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Mastering Trashy Terrain with the Minelab Manticore: The Minelab M8 8"x 5.5" DD coil Superiority in Target-Rich Environments
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Metal detecting in areas cluttered with various targets can be a daunting task, often leading to frustration and missed opportunities for uncovering valuable finds. After a while, constant beeps and trash noise just gets to anyone. No matter how old or experienced you are into metal detecting. However, with the Minelab M8 8"x 5.5"DD coil navigating through heavy Iron or trashy terrain becomes a breeze, thanks to its innovative design and advanced features tailored specifically for such environments. You'll be able to hit those trash, infested, parks, and older homes that have been reroofed many times or even torn down homes with tons of trash and iron in the ground.
One of the primary reasons why the Minelab M8 coil excels in trashy areas is its exceptional target separation capabilities. In environments littered with junk and debris, traditional coils may struggle to distinguish between valuable targets and unwanted clutter, leading to frequent false signals and wasted time. However, the M8 coil's advanced electromagnetic field technology enables it to isolate individual targets with remarkable precision, allowing detectorists to zero in on valuable finds while ignoring distractions. At the end of the day, you'll have more find in your pockets because other detectors with weaker detectors literally can't hunt those areas but with the Minelab Manticore and the M8 coil you now can!
Moreover, the Minelab M8 coil's heightened sensitivity ensures that no target goes unnoticed, even amidst the chaos of trashy terrain. Its ability to detect small or deeply buried objects with ease means that valuable treasures can be unearthed from beneath layers of debris, providing detectorists with the confidence to explore even the most cluttered areas with optimism. The added sensitivity really helps on gold. Gold jewelry, and gold. Nuggets will be easier to hit because of the better sensitivity. This coil produces. If you're going to go after that, definitely pick up one of these coils. not to mention it fits entire places and in between rocks and heavy wooded areas.
The Quality of build and rugged construction of the Minelab M8 coil makes it ideally suited for tackling trashy terrain. Built to withstand the rigors of challenging environments, this coil is resistant to damage from rocks, roots, and other obstacles commonly encountered in areas with lots of targets. Its durability ensures that detectorists can focus on their hunt without worrying about equipment failure or breakdowns.
Additionally, the Minelab M8 coil's user-friendly design enhances efficiency and convenience in trashy areas. Its lightweight construction minimizes fatigue during prolonged detecting sessions, while intuitive controls make operation straightforward, even for beginners. With the M8 coil in hand, detectorists can navigate through cluttered environments with ease, maximizing their chances of uncovering hidden treasures.
In conclusion, the Minelab M8 coil stands out as the ultimate tool for mastering trashy terrain, offering unmatched target separation, sensitivity, durability, and user-friendliness. Whether you're exploring abandoned lots, parks, or other heavily trafficked areas, this coil empowers you to sift through the clutter and unearth valuable finds with confidence and precision. Don't let trashy terrain deter you from your treasure-hunting adventures – equip yourself with the Minelab M8 coil and unlock a world of possibilities waiting to be discovered.
If you're looking to up your game and really be able to get the best out of your Minelab Manticore in those trash areas you can purchase the Minelab M8 8" X 5.5" Coil here. Just click the link! As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact us! We are a small mom-and-pop shop and we appreciate the business and love to help you on your detecting journey Bart@bigboyshobbies.net or 405-206-9010
Minelab Manticore have more problems in iron than equinox 800? Read this
The MANTICORE is a very different detector to the EQUINOX, despite some similarities. It was specifically designed with heavily hunted-out sites in mind, which are now much more common for most detectorists, and where finds are becoming increasingly sparse. It is intentionally much more aggressive than the EQUINOX 800, and is designed to stop users on iffy detections more often, but also to provide the user with more information on which to decide whether to dig. We would expect an experienced MANTICORE user to dig iron more often than with an EQUINOX 800, but over time should also find some targets that an EQUINOX 800 might overlook. The consequence is that the MANTICORE can be a more challenging user experience, and we find that most experienced EQUINOX 800 users need to go through a period of adaption to get the most out of a MANTICORE.
