My 100% unbiased opinion of the E-Trac after field testing it.

[Hotcz70]

I realize this is the Explorer forum but I had numerous pm's and emails from many of you wanting to know what my final feelings are after putting some serious hours on "Heavy D's" E-Trac.

No way I can respond to each individual email...so I responded via this post. If you read my previous 2 or 3 posts and responses...then read this post...and still have something you want to ask...please feel free to do so. Please remember this post is ONLY MY opinion...and nothing more.

Here goes...The audio reminds me a lot of the explorer2 in the way it is very smooth...whereas the SE is on the edge of being unstable in some cases for me.

Now that can be a double edged sword for some...but not me. I absolutely love the RAW power the SE has..and instead of trying to harness it like some try to do...I just let 'er rip.

Using a smooth running machine means ZERO to me if it won't hit coins past the 8" level. That is NOT the case with the E-Trac though.

Heck when I was hunting in semi auto +3 with the E-trac...I had to keep looking at the probe switch to make sure I didn't leave it on...the audio is that smooth.

I wasn't getting any depth though either so I switched to manual...and it was still twice as smooth as my SE....although I got some nulling. However the nulling doesn't bother me either as I have stated a zillion times before.

The E-Trac DID hit deep coins for me through a dead null just as the SE does. The null has become my friend just as the iron thud has become friends of many who hunt in all metal. Hey...whatever works for each of us is all that matters.

As for the screen...well I'm not crazy about it but there is a wealth of info there for those who like bells and whistles.
The two sensitivity bars are nice if you want to know exactly where the computer says you should be running your sensitivity at. One shows the setting you are running at...while the one next to it shows where you "should" be running at according to ground conditions.

I do not like the flashing ferrous/conduct numbers that are there above the smartfind screen though. On every coin I dug over 9"...those numbers were no help to me whatsoever because they varied so much they just confused me.

I also didn't like the size of the smartfind screen where the cursor is. It is much smaller than the Explorer screens I am used to. I am also accustomed to watching for the Explorer cursor "flutter" anywhere along the top when over deep silver...and I did not have the luxury on the E-Trac.

One funny note is that I have always read and heard that the E-Trac is NO EXPLORER...and was not intended to be. If that's the case...that's fine...but to me it functions and feels MUCH like my explorers do..and I liked it. I'm not sure why everyone was complaining when it first came out??...because you can take it right out of the box...turn it on...and find deep coins with it. I know...because I did.

It was like hunting with an old faithful friend that looked only slightly different...but had definitely learned a new trick or two...and those tricks weren't just smoke and mirrors. Actually they weren't "tricks" at all as there are some very nice upgrades such as the "trash density" feature just to name one.

If you want to consider it as "not an explorer"...well I can agree with that too...because there are many nice features not on the explorers. I don't have the time on the machine to benefit you in any way by trying to explain something I know nothing about. I pretty much left the E-Trac in the stock coin program and did very well. That speaks volumes right there.

I can state with 100% truthfullness though that the sandy area I found the 5 deep wheaties and the 11" deep quarter at...I have hunted that 20' x 20' square with the EX2 and the SE and used the Sunray x-12...10 x 12 SEF...and minelab pro coil. I had not dug a coin from there in the last 2 hunts...so for me to pull 6 keeprs from there really opened my eyes...and that's as honest as I can be.

Here is the link to that hunt: http://www.findmall.com/read.php?63,1137270,1137270#msg-1137270

Don't know if it's any better...don't know if it's any deeper...but I can tell you it is an EXCELLENT machine and DID find some stuff I missed with my Explorers. I don't know why and I am NOT QUALIFIED to tell you why because I only have about 50 hours on it. I am just giving you an unbiased and 100% honest assessment and opinion after putting some hours on it.

I will continue to use the explorers as my #1 machines...and that will NOT CHANGE...but the E-Trac intrigues me. I have acccess to one whenever I want so I would be foolish to not "piddle" with it some more. I plan on using it just as I do the various coils I have in my arsenal. While some coils are better in performance for me than others...they each have some unique qualities that do bring missed coins to the surface. The E-trac can be another weapon for me at my pounded sites...just as I use different coils for different situations.

 

[Don in South Jersey]

Thanks King

Thank You for the comparison.

I appreciate the information and the details you go into with your comparison tests. You put alot of your own time and effort in doing this looking for nothing in return, and then going back and sharing it with all of us really attests to how much you like this hobby.

