Gain vs sensitivity

[techtony]

While it appears that while hunting we all want to run the sensitivity high as possible. I also run the Gain pretty hot (27, 2, often the falsing gets really bad. I have tried lowering the gain to 10 or 12 and leave the sensitivity up high. My question is am I helping or hurting myself by not lowering the sensitivity and leaving the gain set to amplify the weaker signals? What is the first change you typically make when your E-Trac starts falsing? (besides slowing down).

 

[stasys]

Gain is helping me easier and faster identify targets when I use my detector in TTF or Conductive. In TTF with open screen when all iron sounds low tone deep good target cant be missed with low gain.
No point in using to high manual sensitivity, look what Auto sensitivity suggested is pretty accurate. Remember that All metal detectors works all the time on max, sensitivity is just how deep or far away from the coil do you want to hear target., but if under coil allot targets you will hear only biggest or closest to the coil, so when you use very high sensitivity in trashy areas you dont go any deeper when using low sensitivities, you just add pain in your detector work and miss small shallow targets.
My suggestion dont use to high sensitivity and lift up Gain.

 

[hershey1]

A higher gain setting will amplify deeper target signals. If I am running a high manual sensitivity and my machine starts falsing ( more than I want to listen too ) I will sometimes manually noise cancel first to try and find a quieter channel before dropping my sensitivity. This works more times than not. If the falsing continues then I will lower my sensitivity down to where I can more tolerate the falsing. Every hunting site is different but after a few trips you will know more about how to set your machine for a particular area. I usually start with my gain at 26 and auto +3 and adjust from there. But that's just me. HH

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Auto sensitivity is a GREAT feature till you learn your machine and what its telling you. Even at low sensitivity you will get great depth. Don't try to run you machine on ragged edge until your really familiar with it other wise it will rive you crazy.

 

[doc1964]

I almost always run auto sensitivity and run my gain at about 17 - I really like to hear the softer sounds of deeper targets, it helps picking through shallower trash by ear.

 

[Goes4ever]

I run my gain at 29 all the time at every site, I like to hear deeper targets easily and I don't feel it causes any falsing for me at all

 

[grouser]

A higher gain setting will amplify deeper target signals. If I am running a high manual sensitivity and my machine starts falsing ( more than I want to listen too ) I will sometimes manually noise cancel first to try and find a quieter channel before dropping my sensitivity. This works more times than not. If the falsing continues then I will lower my sensitivity down to where I can more tolerate the falsing. Every hunting site is different but after a few trips you will know more about how to set your machine for a particular area. I usually start with my gain at 26 and auto +3 and adjust from there. But that's just me. HH

when you re-do your NC is it to deal with a imagined ground condition or new EMI in the area ?

 

[techtony]

thanks for the replies. Goes4ever, one question, what do you run your sensitivity at while running your gain at 29? I have had my E-trac for 1 year now and have gotten a SEF 6x8 to help seperate the trash from good stuff. i have used it for about 4 months and I try to find old coins but when i try to increase the sensitivity i seen to get good signals that end up being iron an such... I get reading of 12-42,43,44,46 and i think i have something good but it ends up being rusty trash but when i lower the gain all the signals reading the above numbers are actually good targets. I dont understand why the ID is not accurate when the gain is high. I use conductive with multi tones.

 

[Goes4ever]

thanks for the replies. Goes4ever, one question, what do you run your sensitivity at while running your gain at 29? I have had my E-trac for 1 year now and have gotten a SEF 6x8 to help seperate the trash from good stuff. i have used it for about 4 months and I try to find old coins but when i try to increase the sensitivity i seen to get good signals that end up being iron an such... I get reading of 12-42,43,44,46 and i think i have something good but it ends up being rusty trash but when i lower the gain all the signals reading the above numbers are actually good targets. I dont understand why the ID is not accurate when the gain is high. I use conductive with multi tones.

