Equinox 900, what am I doing wrong?

[HungryGhost]

I run mine on Park 2 most of the time, the only change I make is 5 tones. I’m way too ADD to handle all tones. After two months it’s really starting to click with me. Oh and the horseshoe button is a huge help with falsing iron. Keep at it.

 

[Retiredsailor]

If you are using default discrimination settings it is really hard to identify iron unless you are using the horseshoe button a lot. The same goes for coins that have steel alloy as part of their composition. Try hunting with at least some of the iron target IDs accepted.

The depth was very good but I kept getting bounced tdi signals and the machine was erratic, never had any problems with 800. I had the sensitivity very low to try to control how erratic it was but no luck so I sent it back gonna get another 800

 

[longbow62]

I run mine on Park 2 most of the time, the only change I make is 5 tones. I’m way too ADD to handle all tones. After two months it’s really starting to click with me. Oh and the horseshoe button is a huge help with falsing iron. Keep at it.

HungryGhost has it right. In Park2 you can tell non-ferrous from ferrous a bit easier. I agree 5 tones is the way to go. Running in all metal is the only way to go. Get in the bins and turn the iron volume down a bit. Park1 is better for silver but not by a lot. Run Park2 until you figure it out.

 

[wolf-n-wa]

DFX was my favorite for Washington beaches. Have had some luck with my NOX800.

 

[Chris Robinson]

I have had a Whites DFX and a Garret ATPro for many years. I recently bought a Nox 900 and I am very disappointed. I tried it on a nearby beach where the DFX has had a modicum of success in the past few years and even the ATPro has done ok in the drier sand. We do have black sand here and I tried both beach 1 and 2 programs (large coil). The 900 kept throwing medium to high high vdi's and almost every target dug up was iron. I didn't find a single coin and only a couple of tab tops and yet I know there are a lot of both out there. My DFX would have blown the 900 away and the machine is about 23 years old. In the park I tried both field 1 and 2 in an area that we find Minnie balls in and same deal, almost every target within the lead range vdi's or higher was oxidized iron. I tried several higher iron bias settings with no appreciable improvement. The ATPro has found several hundred balls here even though it is subject to occasional iron falsing. Around several soccer fields where the other detectors have been stellar performers, I found about 10 coins hunting in the same general area with my brother with his ATPro. He found about 60 coins and a lot of trash. I didn't even find much trash. The machine gave a lot of iffy tone indications indications but few of the solid target hits like the ATPro or DFX. The 900 has got to be more capable than that. I bought from a reputable company and the warranty went through with no problem so no Chinese clone here. I have been using the basic factory programs with 5 tone and a little more iron bias in the bullet field and beach. Properly noise canceled and ground balanced. I am not new to detecting but am beginning to feel I got a lemon. My next move is to try the small coil in case the large is bad. Don't know what else to do! Next move is warranty! Any insight would be appreciated.

Those Minelab detectors have a lot to say, keep at old friend

 

[metalwrkr]

Those Minelab detectors have a lot to say, keep at old friend

Hey Chris, glad to see you are still kicking! I did manage to find these with the 900. The cross is coin silver and the ring 14k but a honker. Give a call some day. Hope all is well at your house!

 

[RobNC]

Is the 900 not featuring Iron Bias adjustments like the 600 and 800 has? Iron Bias is a very picky thing to get right in some areas. Sensitivity too high also causes issues. Of course I'm sure the OP tried adjusting those things. Every detector is different, and the ones he had before he spent many hours with. Chances are he felt just as perplexed in the beginning with those too. But these newer detectors are more powerful, have more options, and are way more sensitive/quirky at times. That's what I've seen. More sensitivity does NOT equal best performance. You have to work within the environment you are in. In very trashy places you have to turn it down until you pick through some of the garbage and REMOVE it from the environment. Once you do that and things run quieter, crank sensitivity back up.
Hang in there and try not to feel overwhelmed. It takes time and that is part of the beautiful journey with any new to you machine. Worst case, you will not "jive" with the machine and it will not be a good fit. It happens!

