E-Trac

[WV62]

Well I have had my new E-Track for about a month now and I spent most of that time studying on how it works. I did a lot throw down testing in my yard on silver and other old coins I have. As I learned I made several disc patterns and some didn't work real good. My last five patterns all work on all my test coins.

I took the E-Trac on 2 actual hunts, in 2 of our best silver producing spots, the first one I found a few new dropped coins, pretty much on top of the ground. The second hunt was yesterday and I went to a wooded area for the shade. This area has produced our best overall silver finds, but yesterday the E-Trac only gave me 4 or 5 dig-gable signals and none were coins.

So far the E-Trac is not doing any better than the machines we have been running in these areas which are the F75, F70, F5, Tejon, and the Vaquero. My brother SL52 and his F5 still finds most of the silver every year.

Just a little update,

Ron in WV

 

[MI-AuAg]

Hey Ron,

Keep at it. With a good setup, those etrac's have a solid reputation for finding silver if it's under the coil.

I'm sure learning the FBS machine will take a little time, but I think you'll like it.

Interesting that you added a Minelab FBS machine to your Fisher F series machine. I added a Fisher F75 to my Minelab CTX. They're a good combination IMO, as they excel in different areas.

Good Luck with your etrac!

 

[WV62]

Thanks Mi-AuAg,

I am going to keep working with the E-Trac, I can tell it is a good machine but better than others I am not so sure.

Ron in WV

 

[Dan-Pa.]

In experienced hands Etrac and Explorer models are among the best deep silver units around. KISS may be the problem so don't get fancy comes to mind..Also a good mentor would be the way to go...When I had my first Explorer XS spent a couple of hours with one of our Explorer gurus who used basic programs that worked..First time out from a hard hit area managed 8 Wheaties, buffalo nickle and mercury dime and walking half. Of course made a mess as pinpointing was a problem but was in the boonies so poor and excessive holes were no problem. Through practice learned to pinpoint with the exception of unit being heavy along with a CZ served me well for deep silver. So if you can handle the weight keep it simple and the silver will come.

 

[oneguy]

In experienced hands Etrac and Explorer models are among the best deep silver units around. KISS may be the problem so don't get fancy comes to mind..Also a good mentor would be the way to go...When I had my first Explorer XS spent a couple of hours with one of our Explorer gurus who used basic programs that worked..First time out from a hard hit area managed 8 Wheaties, buffalo nickle and mercury dime and walking half. Of course made a mess as pinpointing was a problem but was in the boonies so poor and excessive holes were no problem. Through practice learned to pinpoint with the exception of unit being heavy along with a CZ served me well for deep silver. So if you can handle the weight keep it simple and the silver will come.

Listen to Dan...... Don't over think it. Use G4E's settings and maybe for starters Bills Trashy Park pattern if you desire some disc? Another easy disc pattern is black out FE from around 25 on down. Another easy and very effective way to hunt is TTF with an open screen ( deadly with small coil) and dig only the high tone consistant repeatable targets (for starters). My personal favorite TTF pattern for coin shooting is take the Trashy Park pattern and just open up the bottom half and leave the top half as Bill intended it. You'll learn your #,s fast and not have to rack your brain trying to learn the Etrac multi tone "language"..... Once you learn that machine, it will take some time, I'd almost bet you'll never want to give up all the info that machine gives.....saves a LOT of time digging crap once you understand it....... Unfortunately I haven't hunted this year as I no longer travel or doorknock and my Podunk area is hunted out to the best of my ability so I've been out on the rivers prospecting and having a blast...... Don't give up on that Etrac.....it's a killer machine once understood.................

 

[MarkCZ]

So far the E-Trac is not doing any better than the machines we have been running in these areas which are the F75, F70, F5, Tejon, and the Vaquero. My brother SL52 and his F5 still finds most of the silver every year.

Just a little update,

Ron in WV

You forgot to add these to your detectors used in that area!
I ran an Omega their a fair amount, and I found a few pieces of silver with it.
I've ran my 1266 their on a few occasions.
I've also had two different Coin$trike's their.

Mark

 

[Mark kus]

Im a believer of the Etrac my finds have been incredible over my old Garrett GTI! And I have only had my Etrac 11 months found my first gold coin with it a $5.00 half eagle.
And over 80 silver coins this year.

 

[sprchng]

I can't believe that after a month you're not finding more with it than machines you have been using for a decade. You must have a bad one
And the ergonomics suck as well , how much ibuprofen are you having to take?
Learn the language and screw the patterns

 

[mascard1]

Run Sens..at 26 Manual.......gain at 19(to tell deep coins)..Variability at 30(to get the best sound for Silver)..Threshold to where you just hear it.....Pretty much everything else at 30(If I remember right..Don't change it too much).... Run Coin program...If deep Copper memorial(will bounce 40 to 45)sorta can tell.....Your ears ...Will get used to the sound of Wheats and Silver deep....Wheats deep can run all over(I have dug old Wheats at 1-29) but they sound good!....The E-trac will tear up other machines with deep Silver..once your ear is tuned in!!!
There heavy......But so is A pocket full of Silver!.......O 'yeah on the coin program open up the top right...

 

[Tom_in_CA]

..... So far the E-Trac is not doing any better than the machines we have been running in these areas ....

WV-62: A word to the wise: Hook up with someone who is proficient with the Explorer series of detectors. Have them flag deep suspected coin signals. Watch how they swing. Listen to what they're trying to isolate. Then, likewise, you show them signals, and ask them why or why not would they pass it.

ONLY THEN will the "lights go on" and the machine makes sense. Otherwise, you will have to do it the school-of-hard-knocks of digging 1000 targets.

The reason is: The explorer lineup of detectors (XS, II, SE pro, Etrac, etc....) are all very sound-specific tooty-fluty orchestra sounds. And when anyone first picks one of them up, initially "everything sounds the same".

I hunted along-side of the early park turf explorer users in CA who was EFFORTLESSLY picking up silver dime after silver dime. And he'd point out signals that my Whites had to struggle to hear. Doh! Needless to say, I ran out and bought an Explorer for myself. But immediately hated it. Like yourself, I saw no results any better than my current arsenal. So I made an appointment with the same fellow to meet me at the same deep-turf-park. He flagged several suspected deep silver/wheatie type signals. And let me listen and practice over them. After about the 3rd such target, the "lights went on" and it all made sense.

So see if you can find someone in your area proficient with those. Not just a "sand-box hunter", but someone who can routinely sniff out deep silver from turf.

 

[MarkCZ]

..... So far the E-Trac is not doing any better than the machines we have been running in these areas ....

WV-62: A word to the wise: Hook up with someone who is proficient with the Explorer series of detectors. Have them flag deep suspected coin signals. Watch how they swing. Listen to what they're trying to isolate. Then, likewise, you show them signals, and ask them why or why not would they pass it.

ONLY THEN will the "lights go on" and the machine makes sense. Otherwise, you will have to do it the school-of-hard-knocks of digging 1000 targets.

The reason is: The explorer lineup of detectors (XS, II, SE pro, Etrac, etc....) are all very sound-specific tooty-fluty orchestra sounds. And when anyone first picks one of them up, initially "everything sounds the same".

I hunted along-side of the early park turf explorer users in CA who was EFFORTLESSLY picking up silver dime after silver dime. And he'd point out signals that my Whites had to struggle to hear. Doh! Needless to say, I ran out and bought an Explorer for myself. But immediately hated it. Like yourself, I saw no results any better than my current arsenal. So I made an appointment with the same fellow to meet me at the same deep-turf-park. He flagged several suspected deep silver/wheatie type signals. And let me listen and practice over them. After about the 3rd such target, the "lights went on" and it all made sense.

So see if you can find someone in your area proficient with those. Not just a "sand-box hunter", but someone who can routinely sniff out deep silver from turf.

Thanks Tom for your input, I've cautioned big brother that the Etrac is different and the learning curve may be a tuff one. Another problem around here is knowing someone that is using such a machine to help him, I mean a person could camp out at the city park long enough and an Explorer or an Etrac user would show up, but if your not friends them (or at lest know them) their not to friendly about helping you learn to find the same silver there looking for! Even a decent silver spot is HARD to find in this neck of the woods so it can be pretty territorial protection, even a good side or bad side of the same park.

Mark

 

[MarkCZ]

Run Sens..at 26 Manual.......gain at 19(to tell deep coins)..Variability at 30(to get the best sound for Silver)..Threshold to where you just hear it.....Pretty much everything else at 30(If I remember right..Don't change it too much).... Run Coin program...If deep Copper memorial(will bounce 40 to 45)sorta can tell.....Your ears ...Will get used to the sound of Wheats and Silver deep....Wheats deep can run all over(I have dug old Wheats at 1-29) but they sound good!....The E-trac will tear up other machines with deep Silver..once your ear is tuned in!!!
There heavy......But so is A pocket full of Silver!.......O 'yeah on the coin program open up the top right...

