Getting Frustrated With E-Trac!

[BryanM362]

Admittedly, I am a newbie on the e-trac, but I find it very difficult to tell trash from treasure with this machine!

I get what I think is a good coin signal, say a 12-40, dig it and it ends up being a bent nail, or a piece of aluminum scrap, or some other junk!

I can't understand why the numbers are so similar between trash and treasure! Maybe I just don't understand all the machine it telling me yet?

Any pointers?

 

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[goldnugget]

I am with your thoughts. I've been to an old spot of mine and the last 6 hours, I have found ( 0 )coins. I did find a Zincoln on the curb. I am still new using the E-trac with only about 15 hours. I dig alot of can slaw. In my old spot I go to the section that produced alot of V-Nickels My signals bouce around alot.. If I was to get a 12-46 ( Does this signal keep on repeating ) or will it jump around.

 

[Minrelica]

I've never used an e-trac but I do know that the person who sold me my Explorer uses one now and he said that he digs a lot more nails with it than he did with the Explorer.

 

[BryanM362]

It seems to jump around some, but even the clad dime I dug jumped from 11 -12 on the FE number. My AT Pro seemed better at IDing targets. The e-trac does go deeper though.

 

[elijahhenry10]

I have the same problem with my F-75. I have dug a lot more nails with it than I ever did with my Omega. I've dug more goodies also, which I guess makes up for it.

 

[extractor]

Sounds like u should give some different headphones a try . What ones are u using now ?
As for the jumping from 11 -12 on the FE, commonly it is picking up some surrounding minerals. Don't worry about the
Fe#'s to much they can vary a bit.
Learning the tones and the Fe#'s Co#'s, that hit solid in the 12 04 to 12 47 are where a lot of the goodies are .

 

[Jason in Enid]

FIRST, read your owners manual and make sure you understand it.
NEXT, read the Andy Sabich E-Trac book, he explains so much more than the manual (but both are important)
LASTLY, give yourself at least 100 hours on the detector to really ingrain in your mind what you have read (hopefully several times).

The E-Trac can be frustrating in the beginning, but if you take the time to learn it you won't ever want to get rid of it!

 

[BryanM362]

FIRST, read your owners manual and make sure you understand it.
NEXT, read the Andy Sabich E-Trac book, he explains so much more than the manual (but both are important)
LASTLY, give yourself at least 100 hours on the detector to really ingrain in your mind what you have read (hopefully several times).

The E-Trac can be frustrating in the beginning, but if you take the time to learn it you won't ever want to get rid of it!

I read the manual twice and Sabisch's book is on order. The manual doest really go into detail much about what the numbers mean.

I will keep working with it...

 

[DeepseekerADS]

be patient, it takes a while to learn this beast, and I admit I am still learning. But I am still learning. I've learned how to pinpoint! Don't go by the manual or use the pinpoint function. Lower your sensitivity until you figure out what you're hearing, go to Goes4ever's website to learn how to really pinpoint.

Pinpointing with the Etrac - Saving History One Piece at a Time

 

[Jason in Enid]

be patient, it takes a while to learn this beast, and I admit I am still learning. But I am still learning. I've learned how to pinpoint! Don't go by the manual or use the pinpoint function. Lower your sensitivity until you figure out what you're hearing, go to Goes4ever's website to learn how to really pinpoint.

Pinpointing with the Etrac - Saving History One Piece at a Time

The stock pinpoint feature works just fine if you take the time to learn it. I know it sounds odd, but it took me a while too. I don't know what I did different but one day the pinpointing just starting making sense.

Keep at it, you'll learn.

 

[CoinandRelicMan]

Bent rusty nails are wicked things got a thick one today that must have been 6 inches at least, reminded me of a J.

 

[BryanM362]

Sounds like u should give some different headphones a try . What ones are u using now ?
As for the jumping from 11 -12 on the FE, commonly it is picking up some surrounding minerals. Don't worry about the
Fe#'s to much they can vary a bit.
Learning the tones and the Fe#'s Co#'s, that hit solid in the 12 04 to 12 47 are where a lot of the goodies are .

I don't use headphones, is that an issue? Are the tones that important? I listen for the high tones, check the screen, and then go into quickmask to check the numbers.

 

[BryanM362]

The stock pinpoint feature works just fine if you take the time to learn it. I know it sounds odd, but it took me a while too. I don't know what I did different but one day the pinpointing just starting making sense.

Keep at it, you'll learn.

I haven't had any problems pinpointing, just problems getting good target identification.

I have watched a bunch of youtube videos about e-trac.

I will keep trying. I had heard, even before I bought it, that the e-trac had a steep learning curve!

