I'm new to detecting been at it for a good year now. I have a minelab 540 which I've really enjoyed learning with, recently purchased an equinox 900 is it me or does the 540 seem to lock onto a target much better than the 900? I mainly look for coins, I'm somewhat disappointed in the 900 any advice would be greatly appreciated...
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Equinox 540 vs 900
- Thread starter SJones
- Start date
Picketwire
Well-known member
The VID was greatly expanded from 49 points to 119. It is going to jump more.
I don't think 12x9 (540) is that much smaller than 11x11 (900).
I don't think 12x9 (540) is that much smaller than 11x11 (900).
To me, with an 800, 900 and D2, the 900 'seems' to be a bit more sensitive, quicker, and the numbers move a bit more. I think the numbers are consistently within the 'range' of the expanded system. Just taking a bit more of a 'recall' process for me of watching the depth, the number and tone consistency! I tend ot hunt pretty slow on the sweep also.
markinswpa
Active member
SJones, Coming from just shy of 5 years with the 800 I got my 900 mid-December and on the first hunt, although a very successful first outing I kinda felt like you do and thought man is this thing jumpy. Even bashed it a bit in my initial post on it.. It didn't seem to lock on a coin like the 800 did. And the #s seemed all over the place. I've since learned its a different machine no doubt but still a very good one. Some use the term sparky, I like to thinks its busy, very busy. I swear it can see 4 or 5 targets at once under the stock coil. And with such a wide range of targets its working hard to assign a TID to the target. If you isolate one of the targets and do a tight wiggle on it , it will give give a pretty accurate Id, within a few #s. In my soil most deeper copper pennies will up average the numbers and be somewhat jumpy but a telltale is the numbers will drop. With silver, of the 20 or so I've dug with it they have all hit in the 90s and stayed within two numbers. Exception being a Fishscale and a two dime stack. Same with mid-tones, 26-27 for nickels, pretty spot on. I had one war nickel at 27-28 and at least one Buff drop to 23.
My advice, give it time, its not the same machine you're used to. But you do have a leg up. You already have the Minelab DNA so growing into the machine should not be that difficult. I think you will be glad you did.
One more thing, I read in one of your comments about a coin program you found. IMHO you are doing yourself a disservice by using a cherry picking/ coin program and not learning what the machine has to tell you. You just bought one of the best detectors on the market and you are going to stifle a good bit of the machine's capabilities and turn it in to a clad-hammer. I'm sure it'll work but keep in mind alot of the older keepers are often not a gimme signal. Your choice. Good with your new rig. Mark
Your correct Picket. I thought the 540 had the same coil size as my 340. (10 x 7).