Hi Guys, This will be my first post on PA, So first off Ill say a Gday to you guys and a Thank you for the forum. Id like to share my experience with the 800. (A novice story).
I purchased a Nox 800 a few weeks ago as a complete novice. I had swung a fellow member heres Garrett 300i for no more than 10min. Thats my detecting experience before making the purchase.
I purchased this machine as I thought I will want to go camping and try my luck at prospecting for gold. But after a venture to the beach with the 300i I realised our location better suited for a beach detector.
I didnt even know of the Equinox 800 that day, but that night found it online looking for something that could be used on beach and possibly submersible that was in or around the $800- $1000 price.
My mind was made up after a quick search and reading about its ability to do all and more than I first would have liked in a detector if I was to buy something, therfore I wasnt really worried about the price as I gathered it will last years without needing to upgrade.
The first thing I actually dug after swinging it around the yard to familiarise myself with the tones was a $1 coin in Park Mode 1. Unbelievable :lol: . A $1 on my first ever dig with it. I was hyped.
Ive since retrieved about $75 in coins and a 9ct Gold Ring in about 2 weeks. I think thats bloody good for a complete novice and in that time frame.
(The Ring was a triple bip 17 TID, 5-10cm range? Maybe I dug because I was curious, but it payed off).
I have since been going with the mate who owns the 300i more so in trashy parks but dry sand beach also. Let me be honest, the 300i picked 25+ coins out to my 3 coins one outing. And its smashing the Nox on each outing we go. (Is it because of the user or coil size or one detector better than the other? Who knows, but his clicked with the 300i and knocking it out the park literally now). :Y:
I love settings on anything I buy, it means I can adjust/modify it to suit me. BUT, I think the reason why I went well the first few weeks was because I read the manual and followed it using Park Mode , along with digging clean tones. As soon as I got curious and dug the bad signals, I believe Ive trained my brain to now dig them a lot , Hense not be doing well like I first experienced.
So it might just be the case of going back to the manuals basics and starting again for me.
One thing I will add, is that since buying it and following the forum posts abit, Ive noticed everyone talking depth. Is it a lucky Fault with mine that Im digging 2ft (longer than my arm can reach) down in sand? 1 bottle cap with a clean TID 22-Sensitivity 25 beach mode 2, and a fence stake 2ft+ down? I wonder if Im ever going to find whats down there.
(The otherday at the beach a beachgoer walked past and said Jeeez, What, Are you digging to China).
So why do I seem to be the only one digging 24 inch + deep holes down in sand?
Am I happy I bought it? YES.
Have I found coins and valuables? YES
Is it easy to use being a complete novice? YES
My novice advise if Im qualified to give though is to learn it as the manual suggests before changing too many settings. Because since playing around with it Ive lost my way abit. And maybe others have/feel like this too if being 100% honest.
One thing I would like to see though especially as a novice is a book like that of the 705. Is it Understanding your 705?, But I guess that will/would come with time.
If I could ask Minelab for anything it would be to release the pc software and hope it allows user to assign tone pitch in any mode to any of the 50 blocks. And if the wifi connection does read/write to the programs settings, then a smart device app made so we dont have to plug it into a pc when out hunting. (Maybe that could be done also with a USB to smart device).
So, thats my novice experience owning it for about 3wks. Im addicted, and need a fix :lol:
PeZ0 :Y:
