Etrac is in the mail. Is open screen a good way to learn the machine?

[DiamondDan]

It'll be here Tuesday. I've have pored over hundreds of articles, forum posts and videos researching the machine, its capabilities, and different strategies of use. One thing I have been reading over quite extensively is the learning curve. Opinions vary from "use super-duper discrimination until you get used to the machine" to "open that puppy up and let your ears discriminate".

I think I'm gonna open up the screen and dig until I'm identifying targets by sound in my sleep. I have been running my M6 with absolutely no discrimination and a wide open throttle since acquiring it. I realize that the etrac has a different sort of "sound", but the M6 (although only seven tones) is a very nuanced and sensitive detector, and I have gotten VERY good with it.

One other thing: I've read posts by others saying that the etrac actually performs BETTER with some discrimination. I haven't run the machine yet, of course, but it seems like a dubious statement. Maybe I'm wrong. Actually, I think I'm just suspicious of discrimination!

So how did you folks learn it? What's your opinion of running an open screen right off the bat? Thanks for your input.

Dan

 

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[RW]

Wide open is great way to learn. Love my Deus but man o man do I miss that big, beautiful, ferrous number!!! I know, I know, can't rely totally on FE ID, masking, etc... but it sure is great after you get it down for your environment. Enjoy!

 

[cudamark]

A lot will depend on where you plan to hunt and what you are trying to find. You might find a wide open screen a bit overwhelming at first if you're going to hunt an urban park or other junky area. At a beach, I prefer open screen in 2 tone ferrous and kill off the common falsing numbers....usually some of the 01's and 02's on the ferrous side combined with the low conductive numbers from 1 to 28 or so. You'll just have to experiment to see what you like to use.

 

[marjam]

Wide open is a great way to learn. As far as the FECO numbers, i find the etrac to be quite accurate. They are usually dead on on coins to about 5 inches, and will start getting bouncy at 6 or so. But, you will see the magic 11 12 FE number mixed in with the bouncy numbers on real deep targets. It is usually something good when that happens, along with a good tone of course. Once you get used to it, you can tell by the sound along with the numbers if it is going to be a good target with about 90 percent accuracy. A nickel is almost always 12 13 in my soil, but some pulltabs are too. But the etrac will have a clean sound with those numbers that will tell you before you dig it's a nickel. This will all make more sense when you get it and get into the field with it.

Congratulations on your purchase. I am sure you will love it...........

 

[SD51]

Dan, you can download a free software package called the E-TRAC Emulator (attached a link). The emulator will help you learn how to set-up and operate the E-TRAC. There are files for US coins, Gold and Silver jewelry that will show how the E-TRAC responds to these targets when you hover the mouse's cursor over the targets.

Here's the link and it is free... The Beep Goes On

 

[DiamondDan]

Thanks for the advice, gang. I've been very busy the past few days, but I had about an hour and a half to get out with it yesterday. I can tell I'm going to need many hours on this machine to become proficient with it.

I started out in open screen/full tones, but it was WAY too trashy and I was getting a bit overwhelmed, so I ran the stock coin program for a bit. Found a few coins, but I have basically cherry-picked all the tasty signals from the area with my White's, so I wasn't expecting to set the world on fire and come home with a pouch full of clad and silver. I have a better area to go that is a little more free of trash, so I'll be hitting that later tonight, probably.

Still reading through the Sabisch guy's book. It's pretty interesting, but to be honest, I like the etrac manual better, at least for the time being. Perhaps I'll have a bit more to glean from it after I've been running the machine for a bit.

I'll have more to talk about after I've gotten used to it.

 

[marjam]

Use two tone ferrous when you have a trashy area, and what will happen is anything ferrous will grunt, anything conductive will have a high pitch sound. Only the two tones are available in this mode, but it picks out goodies that are in the same hole as iron targets. If your problem wasn't iron and just alot of pulltabs, poptops, undesirable conductive targets, it won't help you much but just go very slow and try to pick out desirable targets between the trash. Some prefer hunting in two tone ferrous all the time. I like to use it im certain conditions.

There are YouTube videos to familiarize you with setting this up. I recommend Andy Sabisch's pattern as well along with his book, and i think you mentioned having it. Lots of good information there. Give this beast time, and when it comes together for you, you will dig more silver than you ever have if you are hunting in the right places.

 

[E-Trac-Ohio]

Dan, The E-Trac is hands down one of the best metal detectors ever made.
I used mine for 7 years non stop - made many thousands of good finds.
The target ID is fantastic - once you get to know your machine you will easily be able to tell if it's an Indian Cent, Wheat, Copper Lincoln or Zinc Lincoln before you dig it !
I was at an old cellar hole 6 or 7 years ago and got a solid 12 - 28 and said to myself if it's a coin it's a Flying Eagle Cent - it was - still the only one I've ever found.

Two things I found very important - if you plan on hunting in iron infested areas ...
(1) Run in the "2TF" Two Tone Ferrous program.
(2) Get a SMALL coil - 6" range - an Excellerator Q2 or the small SunRay coil

Good Hunting !

 

[mope540]

...
I started out in open screen/full tones, but it was WAY too trashy and I was getting a bit overwhelmed, so I ran the stock coin program for a bit. Found a few coins, but I have basically cherry-picked all the tasty signals from the area with my White's, so I wasn't expecting to set the world on fire and come home with a pouch full of clad and silver. I have a better area to go that is a little more free of trash...

The factory coin pattern with a few adjustments is what i used to learn the basics of the etrac. I hunt farm and home sites where the iron trash can be overwhelming. Wasn't long before i had the etrac loaded with tighter patterns. I went back over my previously 'hunted' spots and recovered some nice missed targets. You hunt like me. Because of work schedule and family life, the chances to hunt are too few...so I too usually cherry pick. I'm retiring by Spring so there will be plenty of time to slow down and learn more. it is a way more capable machine.

Do the E-TRAC Xchange download on this Minelab page. Neat tool for saving and sharing your custom patterns.

https://www.minelab.com/metal-detectors/e-trac