Deep coins with the Etrac??

Butler

Sr. Member
Feb 19, 2009
250
168
Northern Colorado
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac; X-1 Probe; Brain!
I am not a pro by any means but I have dug a ton of deep (down to china) holes only to find iron or worse nothing. It's amazing how the mind plays tricks on one when they want to believe there is something there you know? Damn this $1500 machine, I just KNOW it's something good!! :icon_shaking2:

Lately I have been hunting in some very nasty trashy locations. Three weeks ago I got my deepest coin so far, a 1916 Barber. I won't say how deep but I will try and explain how I found it.

Typically I use auto sensitivity anywhere falsing and broken thresholds happen when in manual, which is pretty much everywhere near where I live! I was also set to deep on, I think this makes a difference but some may disagree. I was scanning along (slowly) and hit a high(er) sound but it was choppy. I switched to manual 30 and all metal and scanned from several directions. The readings were bouncing but the high choppy sound and the "bounce" was consistent in what I call the acceptable range between 10-27 and 40-48. BTW choppy is not the same to me as broken. Choppy is well a chop chop chop that is a repeatable from different directions (sorry wish I could describe this better). Broken is a sound that nulls out and is often not repeatable. Anyway, when pinpointing the cross hairs were bouncing in the "good zone" and the "scream" sound was low and faint, meaning it was deep, or very small. ;D This is what I call an iffy signal but not really since I know there is at least a 60% chance it's something good.

I dug a big plug, scanned with the sunray but nothing. Re-scanned with the E-Trac. Still there so I dug some more, and then some more, and finally I heard it with the sunray! A "clear" high sound that repeated from different directions. dug again, and AGAIN and in the bottom laying just a bit sideways was a silver rim. I am glad I dug!

Anyways, hope that helps.
 

Iron Patch

Gold Member
Sep 28, 2007
19,254
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Deus
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Butler said:
I am not a pro by any means but I have dug a ton of deep (down to china) holes only to find iron or worse nothing. It's amazing how the mind plays tricks on one when they want to believe there is something there you know? Damn this $1500 machine, I just KNOW it's something good!! :icon_shaking2:

Lately I have been hunting in some very nasty trashy locations. Three weeks ago I got my deepest coin so far, a 1916 Barber. I won't say how deep but I will try and explain how I found it.

Typically I use auto sensitivity anywhere falsing and broken thresholds happen when in manual, which is pretty much everywhere near where I live! I was also set to deep on, I think this makes a difference but some may disagree. I was scanning along (slowly) and hit a high(er) sound but it was choppy. I switched to manual 30 and all metal and scanned from several directions. The readings were bouncing but the high choppy sound and the "bounce" was consistent in what I call the acceptable range between 10-27 and 40-48. BTW choppy is not the same to me as broken. Choppy is well a chop chop chop that is a repeatable from different directions (sorry wish I could describe this better). Broken is a sound that nulls out and is often not repeatable. Anyway, when pinpointing the cross hairs were bouncing in the "good zone" and the "scream" sound was low and faint, meaning it was deep, or very small. ;D This is what I call an iffy signal but not really since I know there is at least a 60% chance it's something good.

I dug a big plug, scanned with the sunray but nothing. Re-scanned with the E-Trac. Still there so I dug some more, and then some more, and finally I heard it with the sunray! A "clear" high sound that repeated from different directions. dug again, and AGAIN and in the bottom laying just a bit sideways was a silver rim. I am glad I dug!

Anyways, hope that helps.


I haven't used an E-trac but it seems like your post reads kinda like an explorer one, so I'll reply and you can take it for what it's worth.

Your digging deep holes for iron or nothing sounds like nothing more than lack of experience, at least that's what it would be on an explorer. Make sure you "X" the target and listen for the null through the signal. I'm guessing it's very high tones you are chasing with poor results. It's fairly important to figure this out because it's not uncommon to get a good target with a Minelab and lose the sound completely once you start digging the hole. That's part of what makes the Sunray probe a great tool. In your case it would save you time because as soon as you have the dirt out you could probe the hole and know whether you were fooled or to keep digging. I bet you'd have a heck of a time pinpointing with my detector but imagine the E-trac is different, maybe easier. (I don't use pp mode)

As for the trashy areas you are better off to drop the sense to what you can tolerate but keep it in man.. When using auto in places like that your detector is probably adjusting lower than you would be happy with. I also wonder with the sense all over the board if it would be harder to get a good set of ears because of the constant changes. I used to use auto a long time ago but see no benefit to it.

Forget the screen! Your deep iron or ghost target problem will take longer to solve if you keep watching the meter, and you'll never be good enough to get proper readings in trashy areas.... because it's impossible. All an ID does is talk a person into being lazy and leave some good stuff behind.

All this brings me back to about 2000. (my first year with my XS) I learned little things for several years so it will get better for you. I have no idea how well I know my detector compared to the next guy, but I know it as well as I will know it. I love the fact the decision making is very automatic now when I hunt, lots of concentration but very little thinking.
 

Butler

Sr. Member
Feb 19, 2009
250
168
Northern Colorado
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trac; X-1 Probe; Brain!
Iron Patch said:
I haven't used an E-trac but it seems like your post reads kinda like an explorer one, so I'll reply and you can take it for what it's worth.

Thanks, I appreciate your taking the time to reply, and I definitely value the opinion of anyone who wears a "Superminelab" suit! :notworthy:

Having never used an Explorer I can't say weather my description sounds like one or not. I tried to be as descriptive and accurate as I could though.

Iron Patch said:
Your digging deep holes for iron or nothing sounds like nothing more than lack of experience, at least that's what it would be on an explorer. Make sure you "X" the target and listen for the null through the signal. I'm guessing it's very high tones you are chasing with poor results. It's fairly important to figure this out because it's not uncommon to get a good target with a Minelab and lose the sound completely once you start digging the hole. That's part of what makes the Sunray probe a great tool. In your case it would save you time because as soon as you have the dirt out you could probe the hole and know whether you were fooled or to keep digging. I bet you'd have a heck of a time pinpointing with my detector but imagine the E-trac is different, maybe easier. (I don't use pp mode)

Being new to this (about a year with the E-Trac) I have dug a lot of deep junk. However, my technique is much better now but I still "chase" some high tones, and others, but I think that is true for even seasoned veterans no? I mean you can't say every deep hole, or any hole for that matter that you dig comes up with a good target can you? I am sure your percentages are much better than mine but still...

And the sunray is great (wouldn't leave home without one) but it has at most a 4" range on a good day. As in my example above I dug a plug and still couldn't hear anything with the probe even though the E-trac still saw it albeit barely. Not until I dug another inch or two down did I hear something with the probe. I still had to dig some more after that to get to the coin. True it was off center a bit even for the man hole cover I dug but I believe that is because at that depth pinpointing is more of a guess than anything. Mainly I use it to try and lock onto the signal a bit better.

Iron Patch said:
As for the trashy areas you are better off to drop the sense to what you can tolerate but keep it in man.. When using auto in places like that your detector is probably adjusting lower than you would be happy with. I also wonder with the sense all over the board if it would be harder to get a good set of ears because of the constant changes. I used to use auto a long time ago but see no benefit to it.

Again, I have no experience with an Explorer, but my E-Trac IMO does very well in Auto Sens. I have heard/read of others who use manual and say it works better, but in my test garden and in the field I just haven't seen it. For example say auto (even) is at 22, setting manual to 22-23 makes no difference on any signal so far in my testing except that the threshold may null more in manual and I have to keep checking and resetting. The nulling (and falsing) is what I'm trying to avoid and auto does this. It makes sense to me at least that I am missing more targets with the nulling and falsing than by letting the machine do it's thing in auto. Anyway those are my findings (with an E-Trac) but of course I could be wrong! :tongue3:

Iron Patch said:
Forget the screen! Your deep iron or ghost target problem will take longer to solve if you keep watching the meter, and you'll never be good enough to get proper readings in trashy areas.... because it's impossible. All an ID does is talk a person into being lazy and leave some good stuff behind.

Hmmm, I have to disagree with this especially in trashy areas. Don't know about the Explorer but the E-Trac readings are quite accurate for any coin 4-5" deep or less even with trash right next to them. After that it does start to bounce around though but still is valuable information to determine weather I will dig or not. In the end the choice to dig should be based on the most information possible and the screen is there for a reason so why not use it? Just my opinion.