"mascard1" what do you think the reason is that Ron is getting more help here in the general detecting forum with his Etrac than on either of the Etrac forums? I know a few years ago I was searching around for some information on the Etrac and they weren't very receptive at all if you were not already in the Explorer/Etrac click! in fact they were very rude to say the lest, and on the occasion that I've ran into someone actually swinging an Etrac and me swinging a Fisher I got treated like a TOTAL OUTSIDER, it was like they have their County Club for the higher class of society and second class citizens need not apply

Mark

 

[IDXMonster]

The best thing I could add to the great info you've gotten is to make a test garden. Historically,Minelabs don't like freshly buried targets. I could surmise this is because of the FBS platform but I don't know. Anyway...bury a silver dime at 7" and see what it sounds like in the factory Coin mode. Bury another at 9". Can't hear it? Adjust Sensitivity in MANUAL Sensitivity until you can. Adjust your sweep speed. See what the signal sounds like? Really deep coins do not sound like 4-5" coins. The key is REPEATABILITY. Sweep evenly with the coil grazing the ground. Fast wild swinging with an FBS machine will get you close to nowhere. I generally swing my Explorer2 in 4' sweeps at around 2 seconds side to side. Left to right...2 seconds. Right to left...2 seconds. It depends on your conditions a bit. Don't be afraid to take a certain patch of ground and sweep at various angles. Choose 10x10 feet and really work it. The biggest mistake I've made is when I'm not finding much I SPEED UP. It's counter productive in just about every way. Work an area until you're satisfied there's nothing left,then move on. It takes time. LORDY it takes time! But after awhile of getting your ass kicked and getting beaten to death with an F5, the light will come on. Don't over analyze things. That little non-repeatable iron chirp at 4" is NOT a coin. Don't spend a bunch of time trying to MAKE it a coin. This is the most costly mistake I made....not TRUSTING what the machine is saying. Build that trust,put in the time and once you conquer the mysterious monster....you won't know anything else.

 

[mascard1]

Don't know?.....I would help everybody..I like to see others finding stuff..Makes it fun!

 

[sprchng]

Run Sens..at 26 Manual.......gain at 19(to tell deep coins)..Variability at 30(to get the best sound for Silver)..Threshold to where you just hear it.....Pretty much everything else at 30(If I remember right..Don't change it too much).... Run Coin program...If deep Copper memorial(will bounce 40 to 45)sorta can tell.....Your ears ...Will get used to the sound of Wheats and Silver deep....Wheats deep can run all over(I have dug old Wheats at 1-29) but they sound good!....The E-trac will tear up other machines with deep Silver..once your ear is tuned in!!!
There heavy......But so is A pocket full of Silver!.......O 'yeah on the coin program open up the top right...

"mascard1" what do you think the reason is that Ron is getting more help here in the general detecting forum with his Etrac than on either of the Etrac forums? I know a few years ago I was searching around for some information on the Etrac and they weren't very receptive at all if you were not already in the Explorer/Etrac click! in fact they were very rude to say the lest, and on the occasion that I've ran into someone actually swinging an Etrac and me swinging a Fisher I got treated like a TOTAL OUTSIDER, it was like they have their County Club for the higher class of society and second class citizens need not apply

Mark

I saw lots of responses to his post in the etrac forum and he didn't even have a machine yet.
No one seems to look at that etrac classroom forum so that's a non issue.
Brand loyalty exists with every different brand of everything,,,,,,,call it a clique if you wish but it's just a matter of liking what you use.
You are no different by using "CZ" in you handle , you may be just as "cliqueish" because you use a multi frequency Fisher and others use a single
I'm having fun with your bro's adventure and doing the normal etrac complaining for him

 

[MarkCZ]

I saw lots of responses to his post in the etrac forum and he didn't even have a machine yet.
No one seems to look at that etrac classroom forum so that's a non issue.
Brand loyalty exists with every different brand of everything,,,,,,,call it a clique if you wish but it's just a matter of liking what you use.
You are no different by using "CZ" in you handle , you may be just as "cliqueish" because you use a multi frequency Fisher and others use a single
I'm having fun with your bro's adventure and doing the normal etrac complaining for him

I knew you were kidding and having fun and that's good (I warned him about the weight LoL). But I'm not talking about brand loyalty, I'm talking at one time many of the Etrac owners if you met them out and you walked over to just be friendly and they saw you didn't have one of their Country Club detectors they would just smart off and tell you to get a real detector!! Now. I don't know if they are still like that but when I first came to this forum the Minelabs people had a really bad reputation on their forum if you weren't part of their Club! So, for the past several years after that I just didn't go over their for ANYTHING! The Etrac has been around awhile now and so they may not be like that anymore, I just remembered when! and I didn't know the Etrac Classroom wasn't very active so that explains that.