Heavy iron sites like you describe are very common and a lot of users see this, even more so at European sites where habitation extends back thousands of years in some cases. Some users (more so in North America than Europe it seems) are having particular difficulty with iron. Certain types of iron, combined with low soil mineralisation like what you describe (and is quite common in North America) seem to make this the most difficult. (Interestingly, users in higher soil mineralisation seem to have much less difficulty.)
Iron targets often exhibit non-ferrous falsing when the coil is off to the side of the target, particularly when mixed with some ground noise (for example from weakly mineralised ground). With the MANTICORE, the signals are stronger, and so what sounded like a choppy audio response on the 800, can be a stronger, clearer 2 way response on the MANTICORE. However, we find that in almost every case, when the coil is over the center of the target, the response is ferrous.
You might say that the EQUINOX 800 choppy audio response is better in the case of iron falsing, and perhaps this is so for iron falsing. But iron falsing is very difficult to distinguish from co-mingled targets, and the EQUINOX 800 will also give you a choppy response on many co-mingled targets, and in many cases won’t be enough to stop you.
We can suggest a couple of things that may help. In the short term, on sites like this, I recommend using Pinpoint Mode to locate the centre of a target and quickly checking it again in detection mode with the coil centered on the target. A consistent ferrous response on the center of the target which turns to non-ferrous off to the side is a giveaway that you have iron falsing. A couple of seconds in Pinpoint mode is one of the best ways to distinguish between 2 targets, and one piece of falsing iron. Many experienced users don’t think they need to use Pinpoint, but it can give you more than just target location information.
You can also expect a software update in the near future that will provide a setting that helps you distinguish audio signals that have a good chance of being iron falsing. I believe you will find this update will significantly help you in the scenario you describe, and make detecting much easier.
Minelab Equinox 800 vs Minelab Equinox 900 Full List of Differences
Minelab Equinox 800 vs Minelab Equinox 900
| Model | EQUINOX 900 | EQUINOX 800 |
| Application | Coin, Relic, Jewellery & Beach | Coin, Relic, Jewellery & Beach |
| Technology | Multi-IQ | Multi-IQ, 5F×8, Wi-Stream, Bluetooth, aptX™ Low Latency |
| Custom Search Profiles | 8 | 8 |
| User Profile Button | Yes | Yes |
| Waterproof | 5m (16 ft) IP68 | 3m (10-feet) |
| Operating Temperature Range | -10 to +40 degrees celcius (+14 to +104 degrees fahrenheit) | -10 to +40 degrees celcius (+14 to +104 degrees fahrenheit) |
| Storage Temperature Range | -20 to +70 degrees celcius (-40 to +158 degrees fahrenheit) | -20 to +70 degrees celcius (-40 to +158 degrees fahrenheit) |
| Frequency | Multi, 4, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 | Multi, 5, 10, 15, 20, 40 |
| Coil (standard) | EQX11 11″ Double-D coil with skid plate, EQX06 6″ Coil with skid plate | 11-inch Double-D Smart coil with skidplate |
| Audio Output | In-built loudspeaker, Wired 3.5 mm (1/8″) headphones, Wireless headphones | In-built loudspeaker, 3.5mm (1/8″) headphones (included) |
| Headphones Supplied | Minelab ML 85 Low Latency wireless headphones | Bluetooth and aptX™ Low Latency headphones (non waterproof) |
| Visual Display | Monochrome LCD (red) | Monochrome LCD with backlight |
| Display and Keypad Backlight | Off, High, Medium, Low | Low, Medium, High, Off |
| Flashlight | On, Off | No |
| Vibration | On, Off per Tone Region | No |
| USB Connectivity | Yes, via USB connection (Windows and OSX) | Yes, via USB connection (Windows and OSX) |
| Memory | Yes | Yes |
| Detect Modes | Park, Field, Beach, Gold | Park, Beach, Field, Gold |
| Discrimination | 119 segments | 50 segment (Ferrous: -9 – 0, Non-ferrous: 1 – 40) |
| Ground Balance | Auto, Manual, Tracking | Auto | Manual |
| Pinpoint | Yes | Yes |
| Sensitivity | 1-28 | 1–25 |
| Noise Cancel | Auto (19 Channels), Manual | Auto, Manual (-9 to 9) |
| Threshold level | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Threshold pitch | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Target Volume Adjust | 0 to 25 | 0 to 25 |
