etrac against explorer hunting without discrimination

[stasys]

hello all experienced etrac explorer users want technical info what etrac or explorer missing hunting without discrimination,lets say both with the same pro coil. thanks all . not interest in stories about ,,I found coin very deep, I hunted park and found,,, sorry. just simple advantages and disadvantages,because now its very hard to understand what to buy? explorer which is ten years old or etrac?price is not important, just two machines. thanks again

 

[CT Todd]

I have owned every top machine from Minelab since the Sovereign.Each has been a step forward.I have owned each Explorer from the XS to the SE Pro
The Etrac is the best of them.
In your hand it weighs the same basically as the Explorer but ergonomically it feels like it weighs less so you will have less fatigue.
The Etrac is a more stable machine less "chirpy" then the SE Pro
The Etrac can be set up in many more ways then the Explorer could be.This makes for more target info for you to work with.
The Etrac and the Explorer are equally deep in my opinion.
The ability to download and share discrimination and modes with other users is huge.
There are so many reasons in just the set ups that it makes sense just for that reason.
If there is no money Issue then there is no reason at all to buy a Explorer SE Pro at this time.
Just my opinion

 

[grumpyolman]

Get Andy's book on the Explorer & E-Trac machines. On Pages 34-36 he lists 17 differences he considers improvements when compared to the Explorer series. The book is, "The Minelab Explorer and E-Trac Handbook" at http://www.sabischbooks.com/. He was one of the prototype testers. He's held in pretty high regard as one of the best Minelab operators anywhere. IF money isn't an issue the choice is super clear to me. Get the E-Trac. You'll find more good stuff sooner and IMHO there isn't anything anyone is building that can touch it's capabilities except an earlier model Explorer run by one of the other expert Minelab operators. jim

 

[stasys]

thanks but my question was what is different when you hunt without discrimination?

 

[CT Todd]

Minelab's when not in all metal do whats called Null when they encounter Iron in the ground.This means no sound for a set amount of time before it comes back to the threshhold sound.This means sweeping with no response to any target under the coil.When your in All metal the unit reacts to all things under the coil with no delay at all.You hear everything.
Your question wasn't clear in your first post

 

[stasys]

hello sorry if it was not clear,I have one year with explorer experience and now use it only without discrimination-open screen in ferrous. I start this post to get more clear picture what I can achieve more with etrac?I do not need computer connectivity,better handle ,because I keep my in bag with coil cable extension and more friendly menu-this is not important. to spend at least 1000$ I need more info about the etrac. but if its not so much different I will not buy for sure. thanks

 

[CT Todd]

If you have solved the weight problem and hunt in all metal now and don't need computer downloads then a little smoother unit most likely isn't worth it to you. I think your doing fine where you are. Good luck

 

[bummer]

I own both machines and for depth i havent seen advantage for e-trac over explorer for depth.It still boils down to the man behind the machine.

 

[dgc]

Minelab's when not in all metal do whats called Null when they encounter Iron in the ground.This means no sound for a set amount of time before it comes back to the threshhold sound.This means sweeping with no response to any target under the coil.

CT,

I have found targets (coins and flat buttons) while in a null before threshold returned.

 

[graytcote]

I used an Explorer II for 3 years, the SE for 3 years, and now my E-Trac for 15 months. I hunt with all of them in all metal. The E-Trac of course is not an Explorer it is a different detector. The advantages of the E-Trac is better depth, bigger display screen, the combined smart and digital screen in one, newer features, more sensitivity info on the display, less arm fatigue, faster processor, better sensitivity to tiny items, and there are probably more advantages that I just can't think of right now. I want every advantage I can get when I am hunting. I don't want to leave a spot and wonder if I could have done different with a better detector. The E-Trac is the superior detector with the newest technology. I really believe that and I am just not saying it because I use one and sell them.

 

[CT Todd]

Minelab's when not in all metal do whats called Null when they encounter Iron in the ground.This means no sound for a set amount of time before it comes back to the threshhold sound.This means sweeping with no response to any target under the coil.

CT,

I have found targets (coins and flat buttons) while in a null before threshold returned.

Yes but your better off in all metal where each signal happens instantly.We hunted Explorers in fields this way for years.

 

[bummer]

I agree the e-trac is all around better machine but in all metal i havent seen any advantage in depth over the explorer.

 

[CT Todd]

I agree In my opinion there isn't any difference in depth between the Explorer and Etrac The Etrac is just a better machine for a lot of reasons.

