Big Boys Hobbies

Can many detectors give VDI in pinpoint mode?

tnsharpshooter said:
I hate using ratchet pinpoint.
Click to expand...

From what I understand "ratchet" causes the targeted area to get progressively smaller,though the target obviously stays the same...wouldn't this be a hinderance in sizing a target? I understand the use in coin hunting..I think.
I'm just trying to make more use of the VDI capabilities with closely spaced targets,when I run across that situation.
Does ratchet pinpointing retain depth??
 
DFX has DC phase which gives you the VDI of everything under the coil averaged together. To get just the target VDI, you pull the trigger and measure the ground VID next to the target then with the trigger still pulled mover directly over the target. This allows the machine to determine the VID of the target by using the difference between the first and second reading. Very Very helpful and not turned on in the factory configs.
 
IDXMonster said:
From what I understand "ratchet" causes the targeted area to get progressively smaller,though the target obviously stays the same...wouldn't this be a hinderance in sizing a target? I understand the use in coin hunting..I think.
I'm just trying to make more use of the VDI capabilities with closely spaced targets,when I run across that situation.
Does ratchet pinpointing retain depth??
Click to expand...

This probably won't answer your question.

Here is the problem I had I think with using ratcheting pinpoint.

First you gotta make sure you start the ratchet process on the right (target),,,if you don't you will eventually pinpoint the wrong thing in the ground.

Around nails,,,using ratchet drove me crazy,,,,I stopped using,,I had seen enough to realize it was not for me.

Just so some folks can maybe understand here better who may be interest in etrac.

The pinpoint function,,at least for me,,,,was not about pinpointing target,,,,moreso to size targets,,,,to identify the bigger like cans,,etc,,,,not actual spot of digging coin sized target.

If after using pinpoint it was determined to be more coin sized,,,I a lot of times could dig based purely on where tone came from on the ground in HUNT mode.

Using pinpoint in and around heavy nails---- will waste more time than anything,,and overall not accomplish much if anything. DIGGING saves time.
 
So I hated it on the V and have that on VCO instead. But on the Etrac, didn't feel I had much of a choice so I learned to deal with it. So if I'm trying fo find and pinpoint a smaller target it does suck, since you might be ratcheted down partway once you relocate the target, but realistically that doesn't happen all that much. But with the Ratchet on, I do feel I can hear the size better as it Ratchets down, if that makes sense. Just like any other feature on any detector, it has to be used a lot to get the feel for what it's telling you.
 
Amen Big T! I had my IDXPro for 2 years before I realized that pulling the pinpoint trigger allowed me to determine depth via how loud it was....soft sound in disc AND soft sound in pinpoint=DIG! It's deep! Well,I didn't get that memo til WAY late. Just like most other memos I get...like...Don't get married!!:lol:
 
For coin sized targets,,,etrac depth meter very accurate.
Granted not a distance reading per SE,,,,but if graph shows near the bottom or at the bottom--- get ready to go down 9" plus lots of times(using stock sized coils).

Folks here should 't forget,,,gain setting can be used on etrac to shake out the shallower stuff too.
 
tnsharpshooter said:
For coin sized targets,,,etrac depth meter very accurate.
Granted not a distance reading per SE,,,,but if graph shows near the bottom or at the bottom--- get ready to go down 9" plus lots of times(using stock sized coils).

Folks here should 't forget,,,gain setting can be used on etrac to shake out the shallower stuff too.
Click to expand...

So I have only about 200 hours on the Etrac and still feel like I'm learning, but I've never been super confident on the accuracy of the depth meter.

But tell me more about gain to "shake out shallow stuff"....I'm ready to learn something.

Cliff notes version if possible, my comprehension is lacking on the weekends :grin:
 
Last edited:
Big Treble said:
So I have only about 200 hours on the Etrac and still feel like I'm learning, but I've never been super confident on the accuracy of the depth meter.

But tell me more about gain to "shake out shallow stuff"....I'm ready to learn something.

Cliff notes version if possible, my comprehension is lacking on the weekends :grin:
Click to expand...

When gain is set to max,,it has a higher tendency to make all depth details targets sound the same volume wise,,,this ideally speaking,,it will flush out shallower stuff,,,but even with gain maxed deeper stuff still a bit fainter sounding.

Dial gain down from max,,,this difference in volume will be amplified moreso,,vs gain at max

Don't overdo though by going to low.

You can experiement over some targets,,,when you notice doe th meter is down there on deeper targets,,by adjusting gain.

Good quality headset,,,I highly recommend,,,plus good hearing.

Myself,,,I always run gain to max,,,,I sure don't want to miss a find because I don't hear it.

There are pluses and minuses either way you go.
See page 60 this link

https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/4065/4901-0065-1.3 Instruction Manual E-Trac_Screen.pdf
Cheers
 
Big Treble said:
So I have only about 200 hours on the Etrac and still feel like I'm learning, but I've never been super confident on the accuracy of the depth meter.

But tell me more about gain to "shake out shallow stuff"....I'm ready to learn something.

Cliff notes version if possible, my comprehension is lacking on the weekends :grin:
Click to expand...

I have quite a bit of time on Etrac myself and recently found Gain was causing a lot of my Iron falsing. I backed off to 27 and my machine seemed to change for the good. I may back off to about 25. Gain amplifies every little chirp. I like a quiet Detector but expect it to chatter a little. Lower gain settings helped me.
 
tnsharpshooter said:
When gain is set to max,,it has a higher tendency to make all depth details targets sound the same volume wise,,,this ideally speaking,,it will flush out shallower stuff,,,but even with gain maxed deeper stuff still a bit fainter sounding.

Dial gain down from max,,,this difference in volume will be amplified moreso,,vs gain at max

Don't overdo though by going to low.

You can experiement over some targets,,,when you notice doe th meter is down there on deeper targets,,by adjusting gain.
I
Good quality headset,,,I highly recommend,,,plus good hearing.

Myself,,,I always run gain to max,,,,I sure don't want to miss a find because I don't hear it.

There are pluses and minuses either way you go.
See page 60 this link

https://www.minelab.com/__files/f/4065/4901-0065-1.3 Instruction Manual E-Trac_Screen.pdf
Cheers
Click to expand...

daddyflea said:
I have quite a bit of time on Etrac myself and recently found Gain was causing a lot of my Iron falsing. I backed off to 27 and my machine seemed to change for the good. I may back off to about 25. Gain amplifies every little chirp. I like a quiet Detector but expect it to chatter a little. Lower gain settings helped me.
Click to expand...

Guys, I'm familiar with the gain, but how does it shake out the shallow stuff, and what exactly does shake out the shallow stuff mean?
 
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