Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Equinox 800. "Tracking Ground Balance"?

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Stiffwrists

Elite Member
Joined
Sep 17, 2017
Messages
3,693
Location
Utah
Equinox users,

My Equinox 800 will be arriving this week. With the current frozen ground, I will have plenty of time to read the manual and watch YouTube videos until I can get out into the field. As I have read through the manual, I came to the ground balancing section. It suggests just leaving the ground balance at 0 in most field and park applications. I am a ground balancing maniac with my Garrett. I ground balance at least a few times throughout my hunt. I'm sure I will do the same with the Equinox. (Old habits are hard to break) I understand the manual ground balance and automatic ground balance procedures, but the Equinox also has a "Tracking Ground Balance" option that automatically and continuously adjusts the ground balance during detecting. This seems like a great feature. Here are my questions:

#1. Do you typically ground balance before a hunt or just keep it at 0?

#2. If you do ground balance, do you just use the automatic ground balance (or manual) procedure?

#3. What are the advantages/disadvantages to just turning on the "Tracking Ground Balance" option?

This forum is great. Thank you to anyone who'd be willing to give me some insight.
 
Congrats on getting a Nox! I have not used the tracking feature and just periodically check the ground balance throughout my hunt. Tnsharpshooter did a test on the tracking feature and found it to be slow when automatically adjusting the ground balance compared to some other detectors. You may have already seen this thread during your research.

http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=267426&highlight=Equinox+tracking
 
I know Minelab has the tracking turned on for gold modes. I assume it is for high mineral and ever changing ground conditions of gold country.
 
I personally rarely GB but I do use the Auto Tracking and haven't seen any problems.. one time I was at a park that has a beach.. when I hit the beach it was erratic for a few minutes and then calmed down.. If it was me I would suggest if it is erratic manually GB but leave the tracking on.. but like I said this is just me.. others would probably disagree.
 
Waveoff said:
Congrats on getting a Nox! I have not used the tracking feature and just periodically check the ground balance throughout my hunt. Tnsharpshooter did a test on the tracking feature and found it to be slow when automatically adjusting the ground balance compared to some other detectors. You may have already seen this thread during your research.

http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=267426&highlight=Equinox+tracking
Click to expand...

Thanks Waveoff. That thread was exactly the conversation I was looking for. I think I will just noise cancel and then do an auto ground balance before each hunt. Seems kinda odd to me that Minelab suggests not even really needing to do a ground balance and just keep it at 0. The tracking version of ground balancing must have some disadvantages to it in some applications, if not, why wouldn't they just recommend tracking all of the time? It's like minelab is saying "ground balance is not needed, but here are 3 ways to do it" I'm all about having more options, but it seems contradictory.
It will be nice when the ground thaws and I can just get out digging, rather than obsessing about the settings before I've even received the package! :laughing:
 
Stiffwrists said:
Equinox users,

My Equinox 800 will be arriving this week. With the current frozen ground, I will have plenty of time to read the manual and watch YouTube videos until I can get out into the field. As I have read through the manual, I came to the ground balancing section. It suggests just leaving the ground balance at 0 in most field and park applications. I am a ground balancing maniac with my Garrett. I ground balance at least a few times throughout my hunt. I'm sure I will do the same with the Equinox. (Old habits are hard to break) I understand the manual ground balance and automatic ground balance procedures, but the Equinox also has a "Tracking Ground Balance" option that automatically and continuously adjusts the ground balance during detecting. This seems like a great feature. Here are my questions:

#1. Do you typically ground balance before a hunt or just keep it at 0?

#2. If you do ground balance, do you just use the automatic ground balance (or manual) procedure?

#3. What are the advantages/disadvantages to just turning on the "Tracking Ground Balance" option?

This forum is great. Thank you to anyone who'd be willing to give me some insight.
Click to expand...

Living in Utah, I would GB, not leave GB at zero.
Tracking function. Nice to use if using gold modes.
You can always find a few deeper target using GB set to ground. The dial GB to zero and check the targets. I think you will find O GB performs substandard in your area.

When Nox GB gets off you will start hearing little whales of tone real short with coil movement. Reground balancing will get the detector quiet once again.
 
I use tracking ground balance only. My thinking is even if it takes a while to adjust it cant be that big of a deal if ML suggests leaving it at 0 at all times, right?
 
jl1252 said:
I use tracking ground balance only. My thinking is even if it takes a while to adjust it cant be that big of a deal if ML suggests leaving it at 0 at all times, right?
Click to expand...

Can't argue with that logic! Still makes me wonder why it isn't just the default setting.
 
Watch "Minelab Equinox Masterclass with Derek McLennan" on YouTube
https://youtu.be/cF-1Cz_sdZU


For anyone interested, this is a great instructional video about the Equinox 800. The accents sounded a little foreign to me at first, but i learned a lot.
 
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