I use auto +3 on most sites, but when working an area I have pounded I swith to manual. I have no problem with falsing. Are you turning 90 degrees and still getting a good soild signal, not a choppy, scratchy signal? When I get an iffy signal, I turn 90 degrees and most signals then null out so I know it is iron. Or I put it in TTF and re-check, that never lies

 

[stasys]

thanks for the replies. Goes4ever, one question, what do you run your sensitivity at while running your gain at 29? I have had my E-trac for 1 year now and have gotten a SEF 6x8 to help seperate the trash from good stuff. i have used it for about 4 months and I try to find old coins but when i try to increase the sensitivity i seen to get good signals that end up being iron an such... I get reading of 12-42,43,44,46 and i think i have something good but it ends up being rusty trash but when i lower the gain all the signals reading the above numbers are actually good targets. I dont understand why the ID is not accurate when the gain is high. I use conductive with multi tones.

my suggestion go back to original pro coil or older 1050, usually older explorer coils give less good signal on rusted iron. I use gain 30 all the time, sensitivity 15--18-22-25, depends from condition.

 

[techtony]

I have had the same problem when using the original coil, that is why I bought the smaller coil. Hoping that the smaller coil would have fewer targets under the coil i could get better ID. I don't know if I am trying to push too hard trying to get the older deeper coins. I will try the ferrous sounds, I haven't tried it before. I go real slow and I am getting some silver and wheats but when i get 1 signal reading 12-42 and get a wheat then get another 12-42 minutes later I am thinking 'another wheat" but it may be iron. I rescan the hole thinking maybe the penny is deeper, nothing else is there... I do this 20+ times every trip, I dont mind finding bent aluminum, I expect that to occur but I don't know why the iron keeps giving higher signals.

 

[EtracTom-AdirondacksNY]

Just switch to the wide open quick mask screen with the press of one button and double check and if that icon drops down to the lower right hand corner and pretty much stays there you've got an iron hit not a coin/good object hit. I don't think I have been wrong yet when I do this for a doubtable double check on a target I'm not sure of. I also do the 90 degree turn also for further info.

If it stays up off the bottom of the screen and or goes up around the half way or higher area on the screen and it doesn't stay in the lower/lowest quadrant it may be a good target and I am digging it to see.

I have tried to use some discrimination/black out like from 28-30 on down to 35 on that screen but find I'm still guessing if it's good or not. The wide open screen leaves no doubts just look at WHERE THE CURSOR IS and it works the same way for TTF like Terry (goes4ever) stated in another post he found he was still missing some targets with the relic pattern so now runs a wide open screen in quick mask for TTF but may go more by the high tone sign than the screens cursor in that mode.

I use switching back and forth to the quickmask screen while hunting in conductive mode sounds to double check on an iffy or deep target.

Tom

 

[Goldmanjace]

I still think the FE line should have been fixed instead of the CO. That would make a lot easier. All you would have to do is go by sound and put it in ferrous and could run an open screen without even looking at the display. Or maybe even straightend out both FE and CO?

 

[stasys]

I have had the same problem when using the original coil, that is why I bought the smaller coil. Hoping that the smaller coil would have fewer targets under the coil i could get better ID. I don't know if I am trying to push too hard trying to get the older deeper coins. I will try the ferrous sounds, I haven't tried it before. I go real slow and I am getting some silver and wheats but when i get 1 signal reading 12-42 and get a wheat then get another 12-42 minutes later I am thinking 'another wheat" but it may be iron. I rescan the hole thinking maybe the penny is deeper, nothing else is there... I do this 20+ times every trip, I dont mind finding bent aluminum, I expect that to occur but I don't know why the iron keeps giving higher signals.

In my test with iron and target, not one smaller coil gives better results when original size coil- 1050 or pro. What I see, Etrac is more sensitive to iron, I dig allot more with etrac when with all explorers,I use both Etrac and expl. exceptionally without discrimination in TTF, next hunt I will change to 1050 coil. try 11 noise cancel channel. on explorer its best if I dont want to dig iron.