I'll admit it, I'm Struggling...

[wharghoul]

I've been working with the E-trac for about 2 months now (around 50 hrs.). To date, I've found two worthwhile finds: a Spanish Reale and V Nickel. (and a bunch of wheats, modern clad, and trash)

I'll be the first to say the operator of the machine is the primary reason for the lack of quality finds. However, I'm an intelligent enough guy and I've read the manual and Andy's book enough times that I know it isn't just me.

It could just be that my coils (6x8 SEF, Pro Coil, 10x12 SEF, 12x15 SEF, 15x18 SEF) aren't passing over any silver coins. Fair enough, but I'm hunting some school yards, churches, homesteads, and even an old bank that goes back to the late 1800's, as well as one area that goes back to the mid-1700's (where I found the Reale).

I'm inclined to think that there are a few other major factors besides my inexperience that have thwarted my efforts.

First, most of my spots are littered with iron and trash down to about 6". I realize my situation is not unique in this regard. All my older wheaties that I've found have been in this range. In fact, I've never dug a coin over 6" and that includes the Cortes and CZ70 that I used for about a year before buying the E-trac. On a side note: my auto +3 sensitivity rarely goes over 23.

Secondly, (and I think this is where my situation might be a little more unique) the sink rate in my area seems to be a little more dramatic. I live in South Alabama, about 1 mile inland, and this region (New Orleans to Pensacola) gets more yearly aggregate rainfall than anywhere else in the Continental U.S.(55-60") Couple this with mild winters where the ground doesn't freeze and I'm finding 2004 coins at 5-6" deep. Hell, I've found budweiser cans at 8+" deep and they don't appear to be that old. I'm almost certain that no new soil has been added to these areas.

So here's my theory, all of the newer stuff (modern clad and trash) is within the first 6" of soil. The older coins, due to the sink rate, are generally beyond 12" and past the detectors capabilites. Either they're too deep for the E-trac or I just can't see through the trash to see the deeper targets.

I'm not just cherry picking for good targets, I'm digging tons of iffy signals and some bad signals (10-25's, 12-02's, etc...) too just to learn the machine.

I hope that someone from this area will set me straight on my theory and tell me that's it's just my lack of experience with the E-trac and detecting in general that's the main culprit in my lack of finds. That would actually be a relief, because I know I'm going to get better and finds could increase.

I'm just really getting discouraged and lurking just isn't cutting it anymore.

Any thoughts?

 

[DeanDig]

Welcome to the forum wharghoul!

I'm not familiar with your area but from what you've said about rainfall, sinkrate, etc. You could be right about objects sinking below the detection range, however with those giant S.E.F. coils you are using and considering the history of your area...One would think you would be pulling those 12" coins, especially digging those iffy signals.

A low sensitivity will definitely have an affect on depth range. Sometimes when I'm in auto +3, It doesn't go over 24 and then I switch to manual 27-28 and even up to 30 without much falsing. Have you tried running manual sens to see if you could get up to 26- 27 without too much chatter and falsing? Does sens act the same way on every site? Have you tried a factory reset? Or even a master reset? When you noise cancel, be sure there are no targets under the coil...noise cancel in all metal and max manual sens. Also, I've heard cell phones can cause interference...How do your other machines do with sensitivity settings?

Surely ALL of you're coils can't be bad...Do you know anyone living near you with an E-trac, so you could compare machines? Don't know if any of this helps you and I hope someone from your region can give you more insight.

 

[wharghoul]

DeanDig,

I'll definately try noise cancelling at Max sensitivity and All Metal, sounds like a good idea.

Yes, I run manual about half of the time, but it's really strange that I can be in auto +3 (24,25) and I have a good threshold and very few targets(when hunting open ballfields or farmland), as soon as I switch over to manual and bump it up a bit (26 and higher), targets (mostly iron) are suddenly all over the place.

I get the impression that when running in auto that the bottom of my signal is just out of reach of that second layer of deep stuff. Hopefully I'm wrong and the machine is just running so smooth in auto that I dont' trust it yet.

I'm actually the 2nd owner of the machine, got a great deal from a guy in Oahu for the detector, all the SEF coils, and the x-1 probe. The first thing I did when I received it was to do a master reset. I also removed all the coil covers and made sure there wasn't any Oahu sand left in there that could alter the signal.

 

[4thDoctorWhoFan]

I live in Maryland and I am also having the exact same symptoms as you. I am new in MDing in general and the Etrac is my first detector and I have had it for about 3 weeks now. The same problems you are having sound just like the issues I am having. While I air tested the stock pro coil and I can detect a clad dime from 12 inches, I have yet to find a single coin deeper than 4 to 6 inches. The only thing deeper I detect is iron.

Your theory sounds plausible and I might be having the same issues regarding the iron hiding all the good signals. I am a little frustrated but I still believe the problem is me going through learning pains. At least that is what I am telling myself. I keep trying different areas but so far I have had the same result. I am having fun but I wish I could find at least one deep coin so I can put to rest the thought in the back of my head that something is wrong with my detector.

Keep us informed on your progress as it might help others including myself.

 

[DeanDig]

DeanDig,

I'll definately try noise cancelling at Max sensitivity and All Metal, sounds like a good idea.

Yes, I run manual about half of the time, but it's really strange that I can be in auto +3 (24,25) and I have a good threshold and very few targets(when hunting open ballfields or farmland), as soon as I switch over to manual and bump it up a bit (26 and higher), targets (mostly iron) are suddenly all over the place.

I get the impression that when running in auto that the bottom of my signal is just out of reach of that second layer of deep stuff. Hopefully I'm wrong and the machine is just running so smooth in auto that I dont' trust it yet.

I'm actually the 2nd owner of the machine, got a great deal from a guy in Oahu for the detector, all the SEF coils, and the x-1 probe. The first thing I did when I received it was to do a master reset. I also removed all the coil covers and made sure there wasn't any Oahu sand left in there that could alter the signal.

It sounds like you're doing all the right things...Have you tried all the connections to make sure everything is screwed tight? Have you tried all of your coils with the same results? Have you tried using out in the country away from power lines, etc? It could be that you have highly mineralized soil and the E-trac is trying to compensate by lowering sens, and anything over what the computer recommends will give falsing and chirps. Do you have a layer of red clay(iron laden) about a foot or so down?

I have a wooden ruler that I marked where different coins hit at different sens settings(Even Andy Sabisch uses airtests sometimes) Try doing these outside, away from powerlines etc. To give a general basis of comparison, here are some of my results...Measurements were taken when the signal was still repeatable and on the verge of "iffy"

Manual sens at 16...silver quarter=7 inches, silver half=9 inches, clad nickle= 6 1/2 inches, mercury dime= 6 1/2 inches, pulltab=8 inches

auto sens at 16... silver quarter= 6 inches, silver half=8 inches, clad nickle=5 1/2 inches, mercury dime=5 inches

manual sens at 30 silver quarter=15 inches, silver half=16 inches

Airtests are in no way conclusive compared to "in the field detecting" because of the different factors involved: individual settings, halo effect, ground moisture, mineralization, discrimination, EMI, etc, etc....but maybe using my test results can give a general basis of comparison for your machine. I still haven't ruled out the idea that your machine is buggered, but try to give it achance because I hear all the time from first time users, "I'm not digging anything deeper than 6 inches" but they stick with it awhile and before you know it, they are ashamed to post how deep their finds are for fear of getting made fun of. I hope this is the case and your machine is OK.

For the record, I have had my E-trac for a year and a half, and have not dug a coin deeper than 6-7 inches, and most coming in at surface to 5 inches. My deepest coin sized find was a pulltab at a freshwater lake...about 8 inches and it came in loud and clear while running manual 24-25

Keep us updated and goodluck!

 

[utahshovelhead]

Hi Whar,
You probably wont like this but my suggestion is to get out of those tough hunting spots and try an easier one for a while. What I mean is this; If you can find yourself a park that has been hunted by all the guys in your area go to it and spend some time. The reason I say this is because most likely the surface will be somewhat cleaned up a bit and the easy coins will too. Then concentrate and see if you can find some deeper coins which will be few and far between but oldies. I know, counter intuitive , but every site is different. I have a few that are really hard to hunt and I hardly can handle the sounds and nulls and I have to really put everything into it to find mabey one thing. Then I have a park like the one I suggest you find and I can go there and have a ball finding some really deep good stuff without as much challenge ( just not as potentially old)...then when I'm ready I go back to my hard spot and try again. If I hunted the hardest spot all the time I probably would loose interest too ( not really) But some times it is just tough to work some areas loaded with ages of trash, iron bits, and some good stuff. As you get better at the fight you go back for more. I hope that helps a little.

good luck
utahshovelhead

 

[NebTrac]

Welcome aboard. I too am fairly new with the E-Trac and Md'ing in general. I don't know if I have too much to offer except maybe some encouragement. Sometimes I feel really good with my machine then other times not. As I was reading you post one thing caught my eye and that is your finds. First of all the Spanish Reale and V-Nickel. Really, really cool finds. You also said you've found wheats. This to me indicates the coins might not have sank that deep. I've only pulled out 1 or 2 coins over 8". My oldest was 2 1/2 inches. Most here in central Nebraska are 3-7" generally, and yes I've dug aluminum cans 12" or more. That comes with the hobby. I've dug aluminum cans 12" and 10 feet away a 1916 Mercury dime at 4" and 15 feet away a memorial at 7". My conclusion on that is to dig all those good signals and the majority of the strange ones. I'm probably going to dig those cans and those pesky canning lids that sink a foot in the ground. If your digging the iffy's the finds will come. Don't be afraid to dig "weird" signals. The video Dan (OhioCoinHunter) just posted is the best example I've seen thus far. Let us know how the proggression is coming and any advice you can give from your experiences!

NebTrac

 

[EZrider]

As far as depth go's. After hunting in the wet salt sand beaches. Ive dug pull tabs at a measured 12+ inches with mine. Now if i got down the street to the park where ive pulled all the silver i posted. Most of them were only 6 inches with a few at 8+. The soil conditions play a roll.

 

[dreamweaver43]

Whar,
In heavy trash and iron, try running your sensitivity down at A or +1. I find that one of the biggest misconceptions is that you can't find deep stuff with maxing out the machine. You will LOSE depth with the machine set to high in trash!!

Another thing to consider, all the old coins are not as deep as you might think. Most silver coins that are left are in two situations, right on a trash target, or deep on edge. Both situations the etrac can handle well, if set up correctly. The biggest factor in finding, especially on edge coins, is running with high gain. Yes, you cannot tell by sound deep or shallow hits, that's what the depth meter is for anyway, but you will pick up faint hits (not necessarly deep) that you will miss with the gain set lower.

High sensitivity in the trash will only make the machine more sensitive to the shallow trash, and lock on to those stronger signals, not allow you to hear the mixed tones of a trash & good target together. In high iron invested spots......turn you sens down, so that the machine runs more stable, and can pickup the good targets amongst the bad.......high sense will false on pointed iron and drive you nuts, and will again stick and lock on the iron....missing stuff.

And if you have a spot with beavertail or pulltabs really deep....set your machine to minus 3 in auto and see how deep you will be able to detect targets.....you might be surprised.

You don't run you highbeams in the fog? Same deal with the etrac or explorer.

Brad

 

[hardrock]

Hi: I sell the Minelab line and one thing I found with it is to do one thing,those of you who may have had older detectors, and to the new users. SLOW DOWN THE SWEEP RATE!!!! Lots of good tips and tricks are given here in in books but watch the rate especially in areas you know should be producing. I had to do this with the early machines and the pay off has been tremendous. I have hunted deep south and found the older ones at greater depths and did not have the larger SEF coils, recently I have went to the smaller coils and get great depth with those but only when sweeping slow real slow. Just a thought for you. Take care Hardrock

 

[wharghoul]

Thanks guys for all the encouragement and advice.

I think I probably suffer from the same insecurity that a lot of new guys suffer with: Depth Envy:blush:

I seem to get a little too caught up with getting down there and I'm probably running my sensitivity too hot for most of the places I hunt. I always start my hunt running at A up to +3 Auto and after about 10 min. I get a little worried about how quiet things are, so I crank the sensitivity up. Like I said before, I probably don't fully trust the machine yet. Until I've dug a semi-deep target at 22-24 sensitivity then I'll keep fighting the urge to crank it up.

We all watch the videos of the guys/gals who can turn it up to 29-30 and mentally process everything the machine is telling them. I need to admit that I'm just not experienced enough for that yet.

On a positive note, I found a beautiful 1984 girl's class ring the other night at the high school that I hunt. I'm in the process of trying to track down the owner. I'll definately post my results.

I'm really looking forward to getting the opportunity to get out in the woods and farmland away from all the trash. My only problem is that I primarily hunt late at night and I just don't have anyplace that I feel comfortable with yet, but I'm working on getting the permission.

Thanks again, Brad

 

[in the woods]

I would suggest three things.
1. Plant a coin garden and do some experimenting with coins and junk close together and seperatly, put some on edge.
2. Try going to easier places to swing. I still go to ball fields and the parks just to practice.
3. Slow down, and be methodical, don't give up.

I planted a Walker half, down 4 inches in my coin garden. That coin rings in in one direction and not the other??? It's been in the ground 3 weeks. I would think it would chime in great, but that's not the case at all?? What does this mean, I' not sure. I planted 50 coins and that one just won't respond in one direction???

I found a clad quarter last night. The signal was sketchy because of a piece of iron near it. Once the iron was removed the quarter trumpeted in. I found 2 seperate Mercury dimes the same way this year. Iron close by and the Silver trying to get thru. Once the iron was removed the Silver comes in great. Slow down and trust your ears.