 

[graytcote]

Believe it or not my E-Trac does go deeper than my Explorers did. It is hard to tell from just regular hunting but I have been able to compare them in our Deep Hunts. We usually have three Deep Competition Hunts every year. In these planted hunts painted clad dimes and quarters are buried any where from 6.5" to 10" deep. You pay a cash entry fee, every dime you dig is worth 3 points, every quarter one point, it is a 45 minute hunt, and the top three hunters with the most points win the cash from the entry fees. I have won just about every one of theses hunts since I started using my first Explorer a little over seven years ago. I buried the Deep Hunt at our Three Forks National Hunt for ten years before that when I was using Whites because I couldn't hear the test targets with my XLTs or DFXs. We have used the same hunt field for over 20 years so it is pretty clean except for some deep wire and nails. Every year before the National Hunts I would take my Explorers out to the deep hunt field, find and dig all of the old targets out of it so I wouldn't dig them up during the hunt because the old targets are not worth points and just waste your valuable hunt time. Each Hunt has different painted targets so that you could tell you were digging previous years dimes and quarters. Every time I went to dig the old targets I would find fewer except for the previous hunt's targets. I started using my E-Trac in April of 2009 and decided to use it in the upcoming Deep Hunt Competition at the ITTHC National Hunt taking place at the end of May. A couple of weeks before the hunt I took my E-Trac out to the hunt field to clean out the old targets and I dug about 8 really deep dimes and some quarters that my Explorer II or SE couldn't get through the years. That really impressed me about the E-Trac. After using my E-Trac for just over a month I tied for first place in the competition and I have been winning them ever since. Comparing the E-Trac to the Explorer on the test targets the targets sound clearer and the numbers were better with the E-Trac. The Explorer was more iffy especially on the dimes. I have always used my Explorers in all metal. I run my E-Trac in all metal and sometimes in relics discrimination (which is hardly any). The test targets are harder to get because the fresh buried coins don't have their halos yet. One of my hunting partners also told me that in his test garden his fiance's E-Trac did get the planted coins that were 7" deep better than his Explorer even with his X-8 coil. He was impressed and got an E-Trac from me. The third time I took him hunting with it lucky John found an 1850 $20.00 Gold Coin but that is another story.

 

[CT Todd]

I knew when I said it that there would be trouble.Same power, same coil, same lots of things and I've got years on Explorers of all types
It's just my opinion its no deeper then my Explorers AND they were deep.If it is a little deeper then great I just dont see it.Don't get me wrong I wouldn't go back to my Explorer I love my Etrac.Everyone no matter what forum your on will tell you all about how there machine is the best.

 

[stasys]

with 11 pro coil both machines the same deep

 

[stasys]

graytcote I dont see any logic that you are writing? you have to remember that 8 coil cant go deeper than old 1000 or 1050. so your comparison is not valid.etrac I can agree some evoliution from explorer and even better, but again my question was ---what is the different if you use no discrimination? thanks

--- One of my hunting partners also told me that in his test garden his fiance's E-Trac did get the planted coins that were 7" deep better than his Explorer even with his X-8 coil. He was impressed and got an E-Trac from me. The third time I took him hunting with it lucky John found an 1850 $20.00 Gold Coin but that is another story.

 

[graytcote]

In this post I was just replying to bummer's and CT Todd's post that they didn't notice any difference in depth between the two machines and that I did from my experiences in our Deep Coin Hunt Competitions through the years. I am sorry but I guess I didn't word the sentence correctly. This is what I should have wrote:
E-Trac with the Pro Coil did get the planted coins that were 7" deep better than his Explorer, even with his X-8 coil he was able to hear the deep planted targets. In the post I made below yesterday I tried to explain the differences between the detectors. It does not matter if you use no discrimination or if you do discriminate you still have all of those new advantages with the E-Trac. If you hunt in all metal with the E-Trac your display will show you your sensitivity settings and its recommended sensitivity settings which will help you adjust your settings for optimal use, the Explorer won't. The E-Trac in all metal uses the trash density and the difficult ground settings where the Explorer doesn't have them. The E-Trac in all metal shows both digital and smart screen at the same time where the Explorer won't. The new microprocessor in the E-Trac will process the information quicker than the Explorer. From my experiences the E-Trac is lots more sensitive on tiny targets, the numbers are more accurate with more consistent conductive numbers on deeper targets, and the E-Trac will get better depth in all metal or discrimination. The angle of the handle is easier on the arm and the size of the display is easier on the eyes. The difference if you use no discrimination on your E-Trac compared to no discrimination on your Explorer is that the E-Trac will give you more advantages because of all of the new improvements that Minelab has made and incorporated into its E-Trac. The difference in using no discrimination on all detectors versus discrimination is that you will get more depth, hear more trash, and depending on how good your detector is dig more trash. Does any of that help answer your question? I am trying to answer it. If none of that does maybe you will need to rephrase your question for me because maybe I am not understanding it.

 

[Crispy Critter]

Great answer Graytcote.

 

[stasys]

thanks I can agree with you on some, but explorer and etrac deep the same if you use the same coil---tested by myself. handle -if I keep my minelab on the belt its not big deal,at least for me, screen yes bigger,sensitivity possible to learn how to manipulate it. for beginner I agree without doubt better to by etrac, but for people who use all ready explorers without discrimination i dont see much advantages for 1400$. thanks again