Relic hunting with the 15" coil

[Dan(NM)]

I got my 15" coil yesterday just in time for a planned hunt today at a fort dating back to 1851. The morning started off slow because I deviated from my plan and I kinda just wandered around for the first 3 hours without much to show for it. Around noon I finally went to spot and started gridding like I normally do and it started to pay off. The normal stuff began to come to light, percussion caps, lead, trouser buttons and a few odds and ends. At the end off the day I scored my first ever Dragoon button and within 20 minutes or so, hit my second!! I did manage a 3rd button, but I don't have a positive ID yet. It looks to be a one piece, which I believe predates the Dragoons.



My take on the coil.....

I found that I was hitting as small of items as I have with the 11" coil at this site which was impressive! The weight's not that bad, I kept the coil close to my feet and was able to swing it for 7 1/2 hours before switching over to the 11" I think If I would have stopped for lunch, I could have swung it the entire time. The extra coverage was a much needed bonus at this place as it's huge and the sensitivity to small items was icing on the cake. I'll probably use the 15" coil here more often than not as it performed wonderfully.



My settings....

Park 2

15" coil

2-tones

6-recovery

0-iron bias

0-ground balnace

22-sensitivity

Tone break -9 to +8

I tried running a recovery speed of 4, but, due to amount of junk I'd hit with each swing, I bumped it up to 6 which seemed to work just fine.

 

[PryorCreekJoe]

Nice score on the Dragoons. Love seeing that "D" in the center of the shield. The 15 inches seems just as sensitive as the 11 to me and get about 1 to 2 inches more in depth in my soil plus the additional coverage. That's a win, win, win. Congrats on the digs!

 

[Greg (E.Tn)]

I'd like to ask about your setting of '0' for Ground Balance. Why 0, other than it's a default setting?

I'm having a hard time getting comfortable with the Equinox's Ground Balance circuitry. I vary manually ground balancing and using the auto feature, because my ear has a hard time determining when I have the GB set too low or too high. I know how to do it, it's just that my ear has a hard time discerning where the neutral point is where the machine is properly ground balanced.

Also, sometimes I will manually GB, note the number on the screen, then switch to auto and see if I get anything near the same number. Sometimes I do that the opposite way---Auto GB, check the number, then see what number comes up when I manually GB .

Most times, the numbers are nowhere near the same, but so far, nothing has happened that makes me think the GB is off so far that depth is affected.

Anyway, congrats on the finds. Love the Dragoon buttons. I only have one.

 

[metalpopper]

I'd like to ask about your setting of '0' for Ground Balance. Why 0, other than it's a default setting?

I'm having a hard time getting comfortable with the Equinox's Ground Balance circuitry. I vary manually ground balancing and using the auto feature, because my ear has a hard time determining when I have the GB set too low or too high. I know how to do it, it's just that my ear has a hard time discerning where the neutral point is where the machine is properly ground balanced.

Also, sometimes I will manually GB, note the number on the screen, then switch to auto and see if I get anything near the same number. Sometimes I do that the opposite way---Auto GB, check the number, then see what number comes up when I manually GB .

Most times, the numbers are nowhere near the same, but so far, nothing has happened that makes me think the GB is off so far that depth is affected.

Anyway, congrats on the finds. Love the Dragoon buttons. I only have one.

********************************************************​

Why don't you follow the advice of the manual???????????????????????/

Just switch in AUTO GB when in multi-frequency mode, and hunt.......The NOX will take care of the ground......matt

p.s. I do understand the problem of hearing difficulties, and manually trying to GB (moi ausie).....but please just stick to AUTO-GB, and you won't be 'let-down' by your NOX.

p.p.s. Manual GB is more useful in SINGLE-FREQUENCY MODES.

 

[Greg (E.Tn)]

However, I will keep your advice in mind.

Thanks for the input.

 

[5900_XL-1]

IF YOU ARE HUNTING IN MULTI, THE MANUAL SAYS NO GB IS NEEDED! That is the manual.

 

[Greg (E.Tn)]

I wonder why multi would require no GB but running in single frequency does?

Maybe someone with more experience than I have can explain this.

Thanks for the input, amigo.

 

[Jason in Enid]

I wonder why multi would require no GB but running in single frequency does?

Maybe someone with more experience than I have can explain this.

Thanks for the input, amigo.

because thats the design of Minelab's multi-freq detectors. When its analyzing the ground through multiple frequencies it can separate out the "ground component" without needing a ground balance change. Thats why the manual says to leave the GB alone unless you have very bad soil (bad enough that you are getting responses from bare ground). In a single frequency mode, it has nothing else to compare to.

 

[Greg (E.Tn)]

n/t

 

[CCadrin]

I ground balance all the time. IMO there is a difference between 'need' or 'you don't have too' to 'best practice'.

 

[5900_XL-1]

I ground balance all the time. IMO there is a difference between 'need' or 'you don't have too' to 'best practice'.

Multi?

 

[goodmore]

Be careful when you use auto tracking. Don't be one of those guys that circles the target watching numbers forever. The target will track out.

 

[coin-star]

Thanks for posting some news about the 15" coil. I got the 6"and really like it, so the 15" is on my list of things to get over the summer.

I got one of the after market shafts carbon fiber shafts that can have counterweight added on the back, so I might have to put that on the list too.

-CS