Question for ex etrac users

[foreign object]

Picked up a etrac for a backup to the ctx. I had never used a etrac before so bare with be here.

I have set up a ttf pro gram and a 4 conductive tone mode also. My test garden consist of a lone merc dime buried at 8" and with grass it is every bit of 9plus inches deep. Using the stock coil on both and switching between manual and auto sen. I can easily hit the dime with both machines.
I realize that the ctx shoud and does give more stable vid readings but man I cant help but think there should not be such a difference between the two machines. The CO numbers bounce around a little more on the etrac but not enough to cause any worries there but
the FE numbers are all over the map. I mean really bad top to bottom. No changes of any type help.

Do you guys think there may be a problem or is there just that much difference between the two machines?

While I have you guys attention have any of you run 4 conductive tones on the etrac using disc. to attempt to mimic the combine mode of the CTX without the low iron tone?

Thanks
FO

 

[Des D]

FO

No. 1 - The E Trac is not a CTX
No. 2 - The CTX is not an E Trac
No. 3 - they [ share ] similar features
No. 4 - The CTX has additional filtering than E Trac
No. 5 - E Trac FE ID's can vary at depth - no need to worry - watch the CO ID's - if they are [stable] then all is OK

 

[Bell-Two]

Just what Des said!

 

[foreign object]

You know I realize that the CTX and Etrac are different.
Biggest part of the question was if the etrac FE numbers were that much less stable than the CTX.

I am sure Des has run the Etrac also and Bell Two I see you also have one. So I can only assume that the answer to my question is that my machine is operating properly and that the fe numbers will not be as stable as the CTX.

The question about using 4 conductive tones with some disc. must be alien,

Thanks for the informative answers.

FO

 

[Southwind]

I feel the FE of the E-Trac is not near as stable/accurate as the CTX. I just plain ignore the FE on my E-Trac.

I have never tried the 4 conductive tones on the E-Trac as I prefer multi-tone. I have tried the TTF and really haven't seen any improvement. Sure it makes you dig more iffy signals which in turn will eventually have you hit some keepers, but I'm just more a selective hunter. I prefer digging less junk and more goods. I'm sure I'm missing some goodies but I have yet to have that proven to be the case by my buddies who dig those iffys.

 

[hershey1]

I also hunt with both machines and each have their place. Try the CTX in TTF. In my dirt I prefer combined audio with 40-50 set at 1200 along with ferrous coin . Deep silver IDs very well with this setting and will knock your ears off when the coil goes across it. The main reason I use my E-Trac anymore is that I have a lot of different coils and the X-1 probe that comes in pretty handy at some sites. That seawater setting on the CTX works great in highly mineralized ground to by the way. HH

 

[Bell-Two]

You know I realize that the CTX and Etrac are different.
Biggest part of the question was if the etrac FE numbers were that much less stable than the CTX.

I am sure Des has run the Etrac also and Bell Two I see you also have one. So I can only assume that the answer to my question is that my machine is operating properly and that the fe numbers will not be as stable as the CTX.

The question about using 4 conductive tones with some disc. must be alien,

Thanks for the informative answers.

FO

Yes the TID is more stable on the CTX. Now on many targets the E-Trac will give a very stable TID but the targets with trash conjoined will tend to be erratic on the FE number. I used TTF a lot on the E-Trac and on the CTX my go to mode is a combined tones run wide open at the fields and old houses. I have a couple of conductive patterns I use at some parks and very clean sites

 

[jakechiro]

That is one of the main reasons that I upgraded to the CTX was the stable target ID near trash and at depth. The Etrac is all over the map with the FE numbers, the CTX is a lot more stable. Just my $.02.

 

[BootyHunter]

When you say the FE numbers "jump around" how much are we talking here? If it is showing like 11-44 12-44 13-44 that is most likely normal, even down to 10-44. If it is showing FE numbers all over from 3-44 to 33-44 then I suspect a couple of things, 1st make sure the area under the coil cover of the Etrac is clea, no sand or dirt, 2nd make sure your test area doesn't have some iron buried close (within coil distance) of your Merc, that will effect the FE numbers much more on your Etrac than on your CTX and if these 2 things aren't occurring the I would send the coil in to be checked. I had a coil go bad on my Etrac and I noticed mostly loss of dept but also very very very jumpy numbers FE and CO. Now with all that being said the Etrac's FE line will be more "wide" on good targets than the CTX. I've noticed that almost every good target I've ever dug with the CTX the FE number has been a12 80% of the time and either an 11 or 13 the other 20%. Where on the ET
trac good targets could be FE numbers from 7-20's depending on the iron and other metals in the ground. In other words the CTX in my opinion has been refined to only have around 3 "good" FE numbers, that's been my experience in my area, others may have experienced something different. Good luck!

 

[Southwind]

On targets at 5" or less the FE on the E-Trac is not bad it is on the deep stuff where the E-Tracs FE is worthless. I've owned 6 E-Tracs now and just about every coil made for them, it isn't a faulty coil or E-Trac, it is the nature of the beast. On deep coins the FE will jump from 03 to 33. The CO is very accurate and all I rely on with the E-Trac. The CTX has a much more accurate FE at a greater depth but still goes wacky on really deep coins just not as bad as the E-Trac.

 

[foreign object]

Thanks for the reply's guys.
I figured for the most part that the eratic fe numbers were just part of the etrac which is ok but i wanted to make sure that I did not have equipt. issues.
I have been working with TTF some but mostly with 4 tone conductive but I have to run some disc with it. May look at backing off on the disc some on the iron side and see how that works out.

I run combined wit little to no disc. on the ctx and really like it and have been doing real well considering the locations that I am hunting.

once again thanks to all.
FO