How does the F70 compare to an Etrac and how do I set the F70 correct for plowed fields

Hi,

I was wondering if the F70 with the 11 DD can match an etrac in any way? Would it be better than the etrac in certain things, where would it be worse? I mainly hunt plowed fields, should I be using the F70 or the Etrac for this type of hunting? How can I set the F70 correctly for this type of hunting. I am asking because I would like to hunt a little faster. When I use my Etrac they run circles around me and I really dont find more. On the fields its about speed not depth.

Any advice?

goldman --

The F70 will be better for plowed fields than the E-Trac from my perspective; FBS detectors don't like "air gap" very much, and some "air gap" is of course inevitable when hunting plowed fields. I would run in "sl" mode -- that mode is a "precursor" to the later "boost process" mode Fisher included on the F75 SE/LTD, and in that mode you can run more "air gap" than you can in standard mode. The F70 is, in mild soil, a little deeper detector than the E-Trac, in my experience. My F70 was CRAZY deep. It is NOT the "silver finder" that the E-Trac is, but a good unit -- probably a better relic unit than the E-Trac. Just my opinions. You mentioned wanting to "hunt faster;" if you DO run "sl" mode -- slow mode -- on the F70, you still want to move slow. If you want to cover ground quickly, standard mode will be the better choice (but you can't get quite the depth as in "sl" mode.

Hope that helps some.

Steve

Hi Steve,

This does help. I want to cover ground and if I can get coins at 8 inches on the field with the DE mode than that is fine.


steveg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> goldman --
>
> The F70 will be better for plowed fields than the
> E-Trac from my perspective; FBS detectors don't
> like "air gap" very much, and some "air gap" is of
> course inevitable when hunting plowed fields. I
> would run in "sl" mode -- that mode is a
> "precursor" to the later "boost process" mode
> Fisher included on the F75 SE/LTD, and in that
> mode you can run more "air gap" than you can in
> standard mode. The F70 is, in mild soil, a little
> deeper detector than the E-Trac, in my experience.
> My F70 was CRAZY deep. It is NOT the "silver
> finder" that the E-Trac is, but a good unit --
> probably a better relic unit than the E-Trac.
> Just my opinions. You mentioned wanting to "hunt
> faster;" if you DO run "sl" mode -- slow mode --
> on the F70, you still want to move slow. If you
> want to cover ground quickly, standard mode will
> be the better choice (but you can't get quite the
> depth as in "sl" mode.
>
> Hope that helps some.
>
> Steve

Sort of like comparing a lightweight to a heavyweight ....no pun intended..

F70 won't get the depth but its faster and indeed Explorers don't like air gaps.....let face it on plowed fields depth may not be an issue and F70 sure will be easier to handle.
Come on some of you proficient F series guys give him some pointers.....only way I can handle an Explorer is to literally scrape the ground as ground takes most of the weight and eliminates the airgap and would kill me on a plowed field so I feel you have the proper weapon and hopefully some efficient F series forum members can help you be more efficient...

Thanks Dan-Pa. I was thinking about selling the F70 because I can not seem to get any advice. I sure hope I can get some help here form pro users here. I know I can do well with the etrac on these kind of fields BUT the thing is the speed. It is just way to slow. I actually liked my SE better than the etrac on fields, it was more reliable and accurate.

Dan-Pa. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sort of like comparing a lightweight to a
> heavyweight ....no pun intended..
>
> F70 won't get the depth but its faster and indeed
> Explorers don't like air gaps.....let face it on
> plowed fields depth may not be an issue and F70
> sure will be easier to handle.
> Come on some of you proficient F series guys give
> him some pointers.....only way I can handle an
> Explorer is to literally scrape the ground as
> ground takes most of the weight and eliminates the
> airgap and would kill me on a plowed field so I
> feel you have the proper weapon and hopefully some
> efficient F series forum members can help you be
> more efficient...

I know the f70 is crazy deep.....it just don't Id like the e-trac....

Set up options depend to a large degree on the conditions you encounter in any given field. If the weed growth isn't too bad and the air gap is minimal I don't bother using SL mode. Whenever posible I run Sens 99 Thres +9. Disc and tone option depends on how bad the iron is. I prefer Disc 6 with 1F but if I am digging too much junk I lower the Disc as close to 0 as I can stand and run 2F. You will be looking for hits that are repeatable from more than one direction. I personally think you can "feel" the target better with 1F/2F than you can by using the multi-tone settings. Program 2 is AT Sens99 Thres +9 SL mode. If I am debating whether or not the possible target is just an iron false I switch to program 2 and that usually clarifies it. Its an unbelievably light machine and can be swung much faster than any Minelab but don't overdo your swing. The F70 is a very good field machine.

I had an F75 LTD for a time and now I have the E Trac. I pretty much agree with what has been stated already. If Iwas hunting a plowed field I would not grab the E Trac. You have a perfect detector for it. Slap a big coil on it and go for it.

If you can get away with:

Sens 99
Disc 4
3 or 4 tones
F6 (probably. mitigate EMI)
'sl' mode


......... and see what you think. Go ahead and swing that coil fairly fast....... even in 'sl' mode............... and see what you think. In this set-up config....... it's a F75.

'de' is 'default'
'sl' is 'slow' (((Deeper as more sampling is taking place))).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/04/2012 12:19PM by NASA-Tom.

Tom I will try that. I am confused as I only have a DE and an SL mode or am I misunderstanding something?


NASA-Tom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you can get away with:
>
> Sens 99
> Disc 4
> 3 or 4 tones
> F6 (probably. mitigate EMI)
> 'cl' mode
>
>
> ......... and see what you think. Go ahead and
> swing that coil fairly fast....... even in 'cl'
> mode............... and see what you think. In
> this set-up config....... it's a F75.

'sl' mode. My bad.

Yes..... you only have 'de' and 'sl'

Tom, what do you set the threshold to?

Dirt conditions dictate. A very mild 'crackle' is ideal....... and this applies to most all brands of detectors. Units with threshold 'pitch'....... this is dictated by your natural hearing-loss degradation.