 

[DeepseekerADS]

I read the manual twice and Sabisch's book is on order. The manual doest really go into detail much about what the numbers mean.

I will keep working with it...

The numbers are fine, but you'll get all kinds of numbers especially when there's trash near your target. You might look at changing the tones - 2 tone, 4 tone, etc. I came from the day when target ID didn't exist, so I dig by tone anyway. I look at the numbers. But if I've a repeatable good tone I dig it period. Couple weeks ago I found a '35 wheat with a nail on top. Got that repeatable high tone. The numbers danced all over the place.

And, yes, I have those charts of target numeric values. They're helpful but not perfect - mostly just in the neighborhood.

Bury yourself some clad and some junk in a test plot if you can and play there for practice.

 

[Sandman]

Using the best headphones you can afford will help you hear the fine tone changes. I like Black Widow's and Grey Ghosts.
Having screens with numbers is a nightmare when you start expecting the target to be what the numbers represent. All the MD's do is show the conductivity of the item, NOT WHAT IT REALLY IS. If you have two items under the coil it will cause the numbers to jump around. Some guys put duct tape over the screen while they learn the sounds. The use of a sniper coil helps a lot too while learning sounds.

Hope this helps you understand.

 

[NGE]

Here's another thing you can try if you're in a nail infested area, try TTF (two tone ferrous) you will only get 2 signals, low for iron and high for everything else. Check G4E's site, it is explained there further.......nge

 

[Jason in Enid]

If you are just starting out I recommend staying in the multi conductive mode. The biggest problem I see new users make is they get so much "good advice" that they constantly change the settings and it takes 4 times longer to actually learn.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Admittedly, I am a newbie on the e-trac, but I find it very difficult to tell trash from treasure with this machine!

I get what I think is a good coin signal, say a 12-40, dig it and it ends up being a bent nail, or a piece of aluminum scrap, or some other junk!

I can't understand why the numbers are so similar between trash and treasure! Maybe I just don't understand all the machine it telling me yet?

Any pointers?

My first explorer was the Exp. II generation (not too dis-similar to your Etrac). I drooled with envy looking at the finds that Exp. users in my area were starting to rack up. So I went and go one. And just like you, the sounds drove me crazy, and everything sounded the same. So I exchanged copius emails and phone calls to those proficient users, trying to figure out how to use it, what settings, what sounds to chase, etc...

And still, to no avail.

Finally, I met up with a particular proficient user, in a park known to still produce deep (8" + ) silver coins. He flagged a few deep gimme silver dime/wheatie type signals. I'd watch him swing, listen to what he was trying to isolate, then I'd take a turn, etc... Conversely, I'd flag a few, call him over, and hear his analysis ("deep zinc" or "nail false", etc...). Within 5 minutes the "lights went on" and I was like a bird-dog on the scent of prey!

So if I was you, I'd hook up with a proficient user, and go out and flag a bunch of signals for comparison. No amount of "printed text" can ever convey the concept of sounds. The only way to do it is in-person.

 

[BryanM362]

My first explorer was the Exp. II generation (not too dis-similar to your Etrac). I drooled with envy looking at the finds that Exp. users in my area were starting to rack up. So I went and go one. And just like you, the sounds drove me crazy, and everything sounded the same. So I exchanged copius emails and phone calls to those proficient users, trying to figure out how to use it, what settings, what sounds to chase, etc...

And still, to no avail.

Finally, I met up with a particular proficient user, in a park known to still produce deep (8" + ) silver coins. He flagged a few deep gimme silver dime/wheatie type signals. I'd watch him swing, listen to what he was trying to isolate, then I'd take a turn, etc... Conversely, I'd flag a few, call him over, and hear his analysis ("deep zinc" or "nail false", etc...). Within 5 minutes the "lights went on" and I was like a bird-dog on the scent of prey!

So if I was you, I'd hook up with a proficient user, and go out and flag a bunch of signals for comparison. No amount of "printed text" can ever convey the concept of sounds. The only way to do it is in-person.

Thanks Tom, and Everyone!

If I knew somone using the e-trac locally, I'd try to hook up with them. I'll have to watch for that opportunity. Meanwhile, I'll just keep plugging away (pun intended), and learn what I can.

 

[JOe L]

I've used allot of detectors and I compare them too a new Mom with her new baby. Nervous, expect allot and live through allot of frustrations. And then you settle in with each other because you have learned. You don't give up and move on, you work with it and learn. For the most part, even the turn on and go detectors, you have to listen and learn. Then you will understand what its telling you,,,,,,, and it won't be change my diaper. LMAO