e-trac

Hey Cal_cobra --

I just read your post, and it echoes my sentiments EXACTLY (except the 150 silver coins part, which smokes my results ). I couldn't take it any longer; got an SE Pro on the way. I really like the F70, fast, light, super deep, and yes -- it loves lower conductors. However, living in Oklahoma, silvers are kind of hard to come by; the state is only 104 years old, and so there aren't too many sites with the 200-plus years of potential coin drops. Thus, you have to really work for your silvers here; having a machine that does THAT job the best, is important. In the end, as good as the F70 is, I just didn't think its strength is silver coins. I have the GB Pro, which I love, and is also hot on low conductors; so, I think adding the SE Pro makes more sense, and with these two machines in my grab-bag I will be able to cover more types of hunting, better, than was the case up until now -- with an F70 and GB Pro in my arsenal. Hopefully, I can learn the SE Pro and get it to work sniffing the old coins; thanks all for the discussions here lately on the Etrac/FBS Minelabs.

Steve

Steve, I hope you will be able to do some head to head testing with your SE and the F-70 and report your results.

Steve, I would strongly suggest you also get a X-5 coil with that SE also...that coil is EXTREMELY strong in the trash where a lot of silver is hiding which I've found with the SE/X-5 combo.

Aaron --

I have a couple of Etrac friends who hunt with the X-5 when it's trashy, and they like that coil too, so I do intend to get one, eventually, as you suggest. I have thought about a 10X12 SEF also, but am hearing/reading that may not be a huge improvement over the Pro coil.

limegoldconvertible --

I won't be able to do too much "head-to-head" testing per se, because I need to sell the F70 quickly to free up some cash to pay for the SE Pro! But, I will have a bit of time; moreso, I will run the SE Pro through my test garden, and so that's a "type" of "head to head" test (not as good as "in the field," but close). I am for sure interested to see how it does on all my buried coins, include the "complex" targets...

Steve

Steve, I have the 10x12 also. I tend lean a little more towards it than the Procoil...seems to hit a little harder a the deeper targets. However...it is A LOT more heavier than the Procoil.
Both great coils.

The Pro coil does better than the 10 x 12 SEF on small targets ....Othere than that , they are pretty close ....I think that the Pro Coil is one of the best coils that ML has made for ANY of their machines ..... The SunRay X-5 is a trash MONSTER !!..... It's a great coil for the woods too ....around tree roots and the like .... Works in tot lots too !!.....It's a lot deeper than one would think for such a small coil !!..... Gotta move slow with this one guys !!.....I like my Pro Coil on my E Trac to the point where the only other coil that I have for my E Trac is the SunRay S-5 .........I have the SunRay 5" coil for my Sovereign / Excal too !!.....GREAT little coil !!....Jim

Have you tried the SEF 8x6 against the X-5, I have run extensive head/head in very naily/iron conditions, SEF 8x6 against a T2 in boost with a 5'', and couldn't choose a winner.

Actually, running the Explorer in the test garden would be ideal, as the parameters will be exactly as they were with the F-70.

Well, Terra, that testing will be forthcoming, as soon as it gets here (and as soon as I can figure how to get it up and running !!)

steveg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Aaron --
>
> I have a couple of Etrac friends who hunt with the
> X-5 when it's trashy, and they like that coil too,
> so I do intend to get one, eventually, as you
> suggest. I have thought about a 10X12 SEF also,
> but am hearing/reading that may not be a huge
> improvement over the Pro coil.
>
> limegoldconvertible --
>
> I won't be able to do too much "head-to-head"
> testing per se, because I need to sell the F70
> quickly to free up some cash to pay for the SE
> Pro! But, I will have a bit of time; moreso,
> I will run the SE Pro through my test garden, and
> so that's a "type" of "head to head" test (not as
> good as "in the field," but close). I am for sure
> interested to see how it does on all my buried
> coins, include the "complex" targets...
>
> Steve


steve!..may i ask WHY you prefer the se pro over the e-trac?
just curious!..thanks!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

j.t. --

Sorry, I wish I had some profound answer that hours and hours of careful research allowed me to uncover, but...

Cash is the simple answer. You can get a better deal on a used SE Pro than you can an Etrac, and I am not convinced the Etrac is enough better of a machine to justify the extra cost -- at least given my limited cash situation. If I had the money available, I'd have gotten an Etrac -- but I don't think it's just head and shoulders above the SE Pro. One of the biggest "extra" bells and whistles on the Etrac is the USB port, which is not a big deal to me. I think both are quite capable and I feel the SE Pro will do what I want it to do.

Sorry I don't have a better answer; in this case, cash was the deciding factor and really not much more...

Steve

yeah!..no problem steve!..i thought as much on the e-trac!..i have read that the e-trac is easier to learn than the se pro!
i can understand that the e-trac has the p.c port,and am sure this must be an expensive goodie!..damn expensive detectors ,whichever you choose
but if they are better in trashy areas on silver,then the cost may be justified!..just sayin!..thanks for the great input!

(h.h.!)
j.t.

Tom, in your last test describing the Etrac performance vs the LTD, were you running the Etrac in conductive tones or two-tone ferrous?

After trying all tone options........I landed on........and primarily utilized 'multi' and 'ferrous'...........with a wide audio span.