i've been reading this forum for a month now. i had the minelabe se mastered...found so much treasure...lots of colonials starting from 1733....buttons galoure....and so on....just started metal detecting last year....so i;'m a newbie..but just got an e track...oh god....so confused...downloaded all the grids...did everything everyone said...; did find a 1754 reale silver...that was cool...but the machine is so crazy...cant pinpoint either....i've been out with it for about 35 hour.s... have to go with a group in the morning and am worried...not sure what program to put it on...i do use 2-tone..cant stand all the chatter...deep on and recovery on....seems the discrimination pattern is pretty much black....what the heck..am i doing something wrong are are all the coins gone...lol.....any advice would be truly appreciated.....thanks....ginger
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very confused
- Thread starter gingerlm
- Start date
tippyhound
New member
The principles for all metal detectors are basically the same. LEARN TO USE THE INFORMATION THE MACHINE SUPPLIES YOU WITH. Some detectors give you more information and options then others, but if you learn to use that information you can become very proficient with any machine.
I have had my Etrac for less then a month and I sure don't have 35 hrs in the field with it. I have found 3 silver dimes so far and today I found my first V nickle with it. That V nickle read just like and sounded just like a pull tab, reading 12-17, why did I dig it? Because it also showed the depth as being 5"s. Yes I get fooled here and there and dig a stray piece of a tab, but you aren't doing your job if you don't.
One of the things I really like about this machine is the Quick Mask program. I had a few signals today that sounded just like a silver quarter, but the FE #'s were all very low and the depth was 6"s plus, so I checked the Quick Mask program which I operate with no discrimination and the target indicator box set in the lower right hand corner on every one of those signals which tells me LEAVE IT LAY, you have a piece of iron down there. I operated a Fisher CZ6 for a number of years and that kind of info wasn't available to me on that machine and I dug many nails because of that.
I have a great deal to learn about this machine, but I read the forums, find out how other Etrac users are operating their machines, and learn some tricks to setting up programs for different hunting conditions and try some of them on my machine, and have found some like the Quick Mask Program to identify iron to work pretty good.
I've been in this hobby for a while now, and I've learned you have to get the coil over it to find it, you have to take the time to learn your machine, and you have to have the patients to dig some bad targets, if you do you'll learn from what you see and what you hear and pretty soon you won't dig as many bad targets and you'll dig a darn sight more of what your after.
Don't know if any of this helped you out. I guess instead of writing all this down I could have simply said (HAVE SOME PATIENCE).
I have had my Etrac for less then a month and I sure don't have 35 hrs in the field with it. I have found 3 silver dimes so far and today I found my first V nickle with it. That V nickle read just like and sounded just like a pull tab, reading 12-17, why did I dig it? Because it also showed the depth as being 5"s. Yes I get fooled here and there and dig a stray piece of a tab, but you aren't doing your job if you don't.
One of the things I really like about this machine is the Quick Mask program. I had a few signals today that sounded just like a silver quarter, but the FE #'s were all very low and the depth was 6"s plus, so I checked the Quick Mask program which I operate with no discrimination and the target indicator box set in the lower right hand corner on every one of those signals which tells me LEAVE IT LAY, you have a piece of iron down there. I operated a Fisher CZ6 for a number of years and that kind of info wasn't available to me on that machine and I dug many nails because of that.
I have a great deal to learn about this machine, but I read the forums, find out how other Etrac users are operating their machines, and learn some tricks to setting up programs for different hunting conditions and try some of them on my machine, and have found some like the Quick Mask Program to identify iron to work pretty good.
I've been in this hobby for a while now, and I've learned you have to get the coil over it to find it, you have to take the time to learn your machine, and you have to have the patients to dig some bad targets, if you do you'll learn from what you see and what you hear and pretty soon you won't dig as many bad targets and you'll dig a darn sight more of what your after.
Don't know if any of this helped you out. I guess instead of writing all this down I could have simply said (HAVE SOME PATIENCE).
dirt doctor
Well-known member
If you still have it go out with your SE tomorrow to hunt with the group . If you don't maybe one of your friends has an Etrac and you can compare signals and get some pointers . You could just be not going over silver . Just relax , go a tad slower and use your factory pre-sets til' you get a bit more confidence .
If the pattern you are running in is pretty much black, I'd say you have way too much discrimination. I'd suggest chosing either the Relic Program, or the Coin Program, and modify the audio and expert modes to suit your site.
