The deeper coins will jump slightly in the FE numbers. Coins will be pretty close as far as the depth reading goes.
Do the 90 degree sweep thing. Hit the target and then move 90 degrees and do it again. If it is rock solid, you can guess that it is a coin. If it changes, then it probably is rusted iron or aluminum can slaw.
The E-Trac loves rusted steel. It sometimes reads like a coin. The aura that rusted steel gives numbers just like a good target. But if you 90 degree it, it will save you some digging because it will change. The Ferrous values will jump and the Conductive values will also jump but not as much.
Nickles will sound a lot like some pull tabs. I can usually figure out if it is a nickle or pull tab by pin pointing. In pin point, the nickle will be very precise........very short and very hard. A pull tab will be wide......and soft. Not as sharp meaning a definable edge. When moving over a target, the pull tab will have a broken or soft edge to it. A nickle will hit hard and have a very definable edge.
If you are running with a stand alone probe, noise cancel with the probe on. It will adjust the E-Trac to the probe and helps prevent cross talk.
I usually run with the numbers big. In other words, I have the numbers big instead of the chart. That way I can learn the numbers instead of where the objects appear on the screen.
I usually dig all good sounds. You will learn what those sounds are after a while.
Get the plastic cover for the screen. It will save you grief in the long run. I can attest that this product works. My screen looks as good as the day I got the E-Trac even after wet sand, mud, goose poop and anything else you can think of was thrown at it. The buttons still look great and I can read my screen even in direct sunlight. Far better than the available dust covers. I never have to worry about scratching the screen ever again.
Get the aftermarket arm rest for the E-Trac. Well worth it and much more comfortable than the factory plastic arm rest.
Wrap the foam handle with a tennis racket grip. That will allow for quicker cleaning and a more comfortable grip. The foam handle seems to absorb mud and dirt and is a real pain sometimes to clean. The racket handle wrap allows me to just spray it with a cleaner and wipe it clean.
Get Andy Sabisch's book..."The Minelab Explorer & the E-Trac Handbook." It is full of good info on how to set up the E-trac for best results. Highly recommended.
If you submerge the coil in water, do not raise the E-trac above level because the water will run along the coil wire into the control box. It will destroy the electronics. I stay away from water with the E-trac.
If you are detecting in high trash areas, like parks with picnic tables, get a smaller coil....a 5 or 8 inch coil to help avoid multiple signals when using larger coils. Makes it easier to swing in overgrown areas too.
In wide open areas, the factory coil is great. But I like using the 15 x 12 SEF coil for wide open areas. Slightly deeper than the factory coil and it covers a larger area much quicker.
I usually run my E-Trac in the manual sensitivity mode. I run it to just to the point of being unstable for the site I am detecting. I then back it off a number or two. The auto mode is usually too safe for me. Not as sensitive as I would like.
I've made up my own coin pattern and I have found it to be just fine for my style of hunting. I started out with the factory coin program but after a while, I decided to try my own. Don't be afraid to experiment with settings and patterns and adjust them to the area you are hunting. But don't do that until you have a few hours on the E-trac, learning the ins and outs first.
I have many many hours on the E-trac since I got it last year. Spent lots of time in Florida with it over the winter and have found lots of really nice stuff with it.
I've been getting lots of clad with it and converted that clad to 1 oz. US silver Eagles. In the last four months, I've been able to purchase 53 US silver Eagles with the clad I've found. I don't sit on the clad because it loses value over time. The silver eagles are a better bet to increase in value over time. Since 1986, I've been able to buy a few thousand silver eagles with the clads I've found metal detecting.
Oh and have fun!!