Help me understand QuickMask

[Mason Jarr]

I'm reading Andy's book and playing around with my new E-trac. Obviously I have elementary type questions, so please have patience as I'm learning. My recent predicament is I'm having trouble understanding the concept of what Quick Mask does. Let me use an example: I'm patrolling a park with a basic coin program. I hit a target that produces a mid-range tone, the CO is constant, but the FE bounces slightly. My questions:

1) In order to determine if I should dig this target how will Quick Mask help me with that decision?
2) If I have the FE blanked out for 27 and lower on the Quick Mask, when I switch to QM will a target at, or below, that FE range not make a tone?
3) Why, if you have the mode pattern set to discriminate most ferrous targets, would I need to use Quick Mask?

My basic dilemma is that I'm not understanding when it is appropriate to switch to the QM screen and exactly what happens when I do. I've re-read this chapter twice and am just not grasping the concept. Please dumb down your replies to an entry level. Thanks!

 

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[cahil_2]

I see you have a lot of replies. I went to an etrac this past spring. I use quick mask to help me determine if I want to dig iffy signals. Rusty iron will mimic good signals. For instance a rusty nail will read 12 45 but sound a little higher pitch. If you go to quick mask which is all metal, it will show it's real numbers, but you also need to look at the curser on the screen to see where it is also, i.e. lower right is iron, while upper right will be a coin most likely. A lot of guys will probably say I'm missing coins, but in quick mask if the fe jumps to 28 or higher I have found that is always iron and I won't dig it. Also, sometimes after you quick mask and go back to your normal screen the signal will disappear which tells you it is bad target. Hope that helps a little.

 

[Jason in Enid]

Think of it more like a "quick all metal" and use it with a full open screen. Then, like cahil said, when you have an iffy target, switch over and see where the crosshair moves.

There are other ways to use QM but this is the most common.

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

As these guys said. It is used to open up the screen to "see" what all is down there your dealing with. VERY handy!

 

[Mason Jarr]

Thanks for the help.

 

[Beercanman]

What Cahil_2 said. Most nails will only chirp one direction. Switching to quick mask will help you determine if it's a deep rusty nail or perhaps a coin a nail. Only digging lots of iffy signal at iron infested sites will teach you.