Iron Patch said:
All this brings me back to about 2000. (my first year with my XS) I learned little things for several years so it will get better for you. I have no idea how well I know my detector compared to the next guy, but I know it as well as I will know it. I love the fact the decision making is very automatic now when I hunt, lots of concentration but very little thinking.

YES I totally agree that practice makes perfect and I know I it will be sometime before I can get where you are now, but I am more than willing to put in the time! :laughing7:

HH
 

Iron Patch

Gold Member
Sep 28, 2007
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Butler said:
Iron Patch said:
I haven't used an E-trac but it seems like your post reads kinda like an explorer one, so I'll reply and you can take it for what it's worth.

Thanks, I appreciate your taking the time to reply, and I definitely value the opinion of anyone who wears a "Superminelab" suit! :notworthy:

Having never used an Explorer I can't say weather my description sounds like one or not. I tried to be as descriptive and accurate as I could though.

Iron Patch said:
Your digging deep holes for iron or nothing sounds like nothing more than lack of experience, at least that's what it would be on an explorer. Make sure you "X" the target and listen for the null through the signal. I'm guessing it's very high tones you are chasing with poor results. It's fairly important to figure this out because it's not uncommon to get a good target with a Minelab and lose the sound completely once you start digging the hole. That's part of what makes the Sunray probe a great tool. In your case it would save you time because as soon as you have the dirt out you could probe the hole and know whether you were fooled or to keep digging. I bet you'd have a heck of a time pinpointing with my detector but imagine the E-trac is different, maybe easier. (I don't use pp mode)

Being new to this (about a year with the E-Trac) I have dug a lot of deep junk. However, my technique is much better now but I still "chase" some high tones, and others, but I think that is true for even seasoned veterans no? I mean you can't say every deep hole, or any hole for that matter that you dig comes up with a good target can you? I am sure your percentages are much better than mine but still...

And the sunray is great (wouldn't leave home without one) but it has at most a 4" range on a good day. As in my example above I dug a plug and still couldn't hear anything with the probe even though the E-trac still saw it albeit barely. Not until I dug another inch or two down did I hear something with the probe. I still had to dig some more after that to get to the coin. True it was off center a bit even for the man hole cover I dug but I believe that is because at that depth pinpointing is more of a guess than anything. Mainly I use it to try and lock onto the signal a bit better.

Iron Patch said:
As for the trashy areas you are better off to drop the sense to what you can tolerate but keep it in man.. When using auto in places like that your detector is probably adjusting lower than you would be happy with. I also wonder with the sense all over the board if it would be harder to get a good set of ears because of the constant changes. I used to use auto a long time ago but see no benefit to it.

Again, I have no experience with an Explorer, but my E-Trac IMO does very well in Auto Sens. I have heard/read of others who use manual and say it works better, but in my test garden and in the field I just haven't seen it. For example say auto (even) is at 22, setting manual to 22-23 makes no difference on any signal so far in my testing except that the threshold may null more in manual and I have to keep checking and resetting. The nulling (and falsing) is what I'm trying to avoid and auto does this. It makes sense to me at least that I am missing more targets with the nulling and falsing than by letting the machine do it's thing in auto. Anyway those are my findings (with an E-Trac) but of course I could be wrong! :tongue3:

Iron Patch said:
Forget the screen! Your deep iron or ghost target problem will take longer to solve if you keep watching the meter, and you'll never be good enough to get proper readings in trashy areas.... because it's impossible. All an ID does is talk a person into being lazy and leave some good stuff behind.

Hmmm, I have to disagree with this especially in trashy areas. Don't know about the Explorer but the E-Trac readings are quite accurate for any coin 4-5" deep or less even with trash right next to them. After that it does start to bounce around though but still is valuable information to determine weather I will dig or not. In the end the choice to dig should be based on the most information possible and the screen is there for a reason so why not use it? Just my opinion.

Iron Patch said:
All this brings me back to about 2000. (my first year with my XS) I learned little things for several years so it will get better for you. I have no idea how well I know my detector compared to the next guy, but I know it as well as I will know it. I love the fact the decision making is very automatic now when I hunt, lots of concentration but very little thinking.

