefer to stick to what I've got... I know I'm a novice with the nox but I think your looking at it the same as me use a good program( sids is good) and just get used to it it does not take long and pretty soon the machine and signals are easy to read then you find that good finds will come regular and you will dig less junk.. Hh mate.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: outlaw on April 29, 2020, 09:16:45 PM
I thought there was a lock down applied to detecting for the whole of UK ??


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on April 30, 2020, 08:34:53 AM
Hi dave ain't got a clue what your on about mate as many are out detecting,, as for this post nowhere does it say anybody been detecting and even if it does look at the dates,, these comments were posted before the ncmd issued non detecting guidence. Besides I'm a member of f. I. D😁


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: outlaw on May 01, 2020, 08:56:09 PM
Carling2

NCMD issued blanket ban before March 24th ???

Fid I believe has said that they weren't going to issue a statement other than advise members to heed government advice, metal detecting isn't essential. Stay at home save lives ! The blanket ban on metal detecting is to stop the spread of covid 19 virus, as well you know  :D

None of us know if we might be carrying virus so could easily infect farmers / people detecting with you using gates etc that are opened or closed.

I am a member of both !

I went into Brecon today B & N stores to do shopping, the car park was nearly full and no one waiting outside in any queue !
I reckon Wales will hit a new high with virus if majority don't get real about risks ! ( I did not shop, wasn't prepared to risk it LOL )

I hope you take care and stay safe !


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on May 01, 2020, 11:18:18 PM
The last time I mentioned finds on this post was mar 21st..so your point is? As for this virus I had my test on tues and it came back negative so I ain't got it 😁 to be fair this whole virus and the so called tectin ban is a crock,, there's loads out tectin ( you would be surprised who told me there still tectin) I even told ncmd chairman that I may be out tectin soon.. As for the ncmd banning tectin OK great and everyone jumping on the bandwagon by stay home don't go out and detecting is just a hobby,, well if the ncmd manage to get the ban lifted which they are trying to do, then everyone will be out but the virus will remain and restrictions will still be in place,, so this stay home save lifes rubbish is just a holier than thou gig at the moment by the tectin community,,, and at the end of the day it ain't up to the gov or any detecting body to say when and if detecting can resume, it's up to the landowners and as we all know we've had weeks of stay away from farms etc,,, now beacuse of the ncmd trying to lift the ban it just seems two faced and they wasn't thinking of the farming community at all and that goes for the stay at home brigade as well..just trying to serve there own needs without thinking of the virus all of a sudden.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: outlaw on May 02, 2020, 06:54:15 AM
I think your missing the point !
Most of us have not been tested, just because some have, doesn't mean that the lock down applies to only those that wish to act responsibly.

Metal detecting isn't a nescesary journey. If anyone injuries themselves or have a collision enroute, you involve emergency services that are required else where !
We have an ambulance driver in our Brecon club, who keeps us all informed of the many covid patients he is transporting, to a number of hospitals !. I am 67yrs, had a stroke recently, I don't want to catch the virus, the lock down is designed to stop the spread of the virus.

I am amazed at the number of detectorists who all want to justify metal detecting as if the virus and spread of it doesn't apply to them.

The biggest problem if people are ignoring the advice of the NCMD now, its quite safe to assume the same people have no regard for the safety of everyone else around them with regard to covid 19.

These artefacts been in ground for 100's of years a couple of months isn't going to hurt you,spreading the virus will.

If the NCMD manages to get the ban lifted that would be great for ALL of us, and yes the virus might still be here, but even if the ban is lifted, detectorists would be expected to keep safe distances away from each other, and watch that the landowners are safe as well !

Not to look on the black side, and I do hope I am wrong, but after seeing a carpark full in Brecon store and all were inside the store, there's a likely going to be a second wave of virus spreading in Wales and further lock downs.

I am not picking a fight or standing on a soap box.

Why do you think the police are stopping people from going on closed foot paths and scenic destinations ? Some land owners agree with the ban others don't see the harm, the NFU needs to inform the landowners of the dangers.

Ive advised our members in line with NCMD and FID that metal detecting is on hold until further notice !

Its up to the individual in the end how they wish to proceed.


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on May 02, 2020, 08:18:03 AM
I haven't been tectin,, you seem to be presuming a lot,, ( from detectorists practicing distancing to keeping the farmers safe) and to be fair you sound a little two faced going on about not detecting but will be out even though the virus will still be around just beacuse a couple of people say you can, topic title NOX 800 ( you ain't mentioned it yet, get off the soap box)


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: outlaw on May 02, 2020, 09:39:33 AM
 ;D

Yeah off soap box !

I did not intend to make any personal digs at you. We all are entitled to our view on this controversial subject. and apologies for going off topic !

I bought a nox 800 had it 2yrs now, I still have not got the faith coming from a Deus and se pro. When its tipping down with rain out comes the nox. Lovely sunny days out comes Deus or if I have a harness my se pro with 15" wot coil.

Down in dorset last year, with nox after playing about with settings pulled out a piece of lead about 14-15" deep, and  later quite as deep a button. But but Deus and se will do that.

Your comment on a previous post about sticking to original permissions holds true, we all to a degree think the grass greener over a fence !

When really if you've bin finding on a given farm, chances are there is still a lot more to find just by putting nose to ground and take more time.

You probably see detectorists like me, on rallies got to other side of field before you've got 20yds lol

What I liked about nox, water proof !  Whereas Deus or se is not, maybe a tad lighter not sure on that count.

Minelab did well to bounce back with the nox,  ;D


Title: Re: Equinox 800
Post by: carling2 on May 02, 2020, 10:29:50 AM
No worries mate, did send ya a pm and no offence taken, I know this time is winding a few people up and I'm only hoping the same as you I suppose that we all come out the other side of this with our sanity intact😬😬


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