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E-trac vs. CTX 3030

TundraPlugger

Elite Member
Joined
May 25, 2014
Messages
2,415
Location
Minot, ND
Hey everyone....... I need some opinions.
I have recently been thinking about selling my E-trac and buying a CTX 3030. For those of you who have done so or know both machines, would this be a wise choice for me?

I like the nice color display and the added GPS function and I guess the fact that I can hunt in the rain but am I going to get anymore depth or better signal from deeper coins?
 
Id have to say that in a controled lab-style test, comparing the depth of the 11" coils is hard to tell the difference.....but once you add the CTX's response time, target separation, etc, etc, etc, the real world tests are hands down in the CTX's favor.

I think you'll find most people (including myself) bought the CTX and then sold most of their backup detectors. It really is a game changer!
 
I decided to run a test since i now have the Safari, etrac, ctx3030 in hand. I have a permission on an early 1900's house and i picked a spot of yard where two big pecan trees form my north/south barrier and the house the east barrier and street the west barrier. I was gonna wait till done before posting anything at all but since i read this post i decided to do this:

I ran the safari today with stock coil, found 25 plus coins, one 1907 Indian and many wheaties but no silver yet. Then i ran the etrac behind it going same direction to be fair. I recovered a spark plug that matched the screw on tip i found with the safari, that i did not get a good tone on with the safari but did the etrac. I found the end of a spoon that the safari said was pull tab and etrac said 12-14 so i dug it. I did find two clad dimes that i missed with safari. They came up 16-44 on the etrac and i dug them because of the 44. Trash was skewing the ID somewhat. I think that is why the safari missed them, or it was operator error. I plan on running the 3030 with stock coil tomorrow and seeing if i can turn up something they both missed.

I decided to run them in their pecking order to see if the etrac could find anything behind the safari and the 3030 behind both of them. I thought you might find it interesting since you are pondering on whether to spend the money on a 3030. I know this is not an end all test,, but it should give a fairly good idea of just what a person is missing or not missing using these machines. I plan on then going back with small coils on all 3 of them and reporting the results in a full write up with pictures when i am done.
 
If your hunting in moderate to heavy iron, this picture says it all. 3030 for sure!
 

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I was in the same boat and switch from the Etrac to a CTX. I wanted something that would be good for a few years and supported by minelab. More importantly I wanted to get into the water and well.. cant do that with an Etrac. For land hunting alone.. speed and recovery aside, I find the depth from etrac to CTX very similar.

That being said big differences are
Recovery speed - This being a big factor for me, the CTX can be swung a lot faster and has modes on it to separate it from the Etrac by a lot in the iron

Target separation - due to the better recovery speed You can use the stock coil in places that were much difficult to use it on the etrac.

TID - even at depth the FE number is much more stable than it was on the Etrac and the CO number as well. There is much less of a silver "Warble" because the number will most likely be deadlocked on 12-45 (if its a merc).

If you have the money to spend and love FBS then why not, it is the natural progression and the etrac will help to fund your machine. If however your on the fence and only do land hunting occasionally save your money and wait till the next generation.

And well the water makes it a no brainer :)

whatever you decide to do you have great machines to do it on:cool:
 
Thanks for all the info and help guys! I guess to me the 3030 seems like a lot sturdier machine. I live in North Dakota so water hunting isn't going to come into play at all but I don't mind being out in a light rain if the machine is built for it..... my Etrac won't allow that, and I have been "sprinkled out" before at a decent spot. If I can save up the money I might go for the CTX yet this season (the ground freezes solid up here come December) but if not it'll have to wait until next spring. Decisions, decisions!
 
The only way I could justify the cost of the 3030 is if I started water hunting. Otherwise, do you know how many mercs you'd have to dig to make up the difference? :lol:
 
CTX, no Question

Hey everyone....... I need some opinions.
I have recently been thinking about selling my E-trac and buying a CTX 3030. For those of you who have done so or know both machines, would this be a wise choice for me?

I like the nice color display and the added GPS function and I guess the fact that I can hunt in the rain but am I going to get anymore depth or better signal from deeper coins?

Running a special on Minelab CTX3030
$500.00 store credit
Please call with Questions
dennis

http://www.metaldetectors.com/beach-water-metal-detectors/minelab/ctx3030-standard-metal-detector
 
I would suggest a Etrac,,take some extra money and get yourself a 6" coil,for it.
And go hunting.

CTX, it works alright, but that small coil is costly.

Actually you be able to get say a 6x8 sef coil as well as the 6" coil for Etrac and bombs away.

Aftermarket battery for Etrac is available.

CTX charger is pricey if a problem crops up down the road out of warranty.

Besides water hunting, really the real difference is CTX allows for nickel window tone wise.

For old coins Etrac better value for the $$$.

A used Etrac and used Deus with 9" coil- super combo to hunt coins
And not spend as much as what CTX costs.

CTX in some sites may allow a person to hunt a little faster.
Etrac is better tone detector for higher conductors.

You may notice my signature line.
Yep I have a CTX,,have the smaller 6" coil too.
Am very close to trading even up for a new Etrac with a smaller coil maybe.
This might tell you some thing.

CTX is better overall, but not the $$$ value better for what they cost.

If 2 persons showed up one with CTX and one with Etrac, both knowing how to run efficiently.
It would be a toss up after multiple hunts who would find the most coins say.
I wouldn't bet one way or the other.

CTX balances better, still on the heavy side.
 
wanted to add Etrac is 3lbs and 14oz with RNB and no coil cover. Those 4oz of weight savings make it feel a lot lighter.
 
CTX 3030 store credit $500.00

Hey everyone....... I need some opinions.
I have recently been thinking about selling my E-trac and buying a CTX 3030. For those of you who have done so or know both machines, would this be a wise choice for me?

I like the nice color display and the added GPS function and I guess the fact that I can hunt in the rain but am I going to get anymore depth or better signal from deeper coins?


Great Deal on the Minelab CTX 3030
Store credit $500.00
Must call to place an order
Happy treasure Hunting
dennis

http://www.metaldetectors.com/beach-water-metal-detectors/minelab/ctx3030-standard-metal-detector
 
If 2 persons showed up one with CTX and one with Etrac, both knowing how to run efficiently.
It would be a toss up after multiple hunts who would find the most coins say.
I wouldn't bet one way or the other.

I guess it would depend on the ground because this does not accurately reflect my experience.

I hunted with the E-Trac for 5 years before I got the CTX 3030 and found many more coins from places the E-Trac had dried out.

I also hunted beside my buddy him with his E-Trac and me with my CTX 3030. Comparing targets showed the CTX to be quite a bit more accurate on target ID at greater depth.

My personal experience was the CTX felt lighter than the E-Trac but it was just better balance.

My conclusion was no doubt the CTX 3030 was a better machine. That's why if you have the $$$, CTX.
 
If money isn't an issue, I'd go with the CTX. I've hunted along side my brother for about three years now. I run CTX, he runs an Etrac. CTX definitely appears to be more accurate. As "detector" says, CTX is better balanced and feels less nose heavy. The GPS has been very helpful hunting the large battle fields we hunt, any field for that matter. To me, the wireless headset set up (WM10) is invaluable. Now he did get a wireless set for his but $$$. To hunt river fords, he had to buy another detector, I just wade in.
If you want to do custom modes, the Exchange 2 software is really nice. Others modes are easy to install on the CTX.
As far as finds. Honestly, I believe I'm a little ahead of him. We don't actually keep track but it always seems I end up with more old coins and flat buttons. That could be technique. I'm fairly slow and methodical, he's a little more quick and less structured.
The only problem I've had with the CTX in three years is the machines battery stopped charging. To be expected I think. I have a 6 inch coil but rarely use it, like painting a field with a pencil erasure. But, it has it's place. I wish I had the 17", but again, we do a lot of field work. Maybe consider this when you're making your "deal" with a sponsor. With mine, In got the KOSS headset. They died very quickly. I ended up getting a set of Sunray pro golds (not for water) and love them, another thing to negotiate for. Hope that helps. I love my machine.
 
Money is not an issue, 3030

Time not an issue the etrac... the processor speed, and required swing speed, coupled with the number instability on the etrac has this ctx 3030 user confident I'd never take a step back to the etrac.

I used one one day and had forgotten about the time required to analyze each target by swinging, waiting for numbers to catch up, swinging, waiting for numbers catch up to decide what to dig.

3030 gives me immensely more reliable output and numbers, less time analyzing more time digging.


I did love my etrac, when it was all I knew, but after having a 3030 and comparing the two, it's not even close in my educated opinion. The advancements with the 3030 from the etrac are very noticable to a person who has run both for any amount of time. Two different machines, and only ones who say theyre same are people who have never used a 3030 for any amount of time.

Again, I loved my etrac, but they're not close in my opinion, nor in technology inside. I don't eant to write a book and list out the many many ways they are different, but it comes down to what a guy can afford, I get it... but once you have ran both you would see that the only compariosn is that they both find silver fairly easily, one does it much faster with much more information for the user.

Etrac was fun, but knowing what I know about a 3030, I couldn't go backwards, but I'm just being honest.

They are two different beasts, and it comes down to what you really want. If you have tons of patience and don't mind swinging around a target 4 mins pre dig before getting enough info, so be it. If you want a machine that is much faster, outputs 3 times the info pre-dig, quickly, then the 3030 is better choice.

I had forgotten about having to wait on the numbes to settle down with swinging an etrac on every target. 3030 you dont have to wait on numbers to catch up the 3030 is much faster than non users would believe.

Anyway, if you can swing a 30, get it, you get much more machine for not alot more money.

Call me, shoot me a PM, we can get you in a 3030 for less than you think ;)
 
paying double the cost for a color screen worth it :?:

It's obvious you are uneducated on the 3030... there's 50 changes from an etrac to a 3030 we could name off, but lets start with one is fbs and one is fbs II technology, not an etrac with a colored screen.... the more you know....
 
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