YES I totally agree that practice makes perfect and I know I it will be sometime before I can get where you are now, but I am more than willing to put in the time! :laughing7:

HH


"Thanks, I appreciate your taking the time to reply, and I definitely value the opinion of anyone who wears a "Superminelab" suit!"

- Yes, my best kept secret! :thumbsup:


"I mean you can't say every deep hole, or any hole for that matter that you dig comes up with a good target can you? I am sure your percentages are much better than mine but still..."

- Most places I hunt are farm fields with sites that date 150-250 years old. These places are quite a bit easier to hunt than a more modern farm house. Having said that, If you're meaning junk like small iron, like nails I basically don't dig it at all. For example if we find a new site that has never been hunted I will go the entire day without digging a piece of iron, it's only when it starts to get very quiet will I chase any sound that has a chance, but that's just the way it is to work the tough targets out. All non ferrous targets I do dig because they are worth while targets at old sites. Even my first hunts I knew the Explorer was much MUCH better than my GTI for avoiding iron. Now 9 years later, and the only type of detector I've used since changing, it speaks in a language which I understand every word.



"Again, I have no experience with an Explorer, but my E-Trac IMO does very well in Auto Sens. I have heard/read of others who use manual and say it works better, but in my test garden and in the field I just haven't seen it. For example say auto (even) is at 22, setting manual to 22-23 makes no difference on any signal so far in my testing except that the threshold may null more in manual and I have to keep checking and resetting. The nulling (and falsing) is what I'm trying to avoid and auto does this. It makes sense to me at least that I am missing more targets with the nulling and falsing than by letting the machine do it's thing in auto. Anyway those are my findings (with an E-Trac) but of course I could be wrong!"


You don't have to know the Explorer because the auto sense is most likely the same idea. It's true there is no difference between 22 auto and 22 man., but where there is a difference is you know where you are at 22 man., the 22 auto could be adjusting down to 10 auto. I remember reading posts about how far a detector would drop in auto but don't recall ever hearing an answer. That's something I would like to know if I was using auto. You also have to understand that the more adjustments that happen either by you, or the detector, to the detector, keep you from ever getting a super set of ears. The key to understanding the falsing and nulling is to become familar with how targets null and at what point, which is why once I was able to get used to a fairly high sense - low disc setting I haven't changed it for the last 6-7 years. (the first few were builing up to it) Think of it as a level, it's easy to see changes slightly above or below, but if your starting level changes on a regular basis your ears will never completely tune. My using the explorer the same for so many years pretty much has me made an expert at the "level" I use and now I can determine very slight changes up (non ferrous) or down (iron) There's actually a very simple lesson I learned a few years ago (for my settings) Small iron mostly just falses and will almost never ring in solid both ways. Med. iron rings in one way and not the other and it's worth digging for small iron relics at old sites. Iron targets that ring in both ways where I hunt are always worth digging and my % are very good for getting something when I go after these. Most hunts I probably wouldn't have to chase more than 5-6 holes, yet I have just as good of the chance at digging the cannonball as the guy who's digging iron like crazy. (actually my chances are better at everything because I'm not wasting time) Anyway, I don't expect everyone to know what I'm trying to say in all this, but it's just how I see it.


"Hmmm, I have to disagree with this especially in trashy areas. Don't know about the Explorer but the E-Trac readings are quite accurate for any coin 4-5" deep or less even with trash right next to them. After that it does start to bounce around though but still is valuable information to determine weather I will dig or not. In the end the choice to dig should be based on the most information possible and the screen is there for a reason so why not use it? Just my opinion."


- You'll learn sooner or later. ;D


"YES I totally agree that practice makes perfect and I know I it will be sometime before I can get where you are now, but I am more than willing to put in the time!"


No such thing as perfect in detecting but if you put your time in it will come together. All I've said in these posts is of course just my opinion, but I do know I'm right. ;D
 

keithtx

Greenie
Mar 26, 2010
16
1
Dallas TX
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-Trak w/Sunray Probe
Thanks for that post Iron Patch! Very helpful! Getting back into the hobby from when I was a teen (now 40s). Have an E-trac on order so I am reading up on it. If you could reply w/what settings you would rec I would appreciate it. I know the standard coin program will miss silver dollars etc. so help would be appreciated! Was also interested in the 15x12 Inch SEF Butterfly Search Coil or should I just stick with the stock 11" ? I did order the 6" EXcelerator EQ2 Pro DD Search Coil for tight areas and trashy areas.

