Conductive vs. Ferrous Sounds

[Epi-hunter]

I decided to start a separate thread on this rather than hijack the thread which generated my question. :)

I always used ferrous sounds (and liked it) on the SE, but I used conductive sounds on the E-trac. For those who use ferrous sounds on the E-trac, how does that work, and what is the rationale? Given that the Fe number of most good targets has been standardized to around 12 (theoretically) on the E-trac, how would ferrous sounds allow you to differentiate between the different good targets? And wouldn't that drive you crazy for really deep targets where the Fe number is really bouncy?

Or is it just a focus on identifying all good targets by tone, and then looking at the Co number to tell more about what the target might be? Maybe I've been thinking about it wrong.

[angellionel]

Good question. I only use Conductive tones (glutton for punishment), but it would be interesting to hear about the experience others have had while using Ferrous tones with the E-Trac. :)

[coinnut]

I run ferrous two tones because I hunt cellar holes that are littered with iron. In ferrous sounds two tones, the screen is split at around 17 or so (where's the manual when you need it lol). This allows the ferrous 12 line (from 1 to 17), to signal with a high pitch. I will use the screen to see where that high pitch reads on the CO numbers in order to identify it. If I were to use CO sounds in the same manner, all targets with a CO value of 1-25 would sound low and 26-50 would sound high. That would mean that a silver coin with a CO of 46 would sound the same as a nail with a CO of 46. I could not use this at a cellar hole without constantly looking at the ferrous numbers to see if it's on the coin line or the nail lines. So in a very heavy iron location, I can't use any other method. I am not as interested in the CO numbers, since we dig any good signal. I am more interested in the FE readings to keep the coin line (8's-14's) separate from the nail line (20'- 30's)

[angellionel]

Nice! I will have to try that setting at one location I haven't hit in a few years. It's very iron laden.

[MNDigger]

I am definately a conductive tone person all the way! There have been a few sites where the iron was almost unbearable but I still managed to pull coins. I can definately see how it would be an advantage to use it at sites where there is a ton of iron and very few good targets.... AKA cellar holes.

[OkieDigger]

As I posted in the other thread, I dug an IH today at a solid 21-38. Ferrous tones would have missed it. But in conductive I was able to hear a good signal from four directions. I'm sticking with conductive.

[Epi-hunter]

I liked ferrous when I used my SE because the old home sites that I was hitting almost exclusively, were filled with iron.

[Eagle 1]

I have been useing conductive. I have plenty of time the grond here is frozen hard. It is in the 20 out there with snow on the ground. So it would be a good time to do some bench test. Ferrous might be a good bet for me at my celar hole. I have lots of stuff from my digs I could use to to test the E-trac and I could get to know how it will help me in the feld. I have some iron nails, canon balls, putter bottons, tabs all kinds, silver & clad coins just to name a few thank for the tip.

Eagle 1

[Jason in Enid]

I use conductive tones becuase I mainly hunt parks and homesites which are loaded with both iron and aluminum. Excessive digging would cause problems, so it lets me focus on the silver and copper.

When I end up hunting some fields next year I will be using ferrous since I can dig as much as I want, and I want to dig everything not iron.

[Spike]

OK now I am worried what's with the Indian head reading at 21FE and 38CO thought when I got rid of the DFX, I would not have to guess what I am digging.

[coinnut]

OK now I am worried what's with the Indian head reading at 21FE and 38CO thought when I got rid of the DFX, I would not have to guess what I am digging.


I think it's not that the E Trac is reporting the Indian incorrectly, but rather something else is influencing the reading, AKA iron. In a way the E Trac is being very accurate in reporting a mixed signal. Now that's not what we would idealy want, but it's not the fault of the machine. If the target responce is solid and the tones come in clear, I think I would dig it. You hear lots of people say the heck with the numbers. Give me a solid tone and I'm digging it. The numbers come secondary. For me I now only block out 31-35 FE, so I would have found that Indian head. I think you need to find the limit on where the coins and iron bleed together and use that as the basis for your discriminator pattern. But either way you go, Ferrous or Conductive, you can't lose if you feel comfortable with your choice. :yes:

[Ron in WY]

I'm starting to use FE 2 tone more often. I set the FE line to discriminate out from 17 through 35. This coinsides with the area of low tone in FE 2 tone.

