Hello from Baytown Texas v3 or E-trac

[Smokin_Cache]

Hello,

I am trying to decide which detector to purchase the E-trac or the v3. After reading the manuals I am leaning to the v3. From what I have read the parks in Baytown are open for hunting. I will more than like spend allot of time hunt the dry,wet sand also.

Can't wait to get started. I am also a ham radio operator and private pilot. Can't wait to use the plane to look for places to hunt.

Looks like there are a few others here close close to me on the gulf coast.


Smokin_Cache

 

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[Sandman]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

I have not used the V3, but have the E-trec and after reading the manual I would go with the V3. But both are good detectors.

 

[Smokin_Cache]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

Thanks for the reply!

The etrac manual states that the unit chooses a freq. with no noise, so do it use 30 freq. simultaneously or does it just choose the quietest one or does it ignore the noisy ones? A little misleading and/or confusing. Being a HAM has me very curious about their claims. I would love to be able to find one locally to put on an analyzer and see what it is actually doing.

"Deep" such a relative word. By reading some of the posts about both detectors you would think I would need to buy a shoring box!!!

I am reading every post that I can find on both detectors to help with the decision.

Got wind today of where a $5000 ring was lost and never found. Would not reveal who lost it like they were no longer around or they didn't want the ring found. But got permission to hunt it about 10 minutes later. Can't wait until I make my mind up.

Smokin_Cache

 

[Cherokee_Kidd]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

A friend of mine in san diego has both detectors. I had a chance to use both of them when I went to visit him and I would go with the V3.

 

[gallileo60]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

Hey Smokin,

I'm not far from you..Texas City.I too am a Ham, and my dad was a pilot...The plain would be a great way to scout sites....You have some good spots in Baytown, and that are to hunt..give me a shout some time, I go thru there all the time on my way to livingston....Tom Shaw

 

[Smokin_Cache]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

Do you know aa5op? Where are these good spots in Baytown? In need a trainer! LOL What do one of those cost? I need to learn what I am doing! Why not learn with the most advance technology. Now if I can figure out what the most advanced is. I was in Livingston Yesterday.

From all the posts I have read and the number of used machines I have seen I am actually leaning toward the Etrac today, but yesterday it was the v3. Now that I have started this thread yall aremoving toward the v3. I think I am more intrigued with the etrac maybe that is the reason. I really would like to get one just so I could get out the spectrum analyzer and see what it really does and what it looks like.

Another reason I am leaning toward the etract is eventually I will have an xcal and I am just thinking the tones to be similar. Most of the compaints I have heard about this machine is it does sound like my _______. The tones are half as low as my ____________. So since I don't have a ________. An etrac will sound like my____etrac. Did that make any sense?

There is still time to change my mind.

Thanks for helping me on my quest for a new hobby!!


Smokin_Cache

 

[gallileo60]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

Well, I have been trying to decide what new detector to get for over a year now, and I've been doing this for a long time.It is very hard to separate fact from fiction.....EVERYONE has the best detector..Truth is, whatever works good, and feels good in your hands is a good detector..Baytown has some nice parks to detect, and alot of "fringe" area...Also at one time there was an old ferry landing up in that area...There have been several old bars closed down up there too..I have had good luck at closed bars, as drunks tend to drop things..Good luck on your decision..Tom

BTW, I do not believe I know AA5OP........I do not use my radio too much anymore, but I do a lot of listening, on both Scanners, and shortwave...I also monitor the Dickinson Emergency repeater freq.....2 meter......I have been into both radios, and metal detecting since I was a kid....LONG AGO..........

 

[Smokin_Cache]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

I was once very involved in the GCECG. I helped install the Dickinson repeater at its current location. It was an experience pulling coax into that new building.

I have also read a few different posts/reports that the e-trac does very well under transmission lines. One thing I would like to find is my senior ring which it lost almost directly under a set of 138K transmission lines.

I think either is a great machine. I like the "trigger" on the v3. I like the looks of the etrac, though looks really don't matter. I think if I learn on the etrac then the "funny" number ID system won't be greek to me as it is for people use to looking at a VDI#.

Who knows I might order them both. Looks like resale is better on the etrac.

 

[Smokin_Cache]

E-trac and 8X6 SEF will be on the way in the morning. Oh the they included a Bounty Hunter Pointer free.

I really don't like the word "free". Nothing is free. If they continually give stuff away for "free" they would have went out of biz by now.

Can't wait to start learning.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

 

[Smokin_Cache]

After reading the etrac manual again this morning. It suggests in the sensitivity section that the machine chooses three freq from it's available 30. After I get it I will try to post a pic of the analyzer screen.

 

[gallileo60]

Re: Hello from Baytown Texas

I was once very involved in the GCECG. I helped install the Dickinson repeater at its current location. It was an experience pulling coax into that new building.

I have also read a few different posts/reports that the e-trac does very well under transmission lines. One thing I would like to find is my senior ring which it lost almost directly under a set of 138K transmission lines.

I think either is a great machine. I like the "trigger" on the v3. I like the looks of the etrac, though looks really don't matter. I think if I learn on the etrac then the "funny" number ID system won't be greek to me as it is for people use to looking at a VDI#.

Who knows I might order them both. Looks like resale is better on the etrac.

Do you know Bill, N5XWT? he was involed in that also...Tom


BTW, please give us a play by play on the E-Track, starting when you get it...I am interested in your thoughts, and test on it...Thanks, Tom

 

[Smokin_Cache]

N5WXT rings a bell, but the name does not.

I will keep you updated.

I just ordered a Zagg Invisible Shield for it. You should go to the website and watch the scratch tests. I once seen some of this stuff I think. A little thicker than what they are selling though. A salesman kept pestering us to buy this new LEL monitor with a self healing screen at $5000 each. He finally brought us a demo as soon as he took it out of the box my buddy grabbed it flipped open his knife and put a full length 1/32" cut diag across the 5X5 screen. The salesman and me like to have pasted out. Of man that guy got mad. My buddy told him he was the guy pumping this self healing screen BS. Over the next week that cut got shallower and shorter very day. I did work the weekend but when I came in Monday there was no way you could tell it had ever happened. Completely gone. We bought 8 machines. Screens still looked brand new when I left two years later. I hope this zagg product compares to that.

 

[gallileo60]

N5WXT rings a bell, but the name does not.

I will keep you updated.

I just ordered a Zagg Invisible Shield for it. You should go to the website and watch the scratch tests. I once seen some of this stuff I think. A little thicker than what they are selling though. A salesman kept pestering us to buy this new LEL monitor with a self healing screen at $5000 each. He finally brought us a demo as soon as he took it out of the box my buddy grabbed it flipped open his knife and put a full length 1/32" cut diag across the 5X5 screen. The salesman and me like to have pasted out. Of man that guy got mad. My buddy told him he was the guy pumping this self healing screen BS. Over the next week that cut got shallower and shorter very day. I did work the weekend but when I came in Monday there was no way you could tell it had ever happened. Completely gone. We bought 8 machines. Screens still looked brand new when I left two years later. I hope this zagg product compares to that.

You lost me on that one.........Tom

 

[extractor]

N5WXT rings a bell, but the name does not.

I will keep you updated.

I just ordered a Zagg Invisible Shield for it. You should go to the website and watch the scratch tests. I once seen some of this stuff I think. A little thicker than what they are selling though. A salesman kept pestering us to buy this new LEL monitor with a self healing screen at $5000 each. He finally brought us a demo as soon as he took it out of the box my buddy grabbed it flipped open his knife and put a full length 1/32" cut diag across the 5X5 screen. The salesman and me like to have pasted out. Of man that guy got mad. My buddy told him he was the guy pumping this self healing screen BS. Over the next week that cut got shallower and shorter very day. I did work the weekend but when I came in Monday there was no way you could tell it had ever happened. Completely gone. We bought 8 machines. Screens still looked brand new when I left two years later. I hope this zagg product compares to that.

You lost me on that one.........Tom

? huh?

 

[Smokin_Cache]

Sorry went off on a tangent about the LCD screen protector and with some very poor spelling also.

 

[Smokin_Cache]

Got the E-trac today. Found some junk in the yard. To wet and cold to play much.

 

[gallileo60]

Got the E-trac today. Found some junk in the yard. To wet and cold to play much.

I am looking forward to hearing your impressions of your new machine...Please post a detailed account, if you can....Thanks, Tom

 

[Smokin_Cache]

OK I went to a small beach in Pasadena this afternoon. Now mind you this is my first detector and the first time I have ever went hunting really. What a blast. I hunted until I could no longer swing correctly, about two hours. I will regret that tommorrow.

I found three pulltabs, two pennies which I can't get clean enough to read the date, a dime, and two quarters. I didn't dig about four pull tab signal once it started getting dark.

Oh and some foil and a coke can.

No problem telling when it's a coin at all, don't even need to look at screen. Which I forgot to do allot.

I knew rings sound allot like pull tabs for reading on here. A ring and pull tab both sound like two targets to me. After I got home I got about 5 gold rings out and all but one really thick one came up as 12-08 the thick one showed 12-03. All three pull tab rang 12-13 consistently. None of these were in the ground though.


I have found one problem with the E-trac. The coiled portion of the cable makes fully collapsing the shaft a bit of a pain. Maybe the last 3 inches. Going to call tomorrow and see if maybe this is not common. I see no other way to install it so I don't think I did anything wrong.

 

[Smokin_Cache]

Oh I also crudely put the E-trac on the O-scope/spectrum analyzer. Just made a 10 turn pick-up coil and taped it to the left half of the coil. It was flat with the MD off. one I turned it on you could definately see about 30 different peaks, but with the way they were stair stepping down as the freq got higher it appeared to be harmonics to me. I know just about enough about the analyzer to be dangerous though. I tried posting some pics but they are to big. I will resize and get them on here. When I hit the noise cancel button there were so many peaks it was hard to pick them apart in places between 1-100k.

The pick up I made wasn't greatest and didn't follow the MD coil half very well. I will make a new one this weekend and take some shots with flukeview.