PS: 1st detector was Whites Goldmaster (maybe 1975?) and then upgraded to the new Apollo Goldmaster with the new printed circuit board. Still used about 10 AA batteries.
 

Iron Patch

Gold Member
Sep 28, 2007
19,254
8,730
Dirtyville
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Deus
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keithtx said:
Thanks for that post Iron Patch! Very helpful! Getting back into the hobby from when I was a teen (now 40s). Have an E-trac on order so I am reading up on it. If you could reply w/what settings you would rec I would appreciate it. I know the standard coin program will miss silver dollars etc. so help would be appreciated! Was also interested in the 15x12 Inch SEF Butterfly Search Coil or should I just stick with the stock 11" ? I did order the 6" EXcelerator EQ2 Pro DD Search Coil for tight areas and trashy areas.

PS: 1st detector was Whites Goldmaster (maybe 1975?) and then upgraded to the new Apollo Goldmaster with the new printed circuit board. Still used about 10 AA batteries.



Well I think you're in for quite a change but unfortunately I can't give you E-trac settings as I use an Explorer. It's really the same principal as any other detector which is using as low discrimination at as high a sens. as you can stand and make sense of it. If I were you I'd get to know it with the stock coil, but if you have major frustration then maybe a smaller coil may be better. It all makes very good sense to me years later but I tell you my first month my detector was lucky it survived. ;D But even with the frustration I had, and not really having much of a handle on it, it was showing me enough to know it would be great once I figured it out. (So I did and it is)
 

OhioCoinHunter

Jr. Member
Feb 15, 2010
55
0
Ohio
Detector(s) used
Minelab E-trac with Sunray X-1 Probe, 8x6 SEF Butterfly coil, 10x12 SEF Butterfly coil, 15x12 SEF Butterfly Coil
Most of the silver coins I dig (here in Ohio) are around 5 to 8 inches deep. A few weeks ago I got a Barber dime at 9 inches deep (the full length of my probe). This year I dug a 1788 Spanish reale. One might think that old coin was super deep. Nope. It was only about 5 or 6 inches deep. I've dug memorials deeper than that! Today I dug a 1943d Mercury dime that was only 2 or 3 inches down. That's pretty shallow.

The Fe number often jumps around all over the place on deep coins. I go by sound. If I can get a deep, high pitched signal to repeat from any direction, I dig it. Sometimes it's iron; sometimes it's silver.

The Fe number really bounces around on deep Indian Head cents. It likes to go low. The number is more consistent on shallow Indians.

Site selection is important too. If the old coins aren't there, you won't find them. I used to spend a lot of time trying to find silver at sites that just went dry for me. I finally moved on to greener pastures and started finding oldies but goodies again.
 

EZrider

Sr. Member
Mar 10, 2008
409
83
Georgia
Detector(s) used
XP ORX
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There are too many variables that prevent deep targets to be detected. I have marked deep silver with my ET and have had people stand around with other flagship machines to try and hit it. All of them could barley get a tone and say they wouldn't have stopped to investigate it. I could barley get a repeatable at 75% around it. But it was there. Dug down a full length of a pro pointer and recovered a Barber dime. That's 8-9 inches.

I think Explorers and Sovs could hit it too. The Safari couldn't and I'm not going to mention the other top brands that couldn't. The end of the day it depends on the conditions and setup of the machine. Also the user at the working end of it! Money can't buy experience. All the reading in the world can't replace time in the field.

