AirmetTango
Forum Supporter
...I’m just not quite sure what I’ve learned yet
In an effort to teach myself a little more about how the various settings on the Equinox work and interplay with each other, I’ve been doing some experimenting on my last few hunts with different modes and settings, and cross-checking targets in the wild before digging.
I was hunting a curb strip earlier today, primarily hunting in a modified Park 1 and cross-checking certain targets in a modified Field 2 using the stock coil (I’ll detail the settings of each mode below). As I hunted, I was finding that both programs where able to hit all of the compared targets regardless of depth and with similar VDI numbers. But to my ear, the Field 2 program seemed to add a little stability to each of the signals. It’s hard to describe in words, but the tones just sounded smoother and the VDI seemed less jumpy. Admittedly, that may just be comfort and familiarity bias - I’ve been using Field 2 set up in a similar way a lot in my farm field permissions lately.
But then about 1.5 hours into the hunt I got over a nearly perfect sounding 25-26 tone while swinging in the Park 1 program. I switched over to my Field 2 program, expecting the same comparison results as the rest of the day...and I was astounded to hear absolute junk! Numbers all over the map, and tones to match. I switched back and forth to each mode again, and circled the target each time....Park 1 program said “you MUST dig this target” despite a little variability as I circled, but Field 2 said “there’s absolutely nothing interesting here...don’t waste your time, move along”.
So of course I had to dig it...and from only 5” down, I popped out the 1971 copper memorial cent. Ok, ok...I know some of you are saying Field 2 was right But this could easily have been a keeper target that the Field 2 program was about to have me walk over without a second thought. Sure, that happens sometimes, but it’s a real head scratcher when Park 1 was not fooled at all and emphatically said “DIG”. To my eye, the settings aren’t too drastically different. In Field 2’s defense, rooting around in the hole a little more turned up a piece of trash that rings up as a mid-tone so there was definitely some pollution in the hole that clearly was affecting the signal. But the Park 1 program almost ignored it.
This is the first and only target I’ve encountered with such a drastic reporting difference between two modes in my limited time actively comparing signals. For the rest of the hunt today, all subsequent signals went back to comparing reasonably well.
So here are the settings (hopefully it will format ok):
Mode: Park 1
Noise Cancel (auto): 9
GB: 0
Volume: 25
(T1) 2
(T2) 25
Target Tones: 50
(T1) 1
(T2) 25
Accept/Reject: -9 to 0
(T1) -9 to 0
(T2) 1 to 40
Recovery: 6
Iron Bias: 2
Threshold: 0
Mode: Field 2
Noise Cancel (auto): -8
GB: 22
Volume: 25
(T1) 1
(T2) 25
Target Tones: 50
(T1) 1
(T2) 25
Accept/Reject: -9 to 2
(T1) -9 to 2
(T2) 3 to 40
Recovery: 5
Iron Bias: 1
Threshold: 0
Other than the obvious mode difference, the only major difference is ground balance, which admittedly was a mistake. I intended to have both machines at 0, but accidentally left Field 2 on its ground balance from earlier in the hunt and didn’t discover the difference until later. Hard to imagine the ground balance would make that big of a difference - plus Field 2 was the one actually balanced to the site anyway, so you would think it had the edge! There are also some minor differences in recovery speed and iron bias, but it’s doubtful either of those created the situation.
Anyway, I guess I’m looking for ideas on what others think might have caused such a big difference between the two modes. I have been absolutely in love with Field 2 in my farm fields, but it looks like it might be worth my while to re-hunt in Park 1!
Here’s some shots of the offending Memorial cent (yep, I cleaned it! Wanted to see if there was any pitting or corrosion that might explain the different signals) and it’s buddy from the hole:
In an effort to teach myself a little more about how the various settings on the Equinox work and interplay with each other, I’ve been doing some experimenting on my last few hunts with different modes and settings, and cross-checking targets in the wild before digging.
I was hunting a curb strip earlier today, primarily hunting in a modified Park 1 and cross-checking certain targets in a modified Field 2 using the stock coil (I’ll detail the settings of each mode below). As I hunted, I was finding that both programs where able to hit all of the compared targets regardless of depth and with similar VDI numbers. But to my ear, the Field 2 program seemed to add a little stability to each of the signals. It’s hard to describe in words, but the tones just sounded smoother and the VDI seemed less jumpy. Admittedly, that may just be comfort and familiarity bias - I’ve been using Field 2 set up in a similar way a lot in my farm field permissions lately.
But then about 1.5 hours into the hunt I got over a nearly perfect sounding 25-26 tone while swinging in the Park 1 program. I switched over to my Field 2 program, expecting the same comparison results as the rest of the day...and I was astounded to hear absolute junk! Numbers all over the map, and tones to match. I switched back and forth to each mode again, and circled the target each time....Park 1 program said “you MUST dig this target” despite a little variability as I circled, but Field 2 said “there’s absolutely nothing interesting here...don’t waste your time, move along”.
So of course I had to dig it...and from only 5” down, I popped out the 1971 copper memorial cent. Ok, ok...I know some of you are saying Field 2 was right But this could easily have been a keeper target that the Field 2 program was about to have me walk over without a second thought. Sure, that happens sometimes, but it’s a real head scratcher when Park 1 was not fooled at all and emphatically said “DIG”. To my eye, the settings aren’t too drastically different. In Field 2’s defense, rooting around in the hole a little more turned up a piece of trash that rings up as a mid-tone so there was definitely some pollution in the hole that clearly was affecting the signal. But the Park 1 program almost ignored it.
This is the first and only target I’ve encountered with such a drastic reporting difference between two modes in my limited time actively comparing signals. For the rest of the hunt today, all subsequent signals went back to comparing reasonably well.
So here are the settings (hopefully it will format ok):
Mode: Park 1
Noise Cancel (auto): 9
GB: 0
Volume: 25
(T1) 2
(T2) 25
Target Tones: 50
(T1) 1
(T2) 25
Accept/Reject: -9 to 0
(T1) -9 to 0
(T2) 1 to 40
Recovery: 6
Iron Bias: 2
Threshold: 0
Mode: Field 2
Noise Cancel (auto): -8
GB: 22
Volume: 25
(T1) 1
(T2) 25
Target Tones: 50
(T1) 1
(T2) 25
Accept/Reject: -9 to 2
(T1) -9 to 2
(T2) 3 to 40
Recovery: 5
Iron Bias: 1
Threshold: 0
Other than the obvious mode difference, the only major difference is ground balance, which admittedly was a mistake. I intended to have both machines at 0, but accidentally left Field 2 on its ground balance from earlier in the hunt and didn’t discover the difference until later. Hard to imagine the ground balance would make that big of a difference - plus Field 2 was the one actually balanced to the site anyway, so you would think it had the edge! There are also some minor differences in recovery speed and iron bias, but it’s doubtful either of those created the situation.
Anyway, I guess I’m looking for ideas on what others think might have caused such a big difference between the two modes. I have been absolutely in love with Field 2 in my farm fields, but it looks like it might be worth my while to re-hunt in Park 1!
Here’s some shots of the offending Memorial cent (yep, I cleaned it! Wanted to see if there was any pitting or corrosion that might explain the different signals) and it’s buddy from the hole: