Moving on up to an Etrac

[hotrod53]

I haven't posted in a while, quite honestly hadn't hunted much this summer. Between the extreme heat, work, trying to get a little boating in, and some health issues, I didn't get out much. I spent 8 weeks of my summer in cardiac rehab after a mild heart attack and getting 2 stents.

As a mental health present to myself, as I just resigned from my job of 25 years yesterday, I bought myself an Etrac. Sites are getting harder and harder to find, I'm hoping I can discover a few good finds at sites that I thought were already hunted out by my Xterra. I've got my 705 and my digger coil for sale locally but it may become my backup machine.

Let the learning and experimenting begin!

 

[BillF]

Well, best of luck to you Hotrod53. Sure would like to know how the etrac works for you.
Merry Christmas and stay well.

 

[hotrod53]

Thanks Billf, I'm anxious to see how they compare too. First day impression as I wait for the 18 hours that it takes to charge the battery, is that it will be a big learning curve. Over the years I've seen my brother Mapper65 turn up some good finds by switching coils and frequencies. My hope is that the multi transmit frequencies of the Etrac, coupled with increased depth, will make a difference. The Etrac is heavier too, that will take some getting used to as well.

 

[7centsworth]

We will miss you over here. You'll have to show us your finds on here sometimes. Have fun and I'm glad you are doing better from the heart attack. That Etrac will definitely give you some exercise.

 

[Neil]

I don't use my Etrac much anymore because of the weight/balance but its still the best detector I have ever used. Your gonna love that it will ID correctly almost to its full depth potential. It is seamless at the beach, you can go from wet sand to dry sand with no adjustment needed. Its really an awesome detector. Good luck with it.
Good luck with your retirement or if you choose to continue working, good luck with that.
Merry Christmas!

 

[hotrod53]

Neil, I sure wish I was retiring..... at 57, unless the Etrac pays off big, I'll have to put in a few more years!

I'm a little concerned about the weight too, I'm sure it will be something to build up too. When we hunt, we're out all day, the extra weight will be felt. It may take a few good finds to keep the blood pumping and my mind off of it.

 

[Neil]

Keep the coil close to you...dont extend the rod out so much. Its more of a balance problem..they just feel like a lead pipe if you can imagine. I also have a t2...its heavier than the xterra I believe but it feels lighter to swing because the batteries are under the armcuff......its got good ergonomics I think they call it...the etrac does not...

 

[BillF]

I have a torn rotator cuff that needs afixin. I bought something from someone on here that was a sponsor at the time I bought it. I wouldn't be caught detecting without it. I'll post the name here and if he isn't a sponsor any longer then I'm sure OLH will remove the name. If so, pm me and I'll pass it on. The item was a Detecting Buddy. Great piece of equipment for any detector where weight might be an issue.

 

[hotrod53]

I think that I know what that thingie is. I'm hoping to get out this week now that I have a few days on my hands, we'll see how it goes after a few hours.

 

[hotrod53]

First time out ...... it's a bit heavier but not an issue, it will take a little to build up to an all day hunt. My first official coin, and eagle quarter. I was convinced that the pinpoint mode wasn't worth a darn, till I realized that the button was not in the same place as my Xterra...lol. The button that I was using was the one that makes the numbers on the screen big or small, no pinpoint ability there. The whole coil is hot and bigger than my elliptical on the 705, I think I'm covering a lot more ground per sweep. The headphones that Minelab give you with the detector are kinda lame. Big, bulky, slide off your head, and the cord is too short to set the detector down witqhout them yanking off of your head. The screen is almost impossible to see, especially with the environmental cover on the control box. If not looking straight at it, you can't read it. The gloss of the environmental cover makes it tough enough, but the contrast and brightness doesn't help either. There are adjustments to be made, let's hope that it helps. Really, the sound is the main thing as it relates to a find, the numbers are just the confirmation.
The battery is rechargeable. It takes 18 hours to charge. There is an aftermarket battery that charges in 2 hours, that's where I'll be headed soon. Even the stock charger leaves a bit to be desired. The red light shows charging, but it never changes color or goes out when charged like the aftermarket.

Over all I'm excited about the performance though, I found a shotgun shell at 9" deep!

 

[Neil]

Hotrod the lithium battery charges faster, lasts longer and is lighter than the stock one.
The numbers are very accurate also but like with any detector you really have to center the target up.
The X-terra has a really nice screen and sets up easily/adjusts easily....

 

[dougmanning]

the 705 will hang with any detector in my neck of the woods, the e-trac included ! just need the right coils and use it right .

 

[hotrod53]

Dougmanning, I don't disagree with you, I resisted the temptation to upgrade for quite some time. I've hunted with my brother in law who has an Etrac and our finds were pretty comparable. I've found a boat load of stuff with my Xterra over the past few years, it's no doubt a great machine. I just resisted spending $1500 to upgrade, after the fact, I'm pretty happy that I did though. I was presented with an unexpected situation that afforded me opportunity to upgrade is the only reason I saw clear to do so.. I can say that I'm finding a lot more at a deeper level with the Etrac.