E-Trac Loves Silver

[JohnTN]

I bought the E-trac from Detector Depot about 3 weeks ago. I have about 50 hrs. on the machine. I can tell you that it is a winner.
I don't think it is any deeper than the Explorer but a heck of alot faster and more stable. I have dug 14 silver with the machine and about 40 wheats that I had missed with other machines including the Sov and Explorer. Deepest coin was an 11" 1941 Washington quarter sitting at an angle and got an 8" 1912 Barber dime. Both of these coins were measured. I dug a no date Standing liberty quarter yesterday it's been 27 years since my last one. It takes some getting used to with all the iron at high tones like the coins but I think I'm on to something that really makes them sound different. I want to give it a little more time before I post the mode. I also have really started to like the 4 tone for fast hunting and cherry picking. I ordered the SEF 15x12 and I am looking forward to seeing if I can tell a positive difference in it and the Pro Coil. I enjoy reading this forum and it has really helped with fresh ideas and approaches on the E-Trac.

 

[EZrider]

John, what mode/pattern are you working with? What kind of site?

 

[JohnTN]

I am working an old fairgrounds that has had ton's of fill dirt hauled in over the years because it set next to a creek and has flooded several times. Plus the place has been hunted by others ever since detectors came out. I have had several older buddies tell me I was wasting my time that the place was cleaned out along time ago. I guess that's why I have pulled out over 300 old coins from there..LOL
I will admit there is no easy ones left most everything I dig is mask by other close targets and many times several rusty nails or alum. trash in the same hole. This is why the ET really shines here. I had not dug a silver at this sight for over 4 months with many futile attempts with other machines. The ET has found silver 8 out of the last nine hunts there. Pretty impressive.

I am working on a mode and constantly playing with settings to see where the biggest difference between iron and coins takes place. I have discovered that the ET is not as easy to hear the difference as the EXP.
I keep coming back to a open screen except for blacking out 2 clicks up into the ferrous, running fast/on, deep/on, conductive, 4 tones, normal sounds, lowering the threshold pitch to 1, variability 25. I have noticed that the coins will give a two way signal most times but the signal will be more flutey than the nails and the ID will lock on quickly if there are no other targets near and if so the ID will bounce usually from roughly 1-40 to 24-44 to 12-44 so the ID usually jumps to the top of the screen then back toward the bottom then momentarily lock onto the coin area.
This may just be my machine but out of 11 holes dug this evening I got 5 wheats, 2 mercs and 4 deep bent nails. NO CLAD and all the coins ranged in 6" to 8" area. Not bad odds.

I am miles from having the ET mastered but I am becoming darn productive with it and finding what works for me.

 

[EZrider]

Keep us posted on the SEF coil. Ive been working in reverse with the E-Trac. I never owned a Minelab before so its all new. I have been playing around alot with the discrimination and useing diffrent patterns. Even maxing out the disc sometimes just to see how targets are masked and how they relate to each other. I hear alot about the EXP tones being better but to be honest the Tracs tone diffrence is supurb for someone who never was on the working end of a Minelab machine. I cant tell you how nice it is to hear a diffrence as well as a solid ID diffrence between like conductors. Im digging 75% less trash with the Trac than i did with my "other" machine because of it.

This is a finds pic from last year with my "other" machine. Alot of trash for few finds.

Compare that to about 5 hours this last weekend

Thats a big diffrence for a newbie ML user

 

[Jim upstate NY]

but I think its stopping me from digging lower conductive signals.. too many to work out that read and sound the same... so i find myself ignoring them.. and judging from others finds in parks that are being posted, I think its the same story.. all high conductive targets.. I admire you for being able to run so wide open, I can only stand it up to about the 25 ferrous setting, at least where there is lots of nails

 

[RandyNorthridgeca]

Hi John,

It sounds like you might be on to something. I sure wish I could listen to some of the iffy targets you're digging. Good Luck and keep us posted.

HH Randy

I am working an old fairgrounds that has had ton's of fill dirt hauled in over the years because it set next to a creek and has flooded several times. Plus the place has been hunted by others ever since detectors came out. I have had several older buddies tell me I was wasting my time that the place was cleaned out along time ago. I guess that's why I have pulled out over 300 old coins from there..LOL
I will admit there is no easy ones left most everything I dig is mask by other close targets and many times several rusty nails or alum. trash in the same hole. This is why the ET really shines here. I had not dug a silver at this sight for over 4 months with many futile attempts with other machines. The ET has found silver 8 out of the last nine hunts there. Pretty impressive.

I am working on a mode and constantly playing with settings to see where the biggest difference between iron and coins takes place. I have discovered that the ET is not as easy to hear the difference as the EXP.
I keep coming back to a open screen except for blacking out 2 clicks up into the ferrous, running fast/on, deep/on, conductive, 4 tones, normal sounds, lowering the threshold pitch to 1, variability 25. I have noticed that the coins will give a two way signal most times but the signal will be more flutey than the nails and the ID will lock on quickly if there are no other targets near and if so the ID will bounce usually from roughly 1-40 to 24-44 to 12-44 so the ID usually jumps to the top of the screen then back toward the bottom then momentarily lock onto the coin area.
This may just be my machine but out of 11 holes dug this evening I got 5 wheats, 2 mercs and 4 deep bent nails. NO CLAD and all the coins ranged in 6" to 8" area. Not bad odds.

I am miles from having the ET mastered but I am becoming darn productive with it and finding what works for me.