I need some help an no I don't need your money, lol

[Mark in S.E. IA]

Hi guys, I was wondering if their was anybody here that lives in the Waterloo Ia area and is good with the Etrac. If you have a test garden, that would be perfect. I'm even willing to drive 2 hours just to have somebody that knows Etrac's to check it out.

The problem is my Etrac does not seem to get any depth. I've owned it since this spring and I can't find anything much deeper then 5" or 6" deep unless it's a bigger piece of metal. I don't even find trash deeper then that. It's like theirs nothing below 6" and I noticed that the first day I used it and I only hunt old places.

When I first got the etrac I asked a couple of guys here that are very good with the Etrac and pretty much only hunt for old coins as too what are their setting and both of them pretty much told me the same settings, so that's how I set mine up because I'm only after the deep old coins.

I think their is something wrong with my Etrac, but yet it's working but not as good as it should be.

So if their is anybody out there that could help me I would be greatful.

 

[IDXMonster]

I'm just snooping over here...I don't have an Etrac but I have an Explorer2....there is something wrong with that picture,whether it be settings,the coil,or something else. Etracs and Explorers should and do see coins at 10"+. Did you do a factory reset on it yet? It could be confused....like me.

Kevin

 

[floodplaindetector]

Hi Mark,
Just curious if you have any other coils you could put on and try. Seems like there is some issue with your machine or coil.
With G4Ever's or similar settings you should be pulling 8-10 inch coins no problem. I have gotten a few mercs when I was down south earlier this year
that weren't too far from burying the depth meter with the stock coil.
I would run down and compare signals with you but I just got back today from my nephew's wedding in Denver so I am driven out (for now )

Dave

 

[Deep Down]

Mark I live an hour south of Waterloo. I would be more than happy to have a look at it with you and have lots of coils we can try on it as well as other ideas. My son and I have run the E-Trac for three years. Not an XPERT but willing to help any way I can. I could meet almost anytime or you could drive down this weekend for a hunt. Let me know Dave

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

Kevin, that's a good idea, I didn't think about doing a factory reset. I'll have to try that.

fpd, Dave, you and Terry use pretty much the same settings and that's what I use. Last weekend I stopped at the place we met at last year and found another Walker and a clad half, but nothing else for old coins. the walker was only 4" deep.

Deep Down, Dave. I think I'll take you up on your offer. I'll send you a PM

 

[ChicagoJohn]

I have several coins from 5 to 9 inch deep in my lawn. My Etrac can pick up coins as deep as 9 inch deep. My personal is Auto 3 plus, Deep on and fast off. Sweep slow and I found coins as deep as 10 inch!

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

Fri I did a factory reset on the Etrac and then on Sat morning I met up with "Deep Down",, Dave. After a a little chat we when to a 1 Room School house that's still there and is a city park now. Dave started off by checking my settings on the etarc and then dug a hole about 9" deep and put a Barber half in the bottom and put the dirt an plug back in. Then he went over it with my Etrac and he had this funny look on his and I'm thinking,, Oh Great, it really isn't working right. Dave grabbed his MDer and went over the plug and he had the same bad look on his face. He moves the coin up some and checked it with his MDer. The he pulls the plug out and starts digging around in the plug an pulls out a big rusty flat washer from the center of the plug, we got a lil laugh out of that. After getting the big washer out of the hole my Etrac passed the depth test with no problems, lol

After tests Dave explained to me as to what to look for when watching the FE and CO numbers. He told me to pretty much not to worry about the FE numbers when working a target. Watch the CO numbers the whole time your working a round a target and if the numbers stay good the whole time then dig it even tho you may be seeing FE numbers in the 20's

A little while after we got to MDing Dave called me over to two places he had marked. He had me check the first one and I was getting good CO numbers all the way a round the target and the FE numbers were all over the place. It turned out to be a Wheat penny and a nail in the same hole. The second spot he said it might be a coin with iron or a bent nail, it was a bent nail.

After about 3 hours there Dave had to get going so we called it a day. I found 3 wheat's and Dave found 4 wheat's and a Merc

Thanks Dave for helping me out with understanding the Etrac a lil better and I hope to do some MDing with you again some time,,,, thanks

On the way home I stopped at a park and found a 54 Washington Quarter with a piece of rusty metal beside it, a Rosie, 3 wheat's in one hole with a small piece of metal with them and 3 other wheat's.

 

[EtracTom-AdirondacksNY]

Now your cooking keep it up.

 

[ironsight]

So there was actually nothing wrong with the eTrac? Pilot error?
Detector confidence is everything.
Sometimes when we think our detector isn't working its just that there's no deep keepers to be found. Losing confidence in one's detector can spiral into a downhill trip to the detector store.

Anyhow congrats on the silver and wheats.

