Minelab Equinox 800 use on gold - Tips, settings and questions

[Goldpick]

Scroll down the linked page to see how well the Equinox does on small gold in multi mode. I could imagine it would be even more capable once the small 6" coil is released, guess it depends on how well it handles mineralised ground.

http://www.detectorprospector.com/forum/topic/6010-deepest-vlf-on-sm

 

[aussie84]

Ive got fairly heavily mineralised ground here in Warwick and it actually does pretty well I was surprised. I think it gives slightly better depth than the monster too...
Shame about the coil size but I do appreciate its an all rounder. Im hoping for an elliptical coil soon.

 

[roddosnow]

A solid 5 x 10 elliptical same as the GM would be perfect for the EQ, and would still complement the 6" and 12 x 15 and bonus is they already have the coil design and shell would just need to tweak the windings to suit the multi freq.

it will be interesting to see how long it takes for some of the other coil manufacturers to bring our a range of coils for it as it is certainly proving to be very popular around the world and i imagine an aftermarket coil selection would be quite a profitable pursuit for coiltek/Nf or the like.

 

[grubstake]

A solid 5 x 10 elliptical same as the GM would be perfect for the EQ, and would still complement the 6" and 12 x 15 and bonus is they already have the coil design and shell would just need to tweak the windings to suit the multi freq.

it will be interesting to see how long it takes for some of the other coil manufacturers to bring our a range of coils for it as it is certainly proving to be very popular around the world and i imagine an aftermarket coil selection would be quite a profitable pursuit for coiltek/Nf or the like.

Like some other recent Minelab detectors (eg. CTX), the Equinox uses so-called "smart" coil technology, supposedly to prevent counterfeiting. A proprietary chip embedded in each coil is interrogated by the control box when the detector is switched on and unless the coil is verified as genuine, the detector will not operate. So aftermarket coils will only exist with the blessing of Minelab, who control the supply of the properly-encoded chips.

 

[Westozadventures]

So has anyone had better luck than me at trying to find a nugget with the Equinox 800, I'm keen to hear if you have or how the machine went if you tried it on the goldfields for gold.

 

[Wally69]

In the backyard with a test nugglet - 100% success rate

Crevicing for 1 hour - zero gold but lead shot and wire deposits successfully located

Cant see why it wouldnt deliver

 

[Smoky bandit]

Not yet but I'm heading to my little spot near gympie in about 6 weeks time for a few days.It should work well there as the ground is quite mild ..The 705 ran reasonably smooth there so im expecting the Nox to run very quiet.. :Y:Though I am hoping for the 6inch coil to be released asap.

 

[HarryHoudini]

Loads of planted test gold in back yard.
Sounds good.
Mind you it has been a slow on the 4500 as well. So I am thinking it maybe just me

Out later today and tomorrow on some really trashy ground that frustrates me with all the noise. Hoping I can eliminate at least some digging.

Cheers

 

[AngerManagement]

Got nothing at Gympie - Yard tested OK here... Once out there is went down hill fast.

Bigger nuggets were OK but most of the stuff in the ground; is less than the NOX could find unless on top.

NOX was OK for silvers and some other relics but could not hit gold; NOTKS FORS Gold Plus had issues with the ground..

SDC2300 and SD2100 and GPZ7000 behaved as expected

 

[Dave79]

No joy in Tassie either, it's a noisy bugger in mineralised ground. Picked up a heap of hot rocks that give a signal until you smash them down to a certain size.

 

[Smoky bandit]

We all know the Nox is primarily a coin and relic machine. It was never designed for work in the open ground of the gold fields..But where it will excel is around dry or wet creek beds along bedrock / crevices ect with the 6 inch coil.That is what its designed for.And that's where I cant wait to try it..Though West oz I am waiting with antisapation to see how you go with yours in WA.If anyone's going to find the first bit with the Nox its going to be you mate. :Y:

 

[Westozadventures]

Cheers SB I'm having the same experience as AM and Dave, cheers for the input so far blokes. It finds gold jewelry fine but that's alloyed with other conductors.

 

[goldwright]

I tried it in some of the hottest ground in North Queensland on rubbish filled patches but had to lower the sensitivity so much that the Z was finding the small stuff that the Nox didnt even see. I think in mild ground dynamite, but really struggles at higher sensitivity with ground noise. Wish they had of given the nox auto sensitivity like the monster with its multi freq.

 

[Westozadventures]

From the photos I seen a tester of the nox 800 allegedly found 50 nuggets in 40 hours of testing. I'm not talking large gold eithier, tiny sdc type specks!!!! I have many hours on my nox, it's quite impressive on coins, I have swung it on many types of ground in the goldfields, I found two nuggets in 1995 and then I didn't detect for years, when I started again I found natural gold with an AT pro, ATX, GPX5000, Gpz7000 and sdc2300. In fact the nox is the only detector to date that I have not found natural gold with that I have used. Not yet anyway

 

[Smoky bandit]

From the photos I seen a tester of the nox 800 allegedly found 50 nuggets in 40 hours of testing. I'm not talking large gold eithier, tiny sdc type specks!!!! I have many hours on my nox, it's quite impressive on coins, I have swung it on many types of ground in the goldfields, I found two nuggets in 1995 and then I didn't detect for years, when I started again I found natural gold with an AT pro, ATX, GPX5000, Gpz7000 and sdc2300. In fact the nox is the only detector to date that I have not found natural gold with that I have used. Not yet anyway

If you found it with the AT you will surely eventually find it with the nox :Y:

 

[diggit]

I wouldn't hold out much hope for finding many gold nuggets with the Nox.

Coin and Relic machines are a different animal altogether.

It will find some nuggets, ie close to surface and shallow, larger than average nuggies but then its arguable so would an Aldi special perhaps.

Not knocking it but the machines strongest point is NOT finding gold otherwise you can be sure Minelab would be advertising it as such.

I do hope someone on the forum gets a big monster nugget with the Nox though.... :Y:

 

[dirtdiggin]

Hi Everyone

Ive been waiting to see or read a heap of stories about its gold capabilitys but Ive seen very little about it so far!.
So just wondering how everyone thats purchased one and using it to hunt Gold are actually going with it??.
I couldnt imagine itd be as good on tiny gold like the Gold Monster is, and I guess the Equinox being an all rounder detector compared to the Monster being a dedicated gold machine you wouldnt expect it to be quite as good either.
So whats the go guys and girls how does it perform on the tiny stuff?.

Cheers

 

[mbasko]

https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=430822#p430822

 

[Trash]

There is info. here on this forum

Only other video is in USA

Forum member HaYyouInau is taking his out for go in the next week or so

 

[Heatho]

Smoky Bandit is out having a go with his too at the moment, I'm pretty confident that he should get a few pieces with his as well.