Minelab challenge

Will Fisher ever challenge the Minelab frequency domination?
White's seem to be the only company actually attempting to knock Minelab off the top run of the ladder with their V3i.

Correct....... and good thought.

that something is or will be in the works to challenge the multi-freq players. Back before Dave hired on at FTP he mentioned on a forum that he could build an Explorer beater if someone were to give him the chance.

Since then ML has upped the deep turf silver ante with the Etrac. We will just have to wait it out and see what cards are played.

Tom Z

in my view,it is easily discernible from his posts that he is attempting to be truthful,and help others.
if he has helped to 'promote" the industry,so to speak by "increasing" sales of detectors,then this "development"
if you will,can only serve to "help" the hobby in the long term...accuracy,and "details of operation in the field"
cannot be overstated,and are invaluable to a potential buyer.

(h.h.!)
j.t.

Interesting topic and have wondered about it before, primarily due to the CZ series.

Regarding Whites, I think they made a good effort with the V3i but it's on another level of complexity when compared to the E-Trac. It would be interesting had they made a more "manageable" detector. Anyway, the Minelabs are only using one signal at a time it seems and the V3i and Cz's used 3 and 2 respectively. I don't see that the 3 frequencies on the V3i to be more popular than just using 1 frequency on the same unit (I say that only from having read that forum a lot).

Hopefully that new coin/relic machine from Teknetics/Fisher that many of us are hoping for might touch upon this topic.

Regarding Dave J.'s comments, well, he sure has the capital behind him now at FT. They are a company and as with most companies are looking to increase profits. They must see the market for a top end unit. I mean the T2/F75 are in a sense, but they are single frequency and are mostly turn and go. I would expect something a bit more flexible from FT to compete directly with the Minelabs and not to mention be CZ ish. (There is a HUGE marketing edge to call your detector multi frequency.) If they do come out with that unit after the success of their recent offerings, I would expect it to be an incredible unit.

A friend of mine let me borrow his E-trac and so far I have read the manual and some of Andy Sabisch's hand book and also put on about 16 hunt hours with the machine. The fields around here are frozen but in the woods, I guess, due to the leaves turning into mulch and generating a little heat, the ground is diggable.
I like the E-trac. It's not as complicated as I thought it was going to be. It seemed easier to use than the ML SE.

I was hunting at some long gone old home sites that I was able to get coordinates from an online map. I didn't swing over any coins, well just say I didnt detect any. I was impressed with the debth and the I.D. The smartfind along with the ferrous/conductive numbers saved me from alot of digging as I did check out many of the "don't dig" numbers. It is a bit heavier than I'm use to as I had to switch arms often and it does have the Sun Ray Probe attached that adds some weight.

My normal go to unit is the f-75 but I had to send the coil in for repair or replacement..it's been over 3 weeks and it's not back, probably because of the hollidays.
I think the f-75's target seperation would be hard for the E-trac to beat but again I only have 16 hrs on the E trac. If it was turned around and I owned the ET before using the 75, the ET would be my go to machine. It wreaks of quality and high end. I see why it's high priced.

As a youth many years ago, I wondered why people retired to Florida. Now as I aproach 60 I see why.... IS SPRING HERE YET ! ! ! ! ?


I hope every one has a great and prosperous new year.

Thanks for the E-Trac report, Ozzie. Keep us posted on how it compares for you to the F-75 here on this forum where your comparisons are appreciated.

I'm approaching 60 too, but I really enjoy detecting in the winter...as long as the ground cooperates and doesn't freeze.

Ozzie, do you have a test bed to run a few comparisons against the F-75?

Tom, did you ever test an E-trac in your bed?

I have about 2-1/2 acres to play with, which should be plenty, but so far there are mostly bad zones.
The front has underground electric to the house, fios lines and the very front has a step down transformer on the telepole. Eighty percent of the property has trees that are no less than eighty feet tall so the soil around them is tough with roots. At the very back there is an old farmers dump from years ago with plenty of big iron buried...did find lots of old bottles there. Left side has a creek and trees, no good. The right side seems to be the only logical spot
except for the fact, at the time I had about 21 chickens, 5 roosters and a fenced in hen house. Well, the chickens were docile but you couldn't turn your back on those roosters.
They were over two feet tall with 2" spurs and a bad disposition....You had to stay alert walking around the property because the birds, with no trouble, could get over the 4' fence. They could jump up and flail those spurs at lightning speed. If they stuck you with one, go straight to the doctors for some antibotics. Thank goodness you could hear them running up behind you, for when you turned to face them they would stop and walk side to side while looking up at you. If you challanged them by sticking your boot out they would attack your boot untill they got tired.

Over the years fox, red tail hawks, neighbors dog, our dogs, slowly dwindeled down the chicken population. The chicken yard is empty except for the henhouse, so I guess I have no more excuses not to have a test garden. Go-rebels, sorry that was a long "no" to the test garden question but I can go on and on about those birds, they were fun and the eggs were the best. I still get a chuckle when I remember my wife returning to the house for a stick or a broom so she could get to her car. I miss those birds. Anyway, maybe this spring I'll sanitize an area and make a nice one. Happy New Year All

Hey ozzie----The wife & I got a laugh out of your "bird report"---I'll bet you do miss those birds (now that you think back on it). laff----I remember as a kid on my grandpa & grandmas farm in eastern NE, they had guineas.----Boy, those things had me intimidated, they had me on the run about every time they "caught" me out in the farm yard.----I miss my grandparents AND those guineas!-----I'd love to detect that old farm now though but it's all been built over with so called "modern progress".---------Del

Yes, I have tested the E-Trac in the test-garden. Depth seemed to be nearly identical to Explorer-II; yet, adjacent target separation was not quite as good ...... due in part to the larger butterfly coil on E-Trac. In any case...... the elliptical DD coil equipped Fishers/Teknetics will far-surpass the Exp-II and E-Trac in adjacent target separation tests.

Hmmm... And my F75LTD trumped my Ex-II with Pro coil in my red clay soil. Logic would then tell me...