Will Etrac give me accurate target ID on rusted metal?

[Happa54]

I'm still on the fence in my decision to upgrade to Etrac from Safari.

I have a question that with the answer I'm looking for may seal the deal for me.

Scenario;

My Safari picks up a high dime signal 38 and I dig 6" and I pull out a rusted 1" screw. Happens all the time.

Will the Etrac tell me tell me its a rusted screw based on its Fe/Co ID ? So therefore, I don't waste time digging it?

They say the Etrac tells you "what not to dig".

Do Etrac owners still dig rusted nails, screws, bottle caps, pull tabs, etc?

But then, I may not pull the trigger til I see some reviews on the Equinox.

Thank you for your input.

 

[sd51]

Happa54, I went out today with my E-TRAC and did dig up three rusted screws before this heat wave in Michigan sent me home. Here's what the E-TRAC displayed; the ferrous numbers were high (in the 20s and 30s) but would occasionally drop to around 12 and the conductive numbers were jumping around 40 to 45. The depth indicated the target was around 6 to 8 inches. Typically I don't dig signals that jump this much because there are usually iron trash but I wasn't getting many signals and had just gotten permission to detect a yard where the house was built in the 30s.

When a dime is in highly mineralized soil and the E-TRAC display indicates the target is over 6", I don't expect the E-TRAC to lock onto a solid 12-44. The ferrous number will jump into the high teens or very low 20's but the conductive number will be 43 to 45. I think we all dig rusted iron nails and screws because if we don't, it makes us think what was that target I left.

I was curios about the Equinox and I realized it gives just a single number to identify the target. I don't know if I could go back to a detector that just gives one single data point. I recommend the E-TRAC.

 

[sd51]

Happa54, I see that you also asked about digging bottle caps and pull tabs. I discriminate out bottle caps but I don't discriminate out pull tabs. I can usually tell when the E-TRAC has detect a new or old pulltab by the numbers displayed but keep in mind that gold rings will have a conductive number that can range from 04 up to the 20s. I'd suggest you load the E-TRAC emulator program on your computer. It's free and it will let you see how the E-TRAC works and how it reacts to various coins, gold and silver jewelry. Here's a link to get the E-TRAC Emulator software...http://www.thebeepgoeson.com/display.asp?page=E-Trac_Emulator_ZIP. It's set-up for PCs running Windows. Don't think it works on an Apple PC.

 

[IDXMonster]

Did that screw repeat cleanly at two angles with the Safari?

 

[Happa54]

Sd51/IDXMonster...

Yes it had a strong signal both ways. Even if it was a one way repeatable signal, I'd dig it.

Although the Safari only displays either Co or Fe (not both), I always go by the tone, then look to check the ID just as a reference, but not the deciding factor over the tone.

It sounds like Etrac owners are digging the screws too... must be this way for nails, wire, anything rusted as well.

It's a weird science when the metals change from being in the ground for a period of time.

So, it sounds like you (as Etrac owner) are relying on the tones too? Right? Your target ID is not as reliable as the tone?

I only disc out the iron so I hear pretty much everything, but its tones, tones, tones for me.

Unfortunately, with the Safari, rusted metals can sound like dimes/quarters and aluminum sounds like silver.

I thought that the Etrac is precise enough to tell me whether the target is a rusted rusted/metal or a coin, although the tones are alike.

I guess I won't be able to get away from this fact and I will be digging nonetheless. May not be a bad thing too.

 

[Happa54]

Happa54, I see that you also asked about digging bottle caps and pull tabs. I discriminate out bottle caps but I don't discriminate out pull tabs. I can usually tell when the E-TRAC has detect a new or old pulltab by the numbers displayed but keep in mind that gold rings will have a conductive number that can range from 04 up to the 20s. I'd suggest you load the E-TRAC emulator program on your computer. It's free and it will let you see how the E-TRAC works and how it reacts to various coins, gold and silver jewelry. Here's a link to get the E-TRAC Emulator software...http://www.thebeepgoeson.com/display.asp?page=E-Trac_Emulator_ZIP. It's set-up for PCs running Windows. Don't think it works on an Apple PC.

Thank you for this link to the emulator download sd51.... much appreciated

 

[Southwind]

The tone for me is mainly to get my attention. I've had deep coppers and silver sound like crap, but the numbers say different.

I use both sound & VDI equally. I may get a target that sounds like crap but the number say check it out or I may get a great sound but the numbers say its a piece of crap.

For me I set my FE number limit between crap and good around 22. Now that is going by the most consistently displayed number. If I see the sound is questionable and the FE number is less than 22 consistently I dig. If the sound is questionable and the FE is above 22 I leave it.

 

[sd51]

Agree with Southwind about tones. I will usually determine the rough shape of the target using the tone by moving the coil around the target. I will dig targets that will have ferrous values up to 27 if they are deep since the soil between the target and the surface can be highly mineralized and will affect the ferrous value. Don't think we can ever get away from digging trash, that's why we always take it with us so we don't have to dig it again. Try the emulator software and see what you think about the E-TRAC.

 

[Happa54]

Yes, thanks for all your expertise fellow MD'ers.

We're pretty much using same techniques/styles for digging targets based on tones and ID.

The difference with me though is the Safari doesn't give me the FE numbers when hunting in CO.

There is one thing that I do on occasion and that is I will cross check from CO to AM and listen to the tone...sometimes this helps because I can hear the low grunts on ferrous targets and then switch back to CO mode.

But in the long run, I'm doing good with my finds.

I think I'll wait til the reports come in on the Equinox.

I'm even thinking about putting the order in now since I've seen the video.

 

[IDXMonster]

Yeah I was asking if it repeated at two angles to see if the Safari was any better than my Explorer2 or CTX. I've dug enough screws with both of them to restore an Allis Chalmers...
Most have been MY fault though...I know a coins signal characteristics and strength at say 4-5"....very strong and unwavering. Now I get something like that and it's reading 4-5" but it's very WEAK and not "robust"? My dumb ass digs it anyway. And this is how I have dug a wheelbarrow full of stupid screws. Oh well,I'm feeling very good about being "environmental"...