New etrac! Tips needed

[Mobius1]

Bought myself a brand new Etrac with the funds that I got from a diamond ring found with my Xterra 305. Through first testing and comparing between the two, it is just unfair. Signals that would be iffy on the 305 came clear as day with the Etrac! I feel like I can get more depth and performance out of it though. Any tips are appreciated like tuning, settings, etc. thanks!

 

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[Mach1Pilot]

Congrats on the purchase of your new detector! It's an amazing piece of equipment, one of the best.

Here are a few tips to get you started...

1.) Get Andy Sabisch's book. It really is the prime resource for information on this detector. The Minelab Explorer & E-Trac Handbook

2.) Swing slow.. Just like your X-terra

3.) If it sounds good but the ID is off.. Dig. This machine is a primary audio ID detector.

4.) Learn the multi-conductive sounds... Then hunt in that mode. For really special sites come back and hunt in two tone ferrous. Both have their place.

Thats a start, I'm sure others will chime in with more great tips.

Good luck hunting!

 

[Jason in Enid]

don't constantly change settings until you have read the Sabich book and understand what the changes are really doing. I would recommend using the A.S. pattern (very open) or even less. The more open the pattern, the more trash you have to listen too, but it WILL let more good coins in. Don't get hung up on the "perfect" 12 FE line. in the ground, targets will vary from that, and sometimes a lot. The deeper, the more your target numbers will bounce up and down, but they will always in the same CO area. Personally, if the FE is above the 24 line I dig it.

Put in a lot of hours and spend time digging lots of iffy targets in the beginning. Learn the language the detector is trying to talk to you.

 

[Mobius1]

Thanks! If I may ask, what is the two-tone ferrous designed for? Like what will I expect to find in that mode?

 

[Jason in Enid]

It's all in how you want to hear the targets. Some people use it almost exclusively. Some people claim it finds more targets, but I believe that is because they are using an open screen pattern (which i use in conductive tone)

 

[cudamark]

Thanks! If I may ask, what is the two-tone ferrous designed for? Like what will I expect to find in that mode?

The two tone ferrous is especially useful in trashy areas where you might have one (or more) bad targets mask a good one. You have to swing REAL slow however to pick out the good sounds.

 

[TheRingFinder]

I believe the best advise is trial & error. I have read the books, though the only thing that really helped me was getting out and detecting. Experience will be your guide -

Mobius - May the force be with you!!!

 

[Mobius1]

I greatly appreciate the support everyone. I've ordered a Sabisch book which should come in next week. I'm heading out to my favorite and most promising 1898 park tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be walking away with a great find in my bag but it's the thrill if the hunt that gets me going. All of my settings are on a general, recommended type that I've seen most people on YouTube use and it's been working well for me.

 

[marjam]

Two tone ferrous is great for iron infested areas. It does what the name says; a low tone for iron, and a high tone for anything conductive. It will find you good targets mixed in the iron that other detectors will not hit on. I have dug silver, v nickels, and buffalo using ttf. I havent had the etrac very long either. I recommend doing a youtube search on etrac ttf or two tone ferrous and see it in action.

 

[Jdett411]

Time...time...time. I had mine for one year now, it wasn't til I was near 100 hours before it started to make sense. 200 hours from what in told before I'd good at it. I was always questioning everyone about it, searching threads, looking for that 1 comment that would make sense to me on how the Etrac worked. Well, it doesn't exists, time and digging is the only way to learn it.

 

[Mobius1]

Time...time...time. I had mine for one year now, it wasn't til I was near 100 hours before it started to make sense. 200 hours from what in told before I'd good at it. I was always questioning everyone about it, searching threads, looking for that 1 comment that would make sense to me on how the Etrac worked. Well, it doesn't exists, time and digging is the only way to learn it.

Thanks man! I have the book now but I know that it's not going to do any justice. I'll just dig all that I can and the book can help with what settings for what places

 

[Jason in Enid]

Time...time...time. I had mine for one year now, it wasn't til I was near 100 hours before it started to make sense. 200 hours from what in told before I'd good at it. I was always questioning everyone about it, searching threads, looking for that 1 comment that would make sense to me on how the Etrac worked. Well, it doesn't exists, time and digging is the only way to learn it.

This is very true! I have seen so many people come here and start asking for help with their new E-Trac. They never want to hear "put it a factory mode and hit the tot lots to learn it's responses and pinpointing". They don't want to be told it may take 100+ hours to really start to understand it. They want to know the "magic" settings to dig deep, old coins. Those settings don't exist, you need to open that pattern WAY open and use your brain to learn what to dig. But they never want that, they wanted instant results.

Congrats to you for putting in the hours to learn one the best detectors available!

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

don't constantly change settings until you have read the Sabich book and understand what the changes are really doing. I would recommend using the A.S. pattern (very open) or even less. The more open the pattern, the more trash you have to listen too, but it WILL let more good coins in. Don't get hung up on the "perfect" 12 FE line. in the ground, targets will vary from that, and sometimes a lot. The deeper, the more your target numbers will bounce up and down, but they will always in the same CO area. Personally, if the FE is above the 24 line I dig it.

Put in a lot of hours and spend time digging lots of iffy targets in the beginning. Learn the language the detector is trying to talk to you.

Listen to Jason! He knows his stuff! Holler if you have questions.

 

[Sovereignelite]

I use the TTF mode and have for 1.5 years now: works very well for me. I dig the low tones( Fe 17-27) as well and I get depth (as deep as 10 to 11"). Personally I think you should use what works best for you.