 

[metalwrkr]

Is the 900 not featuring Iron Bias adjustments like the 600 and 800 has? Iron Bias is a very picky thing to get right in some areas. Sensitivity too high also causes issues. Of course I'm sure the OP tried adjusting those things. Every detector is different, and the ones he had before he spent many hours with. Chances are he felt just as perplexed in the beginning with those too. But these newer detectors are more powerful, have more options, and are way more sensitive/quirky at times. That's what I've seen. More sensitivity does NOT equal best performance. You have to work within the environment you are in. In very trashy places you have to turn it down until you pick through some of the garbage and REMOVE it from the environment. Once you do that and things run quieter, crank sensitivity back up.
Hang in there and try not to feel overwhelmed. It takes time and that is part of the beautiful journey with any new to you machine. Worst case, you will not "jive" with the machine and it will not be a good fit. It happens!

Thanks for the advise and encouragement, RobNC. Some of the problems I have been encountering are due to the fact that the beach I have been hunting is littered with iron trash from long gone docks and piers. I have made some good finds but nothing that would not have been found by the rankest beginner with the cheapest Chinese excuse for a detector. I have not hunted for one reason or another for about 8 months but will get back at it soon!

 

[RobNC]

Thanks for the advise and encouragement, RobNC. Some of the problems I have been encountering are due to the fact that the beach I have been hunting is littered with iron trash from long gone docks and piers. I have made some good finds but nothing that would not have been found by the rankest beginner with the cheapest Chinese excuse for a detector. I have not hunted for one reason or another for about 8 months but will get back at it soon!

If I did not know better I would say you got a little discouraged. It does happen, and can even be expected. But often times after a "break" in detecting is when you go back out and make a "breakthrough". Whatever was on your mind at the time or any expectations you may have had out of a new machine has faded by now. Your next hunt will be totally eye opening. A nice clean slate so to speak. That's the beauty of doing this. You can leave it for a while and go back to it and have that moment of "hmm, so this is what is going on" that was not possible before. Just know that I wish you a great hunt the next time you go.

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

But often times after a "break" in detecting is when you go back out and make a "breakthrough".

I agree with this totally! I like to take a break and go eat a cheeseburger and then get right back at detecting.

 

[maxxkatt]

I have had a Whites DFX and a Garret ATPro for many years. I recently bought a Nox 900 and I am very disappointed. I tried it on a nearby beach where the DFX has had a modicum of success in the past few years and even the ATPro has done ok in the drier sand. We do have black sand here and I tried both beach 1 and 2 programs (large coil). The 900 kept throwing medium to high high vdi's and almost every target dug up was iron. I didn't find a single coin and only a couple of tab tops and yet I know there are a lot of both out there. My DFX would have blown the 900 away and the machine is about 23 years old. In the park I tried both field 1 and 2 in an area that we find Minnie balls in and same deal, almost every target within the lead range vdi's or higher was oxidized iron. I tried several higher iron bias settings with no appreciable improvement. The ATPro has found several hundred balls here even though it is subject to occasional iron falsing. Around several soccer fields where the other detectors have been stellar performers, I found about 10 coins hunting in the same general area with my brother with his ATPro. He found about 60 coins and a lot of trash. I didn't even find much trash. The machine gave a lot of iffy tone indications indications but few of the solid target hits like the ATPro or DFX. The 900 has got to be more capable than that. I bought from a reputable company and the warranty went through with no problem so no Chinese clone here. I have been using the basic factory programs with 5 tone and a little more iron bias in the bullet field and beach. Properly noise canceled and ground balanced. I am not new to detecting but am beginning to feel I got a lemon. My next move is to try the small coil in case the large is bad. Don't know what else to do! Next move is warranty! Any insight would be appreciated.

With your Whites DFX and Garret ATPro things were simpler but good with those detectors. Now the EQ 600 and thru the 900, and Xp2 and probably the Legend things are good but not simpler. Coming from those simpler but good detectors you will be experiencing just what you are experiencing. A MUCH LONGER learning curve. I found that out going from my AT Pro to the 800. Ughs, was it kind of rough for me for at least 6 months.

 

[Chris Robinson]

Hey Chris, glad to see you are still kicking! I did manage to find these with the 900. The cross is coin silver and the ring 14k but a honker. Give a call some day. Hope all is well at your house!

Wow awesome finds Rusty!
I don’t get out much these days, I’m not sure why, I guess I’m just getting old and lazy.
We should get together and dig up some stuff.