EZ

2010_0128Silver0003.jpg

2010_0124Silver0001.jpg

2010_0121SCOOP0012.jpg
 

dbennett7

Hero Member
Aug 7, 2011
507
79
i think a lot depends on the soil the operator and a few other varialbles i know i have dug at least 9 to 10 inches on some of my finds you cant just make a statment when the places are all different i know in some parks close to the river prone to flooding i have dug clad at 7 to 8 inches but it is real soft ground and i think thats what makes a differencs in harder ground they will not sink as much also where there are makes a lot of difference like a park compared to the woods the park gets a lot of grass buildup over the years the woods maybe get some leaves built up but i have found old coins in the woods that were 100 years old or more and were only down 3 to4 inches you just never know i dont think anybody can make a blank statement without being there i have to belive some when they say up to 12 inches as far as 20 or so then i would question that too just my thoughts do not mean to offend any one just my thoughts dennis and yes i do use a e trac
 

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barberman

Jr. Member
Oct 5, 2012
49
8
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I also agree that a lot of depth that is posted is just in there dreams not the real depth they found it at. Like iron Patch said all top end detectors reach about the same depth. And to me detectors like the ..Tesoro silver..and the Ace 250.. with the right coil on will go just as deep as any $1000.00 or $ 1500.00 detector..................... And my Sovereign will go as deep as your E Trac........... You want deeper get a.. PI ..

I agree! My Ace 250 with its new 5x8dd coil is really nice. Fast recovery and better pinpointing. Trying out an E-tec now, very confusing and does no better than my Ace 250. The Kangaroo machine is a confusing animal.
 

fbjr

Full Member
Apr 13, 2007
166
19
Elmira, NY
Detector(s) used
Minelab CTX 3030/Minelab e-trac/
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If you're not finding any deep coins with the e-trac then there's some sort of problem. If you're using the stock coins pattern/program then you're probably using too much discrimination. The more black that you have on your screen the more the detector is going to discriminate. Like someone else stated above, the numbers are not always accurate.....especially on deeper targets. With that said if it picks up something deep but the numbers are off then your detector might be disciminating that target out. The more white/clear you have on your screen the more the detector will accept......people state that too is sometimes a problem because then it picks up everything.....but at least that way you know you won't miss anything !! Plus, once you learn the different sounds you will know what and what not to dig.....hope this helps.
 

soupie

Bronze Member
Jun 9, 2006
1,008
19
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Depth....always ends up about depth...I to think most depths portrayed are simply guesses...I never measure...I just guess...As to the Etrac...I have dug around 8" to 9" on coins....but most are much closer to the surface...the ones that were deep were whispers or just a chirp...consistent in some manner and always sounded off in the same spot....iron will tend to signal here then maybey an inch or so that way next swing...I was also swinging very slow when I have found the deep ones...like glacier slow...

Ok now the where are the old coins issue...I never had much luck getting the really old coins in town...So I went to the fields...I now dig 1800's coins consistently as well as some nice old relics...So I would say if your sites are not producing what you are looking for change your location,,...one word,,,research.....

About all I have to say for now....good luck out there....Soup

Oh.... use your ears....numbers are great for a solid hitting targets in a clean enviroment....but not alot of use in trash or for deep items...
 

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Born2Dtect

Bronze Member
Jun 11, 2004
1,683
68
Hurlock, Maryland
Detector(s) used
XP Deus, Excalibur II
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I find coins on top of the ground and as deep as 14". Yes i said 14". The large copper KG II was in the second clump I dug using my Bubba shovel (Predator Relic) 12" blade. Average depth is about 4 to 6". But in fields the depth is all over the place. Parks and around houses that are not plowed are more uniform. Sand is almost impossible to gage as it falls in on itself while you dig.

I don,t get too excited about about depth, it is what it is. My pet peeve is air test with depth/ distance claims and comparisons? The last time I went detecting I did not find anything in the air it was all in the ground :) :dontknow:

Ed D.
 

GioTheGreek

Bronze Member
Sep 12, 2009
1,281
859
Hades
Detector(s) used
XP DÉUS, Minelab E-TRAC, Pro-Pointer, Hawk-like Vision, Receding Hairline
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
If you want to dig deeper coins, you'll have to open up your screen, a lot. You may not be hearing those coins because of too much discrimination, and too many filters being used.

I was lucky to have a hunting buddy who had hundreds of hours on the Etrac when I first started with it. He kept me from cherry picking pennies all day.

I have modified the Roman site pattern to my taste. I have opened up the discriminated "1 ferrous line" and a few other areas, because targets often fall there when they are deeper than six inches or close to iron. It's wide open, aside from a small group of numbers in the lower right which I am certain are iron ID's.