I also make sure that Trash Density is set to HIGH. In the previously mentioned IH example, if there was an iron object co-located with the IH, there would have been only some high tone heard. Also, by setting the Trash Density to HIGH, only the strongest ACCEPTED target (IH) numbers would have been displayed on the Smartfind screen. The iron target, not being ACCEPTED, would not factor into the displayed numbers. I'm thinking this is what thay are talking about when they say See Through. Notice I didn't say hear through.

You might also want to use the upper portion of Andy's coin program to eliminate some of the non-ferrous trash.

Works for me!

Ron

[Eagle 1]

Up date

I now have used my E-Trac 5 month now on the beach. And I have a change of hart. Setting it on ferrous and two tone is a winner. Using conductive multi tone just did not have many finds and had a hard to lock on targets. But with ferrous and two tone
I am locking on and finding rings & coins like crazy love it.

Eagle 1

[Epi-hunter]

Up date

I now have used my E-Trac 5 month now on the beach. And I have a change of hart. Setting it on ferrous and two tone is a winner. Using conductive multi tone just did not have many finds and had a hard to lock on targets. But with ferrous and two tone
I am locking on and finding rings & coins like crazy love it.

Eagle 1


Ferrous and two tones on the beach makes total sense.

[Eagle 1]

Now I just see what work for me at the cellar holes.


Eagle 1

[coinnut]

Now I just see what work for me at the cellar holes.


Eagle 1


Everyone will have their own ideas on this, but I use ferrous two tones exclusively at cellar holes. For me it works. But I am leaning on trying more of the multi functions. I guess ferrous two tones is a great way to work the machine first time hunting cellar holes. Get used to it that way and then try multi. Conduct is just not an option at cellar holes for me.

[Eagle 1]

From what I can see 2 tone or 4 tone can only works exclusively with ferrous and this is why. Ferrous reads horizontal anything above the center line will give a high tone. Anything below the center line will be a low tone. Now conductive is a problem for me with 2 or 4 tones because the lines go Vertical anything from top to bottom will read the same in each box. If you hit silver it will be at the top of the box with a high tone. But if you hit a nail or iron it also will be a high tone but at the bottom of the box. Now as for
I have found that conductive using multi tone go hand and hand. The problem I have with it is that target are not solid and have a hard time to pinpoint. I have to try Ferrous with multi tone to see it makes a difference's. But with the Ferrous 2 tone everything I find is solid and E Z to pinpoint. I know it works well at the Beach and buy coinnut post I bet it dose well at the cellar holes as well.
Can't weight to try it.

Eagle 1

[coinnut]

Hey, just tried Ferrous, multi at a cellar hole. I'm sticking with ferrous 2 tones lol Can't teach an old dog new tricks ;)

[Eagle 1]

Of course you can just hit him with a stick once or twice and the old dog will become new. :bop: :bop: :poke:

Eagle 1

[John S]

I like the Ferrous tones on the SE but the conductive tone on the e-trac. I like the hi tone for the silver coins.

[coinnut]

Of course you can just hit him with a stick once or twice and the old dog will become new. :bop: :bop: :poke:

Eagle 1


If it would get me to find more coppers under a carpet of 100's of nails, I'd do it lol



I like the Ferrous tones on the SE but the conductive tone on the e-trac. I like the hi tone for the silver coins.

As soon as I do some parks, I will run it in conductive tones. I hear conductive numbers are more stable than ferrous numbers. But at a cellar hole where there are literally hundreds and hundreds of nails, I can't use conductive. The iron bleeds through and would give me that same sweet pitch like silver.