Etrac and SEF coils

[mntnflyr4fun]

A few months ago I switched to a Etrac and shortly after starting to hunt with it, installed a SEF 10x12 coil and went to a SEF 6x8 for trashy sites. I have been impressed with the stability of the SEF coils, and the Etrac in general.

I have noticed that there are times that the audio starts with a good signal and then kind of ends with a "thunk". I have thought that the audio was possibly indicating the presence of an iron target masquerading as a good target, but it doesn't seem to happen all the time. Today for instance, I dug a couple pieces of deep iron that were reading CO 40+ with FE in the 18-20 range, and the signals were pretty stable conductive high tones with none of the "thunk" at the end...

I passed on multiple targets that were deeper that had a pretty solid High Conductive sound but had this unmistakable "thunk" at the end of the signal.

I don't know anyone else with an etrac to listen to, so was wondering if any other etrac users had experienced any similar audio and could log in to let me know what it is indicating....

 

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[cudamark]

I wish I could answer your question but I'd like to know myself! I'm thinking about getting an E-trac and am still in the info gathering stage. I see that you also own a White's V3i. How do you think they compare? In what way are the SEF coils better than the factory coil? Thanks, Mark

 

[recondigger]

I have had a lot of different detectors over the last 15-16 years different brands trust me when I say go with the e-trac! The best machine I have seen. I wasn't sure about spending the money but I'm glad I did I got it when they came out and I would never use another machine.

 

[recondigger]

As far as the thunk I would never pass up a target with that at the end I have learned not to pass them up I did at first and have found that it can be caused by a near by iron

 

[mntnflyr4fun]

In my personal experience, the two machines really don't compare. I believe that the V3i is one of the finest machines built, BUT you have to spend an inordinate amount of time in learning to tune the machine to get even reasonable performance out of it. If techno tinkering is your interest, the V3i will provide volumes of parameters to tweak, but you may end up (as I did on many occasions) with the machine so far out of shape it would barely detect a quarter 2" down...NO JOKE....A very complicated and sensitive machine. Once mastered, I am sure it will compete head to head with anything out there in any venue from nugget shooting to coin and jewelry...I just personally got fed up with all the tweaking it takes to keep it working well.

When I bought my etrac, I went to that same park that I had almost exclusively used my V3i on for a year. DAY 1 I pulled a silver Merc.dime....NEVER had pulled any silver with the V in that park...3rd hunt, same park another silver dime....I am not sure I even know why I dug, the machine just seemed to say DIG.....since then I have pulled a 1904 V nickle as well as LOTS of clad that I had missed with the V.

Also, the V3i never did do a good job of identifying good targets from trash unless they were in the top couple inches of the soil. My etrac nails targets at 6+ inches with much higher accuracy and repeatability.

So thats my take on it....I like to hunt, not tweak my detector, If I was going to go with the Whites machine, I would probably opt. for the VX3, which is a slimmed down version of the V3i. If Whites is paying attention to whats going on in the market (ie. V3i users bailing out for other machines by the droves) they will introduce a version of the V3i that has higher levels of automation.

That being said, the Etrac is not a good nugget machine, and has some real limitations on small jewelry etc. that are well known to etrac users, but it does such a great job sniffing out coins in trash and at depth that I like many others will be satisfied with a secondary machine that is capable of the gold/small jewelry finding if thats needed....

All I can say is I haven't looked back since I went to the Etrac.

I wish I could answer your question but I'd like to know myself! I'm thinking about getting an E-trac and am still in the info gathering stage. I see that you also own a White's V3i. How do you think they compare? In what way are the SEF coils better than the factory coil? Thanks, Mark

 

[mntnflyr4fun]

I received a pvt. communication from and experienced Etrac user regarding the "thunk". and you are quite right about not passing them up. The reason is that the Thunk is telling you that you are at the maximum depth on that target in that configuration. You can simulate getting the "thunk" by reducing sensitivity over a target, or by lifting the coil up until you reach its max.....Interesting, and helpful information as the thunk can be used to tell you to try and crank up the sens a little if you are not already as hot as you can be.

Anyway, thats what I have found out, so hope it helps...

As far as the thunk I would never pass up a target with that at the end I have learned not to pass them up I did at first and have found that it can be caused by a near by iron

 

[cudamark]

Thanks mntnflyr4fun for your insight. That seems to be the consensus on the two machines. I'd still like to know what the advantage is to the aftermarket coils for various objects. I know that a larger coil will help on deeper, larger targets and it will cover more ground but what do you give up as a result of using one? If nothing, why doesn't it come with one from the factory?

 

[ronv3]

I usually dig the Thunks also, and have been suprised at whats at the other end!

 

[mntnflyr4fun]

Opinions vary I am sure, but the bigger coils can be very difficult to use in high trash environments like parks, old industrial sites etc. because they just have to many targets under the coil at one time, or the targets are close enough together that it can make target separation and pinpointing almost impossible. Most of the really big coils are used in open country type hunting ie. relics in farm fields, forests etc. I find that a 10" coil is pretty adequate for most of my hunting areas, and what I need most is a smaller coil, hence I run a SEF 6x8 on my machine the majority of the time and am considering a SunRay x5 for even trashier site. I hunt in lots of public park areas, which unfortunately are generally covered with buried trash.

Also, the big coils see lots more of the ground mineralization and so if you are in moderately high or highly mineralized area you cannot run them as hot without falsing. Small coils as a general rule will be much more stable at higher sensitivities and still get good depth. My SEF is good to around 7" in dry soil and deeper when its damp. Deep enough for me......

Thanks mntnflyr4fun for your insight. That seems to be the consensus on the two machines. I'd still like to know what the advantage is to the aftermarket coils for various objects. I know that a larger coil will help on deeper, larger targets and it will cover more ground but what do you give up as a result of using one? If nothing, why doesn't it come with one from the factory?

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I have used the WOT 15 inch on my Sov GT at times in parks and had no problem with it, no problem pinpointing either even though it had multiple targets under it. Once down to the final locate I used my DetectorPro uniprobe to get target out of the ground.....

 

[cudamark]

I have used the WOT 15 inch on my Sov GT at times in parks and had no problem with it, no problem pinpointing either even though it had multiple targets under it. Once down to the final locate I used my DetectorPro uniprobe to get target out of the ground.....

Are you losing any small rings or coins with that 15" loop? Still solid sounds on them? By the looks of your detector collection, it looks like you've modified a couple of Excaliburs. How are they working out for you and are they still waterproof enough to dive with? Who modified them for you and how much did it cost? Sorry about hijacking the post with some many questions!