However I do not use the E-TRAC the way most people do. I use a slightly enlarged Relic pattern. I use ferrous sounds and 2 tones because the on the ET that almost eliminate all falsing in auto+3. I usually run fast=on and deep=on; I use pitch hold. I usually use high trash and difficult ground. Sometimes in soft dark soil you can get a better TID in neutral ground. If you have a target like this dime you can sometimes get a better TID by switching fast and deep OFF, low trash and neutral ground but if you're in a trashy area don't forget to turn high trash back on. Red clay is almost always difficult ground.
Another reason I use ferrous/2 tones and the relic pattern is because you will hear everything except for just a little of the iron and since it doesn't false when set that way you can easily hear a chirp from a masked good target in iron trash and bad ground. ALSO... the conductive number stays pretty colse even when a target is pretty deep. If it is reading deep or really "iffy" (from co-located iron or trash) but you keep getting a good co number like 43-47 or 11-14 or even 23 if you're in a site that may hold brass buttons... or 32-33 if you want minnieballs... then dig it if the ferrous number is usually under 20. That is how to sniff out the targets that other machines miss and others walk right over.
If you're in a fairly clean place without a lot of iron or trash, like an old site that hasn't seen modern activity. Like an old swimming hole or picnic grove then conductive sounds and multi-tones is a better way to go.
Learn to rely on the conductive number even when you are running ferrous sounds and 2-tones, if you're getting a repeatable good co number even from one way and the fe number is reasonable... it is worth digging, especially if it is at depth ot if there is a piece of iron close.
One thing that you will need to be aware of and always check, especailly in a nice lawn or park is the good tone and number that you will always get inbetween two pieces of iron. For instance: two pieces of flat iron about a foot apart will always give you a false GOOD signal in the middle, between them. Check for the iron on both sides. Plus IIRC, you wont get the good signal when you turn 90 degrees and swing it.
More shallow targets will almost always have a correct co number even in trash, and even if it isn't there when you turn 90 degrees and swing... if you don't find sizable iron on both sides... dig it.
Co-located iron will mess with the fe number but the co number will be constant and reliable from some direction. You'll just have to dig some to see.
Square tabs will sometimes read and sound like a perfect nickel, especially if they are folded in half. square tabs unfolded will read and sound just like a CW eagle cuff button and some round tabs will come in just like a coat button. If you are in an old place it is worth digging some, especially if they are deeper but I have dug buttons at 2" and tabs at 6" at the same park. As you hunt more you will get better but the only reliable discriminator is your digging tool and your eyes. I hope you also have a good pinpointer. I have been trying a Garretts but have gone back to the Uniprobe because it is so much better. If you have good headphones they will have a mono/stereo switch. If the detector interferes with the pinpointer, just flip the switch on the phones while you recover the target. That will stop the chatter between them.
You say you're new so i'll also say this. If you don't have one get a Lesche Ground Shark and a Lesche hand digging tool. If the place is a park where there are lots of people, leave the shovel in the truck, carry a dishtowel looped over your digger or in your belt to put dirt on if you have to dig a deeper hole. Never dig more than three sides to a hole, that will still leave a yellow ring in the heat of summer but that one side till allow the grass to recover. NEVER carry a regular shovel into a park or into someone's yard. Learn to pinpoint perfectly. With the DD coil I can pinpoint from two sides (turn 90 degrees) and I can put my finger on the target. If it is shallow dig a very small hole, if it is larger start the hole a little larger... but put the dirt on the towel and you won't make a mess. Always re-check your hole because you may actually recover a piece of trash and leave the good target in the hole. When you pinpoint with the ET it is in AM and if there is a piece of iron next to the target it will pinpoint the iron, sometimes that iron combined with some other trash by the detector will be what you thought was a good target... but the presence of the iron does not mean that there isn't something good right beside it, that is why the ET is so good! It will alert you that there is something good there. In clean ground you'll get a good signal with a good fe and co number. In heavy trash you may get a chirp or a shorter sound and not from all directions and the fe number may be unreliable but from one or two directions the co number will keep hitting the correct number. You'll get it with practice. It isn't perfect but it is very good.
Do you know about the Minelab "wiggle"? On a deep or iffy target that you just get a peep from, try pinpointing it. If you pinpoint something off to the side, try again sometimes you'll pinpoint to some iron or trash off to the side but after a couple of tries with a shorter swing, a "wiggle" actually, a swing of only a couple of inches side to side you'll pinpoint the actual target. Once you get it pinpointed switch back out of pinpoint while keeping the coil on the target... then wiggle the coil side to side, moving it only 1/2 to 1 inch and moving it quickly. On a deep target you will wiggle in a better TID and tone.
Hope this helps...
Julien
Another reason I use ferrous/2 tones and the relic pattern is because you will hear everything except for just a little of the iron and since it doesn't false when set that way you can easily hear a chirp from a masked good target in iron trash and bad ground. ALSO... the conductive number stays pretty colse even when a target is pretty deep. If it is reading deep or really "iffy" (from co-located iron or trash) but you keep getting a good co number like 43-47 or 11-14 or even 23 if you're in a site that may hold brass buttons... or 32-33 if you want minnieballs... then dig it if the ferrous number is usually under 20. That is how to sniff out the targets that other machines miss and others walk right over.
If you're in a fairly clean place without a lot of iron or trash, like an old site that hasn't seen modern activity. Like an old swimming hole or picnic grove then conductive sounds and multi-tones is a better way to go.
Learn to rely on the conductive number even when you are running ferrous sounds and 2-tones, if you're getting a repeatable good co number even from one way and the fe number is reasonable... it is worth digging, especially if it is at depth ot if there is a piece of iron close.
One thing that you will need to be aware of and always check, especailly in a nice lawn or park is the good tone and number that you will always get inbetween two pieces of iron. For instance: two pieces of flat iron about a foot apart will always give you a false GOOD signal in the middle, between them. Check for the iron on both sides. Plus IIRC, you wont get the good signal when you turn 90 degrees and swing it.
More shallow targets will almost always have a correct co number even in trash, and even if it isn't there when you turn 90 degrees and swing... if you don't find sizable iron on both sides... dig it.
Co-located iron will mess with the fe number but the co number will be constant and reliable from some direction. You'll just have to dig some to see.
Square tabs will sometimes read and sound like a perfect nickel, especially if they are folded in half. square tabs unfolded will read and sound just like a CW eagle cuff button and some round tabs will come in just like a coat button. If you are in an old place it is worth digging some, especially if they are deeper but I have dug buttons at 2" and tabs at 6" at the same park. As you hunt more you will get better but the only reliable discriminator is your digging tool and your eyes. I hope you also have a good pinpointer. I have been trying a Garretts but have gone back to the Uniprobe because it is so much better. If you have good headphones they will have a mono/stereo switch. If the detector interferes with the pinpointer, just flip the switch on the phones while you recover the target. That will stop the chatter between them.
You say you're new so i'll also say this. If you don't have one get a Lesche Ground Shark and a Lesche hand digging tool. If the place is a park where there are lots of people, leave the shovel in the truck, carry a dishtowel looped over your digger or in your belt to put dirt on if you have to dig a deeper hole. Never dig more than three sides to a hole, that will still leave a yellow ring in the heat of summer but that one side till allow the grass to recover. NEVER carry a regular shovel into a park or into someone's yard. Learn to pinpoint perfectly. With the DD coil I can pinpoint from two sides (turn 90 degrees) and I can put my finger on the target. If it is shallow dig a very small hole, if it is larger start the hole a little larger... but put the dirt on the towel and you won't make a mess. Always re-check your hole because you may actually recover a piece of trash and leave the good target in the hole. When you pinpoint with the ET it is in AM and if there is a piece of iron next to the target it will pinpoint the iron, sometimes that iron combined with some other trash by the detector will be what you thought was a good target... but the presence of the iron does not mean that there isn't something good right beside it, that is why the ET is so good! It will alert you that there is something good there. In clean ground you'll get a good signal with a good fe and co number. In heavy trash you may get a chirp or a shorter sound and not from all directions and the fe number may be unreliable but from one or two directions the co number will keep hitting the correct number. You'll get it with practice. It isn't perfect but it is very good.
Do you know about the Minelab "wiggle"? On a deep or iffy target that you just get a peep from, try pinpointing it. If you pinpoint something off to the side, try again sometimes you'll pinpoint to some iron or trash off to the side but after a couple of tries with a shorter swing, a "wiggle" actually, a swing of only a couple of inches side to side you'll pinpoint the actual target. Once you get it pinpointed switch back out of pinpoint while keeping the coil on the target... then wiggle the coil side to side, moving it only 1/2 to 1 inch and moving it quickly. On a deep target you will wiggle in a better TID and tone.
Hope this helps...
Julien
I too, hunt primarily in conductive tones/ multi, but after reading your post, I think I will give ferrous/ two tones a try. I'm getting swamped with false iron coming through on this one site, and I'm constantly going to quick mask all metal to check the target. Perhaps this will be what is needed to pull a few keepers from a difficult site.
Now to retrain my ears... 