| Target Tones | 1,2, 5, All Tones (At), Depth (dP) | 1, 2, 5, 50 |
| Tone Break | Ferrous, Non-ferrous (t1, t2, t3, t4) | Ferrous | Non-ferrous |
| Tone Pitch | All tones adjustable: 0 to 25 | Ferrous | Non-ferrous |
| Tone Volume | All tones adjustable: 0 to 25 | Ferrous | Non-ferrous |
| Depth Indicator | 5 levels | 5 levels |
| Battery | 3.7V/5100 mAh Internal Lithium-lon battery | In-built rechargeable Lithium-ion battery |
| Length | Collapsed: 61 cm (24 in) – Extended: 144 cm (56.7 in) | 1440 mm (56.7″) |
| Weight | 1.27 kg (2.8 lbs) | 1.34 kg (2.96 lbs) |
| Warranty | 3 years control box and coil | 3 years control box and coil |
The most popular XP Deus II Program Settings from The Community
These XP Deus II program settings are making the waves in the community! give them a shot and see what you think! do you have a secret sauce XP Deus II program setting you want to share? feel free to leave it in the comments and we'll get it added to this list, happy hunting!
Should You Metal Detect in Snow?
We are a few months away from winter and sadly this is kind of the low season for outdoor activities including metal detecting. Indeed, most detectorists find themselves in a situation where they put their beloved detector in their closet and just wait for spring to start hunting again …
This is especially the case if snow falls in your area!
In this article, I share with you some ideas to find opportunities to successfully metal detect in winter even if it is snowy.
Should you metal detect in the snow?
The only reason you shouldn’t consider metal detecting in the snow is when there is some sort of risk. For example, cold weather in some areas could be unbearable for normal human beings which might lead to some bad health repercussions.
Also, if your area is full of ice that could cause slippery, I would definitely advise you to not take the risk. I was a victim of this myself and this has almost caused me a broken leg.
Other than that, there are so many benefits you can reap if you hunt in the snow. Indeed:
- Winter is the low metal detecting season. That is the competition is very very low! Unlike summer wherein a single beach you might find dozens of other hobbyists swinging their machine competing for the same finds. In winter (especially in the snow) chances are you will find little to nobody swinging a metal detector in your area. This simply means that any possible finds are Yours!
- Most possible finds are generally dropped in the summer season and obviously, not all of them are found in summer or even the fall. This leaves a great chance for you to pick up some of those during winter where fewer people are hunting.
- There will be fewer eyeballs. In fact, one of the things detectorists hates the most is being looked at by strangers (muggles we call them in geocaching) who have nothing to do with the hobby yet still make you uncomfortable with their weird looks (like if you are about to find the next untapped treasure). In winter, this won’t be much of an issue because there will be fewer people around.
Should you use a particular metal detector?
From my experience no, not really! Most modern metal detectors these days have a waterproof search coil and this would be pretty much all that you will need your detector to have.
The Nokta Simplex metal detector is an example of a reasonably priced machine that can do the job in snowy conditions. Not to mention that this machine is fully waterproof up to 10 feet underwater.
One more important factor is depth. In other words, snow makes the potential finds couple of inches deeper. So if this is the case for you, please try to consider a metal detector that can be operated at a significant depth.
It would be even better if you choose a metal detector compatible with a larger coil. The latter can cover more space while swinging and would allow the machine to scan few inches deeper.
Gear up for snowy conditions
Gearing up for a hunt in snowy conditions is totally different from a hunt any other season!
There are some adjustments you should consider for your comfort and protection, like wearing:
- Gloves: to keep your hands warm.
- Knee pads or knee sleeves: to protect your knees from falling due to slippery ground and also to keep your knees quite warm.
