New E-Trac in the Works

[CyberSage]

O.K. I finally have the money set aside to purchase an E-Trac to add to my collection of detectors, and I have a few questions.

1. Should I by a new one or look for one manufactured before the company changed hands?

2. I see that it includes E-Trac Xchange USB functionality , but I don't see anyone sharing their programs. Is this feature not needed?

3. Is the default coil sufficient, or should I invest in another one?

4. How do I hide the E-Trac from my Wife so she does not break it over my head? lol

Thanks,
Jack

 

[rsarge1]

:bop: rofl well I've got no answers for you except tell the wife it is your Christmas present which will soften the blow lol good luck

sarge

 

[Dixie Rebel]

Question #1 both are just as good. #2 I have about ten real good programs and yes they are needed. If you like to the create your own programs and patterns. #3 the stock coil works really well in a trashy area . #4 you better wear a helmet :bop:

 

[randy]

Buy your E-Trac new from a reputable dealer, or used from someone you trust. There are counterfeit E-Tracs made in China that are to be avoided. If in doubt, ask the serial #, and verify with Minelab. Everything I've read is that the Malaysian units are as good as the older units; that said, I have an older unit and have done quite well with it, so, being superstitious, I'd lean that way.

Yes, you want the USB functionality, just to back up your settings if nothing else. I'll send you my killer park and school silver program if you want (which is more or less based on Angel's settings, but the USB makes it easy to swap killer settings). Some small Minelab forums have places to upload programs as well, and there are programs all over the net. its a nice piece of functionality.

I like the default coil. Despite its size, it separates very well. The trick is to go slow; if your coil is moving, you are going too fast lol Some folks use a smaller coil in heavy infested iron sites where separation is even more the game that depth -- for parks and schools, the ground coverage of the pro coil trumps the smaller coil IMHO. As for the even larger aftermarket SEF coils, no opinion, but I would not use them for coin shooting trashy parks.

As for the Wife, take here out to a nice restaurant -- it always works lol Can't wait to see what you find with that new E-Trac.

 

[Fire Fighter 43]

Welcome to the Etrac club, well almost you have not purchased it yet. I always like to start out with a new detector but Minelab let's you transfer your warrenty now. So a good used one with some warrenty left might not be a bad idea, just watch out for counterfeit machines.
The stock coil is one of the best, it has great depth and separation. In my opinion it is all you need but if you want a back-up and a coil for working real trashy areas I would suggest the SunRay X8. I have this coil as a back-up and have used it a few times in real trashy areas but there is some depth loss. I have not tried the large coils. Have thought about getting a SEF 12x15 for large fields. Tim AKA I'll digger was telling me about an article in WET mag that was about the bigger coils for the Etrac. Maybe send him a PM and he could give you the info on what issue.
The exchange is a nice feature but really not necessary. It is nice for back-up. In my opinion the Etrac is easy to set-up. With your experience with the V3 and computers it should be no problem for you.
Now for the wife just sneak it into your man cave and if she spots it say that old thing I've had that one for years Good luck with the wife and oh yeah your new toy.

 

[RaZR]

I got mine from E-bay and haven't had any problems with it. Other than it keeps finding all these old coins i never found with my other detectors. So now i need more storage space for all these treasures.
Mine came with the disk but i haven't used it yet. As it came with a mode in it for finding silver and other coins and i just added Angel's settings so it'll find the deep silver. I also bought the sunray 8 coil just so i would have a smaller coil for hunting tot lots or really trashy areas. And in case my stock coil goes bad so i don't have to jones without my E-trac till i can replace the bad coil. :yes:

Just listen for the high tones, deep, and dig that silver. Or the rusty nail(sometimes).

Hide it from your wife in the trunk of your car or in the closet till she notices it then tell her you've had it for years! >8)

 

[RaZR]

Firefighter43 and i think alike! rofl

 

[angellionel]

O.K. I finally have the money set aside to purchase an E-Trac to add to my collection of detectors, and I have a few questions.

1. Should I by a new one or look for one manufactured before the company changed hands?

2. I see that it includes E-Trac Xchange USB functionality , but I don't see anyone sharing their programs. Is this feature not needed?

3. Is the default coil sufficient, or should I invest in another one?

4. How do I hide the E-Trac from my Wife so she does not break it over my head? lol

Thanks,
Jack

Congratulations, Jack. I'm sure you will enjoy using the E-Trac. :yes:

1. Should I by a new one or look for one manufactured before the company changed hands?

Since this will be your first experience using the E-Trac, I would refrain from purchasing a used one. While you can find some good deals, and in most cases the machine would perform well, you still cannot be certain as to the degree of care the machine has received from its owner. Trying to learn and becoming acquainted with a machine while dealing with faults that only become apparent while out in the field can make for an unpleasant experience.

2. I see that it includes E-Trac Xchange USB functionality , but I don't see anyone sharing their programs. Is this feature not needed?

I don't use it myself, but it is a very nice feature to have. You may find it very useful, as it will allow you to quickly try out different user settings and discrimination patterns. Plus you can also use it to backup your own settings to your PC or laptop.