You put yourself out there on a limb where others don't dare to going fear of reprisal, but you back it up every time with detailed reports on what "YOU" encountered.

I appreciate your diligence in doing these tests, & look for more in the future.

I have a feeling an E-trac may be on your to buy list...

 

[crow-duck]

Thanks Bryce for all that you do for this hobby that we all enjoy.It takes a lot of time on the computer telling the outcome so people came understanding and relate to in a enjoyable fashion. Your the man !!!!!!

 

[onemore]

I've only had my ETrac for a few months, and I like it. I am more of a numbers guy - I rarely use the Smartfind screens. Getting familiar with the variance in the conductive numbers scheme was not difficult.

The beauty of these machines, EXpl and ETrac, is that they give you LOTS of options and information. You just need to learn how to use and interpret. Takes time.

I expect the ETrac to "teach" me for years to come, just like the EX2 and SE did.

 

[Jack Flynn]

It won't be long before you will have one from that write up you did. I can tell it.........

 

[Gold Nuggets]

Bryce.........
Like you, I love my Explorer SE w/pro coil and have some good finds with it.
But every once in a while, a buddie of mine that I hunt with (he has the E-trac)
will rehunt some of the areas that I have been over and find something that I
missed. By the same token, I have returned the favor and found things that he
has missed in areas he hunted. The E-trac is a great machine and has a lot of
the same features that the Ex II and the Expl SE has plus some more... so I
have a lot of respect for it. But in my opinion.....the SE and Ex II will find just
as many goodies as will the E-trac. This again is only my opinion. Thanks for
sharing your opinions on the E-trac and being as honest as you could be.
Gold Nuggets

 

[mikeeatsbugs]

hey bryce, thanks for the comparison. your feild tests are valuble to new hunters and experianced hunters both. keep 'em comin'.

so how does heavyD like the e-trac? i dont see him post much....and seeing how successful he was with the explorer, id like to see his opinion too.

-mike-

 

[John LA]

I haven't found enough deepies to know if the numbers jump but I know to get the depth of the SE you need to run in manual sensitivity. I think I like it better than the SE but I sure miss not getting the low iron sound in ferrous.

 

[Hotcz70]

I have been putting some time on it. If he isn't using MY coils...or MY machine...he doesn't think he can find anything

So what happens?...I take HIS E-Trac and find lots of deep coins..he takes MY SE (he already has one of his own)...and he STILL gripes about not finding enough.

He never has posted any finds...although he has had me post a coin or 2 for him from the cabin site. He has pulled some nice coins from there. He gripes that mine are always the old silvers while his are always the old coppers such as 2 centers.

My other hunting buddy...the YETI...niterider_58...might be another person you're thinking of. person you're thinking of. He is successful with his explorer.

 

[Hotcz70]

Thanks for responding with your opinion G.N.

 

[Hotcz70]

Thanks for responding. I'm neither a numbers guy OR a smartscreen guy. Most of the time I strictly by sound alone...but I do glance at the smartscreen to watch cursor flutter on 9" to 11" deep coins. I didn't mean the numbers were difficult to interperet...I just meant it is confusing seeing BOTH the cursor and numbers at the same time. Especially when the cursor is so tiny and the numbers were flashing and changing...unreliable on the deep ones. Like you said though...it is strictly a matter of personal preference... and I agree 100%...LOTS of options. What I don't like though is that I don't have MY choice of seeing one or the other...instead of BOTH. That...I don't like. Maybe I'm just a goof...and there IS a way...not sure. At least on my SE though...I can choose one or the other option instead of both at once.

 

[Hotcz70]

Darrell is on the road a lot anyway so I have access anytime. You never know though...if I like it enough...it never hurts to have another permanent weapon of my own in the arsenal.

 

[Hotcz70]

Thanks G-Money....but you're way too kind.

 

[Ray-Mo.]

Nice report Bryce and I see no reason to not post the same on the E-Trac forum once you get a break in all the traffic here.I have to say after hundreds of hours on my E-Trac that we are on the same page.I think the one advantage it has over the Explorers is in heavy trash with coins and trash in the 4"-7" depth range.I feel you can run in auto+ and remain very quiet and smooth as you stated and still separate the good from the bad at a faster pace than the Explorers.Notice I did not say better only faster and quieter under the right circumstances.I understand you are comfortable moving at a snails pace in this type of site which was a necessity before the E-Trac, but now us higher strung guys have a viable option as my F75 and V3 liked rusty crown caps way to well

 

[Hotcz70]

Thanks Don.