- Special shoes: to keep your feet warm and minimize the slippery effect. Make sure the shoes are metal detectors friendly (metal-free) to not cause any kinds of false signals.
- Shovel: to help you dig up your targets. In many cases, snow could be really hard to remove, that’s why you need to consider a solid shovel to get the job done.
Couple Pro tips …
Here I share some additional tips that pros usually implement to help make the most out of their winter detecting hunts. Below, I share 3 …
#Tip1: Bookmark the profitable areas and come back to them later.
Indeed, if you notice that a specific area is yielding valuable finds, then chances are, there are other potential finds around.
If that’s the case, make sure to bookmark the area (preferably on your GPS) so you can come back to it later when the snow starts melting.
There are some high-end metal detectors that allow you to do so (like the Minelab CTX 3030) that have an in-built GPS where you can mark the most profitable spots to come check them back later.
#Tip2: Consider using a Magnet
When the snow gets thicker it naturally gets harder and digging it (even with a solid shovel) could be difficult to recover your find.
That’s why some pros utilize really powerful magnets to attract metallic magnetic finds.
#Tip3: Bring on some salt with you
Throwing some salt on snow makes the latter melt, thus you can dig through it in an easier way.
Don’t do that everything time you want to start digging; otherwise, you will need a ton of salt. Just do it when you start getting tired of digging or when you are dealing with very thick and stiff snow.
Guest Post By Carissa.
Heartwarming story you just love to see, metal detectorists worldwide are saving marriages, one ring at a time!
Last week a young couple strolling along the China beach in San Francisco was almost knocked over by a rogue wave, when the young woman regained her balance, she quickly realized the wave had knocked off her engagement ring into the ocean! while she frantically searched the sand to no avail, the ring, a family heirloom, had seemingly vanished.
The young woman called Ring finders, a service that helps connect people to seasoned detectorists around the world, Marshal Smith got the call and was at the beach at 9 am the next day to meet up and begin the hunt for the lost ring.
The initial chances of recovery after 24 hours seemed slim but shortly into the hunt, Smith got a strong signal and was able to find the missing ring! Obviously, this young lady was over the moon and this tale had a very happy ending. We are starting to hear about stories much like this one more often. Have you ever thought about joining service to help people find lost valuables? We think this is a great way to help the community and we bet the tips would be pretty good too, who knows, maybe you could even finance your metal detector this way!
Let us know in the comments if you've been involved in similar situations or what you think about this new service, we love to hear your metal detecting stories! As always, if you have any questions about any of the machines we sell, please don't hesitate to contact us, and happy hunting!!
Why We're Very Excited for Nokta Makros Newest Multi Frequency Metal Detector!
It's been a while since a new metal detector in the works has caught our eye, the latest from nokta makro may very well be the machine we have been waiting for. Here's everything we know so far, though some of these details may change, if it ends up with this spec it will be one of our most popular machines, especially given nokta makros aggressive pricing! NOTE: We do not currently have a release date or finalized pricing but will update this post when that information becomes available!
Simultaneous Multi-Frequency Technology.
Nokta Makro claims this new multi frequency technology is superior to its more expensive competitors. The detector will also offer many single frequencies. If done correctly, this could be huge for the machine's popularity and sales potential as multi frequency technology has usually been reserved for more expensive / full featured metal detectors.
User replaceable & removable battery
Another big feature that's usually only found on high end machines is the ability to remove and replace the battery. Many detectors rely on having service technicians diagnose and replace batteries, giving the user more options is always a welcome addition in our book, the other thing to note is the ability to purchase additional batteries and extend your detecting session! Another thing we're looking forward to seeing is the battery placement, the current rumor is it's placed below the arm cuff. It will be interesting to see how this affects the weight and balance of noktas new metal detector.
Carbon fiber lower shaft
Nokta Makro have confirmed the lower shaft will be a premium carbon fiber material, this coming as standard is exciting and will greatly improve the overall weight and strength of the metal detector, current rumors are the shaft will be the same telescopic design from the Simplex+ so it will be incredibly lightweight and portable, easily tossed into a backpack!
