E-trac Depth seems off

Olderactor

Full Member
Oct 28, 2008
194
0
Old Irving Park Chicago, IL
Detector(s) used
XLT, Excalibur ll, E-trac, Explorer 2 xpdeus, minelab 3030
I'm new to the E-trac. When I find a target from both angles, and read the depth at say about 6 inches, when I dig it up it may only be about 2 inches. I'm trying to separate deep targets from those that are close to the surface. I've tried using the deep setting with fast refresh both on and off. I have tried ID tone of 4 and Multi. I'm using the Coin mode. High trash, difficult ground. Any suggestions? I went out with someone who was using an explorer SE and he seemed to be able to separate and dug only the deep targets.

Thanks
 

Olderactor said:
I'm new to the E-trac. When I find a target from both angles, and read the depth at say about 6 inches, when I dig it up it may only be about 2 inches. I'm trying to separate deep targets from those that are close to the surface. I've tried using the deep setting with fast refresh both on and off. I have tried ID tone of 4 and Multi. I'm using the Coin mode. High trash, difficult ground. Any suggestions? I went out with someone who was using an explorer SE and he seemed to be able to separate and dug only the deep targets.

Thanks

Hey Olderactor! Welcome to TNET!

So when you are hunting, how high is the coil off the ground? Usually you have to subtract about 1 to 2" from what the depth says because you usually don't scrub the top of the turf. Make sure you are keeping the coil parallel to the ground and are barely scrapping the top of the grass blades. Also, are you really in a trashy area?.. because high trash and difficult ground might be reducing your ability to go deep if you are not. Try to get out in a field at a park, say a ball field, and go with low trash and non-difficult ground and see what the difference is. Also, how's the air testing read? Make sure you have the sensitivity cranked up as well. Depth is proportional to the sensitivity setting. General rule of thumb is set it as high as you can go without hearing too many short little bleeps and blips from the detector in a non-trashy area. Also try the manual setting for sensitivity... I know on the SE Pro if I use the automatic mode, it will flake out much lower than if I use the manual mode. If all else fails, try the Reset function by turning off the detector, and then pressing and holding the power button until the screen says Reset. That won't erase your settings, just resets the processor. If that doesn't work you could try the Factory Reset which will erase your settings and put the detector back to all default settings.

Etrac Manual said:
To Master Reset the detector:
1 Press the Menu button
2 Scroll across to Preferences (using the Right or Left Navigation button)
3 Scroll down to Master Reset (using the Down Navigation button)
4 Press either the Left or Right Navigation Button to enter Master Reset
5 Scroll up to Yes and press either the Left or Right Navigation button to initiate the Master Reset.
A ‘Reset’ message will appear on the screen and a tune will sound. Once the message disappears and the Pattern Screen appears on the LCD the detector has been reset and E-Trac is ready to detect again.
 

I'm detecting in city parks. I am going slow and my sweeps are low. I'll try the low trash and pump up my sensitivity. Thanks
 

You know, Goio and T-Man are our local Etrac bubbas. They would be the guys to ask. :thumbsup:
 

Hi Olderactor and welcome to the forum!
I was wondering when you'd show up here. How'd you do water hunting this year?

Can't help you with the E-Trac but like Treasurefiend said, there are a few experts here
that will help you out.

Good luck with it.
Mike
 

Thanks. Did Ok in the water. 5 sliver rings, 1 10K gold ring, and a heavy silver chain, plus a few coins. Not alot, but there are more people hunting. How did you do in the water?
 

Olderactor said:
I'm new to the E-trac. When I find a target from both angles, and read the depth at say about 6 inches, when I dig it up it may only be about 2 inches. I'm trying to separate deep targets from those that are close to the surface. I've tried using the deep setting with fast refresh both on and off. I have tried ID tone of 4 and Multi. I'm using the Coin mode. High trash, difficult ground. Any suggestions? I went out with someone who was using an explorer SE and he seemed to be able to separate and dug only the deep targets.

Thanks

Hi,

The minelabs are always tricky to read at the beginning. My suggestion is to hunt in coin mode with Auto sensitivity and just keep diggin (That's what I do) :thumbsup: either use 4 tones or multi tones but stick to one and keep at it.
 

??? Listen to what GOIO has to say, :icon_study: He was an SE Master.Now he is an E-Trac Master :icon_study:.Check some his posts and finds.
I have been hunting with him and tmanfromtexas for a couple months now.All 3 of us are E-Trac hunters,and most every time we go hunting we all get at least 1 silver.Today GOIO got a Barber Quarter,4 mercs and a rosie.TMAN got a Silver quarter,and 4 silver dimes.I got 14 wheats, a merc and almost $2 in clad.
Sounds like you are not pinpointing properly. The edge of the coil is real hot,and can pick up a nearby coin,when you think you have it centered MAKE Sure.Etrac has the most accurate depth meter of ANY I have ever used.Us 3 go for mostly the deep ones,but you never know when the goodies might be shallow.Last week ,i dug 2 mercs,a rosie at 3-4 inches while we all dug memorials at 6-8 inches.I also got 23 wheaties last week at anywhere from1"-8,9".
GOIO hunts in preset in auto sens,and almost always smokes us :icon_king:.He usually has the most trash in his bag as well. ???
 

McEtrak is right, if you don't have the coil centered over the object the depth meter will say it's a lot deeper than it really is. I don't know why I forgot about that one. Try locating the object, then pinpointing left to right, turn your coil 90 degrees and pinpoint left to right again. Then turn off pinpoint mode and see what the depth says now that your coil is centered over the object. When you get comfortable with it, you won't have to hardly ever use the pinpoint mode, especially if you use a smaller coil :)
 

I've only hunted on dry ground lately but hopefully I'll have a water machine next year.
Say hi to my son Mike next time you cruise on down the block to Jim's house.
Mike....the old man.
 

This is what is posible

If you follow the advice of GOIO,and just use the turn on and go pre-sets...........in the standard coins mode...............Auto sensitivity.
http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php?topic=199958.0
Work with it,practice with it,and eventually the finds will trickle in...........Then they will pour in..................Like you have just seen.
Just be patient. Good Luck
 

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