Your response means a lot to me and I truly appreciate it.

I always do my best to tell it exactly how it is for me when doing tests or comparisons.

I hope Darrell doesn't get tired of using my coils and machines. As long as he thinks my stuff is "lucky"...he'll continue to use it...which gives me access to HIS E-Trac.

He's on the road a lot...and doesn't care. He isn't crazy about it anyway...probably because he never puts any time on it...as he's always using my machines.

You're right though...the more time I spend on it...the more I like it.

Seriously though...either way...I'm not plannin' on stoppin' use on the SE. I might use both though One can never have too many weapons at these pounded sites.

Take care Don...and thanks again

 

[Hotcz70]

Thanks Ray. just posted it on the E-Trac forum too.

 

[Hotcz70]

Thanks John. I run conductive sounds/iron mask on my SE so I purposely never hear the low iron sounds you miss hearing. That is the amazing thing about the explorers...we have our choce of so many individual preferences

 

[Jack Flynn]

Thanks for responding. I'm neither a numbers guy OR a smartscreen guy. Most of the time I strictly by sound alone...but I do glance at the smartscreen to watch cursor flutter on 9" to 11" deep coins. I didn't mean the numbers were difficult to interperet...I just meant it is confusing seeing BOTH the cursor and numbers at the same time. Especially when the cursor is so tiny and the numbers were flashing and changing...unreliable on the deep ones. Like you said though...it is strictly a matter of personal preference... and I agree 100%...LOTS of options. What I don't like though is that I don't have MY choice of seeing one or the other...instead of BOTH. That...I don't like. Maybe I'm just a goof...and there IS a way...not sure. At least on my SE though...I can choose one or the other option instead of both at once.

Bryce I know you are probably the foremost expert with these machines there is. You mentioned in the post here you hunt almost exclusive by sounds. I hunt like that a lot too. One thing to keep in mind though, like you metioned about the CO numbers being unreliable, maybe not.... What a lot have found out is when the numbers, CO, are changing 4 or 5 numbers in a very short 1 inch or so swing is, if one of them is the "right" number CO wise something is there worth digging and the machine is reading what is there around it also. I know nothing about the explorers and would be considered a newbie amongst many here but if it hits a good number amongst many especially with depth jumping up and down it is just mapping what is there. In a lot of trash and the machine is singing every note there is, watch the CO readout exclusively. It tells the tale.......Also you know you can make the FE CO numbers very large in digital and the smartfind screen will be almost not there, a little bigger than a postage stamp. That's what I hunt in, I'm not much the smartfind screen. I feel like I need to pick up an SE myself just for the heck of it, mmmmm.

 

[Hotcz70]

Thanks Jack...but I'm not the "foremost" expert on any detector. I do appreciate the kind words...but there are a ton of good hunters on these forums. If I'm included on that list...I'm honored.

My point was that I do not prefer to even see the numbers at all...let alone have them appear bigger.

I was just pointing out that I prefer the smartfind screen 100% over the numbers..and that on the E-trac I don't have the option of removing them like I do on the SE.

You have a good point about the SE though...being able to make the numbers bigger...but I prefer the opposite.

Sounds like I use cursor "flutter" on the smartfind screen just as you use the numbers to help decide whether or not to dig.

Like we have all been saying...It's GREAT to be able to have so many different options available for us to choose from No right way and no wrong way...only the way we each prefer as individuals.

Thanks for responding...and thanks for the point you made. I appreciate it

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

From what I am reading, everyone likes all of the improvements of the Etrac, with the exception of the screen redesign and the mapping of the ferrous numbers. I think Minelab made a huge mistake with this move. The 2 dimensional screen is one of the things that set the Explorers apart from the rest and they basically tossed that out. I'm a ferrous hunter and do look at the cross hairs often to see how they are bouncing. The new set up is less trouble for Conductive hunters, but it seems Minelab has lost a good chunk of their customer base.

If I remember correctly the Etrac was initially touted as a better Explorer; until Jim Upstate New York noted that everything was mapped to the ferrous 12 line. When people started asking "Why?, what is the advantage of this, instead of an explanation, the response was "THIS IS NOT AN EXPLORER" Pretty silly, and we are still waiting for an explanation.

I'm (and don't think anyone else) is saying the ETRAC is a bad machine. But just it could be so much better by returning to the old screen system. Heck, just make it an option. Kind of like Windows Classic display.

Chris