Low discrimination, high MANUAL sensitivity is the way. Focus on tone first. (It's a good tone machine..) :laughing7: On some sites and soils, it's just not possible though. It's either too junky, or too mineralised for high sens. In a spot like that, you have to take what you can get. In a place where your sensitivity is running at 20, you should be able to hit a 5-6" coin.

Here's a good video that may help you.

Notice how wide open his top half is? Good luck man.
 

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lonewolfe

Gold Member
Feb 14, 2005
5,547
585
West Michigan
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
A stick with a box at one end and a round thing on the other.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
LoL at ^^^^ Keppy up above!

I agree Keppy - the last thing you should do is rely on a screen with numbers or whatever.

I used a cz20 for 16 yrs water hunting - no screen, no numbers, no nothing! Just turn on, ground bal, and listen for high mid low

I've also used 2 tone PI's for many yrs

I will say though - I DO have an E-Trac currently but - to me - the numbers are only a backup to what I'm hearing because I'm trained to "listen" to what the target is telling me 1st and only using the VID as a secondary

I also don't use discrimination of any sorts either - I run wide open (quick mask) to allow the detector to see all metals and register max depth but again - that was from 16 yrs of using a cz20 in the water hunting gold where you don't use disc unless you like losing $$ ------ I also hunt with an AT Pro and a Gold Bug Pro in iron infested 1800s homesites - so again - I'm trained to run a machine wide open VS most guys using some sort of disc to shut the noise out (which also shuts out many good targets).

Lastly - I also have an old CZ6a that I run wide open when take her for a spin in the park & such now & then... The main reason is because of deep OLD coins (that's where cz's excel)... Running wide open on a cz (swinging very VERY s l o w) allows the machine to pick thru the iron & junk while listening for the good old deep signals (but again) most guys can't handle it so they turn up the disc to quiet the machine down and swing like crazy and then wonder why they never find anything DEEP!

OP

My E-Trac will find a dime at 8" blindfolded!

I've had several (and I mean several) CZ's over the last 20 yrs (cz 5, 6, 6a, 7a pro, 20, 21) as well as many other brands/models 10 yrs prior to that and all along the way but not one of them (outside of a PI machine) has ever been able to attain the depth of my E-Trac (close) but not quite!

You want deeper than an E-Trac (or a Sov or explorer or Ex-cal) = get a PI :-)

As someone else here said - something must be wrong with your E-Trac (or you're using way too much disc) if you can't pick up a target at 8"
 

Last edited:

pwcguy

Full Member
May 20, 2010
222
61
Va
Detector(s) used
E-Trac (retired)
CTX3030, Double Eagle
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've dug several deeper coins with these settings: Sensitivity Auto +3
Volume Gain 15
Tone Id 2tone
Tone Id Sounds Ferrous
Recovery Deep on
Recovery fast off
Trash Density low
Ground Neutral

Ground conditions such as moisture content make a huge difference in finding the deep coins. I use as little discrimination as I can. These setting are for low trash, low mineralization areas make changes to settings as needed. 12 inch dimes are not a common occurrence but they do happen. Don't forget low and slow.
 

swund1703

Jr. Member
Jun 22, 2013
47
9
I've been doing just about what you said there. Ive pulled silver twice as much now.

Steve
 

Bart@Big Boys Hobbies

Supporting Vendor
Supporting Vendor
Jul 24, 2005
4,594
1,219
Moore Oklahoma
Detector(s) used
Call for your Treasurenet special discount! Be sure to mention Tnet when you call!
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
I've dug several deeper coins with these settings: Sensitivity Auto +3
Volume Gain 15
Tone Id 2tone
Tone Id Sounds Ferrous
Recovery Deep on
Recovery fast off
Trash Density low
Ground Neutral

Ground conditions such as moisture content make a huge difference in finding the deep coins. I use as little discrimination as I can. These setting are for low trash, low mineralization areas make changes to settings as needed. 12 inch dimes are not a common occurrence but they do happen. Don't forget low and slow.

Great post! Every hunting condition can change and these settings may not work everywhere but a great start. BEST option is to learn you machine and spends lots of time swinging SLOW..... Experience trumps everything.
 

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