analyzing targets with etrac

[michmark]

any tips for deciding whats a good target i keep getting good solid 12-45 thinking i got a dime but its usually junk can slaw or something a trick i used on my vx3 was pinpoint signal strength by which frequeny was hitting hardest what are tricks on the etrac

[Tony Two-Cent]

A 12-45 signal is almost always a coin for me. I only seem to find can slaw when I dig nickel signals in the 12-12 range.

One possible way to tell a junk signal is if there is nulling (no threshold tone) on either side of the target. A coin should have a steady threshold tone all around it, unless there is a junk item near it.

Also, a coin will usually produce a solid, steady audio tone from every direction. The tone on a junk target will sometimes be broken or crackly.

Some people set the pinpoint mode to sizing and don't dig any signals that aren't coin-shaped.

Of course, if you don't dig these iffy signals you risk passing up a good coin that has junk in the hole with it, or missing a coin spill that has different conductive targets all in the same hole.

Most of all, it just takes some experience on the machine. However, even after a year and a half with my E-Trac I still dig my fair share of junk items.

Hope this helps! thumbsup01

[CyberSage]

The key word here is consistency. Start out by using the Auto Sensitivity. It will quiet things down a bit. At 12-45 the only occasional junk you should be digging is nail tips, and blobs of iron. Checking for repeat-ability at 90 angles like Tony mentioned will almost always give the deep iron away. You definitely should not be digging up aluminum shards however.

[michmark]

ok thats good advice and i will keep practicing i have found 5 wheats so far the oldest being 1911

[chief5709]

I concur with Tony and CyberSage's comments. I would still dig that signal anyways cause you never know.

[RobW]

Here's my experience: the first number really doesn't matter in my opinion

12/10-16...solid not bouncing...nickels

12/24- 28 older indians

12/30-38 (typically 30-33) Indians

12/35-37 zincolns

12/37-46 (wheats)

12/38-46 silver dimes

12/41-45 clad dimes

12/44-48 quarters

12/42-49 halves

[happycamper08]

The numbers are just a general guide, they vary depending on the soil and the channel selected by the machine during the noise cancel. Get used to the sounds, they seem to be much more reliable than the numbers.

[michmark]

everyones advice has been very helpful and i am catching on to the tones and vdis im very impressed with the etracs stability and depth so far for keepere ive found 16 wheats and a 41 and 52 jefferson nickels im sure silver will turn up soon and 14 of the wheats and the jeffersons came from a park which i and everyone and there brother has hunted before

[POKIE73]

the one tip i could add is go slow and then slow down even more i myself have trouble going slow it helps clear up some signals dennis