Mark

 

[IDXMonster]

I certainly hope things aren't "clicky" or any of that...I do know that certain personalities don't mesh all the time and that there are guys and girls who are very competitive by nature. When I go hunting I hunt old coins,and if someone pulls a Large Cent around here or a Barber or Seated or....I get pretty pumped just seeing the coin. It doesn't matter who found it,just the idea that there may be more for me to find...I know we're in a good area! I like seeing someone who is really good with their machine and can talk to it,listen to it,thread the needle through Trash with it...a really good operator.
Sometimes responses aren't immediately forthcoming because this stuff has all been discussed for a long time now by many people,some of who no longer frequent the forums. I miss Capt SEs posts,Cody,Captain Kirk....Mike Moutray! Charles Upstate NY is back on the Explorer forum,that's a good thing! Many guys are probably just waiting for someone else to type the response,and if no one does then it looks like no one cares about the question at hand. I've learned a lot since coming on board and verified more of it in the field. There are a lot of really good operators on these forums,and even in this thread! Typing out a comprehensive well thought out reply takes time,and not everyone has that time these days,especially if they're out hunting! With the weather we've had around the US lately it's a wonder some people can get out after work or on the weekends,it's just been terrible about everywhere.
I see the need for direction when it comes to someone just starting out with one of these machines, it can be overwhelming to listen to. A lot of it will sound like torture. I didn't know just what to think at first with the Explorer2,my first foray into the FBS machines. But I also knew that it took time and I trusted that idea...that it would take time. There are no shortcuts,you MUST put in the time. A person with more experience on a simpler machine will find more...initially,most of the time. In awhile you will pull alongside and then when it comes to really deep coins that many other machines can't sense or ID well enough to dig,you will surpass some of those operators. A guy with a Compadre(not dissing the Compadre) will find more in a good site with no fill than a guy with an eTrac in a filled site that didn't have coins in the first place. If you're hunting the SAME place together,on really deep coins,FBS machines have been known to be able to throw a good enough ID to say it's a coin and for it to actually BE a coin. Anyone can dig a deep iron grunt. That's not MY game. The vast majority of the time,with either the Explorer2 or the CTX,I'll know it's a coin before the shovel hits the ground. That's why people want these machines...to dig good targets in amongst the mess of what can be in the ground at any given place. And they've been proven by many users to do exactly that.

 

[WV62]

Well guys I have made me a page of notes and been online looking for some of those settings. I haven't watched the video yet by I think I am at the right place and I saved the site.

My first round of settings I was told to try Goes4ever and that is the settings I have in the detector now.

After a full day of swing even with a sling attached my arm and wrist were killing me, but I really want to make this detector work for me.

Right now I am not locked into one set of settings so I made notes from the post above and will give them a try.

I don't know anybody around here that runs any kind of Minelab machine, so I am on my own except for the help I get you forum members and my brothers.

Thanks,

Ron in WV

 

[Elton]

Slow down your swing. When you think it is slow enough Slow down some more.. You can not swing it fast and get the great finds it will find ..Goesforever settings may not work in WV... Your ground is different.
Don't give up. You will soon click with the machine and your deep finds will amaze you.

SLOW SLOW SLOW on the swing.... FBS has to have time to work.. Took me three machines to learn that......... I would get aggravated and sell the Erac ....... Then buy another......Third one I used goes settings slowed way down and WOW... Could not believe my finds ..........I have also done very well with the F 75 , 70 and T2.. but not as good as with the ETrac..

 

[oneguy]

you're on the right track.....keep G4E's settings for now, run auto+3, and run a pattern you've chosen (in multi tone I seem to like the Andy S. pattern). Stick with these for awhile until the light bulb starts to go off....THEN maybe do some experimenting and tweaking. Like Elton says....slow down a bit also, Etrac needs a little time to give you all that info. You'll forget all about the awkward boat anchor once you see what it's capable of and you'll say to yourself..... "wished I'd have had one of these years ago!"
KISS.......you'll get there.

I'll keep watching this and look forward to your progress..............

Think I've had my etrac for 4+ years now and the etrac forum folks bent over backwards helping me....I never noticed any clicky types?