3. Is the default coil sufficient, or should I invest in another one?

The default coil is an an excellent one. Except for just one hunt, I have used it exclusively since my first time out with the E-Trac. It has performed extremely well at highly trashy sites (a very slow sweep is key), and, when depth is the challenge, it won't let you down at sites having moderate to almost no trash. I highly recommend the coil. Learn it well. It will not disappoint you. Of course, having a smaller coil in your arsenal can be a plus too.

4. How do I hide the E-Trac from my Wife so she does not break it over my head? lol

You are on your own here my friend. lol

Have fun and much success, Jack!

 

[Epi-hunter]

O.K. I finally have the money set aside to purchase an E-Trac to add to my collection of detectors, and I have a few questions.

1. Should I by a new one or look for one manufactured before the company changed hands?

2. I see that it includes E-Trac Xchange USB functionality , but I don't see anyone sharing their programs. Is this feature not needed?

3. Is the default coil sufficient, or should I invest in another one?

4. How do I hide the E-Trac from my Wife so she does not break it over my head? lol

Thanks,
Jack

I can't believe I missed this post! 8/

Jack, it will be really interesting to hear your take on the E-Trac, given how expert you are with the v3i. You will have quite the arsenal!

1. Should I by a new one or look for one manufactured before the company changed hands?

I don't have enough info regarding the before/after Malaysia thing, but I would agree with the others that if at all possible, get a new one. One good reason is that the warrantee is not transferrable.

2. I see that it includes E-Trac Xchange USB functionality , but I don't see anyone sharing their programs. Is this feature not needed?

I think you don't see people sharing programs because everyone uses Angel's program and he doesn't use the USB functionality. lol :cheesysmile:

It's not needed, but it's a nice feature. I actually downloaded Andy Sabisch's program and modified it. I have Angel's program loaded as well, and use it... one of us could download it and send it to you. :yes:

3. Is the default coil sufficient, or should I invest in another one?

The coil rocks!! erfect10: eace: I would at least wait until you have used the machine for awhile with the stock coil before deciding if you need another.

4. How do I hide the E-Trac from my Wife so she does not break it over my head? lol

What are you most worried about.... the E-Trac, your head, or sleeping in the doghouse? lol rofl

I would recommend that you tell her that if you get it, you will be able to find a gold and diamond ring with it. Then, after you get it, dig a few hundred thousand pulltab signals (like I did yesterday) until you find one. lol She will then love it. :happydance01:

 

[The_Machine]

Hello Jack,

There is a lot of good information on these posts. And I hope you don’t mind the added info.

1. Should I by a new one or look for one manufactured before the company changed hands?

I have a Malaysia unit and it works great. I would agree with the others that if at all possible, get a new one.

2. I see that it includes E-Trac Xchange USB functionality, but I don't see anyone sharing their programs. Is this feature not needed?

I use the USB functionality. Currently using Andy S. program and others. If the program gets changed in the field and in the E-Trac memory, I can just restore the original from my computer. And/or download the last site changes and keep it as a separate location program. Do I have a lot of separate location programs currently? No, just two. A beach program and a very high trash area, for relics.
There are other websites that have additional info and programs posted.

3. Is the default coil sufficient, or should I invest in another one?

It’s a great coil. But a small coil is helpful in high trash area.

4. How do I hide the E-Trac from my Wife so she does not break it over my head?

Are you kidding, your wife is going to wonder why your not at home early anymore. You might just get home from hunting, after the last lights are turned out.

 

[CyberSage]

Thank you all for the great feed back. Much appreciated! :yes:

I have been reading the manual and playing with the emulator. Things are making pretty good sense now. I do have another question however. I am a tone hunter. I am very interested in the tonal qualities of the Multi setting. My understanding is that in this mode the tone range is made up of 30 separate tones that are divided over the spectrum of 50 possible conductivity(CO) responses, assuming my Sounds setting is set to Conduct. If I adjust the Variability setting up to 30, am I going to have enough tone feedback to tell the difference between a clad dime and a copper Penny? I am used to hearing this kind of audio definition. Am I being realistic to expect this with the E-Trac? Thanks in advance!

Jack

 

[RaZR]

I can't answer that for you because i'm not setteled in on all the tones yet.
I have mine set at 29 variability and conduct. But then i dig pennies and dimes by the sound and the numbers. But i'm sure you'll be able to figure out the tones before i do. :yes:

Be ready to find alot more nickels, as mine seems to find them all over the place.

Good luck and enjoy the new E.

 

[Bell-Two]

Thank you all for the great feed back. Much appreciated! :yes:

I have been reading the manual and playing with the emulator. Things are making pretty good sense now. I do have another question however. I am a tone hunter. I am very interested in the tonal qualities of the Multi setting. My understanding is that in this mode the tone range is made up of 30 separate tones that are divided over the spectrum of 50 possible conductivity(CO) responses, assuming my Sounds setting is set to Conduct. If I adjust the Variability setting up to 30, am I going to have enough tone feedback to tell the difference between a clad dime and a copper Penny? I am used to hearing this kind of audio definition. Am I being realistic to expect this with the E-Trac? Thanks in advance!