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

So there was actually nothing wrong with the eTrac? Pilot error?
Detector confidence is everything.
Sometimes when we think our detector isn't working its just that there's no deep keepers to be found. Losing confidence in one's detector can spiral into a downhill trip to the detector store.

Anyhow congrats on the silver and wheats.

lol, yea Pilot error is about right.

That's what Dave keep telling me, if you do not have confidence in the Etrac then it's not going to work very good and that's pretty much the problem.

I've been using the Xterra 505 for so many years and I'm so use to knowing what the MDer is telling and with the Etrac I'm lost most of the time. I guess the learning curve is going to take a lot longer then I thought it would.

I'll get things figured out,,,,,, someday, lol

 

[Gilligan110]

Good to hear it wasn't an issue. One of the things I think males the machine complicated is the variability in settings. It's really powerful and adaptable tool but certainly makes it complicated.


Cheers from Marion, IA,

Jay

 

[Deep Down]

Mark, No thanks needed hope some of what we talked about helped. Enjoyed meeting you and we will get out again soon. Wondering were those coins you found after you headed home deeper than what you have been getting? Looks like your confidence went up some HA HA. Talk to ya soon Dave

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

Mark, No thanks needed hope some of what we talked about helped. Enjoyed meeting you and we will get out again soon. Wondering were those coins you found after you headed home deeper than what you have been getting? Looks like your confidence went up some HA HA. Talk to ya soon Dave

Hi Dave, I think what you told me is going to help me a lot, thanks again.

The coins I found at that place I stopped at on the way home was 5" to 6" deep. Pretty much normal for depth at most places I've been to.

 

[ironsight]

Just eTrac growing pains. We all had em!
First time out at a trashy park with my new still shiny eTRAC i was tempted to wrap it around a tree.

 

[floodplaindetector]

Hi Mark,
I can equate your situation to when I bought a CTX a few years ago and switched to that for about a month. I could have sworn that machine didn't
have near the depth as my Etrac until I finally went over a deeper wheat penny about 9 inches and it easily picked it up. I still couldn't get used to the tones and
I knew I was missing some of the nickels I usually would get so I sold it.
Yes, confidence in your machine is everything and I truly believe Etrac is the best coin machine out there.

Its great you got a half at that place we met at last year. I was back there once since last year and only managed
a buffalo nickel and a few wheats but no silver. Stopped at 2nd spot and got 2 buffs and a ring.
Would be fun to meet up with you this fall down in your neck of the woods as i'm still trying to find an American Large Cent and
I might have a better chance in your area.

FPD Dave

Mark, No thanks needed hope some of what we talked about helped. Enjoyed meeting you and we will get out again soon. Wondering were those coins you found after you headed home deeper than what you have been getting? Looks like your confidence went up some HA HA. Talk to ya soon Dave

Hi Dave, I think what you told me is going to help me a lot, thanks again.

The coins I found at that place I stopped at on the way home was 5" to 6" deep. Pretty much normal for depth at most places I've been to.

 

[Mark in S.E. IA]

Dave, If I ever get permission to hunt a place where I think would be a good place to find a LC I'll have you come down and work that spot with me. It would be fun to see you finding your first LC.

Also, anytime your going to be with in a few hours drive for me, let me know and if it works out for me I'll meet you there.

Hi Mark,
I can equate your situation to when I bought a CTX a few years ago and switched to that for about a month. I could have sworn that machine didn't
have near the depth as my Etrac until I finally went over a deeper wheat penny about 9 inches and it easily picked it up. I still couldn't get used to the tones and
I knew I was missing some of the nickels I usually would get so I sold it.
Yes, confidence in your machine is everything and I truly believe Etrac is the best coin machine out there.

Its great you got a half at that place we met at last year. I was back there once since last year and only managed
a buffalo nickel and a few wheats but no silver. Stopped at 2nd spot and got 2 buffs and a ring.
Would be fun to meet up with you this fall down in your neck of the woods as i'm still trying to find an American Large Cent and
I might have a better chance in your area.

FPD Dave

Mark, No thanks needed hope some of what we talked about helped. Enjoyed meeting you and we will get out again soon. Wondering were those coins you found after you headed home deeper than what you have been getting? Looks like your confidence went up some HA HA. Talk to ya soon Dave

Hi Dave, I think what you told me is going to help me a lot, thanks again.

The coins I found at that place I stopped at on the way home was 5" to 6" deep. Pretty much normal for depth at most places I've been to.

 

[IDXMonster]

Guys I can't tell you this is "for sure" obviously cuz nothing is,but.....I've found my 3 oldest coins(1844,1850,1852) within 100 yards of train tracks in town. My theory is they were lost by hobos camping out to catch a freight,but it's pure speculation. Just sayin'......clearly they can be anywhere,but that's where IVE found them. Any kind of park area or empty lot near tracks that you can hunt may be where you find something good.
Good luck out there!

Kevin