I hunt for old coins at old sites. Farmfields, homesteads, old fairgrounds etc. In my neck of the woods, I typically run in Volume 30, Gain 30, response Normal, trash High, ground Neutral, Deep on, recovery Fast and Variabillity at 30. Sometimes I tweak one setting or another, depending on the circumstances. Knowing what settings will work best for you can only be determined by your understanding of what each setting does. As such, your choices may be different for your style and the sites you hunt than mine or anyone elses. Having used the Explorer successfully, you should have a good idea as to what many of the adjustments accomplish.
Personally......If I am hunting an area with an abundance of iron pieces (nails around old homesites), I prefer to run in 2-tone ferrous with a fairly wide open screen. (that means very little "black" on the screen) In cluttered areas, I always use a smaller than stock coil to maximize target separation. I run Auto Sensitivity at a +2 or +3, if it doesn't cause too much falsing. If I can see bits of iron all over the ground or if it falses with each sweep, I'll back the Sensitivity off as far as -1 or -2. I seldom (never) use manual Sensitivity in areas with lots of adjacent targets. I'm convinced that running with a higher Sensitivity than the software "recommends" will actually reflect the signal prematurely. If the falsing is caused by iron with consistent 01/35 readings, I'll reject (black out) a portion of the ferrous line. On the other hand, if I am hunting an area with "modern" trash (aluminum scrap, bottle caps etc) I prefer to run in multiple tone conductive mode. If deeply buried iron isn't a problem, I can "hunt by ear" with good results. I guess my point is, the more information I can gather from the audio, the less I have to look at the meter.
I'd suggest you reset the E-TRAC to factory default levels, and start all over again with your preference of settings. Again, if your screen pattern is pretty much black, you have way too much discrimination going on (in my opinion). HH Randy
I hunt for old coins at old sites. Farmfields, homesteads, old fairgrounds etc. In my neck of the woods, I typically run in Volume 30, Gain 30, response Normal, trash High, ground Neutral, Deep on, recovery Fast and Variabillity at 30. Sometimes I tweak one setting or another, depending on the circumstances. Knowing what settings will work best for you can only be determined by your understanding of what each setting does. As such, your choices may be different for your style and the sites you hunt than mine or anyone elses. Having used the Explorer successfully, you should have a good idea as to what many of the adjustments accomplish.
Personally......If I am hunting an area with an abundance of iron pieces (nails around old homesites), I prefer to run in 2-tone ferrous with a fairly wide open screen. (that means very little "black" on the screen) In cluttered areas, I always use a smaller than stock coil to maximize target separation. I run Auto Sensitivity at a +2 or +3, if it doesn't cause too much falsing. If I can see bits of iron all over the ground or if it falses with each sweep, I'll back the Sensitivity off as far as -1 or -2. I seldom (never) use manual Sensitivity in areas with lots of adjacent targets. I'm convinced that running with a higher Sensitivity than the software "recommends" will actually reflect the signal prematurely. If the falsing is caused by iron with consistent 01/35 readings, I'll reject (black out) a portion of the ferrous line. On the other hand, if I am hunting an area with "modern" trash (aluminum scrap, bottle caps etc) I prefer to run in multiple tone conductive mode. If deeply buried iron isn't a problem, I can "hunt by ear" with good results. I guess my point is, the more information I can gather from the audio, the less I have to look at the meter.
I'd suggest you reset the E-TRAC to factory default levels, and start all over again with your preference of settings. Again, if your screen pattern is pretty much black, you have way too much discrimination going on (in my opinion). HH Randy
utahshovelhead
Active member
Digger is right in his post but I might add that you should just go and have fun...take a few things to test target on, mess wth the buttons and see what happens. Then SLOW down and sweep in the best spots you can find. None of us telling you what to do is going to make you find anything you just have to put yourself in a good spot and give it a go.
good luck,
..... may the silver find you!!
utahshovelhead
good luck,
..... may the silver find you!!
utahshovelhead
Jason in Enid
Active member
If you are lost after 35 hours, you are doing something wrong. I think you are "over thinking" the machine. Quit making constant changes. Load the factory coin program and go hit a tot-lot. Stick to the solid number close to the FE 12 line. When you find a coin target, move the coil off to the side. Put it in pinpoint mode, move the coil slowly left to right and right to left. Watch the scale at the top of the screen. When you are at the max signal spot, slide the coil front to back to find the strongest signal. Recheck the left - right if you are further forward or back from the first spot. Right now the target should be DIRECTLY under the center of the coil, which is where the rod attaches.
Now, just go out an hunt. Pay attention to all the sounds, signal numbers, pinpoint sizes, etc. Also get Andy's book and read it at least 4 times. When you get bored finding the easy targets, solid targets, then start adjusting settings, and looking at other than textbook response numbers.
Also, take the SE on the group. You will be constantly second guessing yourself and never really relax and have fun hunting with a machine you arent sure of.
Now, just go out an hunt. Pay attention to all the sounds, signal numbers, pinpoint sizes, etc. Also get Andy's book and read it at least 4 times. When you get bored finding the easy targets, solid targets, then start adjusting settings, and looking at other than textbook response numbers.
Also, take the SE on the group. You will be constantly second guessing yourself and never really relax and have fun hunting with a machine you arent sure of.
I use Ferrous and 2-tones all the time and it is really quiet, 4-tones gives me more falsing and I get a lot of falsing in multi. I run a slightly modified relic pattern maybe a number more in each direction... in proportion the the stock relic program. I use fast=on deep=on pitch hold and auto+3... I don't understand why you are having noise unless you are running no disc, if you are running no disc, especially in FTT, you are missing good targets.
J
J
dirtfishing
New member
I just stepped up from an Explorer II to the E-trac about twelve days ago. I have maybe 15 hrs in the field with it. I have five Silvers, 15 wheats, and a couple other good finds with it. I simply run in the default Coin Program, with deep on, manual sens around 26, and it seems to run very stable (compared to the Explorer II) The pinpointing on this unit is awesome, (compared to the Explorer). Like someone else said, when pinpointing, watch the graph at the top of the screen, when the lines come together, the object is directly below the center of the coil. Sometimes on deep targets, I have to push the coil down into the grass to get the pinpoint to respond. I hunt by sound, and check the #'s. Almost all Coins will have a 12 ferrous # and the better coins will have a 40's Conductive #.........although Indians will be in the 30's from what I've read. Sweep slowly, and listen for a nice warble from a good deep object. I love this machine, it reminds me of my XLT that I hunted with for 10 yrs, but with the added depth of a Minelab...................Good Luck!!
I upgraded from the xterra 70 to the etrac and I can honestly say the etrac was easier to learn than the xterra. It is truly a take out of the box machine and go hunt. It pinpoints like a laser........IF YOU UNDERSTAND how to do it. First off I NEVER use the pinpoint button. NEVER. I find a good signal and just slowly wiggle the coil back until signal stops, then I dig directly in front of the coil and the target is there everytime. I have never had a more accurate pinpointing detector ever.
I hunt with 2 methods:
1. slightly modified coin mode on sites with lower amounts of iron
2. two tone ferrous with relic screen on sites with high iron
I use auto +3, deep off, fast on, ground difficult.
I hunt with 2 methods:
1. slightly modified coin mode on sites with lower amounts of iron
2. two tone ferrous with relic screen on sites with high iron
I use auto +3, deep off, fast on, ground difficult.
Jason in Enid
Active member
Oh yeah, I forgot to talk about speed. You need to be counting "one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three" in your head for every left to right. Then repeat for the right to left. 6 seconds per swing.
The E-Trac's power comes from the fact that it takes virtually zero movement to detect objects. "Regular" VLF machines require at least 3 to 4 seconds per swing, and improve somewhat with a faster swing rate. Cover more ground, but miss those hiding and on-edge coins. On-edge coins don't respond well to the non movement method, but a slight wiggle of the coil will make them sound off.
The E-Trac's power comes from the fact that it takes virtually zero movement to detect objects. "Regular" VLF machines require at least 3 to 4 seconds per swing, and improve somewhat with a faster swing rate. Cover more ground, but miss those hiding and on-edge coins. On-edge coins don't respond well to the non movement method, but a slight wiggle of the coil will make them sound off.
Gday ginger
hang in there - u will turn the corner for sure if u use the above advice from all those experienced users.
I am a newbie too and came from a Xterra70 but doing ok and liking the Etrac
IMHO finding old coins at depth is what it loves to do
the way i learned was to dig almost everything to get the hang of it.
the 99 (multi) tones are too much for me and I hunt in 4 tones unless in TTF...maybe that will change as I improve ?
