2 new things.. NOT all ETRACs are alike, and a medal.

[Olderactor]

2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Went out yesterday with etrac007 and found 1 1905 IH, this medal and... that my Etrac does NOT get the same response over a coin as another Etrac with the Exact Same Settings. Etrac007's signal over a wheaty that was about 6 inches down was VERY repeatable. Just like a demo. A solid ding with each sweep. My machine was a very iffy signal, broken up and a deeper tone than his. We had the same settings and the same standard coil. I then went and changed to a smaller coil, SEF double and I didn't get ANY sound at all.
We both listened to both machines response with our headphones disconnected. Sound and response were very different.
So not all Etrac's are as good on deeper coins. I have sent back my machine to Minelab on 2 different occasions spelling out the problem. Each time they sent it back saying nothing was wrong with it.
I've tried calling Minelab on several occasions again, but always get the answering service.

Regarding the metal. The name on the back is Charles P. Sherman from Central Falls, RI. I assume the Worcester on the medal is Worcester, Mass. I tried to find a charles P. Sherman in RI, but no luck. Not sure how long the medal has been in the ground but it was about 4 inches deep in the same area as the IH.

 

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[Lowbatts]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Great medal!
Have you swapped coils with another ETrac user? Sometimes the coils are out of tune also. Try that on your next outing when you get a comparatively good, deep signal.

 

[Al Czervik]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

The finding of such a medal deserves nothing short of positive accolades ... Bravo my friend ...

Find the owner & you sir are a true Hero ...

Congratulations ~ Al

 

[watercolor]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Sweet medal!

Regarding the E-Trac. . . I think Tim might be on target. . . sometimes with all the
bumping around the woods, a coil can get out of tune. See if you can swap coils
for a test or too. . . I'm sure there's a few folks with E-Tracs in the IL area

 

[kimsdad]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Great finds, Jim!!!

Been a long time since I've found an Indian...

 

[Olderactor]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

I've been in contact with the Worcester fire Dept. They are having their historian look into the medal to see what they can find out about Chas P Sherman

 

[Pocket Spill]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Regarding the etrac did you try using the reset or the master reset? Also, for what it is worth, I once also read on another forum that you need to make sure to take your coil cover off every so often and get all the dirt out. Not sure why that would matter since the machine is made to go through dirt but I read that someone at Minelab said alot of detectors that are sent in because the owner thought there was a problem was due to that.

 

[p2c]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Hopefully you get the Etrac issue resolved... Nice find too.

 

[Mayo South Elgin]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Very cool medal!
I'd love to find another Indian head penny - haven't got one in the longest time!

I would like to compare my machine to another Etrac as well.
This way I can determine if it's just me, or the location, or the machine or coil.
I do find stuff, but certainly not in the quantity of goodies that others are finding.

I periodically (couple or three times a season) take off the coil cover and wash out any dirt or dust that got inside. It makes sense that if any of that dust is iron bearing, it could change the way the coil reads the ground. Or create weird disturbance as it moves inside the cover.

The one thing that I notice that annoys me a lot is when I get several mixed signals within one sweep, and I go back to hone in on a good sounding signal, the display will be stuck on the numbers from the sound that was two targets ago. The only way I can get the display to change to the numbers of the current target is to either stop motion completely and then re-sweep or raise the coil away from all targets and then pass it over the target I am interested in. Anyone else have a similar problem? Maybe it's the way I have my machine set up but the sound of wheats and mems and silver are very similar, so I look at the numbers to decipher what's under the coil.

 

[Pocket Spill]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Mayo, regarding the "stuck on the numbers" from the last signal or two, I experience that too but I have gotten used to it, especially since I swing the machine alot slower then I use to and it is not so much an issue. The sound will be correct but the number sometimes will be the target before and you have to stop or move the coil to the side, here the threshold tone again and then pass over it. I will experience this even if I have recovery as fast on. I find that for targets over 6 inches the numbers become less reliable anyways. I focus more on repeatable tones that are close to what a coin should be. I will dig any repeatable tone where the ferrous number is less than say 28 and it gives a high conductivity number and target is over 6 inches deep. Usually a wheatie at say 6 inches will ring up at like 12/42 or 12/43 but I have dug plenty that were 7 to 9 inches deep that rang up at 20/39, 20/40. The silver quarter I found the other day was about 8 inches deep and the signal was a bit iffy bouncing around at 15/44, 20/45, 16/43, etc but it was a strong repeatable signal that had a high tone. Shallow quarters will ring up with a similar high tone but the numbers will be dead on and repeatable at 12/47, 13/47, 13/48. I rely less on the numbers and more on the tone. I have dug Indians that ring up at like 1/30 instead of the usual say 12/33 but the tone is identical.

 

[p2c]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

2 Things,
First Mayo, exactly what Patrick said. My Etrac is always slow on screen refresh. Learning the sounds is the best. The only time I really consult screen anymore is for FE numbers when the threshold is questionable or to see where the cursor is bouncing around on iffy signals.
Also, Olderactor, stupid question, but I'll ask, do you do a noise cancel at the beginning of your hunts? That may as well be an issue, though I really don't know how much that would effect things. Could be that you picked up interference from 007's etrac and for some reason his was the alpha detector.

 

[Mayo South Elgin]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Hey thanks for the help/advice guys.
Sometimes I wonder if it's just me or the machine or combination of feng shui factors with lunar influences. Well, some of that anyways.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one experiencing the number/display lag time thing.
And that I had a similar solution for it.
I have been slowing down the sweep speed. Especially in areas with lots of targets in a small area.
In fact, Lowbatts is usually done with the whole park while I'm still in my 6x8 section.

 

[kimsdad]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Mayo - it's your hat!!! The cone shape is funnelling energy away from your targets and into space!

Great avatar!

 

[Olderactor]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

1. I always noise cancel. Actually I do more than once during a hunt.

2. I believe the numbers always have a lag time.

3. I've had an issue with deep signals from the beginning when I started hunting with Chicago Ron. Thats why my machine was sent back 2 times before. Checked bottom of coil.. same issue.
4. It could be something related to my Sunray probe, maybe a loose wire, or something else. I didn't try the reset. Assume the factory did when I returned it. I'm talking to minelab about other suggestions. I will get through this.
5. The machine works OK on shallower targets, just deeper than 6 inches it becomes a problem.

Thanks for all the ideas.

 

[Al Czervik]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Olderactor ...

I wish you the very best on this situation...

Nothing can be more frustrating than hunting without 100% confidence your machine us up to par.

Good luck my friend ~ Al

 

[Keith (Indiana)]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

On the response issue I have seen the same thing when hunting with another Explorer / E-Trac user. I'll find something...call the other guy over to listen and he can't hear it. Or, he goes over it and can hear it but then I try right after him and can't get it at all. Always when this happens if I wait a minute, and then go back over the target, I can hear it fine. Seems to me like the "charge" the other detector puts on the metal is different than the "charge" mine put on it or it cancels mine out somehow and vice-versa. Maybe one of electronic engineer friends can explain why.

 

[Keith (Indiana)]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

On the response issue I have seen the same thing when hunting with another Explorer / E-Trac user. I'll find something...call the other guy over to listen and he can't hear it. Or, he goes over it and can hear it but then I try right after him and can't get it at all. Always when this happens if I wait a minute, and then go back over the target, I can hear it fine. Seems to me like the "charge" the other detector puts on the metal is different than the "charge" mine put on it or it cancels mine out somehow and vice-versa. Maybe one of electronic engineer friends can explain why.

PS: at the CHN Spring hunt I would like to test this out if any of you are interested in doing that. Plus I would like to mark a few DEEP target and let everyone listen and would like someone else to do the same.

 

[Lowbatts]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

On the response issue I have seen the same thing when hunting with another Explorer / E-Trac user. I'll find something...call the other guy over to listen and he can't hear it. Or, he goes over it and can hear it but then I try right after him and can't get it at all. Always when this happens if I wait a minute, and then go back over the target, I can hear it fine. Seems to me like the "charge" the other detector puts on the metal is different than the "charge" mine put on it or it cancels mine out somehow and vice-versa. Maybe one of electronic engineer friends can explain why.

PS: at the CHN Spring hunt I would like to test this out if any of you are interested in doing that. Plus I would like to mark a few DEEP target and let everyone listen and would like someone else to do the same.

Signal comparison, yes! Need to see what and why I'm missing.

 

[Olderactor]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Got a new etrac and went out yesterday with Etrac007. Good news bad news.!! Good news...New etrac has a 3 year warranty...... bad news this machine had the same problem. So maybe Etrac007 just has a Hot machine. All the settings were the same and I even removed the sunray probe to make sure that was not the problem. I noticed that in Multi tone his silver tone is MUCH higher pitch than my machine. He had a strong repeatable ding. I had nothing! Suggestions welcome!!

 

[tmanfromtexas]

Re: 2 new things.. NOT all ETRAC's are alike, and a medal.

Got a new etrac and went out yesterday with Etrac007. Good news bad news.!! Good news...New etrac has a 3 year warranty...... bad news this machine had the same problem. So maybe Etrac007 just has a Hot machine. All the settings were the same and I even removed the sunray probe to make sure that was not the problem. I noticed that in Multi tone his silver tone is MUCH higher pitch than my machine. He had a strong repeatable ding. I had nothing! Suggestions welcome!!

Try and swap them without him knowing LOL. JK. TMAN...