Durable, Rugged and fully waterproof housing!
Nokta have also confirmed the new machine will be sharing the same fully waterproof housing as the Simplex+ which has already proven itself with metal detectorists worldwide, with rave reviews and price to performance, people are very excited for this new machine!
A Brand new coil out of the box
The company confirmed the new metal detector will feature a brand new coil, we'll update this post when we know more about it's size, specs and details.
Nokta Makros pricing
Nokta makro are well known for their fairly priced metal detectors and the company is promising to keep this machine affordable and available. With the expected specs and potentially affordable price tag, this metal detector could be a real game changer. As soon as we know more we'll update.
While nothing has been 100% confirmed, we do know the company has a history of delivering on its promises, even exceeding expectations in some cases. As soon as we have more information we'll be updating this post so if you're as excited as we are about this new detector, go ahead and bookmark this page and check back often for updates!
Metal Detecting for Gold, tips and tricks, what to look for!
We get asked about gold detecting often here at BBH. With the way the world economy is at the moment and gold prices set to soar we thought it would be a good time to talk about metal detecting for gold, learning what to look for and some of the characteristics that can be displayed on your metal detector.
Gold can vary widely! For instance one could define gold as nuggets, gold flakes, placer gold, gold rings and the most common gold jewelry
In a nutshell, all the metal detectors we sell will detect gold, however, like with most things, some machines are better than others. Some have higher frequency is more specific to hitting a lower conductor like gold. No machine will detect gold only and disregard everything else unfortunately though. If that Detector ever hits the market it would be a huge success to say the least.
If you want to detect gold exclusively then there are several machines dedicated to finding gold of all varieties. There are also specific coils that can be chosen that would increase your gold hunting chances.
The trickiest part of gold when metal detecting is that there are so many different alloys, shapes and size combinations it can be almost impossible to tell what you have before you've dug it up. Gold in its purest form, say a nugget will have a very different tone and id to that of a gold wedding band. while the nugget may be close to pure gold, the wedding band could be made up of several different metals including zinc, palladium and even silver. Also the smooth shape and size of the ring would throw in a curve ball to IDing the target.
It all comes down to the metals conductivity. It's size, shape and depth all play a large role in what the target will identify as on your machine. one of the best tips we give to new detectorists is to practice at home and listen and watch for tonal changes based on different metals. a good way to do this is to turn the metal detector on and lay it on a table, then slowly move different metal objects in front of the search coil. You can practice with gold rings and jewelry, silver coins, cutlery and other household metals you may have laying around to get a feel for how your particular machine ID's the target.
Remember, when it comes to digging for gold, your going to be digging a lot of trash that could ring up similar to that of your gold band. A lot of our customers dig everything without discrimination which has the highest probability of hitting goal. Unfortunately you'll dig 95% trash.
Others with many years of experience and practice on their machines can usually tell just by the sound whats under their coil.
Our best advice is to get out and dig! Especially in the ranges from foil to zinc penny if you want GOLD!!!!
Record Setting "Double Eagle" Gold Coin Sells for Almost $19M At Auction!
Southeby's auctions sold it's most valuable coin ever recently, almost doubling the previous world record at $18.9 million us dollars. The staggering amount was paid for one of the rarest gold coins the US ever produced.
The "Double Eagle" as it has been dubbed features lady liberty on one side and a flying eagle on the other, Only a handful of these super rare coins are believed to exist after the US government demanded their return back in 1944. The government wanted these coins back for gold smelting so badly, they ordered the secret service declared any unreturned coins be classified as stolen!
The one recently sold is the only one that can be legally possessed after lengthy court battles between the US treasury and its previous owner. Given this coins rarity and scarcity, It begs the question, how many of them were buried for safe keeping?! Could you imagine digging up one of these? what would the legal ramifications be? An interesting question to ponder no doubt.
Let us know in the comments what you would do if you dug up one of these beauties'? Are you looking for a metal detector that performs exceptionally well for gold? Feel free to contact us any time for any of your metal detecting needs!