A nice slow sweep speed and do not overpower the machine is important...auto Sens. is good as are the standard programs
best of luck and happy swingin
T59
hang in there - u will turn the corner for sure if u use the above advice from all those experienced users.
I am a newbie too and came from a Xterra70 but doing ok and liking the Etrac
IMHO finding old coins at depth is what it loves to do
the way i learned was to dig almost everything to get the hang of it.
the 99 (multi) tones are too much for me and I hunt in 4 tones unless in TTF...maybe that will change as I improve ?
A nice slow sweep speed and do not overpower the machine is important...auto Sens. is good as are the standard programs
best of luck and happy swingin
T59
thanks for all the advice....i was definately over thinking.....i did a master reset and just went wih it..we went out with the group on sunday and it was ruined when we came upon six slaughtered deer....3 does and 3 babies...all in a pile....not good...but we went out again on mon and tues., this machine loves silver ....i bought 2 of andy's books and will read them until the pages fall out....going back out today..i will "get it"...thanks for everyones imput....ginger
Be careful by relying on the numbers in pinpoint. There could be a nail or some other iron really close and the number can go wrong and fool you in pinpoint. In disc it will ignore a target that is disced out, seek and find a target that is accepted and display that number but when you switch to AM pinpoint all that goes out the window if you are in iron or trash and aren't careful, that is also the problem when checking a target in QM with an open screen.
J
J
I had no trouble switching from Explorer SE to E-Trac, so I find this super puzzling. I read the books and the manuals and wrote down all the settings possible for both machines. I understood exactly what each was and what it did, on each machine. Then I figured out and wrote down which settings I used on the Explorer and what I needed to do to make the E-Trac sound just like the Explorer. I can still swap between the two fairly easily because they sound the same.
I read that you wrote, "did everything everyone said" and I have to say immediately I thought, no wonder it's messed up... you've combined advice and settings from a dozen different people none of which may be at all compatible!
I use preset coins program, auto sens +3 and use pinpoint all the time (same as my Explorer). I wouldn't even think about using TTF until you have mastered the preset coins program unless you intend to use TTF all the time. (Depends on your sites.)
I still do not understand why people say the machine being noisy or "too fluty" (especially if you were used to the Explorer) - every signal is something the machine is detecting and identifying for you. If you are going so fast that you can't hear each item the detector signals on... slow down. Instead of beep-boop-grunt-beep-boop, your brain should be thinking.... pulltab, iron, penny, iron, canslaw. If there are too many signals, turn up the discrimination, master those signals first, then open it up more.
I read that you wrote, "did everything everyone said" and I have to say immediately I thought, no wonder it's messed up... you've combined advice and settings from a dozen different people none of which may be at all compatible!
I use preset coins program, auto sens +3 and use pinpoint all the time (same as my Explorer). I wouldn't even think about using TTF until you have mastered the preset coins program unless you intend to use TTF all the time. (Depends on your sites.)
I still do not understand why people say the machine being noisy or "too fluty" (especially if you were used to the Explorer) - every signal is something the machine is detecting and identifying for you. If you are going so fast that you can't hear each item the detector signals on... slow down. Instead of beep-boop-grunt-beep-boop, your brain should be thinking.... pulltab, iron, penny, iron, canslaw. If there are too many signals, turn up the discrimination, master those signals first, then open it up more.
Like most have already said. Use a stock program and just learn what the machine is telling you.
Andy's book is a key factor in helping me and others. Leave ttf alone for now...it will come. Give it time and have fun...soon you will see it all fall into place.
Most of all, don't fall into the hype of punching in a new program all the time just because someone esle said its the ticket. Learn the unit and go from there.
HH
Andy's book is a key factor in helping me and others. Leave ttf alone for now...it will come. Give it time and have fun...soon you will see it all fall into place.
Most of all, don't fall into the hype of punching in a new program all the time just because someone esle said its the ticket. Learn the unit and go from there.
HH
i'm finaly getting it....found another colonial yesterday....heading back out again this morning.. i made copies of andy's worksheets and jot down what i'm doing....i even tried running quick mask for quite awhile yesterday to get use to the sounds and numbers....heading down south next month...hope i can try this out on a few beaches.....thanks for everyones advice and andy's book.....