The Quick Mask feature

[Nock]

I am not 100 % sure on what this part of the etrac can do for me, any input on this would be great.

Thanks

 

[flashs]

Hi there,
Quick mask is a great way to double check what your detector is telling you...you can use what ever program you like and when you find a target hit the quick mask button to see if the numbers are similar. I usually leave this screen wide open with nothing discriminated out. Very useful to help determine if you might have a false signal due to iron. Most of the time my decision to dig is based on the audio signal, but false iron signals can fool you ...If Quick Mask gives you an icon in the middle to upper part of the screen then it's probably not an iron target.
It will also help you determine if there is more than one target under the coil at the same time. My only complaint ( always my fault !) is that I sometimes forget to turn it off and go back to whatever program I am using.
Just remember, with a wide open Quick Mask screen, it will pick up everything under the coil. You must look at the icon location and ID numbers for identification. Some people hunt in this mode all the time, but for me, most sites I hunt have too many targets and I soon get brain overload from too many signals.
Andy's etrac/explorer book has an excellent section on this feature, and if you don't already have a copy I suggest you beg, borrow, or steal (LOL) one. It will explain many things that the manual falls short on.
All this seems confusing I know, but keep working at it, sooner or later I promise you that things will start to make sense!
Never think that a question is too simple, if you don't ask you may never learn !

 

[mntnflyr4fun]

I jump to an open quick mask screen when I get jumpy VID numbers to see if there is more than one target. when you use the QM the machine will separate the targets and deliver an id for each...I usually hunt more with my ear, so when I hear the high tone clumped in along with other lower tones, I jump to Qm and start trying to find out how many targets are there, then try to get on each one individually until I find the one that is delivering the high pitch...

 

[Johnnyanglo]

An open QuickMask screen is All Metal and will indicate the strongest signal under the coil. You can disc out some higher Fe values if you want. You can hunt in QuickMask rather than using the SmartFind screen. The tones are based on your Tone ID settings (2 tones, 4 tones, Multi Tones) and Tone ID sounds (Conduct, Ferrous) so you will hear the high tone and see the cursor position. If you use the SmartFind screen with Disc'd out areas then you'll get no audio or cursor or Fe-Co numbers over a Disc'd out area. I perfer to see where the cursor goes and hear it all - most can be ignored by sound alone.

Just be sure when you get a nice med-high or high tone to isolate it under the coil - use Pinpoint to center on the good signal, then wiggle the coil slightly to get the Fe-Co number (it may not be there or be the Fe-Co for your selected target) and check the cursor position to be sure it is the right target (easy in QuickMask). As you recover targets make mental notes on what came out - and begin to build your target memory.

Note: The DD coil is like a vertical blade - you've got to try and get just the high tone target sounding - this is not a sweep but a hovering with only slight movement (1/2" either side) until you get a response. You sweep slowly until you hear that high chirp - then do the isolation technique described, circle around it to see how and if the cursor jumps. If you aren't moving the coil much and it still jumps wildly about - you're probably over iron - like near surface nails. If the depth meter shows deep (6+ inches) when hovering you may be over deep non-ferrous with masking iron so check the meter too. Those are worth recovering. Check if the Fe numbers stay below ~24 (despite the jumping TID the Co should be fairly stable, if the Co numbers are bouncing left-right it is likely iron again). If you are unsure, just dig it.

 

[Todd Pickens]

I only hunt in Quick Mask. I stopped using patters a few years ago. I hunt rings so I dig everything. If a park is trashy I will run up the fe setting a little. On some parks it gets busy but i am used to it. Its kinda silly I know. You buy one of the best disc. machines and dont even use it. Its all about the sounds. I like to here the nickle, pull tab sound that is where most Gold comes in at. You cant miss the silver sound, it is sweet.