Don’t forget the BASICS!

[IDXMonster]

Especially new detectorists who will be using the EQ as their first machine,or guys coming to Minelab for the first time...sizing,repetitiveness of signal,fairly stable numbers,etc. I for one have made the mistake of screaming into a site with a different machine and finding zilch. Site location and proper technique are always paramount in getting honest results of performance! Those of us who will be waiting awhile for an EQ will want to see honest results. Good luck to those who are first in line!

 

[jas415]

True, this is not 'new' territory, learn the machine. It actually is just another metal detector with improvements in features. The task of the user is to learn and understand the basics, buttons, knobs, limits, capabilities, etc., and then to apply that in some sort of 'plan' while detecting. So many 'I want to metal detect' buyers seem to think they will be able to buy the absolute best machine out there and unpack it, go to the local park, turn it on and instantly find gold and silver jewelry. They will inevitably be disappointed.

Over the next few weeks the real detecting folks, with the 10-40 years of detecting experience under their belts, will 'figure out' the E and some will pass on their discoveries. And we will have dozens of 'Go Pro' users post to You Tube with their unpacking and assembling, how to turn it on, what a coil is, air tests, first field hunts, etc.. And most of those will be useless as far as settings and actually being able to find anything. Then after a few weeks or months, some of the old heads will start to post about, "If you turn that feature on and select a setting of ---", then we start to learn about the machine. There will also be dozens of folks quietly selling the machine as they discover metal detecting is a waste of time as they never find anything.

Anyway, I am looking forward to getting the E and heading to my test gardens.

 

[sgoss66]

Wow -- some actual, productive discussion!

Thanks gents.

Yep, it will be interesting to watch how the next several weeks unfold. As IDX said, good luck to those who are about to receive the first Equinoxes. Meanwhile, jas415, you are right -- it will be a little while, and then some good questions, advice, and maybe even some nice finds will be posted to the forum. Meanwhile, there will probably be plenty of the other, as well -- new, and/or impatient detectorists, who don't fill their pouch with treasure after one or two hunts with the new "magic machine," and they decide "this thing is junk" and dumping it.

I am looking forward to hearing from some actual, experienced users once they get some time under their belts with the Equinox. Should be fun!

Steve

 

[Rick(ND)]

I like this post and response to it as it tells it like it really is and agree 100%. This is why as a ex dealer I didnt sell a lot of detectors as I told them the fact about what you have to go though to find what is shown on TV and read in the forums. My biggest example was fishing and if they could go out all day and didnt catch anything and would you be ready to go the next day and go again only to maybe get a couple of small fish. Then be ready the next day to go out again to try to find the spot where they are catching the fish. If you cant do that then your detector may spend most of its life in the closet.
I still do feel as I said before that the Equinox will be released close to March 1, but a few dealers may get 1 to display this next week, but I been wrong before so let hope Minelab gets more sent out so more get out there in the hands of those that are determined detectorist . My other prediction is someone will have a Equinox for sale with in 10 days after they get it as it is not what they expected.
After 5 weeks after I became a dealer for Minelab back in 96 in order to get a Minelab Sovereign I was ready to sell my Sovereign as I didnt like it, but most those that were doing good with it said take your time to learn it as it will be worth it. Then the light came on and it started to be the best Detector I have ever used with so many finds from well worked areas, just took time and patience and sure glad I never gave up. I hope the Equinox will do as well for me as it will be lighter so I wont wear out as fast as I dont have the time but still has the patience to learn it well.

I sure wish it was as easy as it shows on TV and find what they are finding, but then again everyone would want to try and keep their detector so there will be less for those that want to spend the time to get to know and understand detecting Forgot about all those unfilled plug from those that dont learn how to retrieve targets.

Good luck

Rick

 

[cjc]

Great post IDX. I just did a book on the CTX emphasizing the same thing. Even with a machine like the CTX--it's basics that give you the accuracy and performance in tough conditions. It's great to see that in build and instructions a lot of these things have been addressed in the EQ. No Auto Sens for one. There's no such thing as "push button detecting. It's when you bring a pulse hunter's skills set to a machine like the CTX or EQ that your effectiveness really takes off. IMHO the more advanced you want to be in your hunt methods the greater the reliance on simple basics.

 

[pasttom]

Love your books Clive! Yes, the CTX can be a real challenge for newer users and the non-tech minded. The factory reset and great default settings are often overlooked for those who get frustrated and don't have a good book to help! I am expecting the 'Nox will be much easier for everyone to use effectively, but I'll still buy your book on it.

 

[Tony N (Michigan)]

Especially new detectorists who will be using the EQ as their first machine,or guys coming to Minelab for the first time...sizing,repetitiveness of signal,fairly stable numbers,etc. I for one have made the mistake of screaming into a site with a different machine and finding zilch. Site location and proper technique are always paramount in getting honest results of performance! Those of us who will be waiting awhile for an EQ will want to see honest results. Good luck to those who are first in line!

[size=medium]And for new users, don't forget to make a coin garden with coins planted at different depths.
Your soil may be vastly different than someone else's. So what might work great for them may not work as good for you using their settings.[/size]

 

[IDXMonster]

Especially new detectorists who will be using the EQ as their first machine,or guys coming to Minelab for the first time...sizing,repetitiveness of signal,fairly stable numbers,etc. I for one have made the mistake of screaming into a site with a different machine and finding zilch. Site location and proper technique are always paramount in getting honest results of performance! Those of us who will be waiting awhile for an EQ will want to see honest results. Good luck to those who are first in line!

And for new users, don't forget to make a coin garden with coins planted at different depths.
Your soil may be vastly different than someone else's. So what might work great for them may not work as good for you using their settings.

Exactly Tony. Not only does a coin garden allow you to test for max depth and other factors,but if you can, it’s not a bad idea to use it regularly just to make sure something hasn’t gone south with a coil,cable,etc. What you said about “YOUR settings maybe not working in MY area” type thing...very true! Each person has to learn “setup” for themselves depending on every condition imaginable. This has turned out to VERY relevant to me!

 

[finnfoto]

I have to agree . I still think the soverign and fisher cz are 2 units that will be hard to not perform with.

 

[NormS]

Use it for 100 hours to learn it because if you try some of the things you read about the experienced detector veterans are doing you will just confuse yourself