Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

[TheRockDoc]

Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Hello everyone, I finally recieved my etrac wednesday, I am 100% new to the hobby, the etrac is the first time I ever turned on a detector, and held it in my hands (to give you an idea how fresh I am). I was all excited, I went outside, and got to it. I spent about an hour just messin around, only dug two targets (which was cool, they were both alluminum trash), I was more concerned with wanting to familiarize myself w/machine, the buttons, the tones etc...... I learned that my vision of turning it on and finding loot was more of an illusion than a reality. Dont take that the wrong way, I am not discouraged or frustrated-at all. I just decided to put it down, to spend time reading the manual, learning the basics, reading the manual, read the manual again... etc..... I figure my time will be much more effective in the field once I get a handle on some of these things, then I can really learn it by going out and doing it... Once I can set the machine to fit the ground conditions, for instance, I was getting alot of falsing-(I mean alot alot)... I think I can handle that one- sensitivity right?. Anyways, to get to the point, as I was reading through the manual for the 2nd time last night, I thought-shees I dont even know what half these words, and terms mean. Can anyone who has an etrac point me in the direction of a general resource that I can read to learn about the basics of detecting-For instance, ground balancing, discrimination, tones, volumes, etc.... I am smart enough to make it happen, I just dont have the patience to spend a ton of time looking for the answers to my questions, I figure they gotta be in one general resource.. Any thoughts? Once again, I really appreciate the help from anyone and everyone on this forum, it has been and continues to be an amazing learning expirience.


Thanks. Chris.

 

[Swartzie]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Reminds me of my father who bought his first digital camera. He read the manual a couple times through before even turning the thing on and was confused as ever. But, I guess that's how he learns. I learn by messing with stuff. What's this do, what's that do, what the difference if I set it like this or like that.

I would start by setting the machine on it's basic turn on and go program. Set some targets in the yard right on top of the grass. Get stuff like a quarter, a penny, a pull tab, a nail, etc... And see how the machine responds to each. Mess with the discrimination settings and see how it responds to the different targets. I started with an Ace 250 which is a very basic turn on and go machine. But, it took me close to a year to understand it's "language" and just how to metal detect to feel confident that I knew what I was doing. A new machine has a learning curve, but even the hobby itself has a learning curve. If it was an easy hobby then more people would be doing it.

Hopefully someone will chime in soon who has experience with the Etrac.

-Swartzie

 

[lookindown]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Way to much machine for a beginner, several people warned you before you bought it. You will get frustrated. I know you will stick with it and learn it in time, but why put yourself through that when you could have been having fun and making good finds right from the start? Good luck.

 

[Georges Minelab Safari]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Check Youtube for tutorial.

 

[gleaner1]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Just set it to preset coins mode and enjoy. Find a mentor ASAP.

 

[TheRockDoc]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Way to much machine for a beginner, several people warned you before you bought it. You will get frustrated. I know you will stick with it and learn it in time, but why put yourself through that when you could have been having fun and making good finds right from the start? Good luck.

I made it clear in my post I wasnt frustrated. I wont get frustrated, I have had a blast learning by studying, so I can have even more of a blast learning even more by "doing" - while at the same time giving myself a better chance to capitalize on the added features/benefits that the etrac has to offer. I can guarantee that I will find more of these "good finds" you speak of over the course of less time, doing it this way, than doing it the other, "simpler/easier" way that a couple people recommended. (those couple of people were far outweighed by the 95% of the people who said simply; ETRAC!)

It dawned on my tonight that this was the very first time I have ever in my life read an owners manual.- Keep in mind, before wednesday, I had never even held or turned on a Metal detector, never watched someone use one, never even touched one. Dont have a friend or family that does it... nothin. I was just asking for a place to learn basic definitions for the terminology and what not. The etrac being to much machine for this beginner is going to be a very short-lived scenario. I mean less than a few more days. Im well on my way, gotta a fun road trip to Kanab this weekend. I cant wait to post pics of my finds.

 

[TheRockDoc]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Just set it to preset coins mode and enjoy. Find a mentor ASAP.

Workin on the mentor thing I figured this was the best thing to do, so I have been looking in to the local "detecting clubs" or whatever you call them.

thanks.

 

[mainer]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

First off you made the right choice with the e-trac hands down. Now all you have to do is learn the tones. The machine is not hard to get use too like everyone says it is, especially if your willing to put your time in with it. Im new to the e-trac but have a lot of hours on the explorer and they are basically the same machine. PM me if you need some help on somthing in particular.

 

[bootyhoundpa]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

i dont have an e-trac but i would recommend you go online and maybe google ''e-trac videos'' and hopfully something will come up....thats how i learned the sov gt before i even bought one....there is a guy named des dunne who used to make somewhat instructional videos of lots of different detectors...if you could find a video like that and with re-reading the instruction manual over and over i believe you will at least have a good basic understanding of how it works... after that it would be nice if you could find somewhere that has some targets you could dig...probably be best if you can start somewhere where you you dont have to worry about leaving a little messy as believe you will be digging a lot of holes till you figure out its basic operation......good luck..i wish i had one...

 

[Jason in Enid]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Wow, jumping in with both feet.

The E-Trac is a lot of detector for a newbie, but if you hang with it you will figure it out. I can't give you better instructions than what the owners manual says. Read the manual, ALL of it. Then play with the detector in your yard. Go back to the manual, go back to the yard. As you play with what the manual says, you will start to understand.

When you move out of your yard and into a park or other place, put it in the stock coin mode and leave it there for a long time.

Good luck.

 

[lookindown]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Way to much machine for a beginner, several people warned you before you bought it. You will get frustrated. I know you will stick with it and learn it in time, but why put yourself through that when you could have been having fun and making good finds right from the start? Good luck.

I made it clear in my post I wasnt frustrated. I wont get frustrated, I have had a blast learning by studying, so I can have even more of a blast learning even more by "doing" - while at the same time giving myself a better chance to capitalize on the added features/benefits that the etrac has to offer. I can guarantee that I will find more of these "good finds" you speak of over the course of less time, doing it this way, than doing it the other, "simpler/easier" way that a couple people recommended. (those couple of people were far outweighed by the 95% of the people who said simply; ETRAC!)

It dawned on my tonight that this was the very first time I have ever in my life read an owners manual.- Keep in mind, before wednesday, I had never even held or turned on a Metal detector, never watched someone use one, never even touched one. Dont have a friend or family that does it... nothin. I was just asking for a place to learn basic definitions for the terminology and what not. The etrac being to much machine for this beginner is going to be a very short-lived scenario. I mean less than a few more days. Im well on my way, gotta a fun road trip to Kanab this weekend. I cant wait to post pics of my finds.

Didnt mean to make you mad, sorry.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Just call me Chris, I'll walk you through it ok?

 

[mrwilburino]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned The Minelab Explorer & Etrac Handbook by Andy Sabich. This book will give you a good understanding of how to use the etrac.

 

[njnydigger]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Way to much machine for a beginner, several people warned you before you bought it. You will get frustrated. I know you will stick with it and learn it in time, but why put yourself through that when you could have been having fun and making good finds right from the start? Good luck.

I gotta agree with lookindown on this one I absolutely HATE it when a beginner asks what machine he or she should buy & people mention wildly difficult machines - the e-trac included. To be sure, the e-trac is one of the best machines out there for finding deepies (especially silver), B-U-T, in terms of a total greenhorn buying one as their first machine...I'd NEVER recommend that. You might not be frustrated yet, however, give it time Aside from learning all of the technical jargon, what each function does & doesn't do and where and how to search for 'treasure', you'll also have to learn the TONES of the e-trac. The tones can be maddening - even for an experienced 'pro' coming from another brand. As others have mentioned, YES, you are waaaaaaaaaaaay better off starting with the stock programs. Of course, you won't be getting the best depth possible in stock, but, still pretty darned good. Here's an even better tip though...

Try finding someone that actually has experience on the e-trac through this site or a local detecting club. Someone that lives near you & can hunt with you a few times a month to show you the ropes. As you said, getting different bits of information from here & there will be maddening. An experienced e-trac user can set you straight and get your feet wet. Also, watch as many videos as you can on Youtube. Watch what is being done - and most importantly - listen for the tones. Of course, re-read the manual EVERY CHANCE YOU GET...THEN SOME MORE. Each time you go out try something new to develop your skills.

You will learn. And you WILL 'get it' after a while. You just picked a beast of a machine to try and tame being a total beginner. Good luck!

 

[lookindown]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned The Minelab Explorer & Etrac Handbook by Andy Sabich. This book will give you a good understanding of how to use the etrac.

They told him in another post that he may need that book. In my opinion a detector that requires buying a book to learn it is a lot of detector for a beginner. He says he likes a challenge so I think he will do fine.

 

[jmoller99]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

I always carry an extra detector with me for beginners to use - I bought a Tesoro Campadre just for that (and I also have a Bounty Hunter 3300 - one that you can ground balance - also for new detectorists to use) - that way people are able to be productive quickly. I have a Whites 5900 DI Pro SL (I bought it new in the early 1990's) and it has a very steep learning curve - I would never hand that to someone to use that has never detected before - it would just frustrate the new user. My Whites GMT is a great gold detector, but pretty marginal for hunting coins - I would never let someone else use it if they have not had some type of mentoring session - it would only get them mad at it.

I do run occasional 'how to use your detector' sessions at parks in town (no digging for my targets). I mostly detect for Gold, which is one of the hardest things to find, so all the extra practice I get helps. I do these sessions in conjunction with our GPAA club, but anyone with a detector is welcome.

If you have not already done so, get some plastic zip bags that you can label (with whats it in) and toss them around on the ground - see what your detector tells you is there. Don't go off hunting for random things until you at least know how to target and find known objects on the surface. I also have a coin garden to practice on at my house. These things really help.

 

[DKinPA]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Hey Chris....congrats on the Etrac!! As I told you in a previous post, I'm detecting 6 years and the Etrac is my 5th detector but I'm sure I could have been comfortable with it had it been my first. Don't get hung up on the small stuff like the terms and terminology, judging from your previous posts you will overcome the "shock" of the sounds soon enough. Set the machine in the factory coin mode (which I think is the default mode at startup) and practice over known targets, the sounds will make sense in short order.

The only thing I would recommend is try to start your learning process in a park or a field with little outside interference, this way you can concentrate on the sounds (tones) of the machine. Also, make sure you follow the noise cancel instructions in the manual when you start up.

PM me anytime, I'm definitely no expert but I'll help in any way I can.

Good Luck

Dave

 

[Bart@Big Boys Hobbies]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Get Andy Sabish book. Use auto sens in coins mode in a fairly clean area. That's a good start. Feel free to holler at me too. Mike or I either one can help you over the phone.

 

[gleaner1]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

A blind man, with no metal tectin experience at all, at night even, can pull coins with an Etrac set in a simple four tone mode. With me acting as a teacher, a mentor if you will. A five minute lesson. Coins be leapin' forth from the ground. And I've never seen one. An Etrac that is.

 

[lookindown]

Re: Some feedback from "Etrac" owners please.....(help for a new etrac owner).

Gleaner, you've got something that will take you a long way in anything you pursue.....Confidence.