Jack

Welcome to the E-Trac world! Tone hunting is what you do best with the E-Trac using numbers to confirm sometimes if in doubt. As for copper memorials they will fool you sometimes but this becomes site specific, I have a site where you have to dig all those types of signals because silver is often just two inches down! I would use it a bit before boosting variability to the max that way you get used to the sounds but that is just my opinion. Depending on site I dig every good coin signal starting at 3 or more.

As for your wife I got mine one! On her second hunt with it she got a Standing Liberty quarter and on her third hunt a merc and an 1830 Large Cent.....I may regret putting that magic wand in her hand.... lol She makes it hard for me to keep up with her!

 

[Cheap Thrills]

Well Jack , everyone has answered all your questions quite well . I don't have an E-trac ( have an SE with the pro-coil and a few coils) but here's my two cents worth on a couple of your questions .
Get a new one because of the longer and transferable warranty and you will be assured it wasn't sold because something was wrong with it . Also if the new one has something wrong they will probably send you a new one rather than fix it . I've been seeing posts on other forums where the repair side of Minelab hasn't been the best lately .

A guy I hunt with on occasion has owned all the Minelab Explorers and now owns an E-trac . He is very accomplished with it but still digs pennies that sounded like silver to him . This also happened to him (as well as I ) when hunting with the SE .

When the wife catches you with it just say you've been having temporary bouts of amnesia and you didn't tell her about them as you figured they would pass and didn't want to worry her .Tell her that you must have bought when you were experiencing one . :yes: thumbsup01

Congrats on your new E-trac I'm sure you will do quite well and I will be looking forward to seeing your results and reading your posts on it . :groovy:

 

[CyberSage]

Thanks Sheik. I made the 60 mile drive to my local Minelab dealer down in Denver this morning. I can't remember anything else? All I know is I woke up in a stupor, and sitting in front of me was a brand new E-Trac! lol Thanks again folks for all the feedback.

Jack

 

[Dixie Rebel]

Hey Jack not cutting the v3i short but go back over your old grounds. thumbsup01

 

[Epi-hunter]

Thank you all for the great feed back. Much appreciated! :yes:

I have been reading the manual and playing with the emulator. Things are making pretty good sense now. I do have another question however. I am a tone hunter. I am very interested in the tonal qualities of the Multi setting. My understanding is that in this mode the tone range is made up of 30 separate tones that are divided over the spectrum of 50 possible conductivity(CO) responses, assuming my Sounds setting is set to Conduct. If I adjust the Variability setting up to 30, am I going to have enough tone feedback to tell the difference between a clad dime and a copper Penny? I am used to hearing this kind of audio definition. Am I being realistic to expect this with the E-Trac? Thanks in advance!
Jack

Jack,

Congrats on your new machine! Knowing you, in no time you will be a pro :yes:

I wanted to comment on your question about tones. I know you have read all of this and probably know it better than me by now, but I think you will find that the variability in tones will allow you to identify targets well.

As Angel stated in this post, I think it is a combination of the variability and limits settings. The variability setting (in conductive mode and on the upper limit, 29 or 30) will allow for the maximum number of tones to be assigned, but in conjunction, the limits setting (if set on or near 30) will allow the maximum difference to be heard in tone between targets. I think that you will find that you do hear a difference.

I can't swear that I can always tell the difference between a copper (newer) penny and a clad dime, because I haven't thought about it much to be honest, or been concerned about it. My concern is almost always between a clad dime vs a silver dime, and you will definitely be able to tell the difference. The quality of the tone, and the 'sing' to borrow Angel's word, is just distinctive. Even with my much more limited experience, I have found that even when the CO numbers register lower than expected for a dime, especially a silver dime, the tone is a giveway.

Older copper pennies such as IHs and wheats sound completely different than clad dimes.

You are a multi tone man so I think you will find this to be a very successful challenge. :yes: Looking forward to your finds, Jack.

 

[Bell-Two]

Epi-hunter said:

My concern is almost always between a clad dime vs a silver dime, and you will definitely be able to tell the difference. The quality of the tone, and the 'sing' to borrow Angel's word, is just distinctive.

I can honestly say I cannot tell the difference between clad dimes and silver by tone alone. I do have some hearing loss especially in the high range of sound so for me the numbers will generally tip me off to what is under the coil, for my machine, and I believe like any man made things there are differences, a clad dime will generally be 12-44 or 13-44 most times depending on depth. Now silver dimes will generally almost always range up to 12-45 12-46 or in the case of Barbers sometimes 12-43 or for some reason 15-44 I have dug three at that number so far. But the real thing is if it sounds good...dig it!

 

[tmanly]

1. Get a new unit. No warranty issues
2. For me it is easier to setup the Etrac without connecting to the computer. I used it at first but now I never use it.
3. I have not found any coil that works as good as the stock coil. I have considered purchasing another stock coil, just in case my quits. I have tried all the coils made and sold them. the best was the :loveit:6 butterfly.
4. This is tricky. I will label a empty box with a bogus address. Then I would tell the her that I was trying to trade one of my detectors for a different one. In a few days the replacement would arrive. I am happy, she is happy. I have traded for 5 units so far.......lol

Tom in SC