master_cat
Senior Member
i will mostly be lookin for coins some jewlery and civil war stuff i have a few places my cuz has dug up some bullets
minelab or whites
- Thread starter master_cat
- Start date
LittleJohn
Elite Member
the v3i has all of the power of an e-trac and then some. It does have a steeper learning curve, as there is so much more that you can do to tune it to your specific hunting style, type, soil...etc.
it all depends on what you want out of a detector. I have had my v3i for a little over a month now and I am liking it more and more, and learning something new about it's capabilities every time I take it out....which is pretty much daily(unless it is downpouring).
My son uses a fisher f75, and that machine will go every bit as deep as my v3i and he had it figured out in a couple of days, but now he is learning to adjust it for different things and is even doing better. you can often find the F75's used in the 7-900 range.
Best of luck to you whatever you decide!
Kolby72
Forum Supporter
If you are looking for Relics you should really look into the V3i, I hunt WWII relics and that thing is hot. I have had it for almost a year and I have found tons of stuff with it.
Lightningjack
Forum Supporter
Get the etrac..
Mtnmn
Elite Member
I don't know where Mr. Kolby got his information about the Etrac, but I have a Minelab FBS detector and here is what the manual says: The FBS circuit automatically transmits mutiple frequencies "simultaneously". I have read elsewhere many times that the Minelab FBS detectors transmit in 28 different frequencies simultaneously. That doesn't sound like one frequency to me. lol From what I have read, most detectorists prefer the V3i for relic hunting and the Etrac for deep silver. With you wanting to hunt coins in what may be hunted out areas, the Etrac might be the best for you. Although the V3i will do just fine on coins too and supposily better on gold jewelry. In the end it really doesn't matter so much what detector you use, as much as how well you learn to use the detector that you have. That's what really counts...
Digger Magoo
Forum Supporter
Minelab or White's? My answer is yes. Now, did I confuse you even more? Good luck!
RyanChappell
Elite Member
ETrac or ATPro
I know technically it is a step down but I would have to consider an ATPro. Someone with both said if found coins the etrac did not, but I would imagine any two detectors that different would be able to clean up after the other. Someone also said that the F75 couldn't go as deep in RED CLAY as an ETrac or ATPro:
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=67919
I am kind of disturbed that the ETrac is not adjustable to find small gold. It is kind of like they locked it down so that it would not compete with their $5k gold detectors. At the very least you should be able to manually change settings to optimize for nuggets and jewelry, if not just have a prospecting mode.
I know technically it is a step down but I would have to consider an ATPro. Someone with both said if found coins the etrac did not, but I would imagine any two detectors that different would be able to clean up after the other. Someone also said that the F75 couldn't go as deep in RED CLAY as an ETrac or ATPro:
http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=67919
I am kind of disturbed that the ETrac is not adjustable to find small gold. It is kind of like they locked it down so that it would not compete with their $5k gold detectors. At the very least you should be able to manually change settings to optimize for nuggets and jewelry, if not just have a prospecting mode.
Kolby72
Forum Supporter
The E-trac does not track tree fequencies at a time, It has the option to change between programs but it doesnt actually moniter them all. The Whites V3i is the only one that monitors them all at once.
Here is a excerpt from the V3i manual that explains what a mulitple frequency really is....
A multi-frequency detector is defined as one that simultaneously—or, in automated sequence—
transmits, receives, and processes more than one frequency. Some detectors have the ability to operate
at one of several selectable frequencies, but they still are single frequency detectors because during operation
they can only transmit and process a single frequency. The same is true of detectors that have a
control to slightly vary their operating frequency to minimize interference; even though they have the ability
to operate at many (slightly) different frequencies, they are fundamentally single frequency designs.
Currently, all multi-frequency hobby detectors run their multiple frequencies simultaneously as opposed
to sequentially; they are all characterized by having multiple processing channels in the receive circuitry.
Therefore, a 2-frequency detector will have two processing channels. SpectraV3i has three independent
processing channels; it is a true 3-frequency detector.
This all sounds easy, so where is the confusion? It turns out that (currently) all multi-frequency
detectors create a transmit signal that is composed of digital waveforms which are designed to produce
peak energies at the desired frequencies. As a side-effect, these digital waveforms also produce undesired
harmonic frequencies. Lots and lots of harmonic frequencies, 10’s or even 100’s of them. These
harmonics have no useful energy and are not part of the signal processing. So while we can claim to
transmit many, many frequencies, we cannot claim to process or use them. Therefore, we could easily
claim the Spectra V3i transmits 17 frequencies, or 28, or 39, or 55—we could get plain silly with this. And
such a claim would be true, technically speaking, but since all those extra frequencies are not actually
used, it would be misleading to make such a claim. White’s chooses, instead, to claim the number of
frequencies we are actually using and processing. It may not sound as impressive as a 55-frequency
detector, but it’s honest and accurate.
Mtnmn
Elite Member
Mr. Kolby: I find it interesting that you are quoting from an V3i manual, but not from an Etrac manual...lol
Kolby72
Forum Supporter
I am glad I could make you laugh
, if you read through the post it will explain what a true multi ferquency detector is..
ricstone
Full Member
etrac all the way! HH
ric
ric
jcham
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,621
My old hunting partner and I ended up at the same park together a week or so ago. He was using an E-trac and me with my DFX, hands down the E-Trac was the deeper detector however he said he would never find gold with it, that alone sold me thanks but no thanks. I dont know how hands down it will be mid summer when the ground is hard might as well be digging threw the ice
Plus durability....
If you have the money go with the V3I, I would have this year again but didnt have the extra cash for it. I went with the DFX 300 it can not be beat in any class, hands down I can set it to any ground condition and to hunt what ever I want or feel like hunting at the time. Minelab makes the best water hunter out there the Excal some say the Whites but all these lower end models that minelab came out with are not tried and true, give them a few seasons and see how they hold up not only in the long run but in resale as well.. Trust me when you want to upgrade and have no resale on your old machine it will mean something to you then.....
My first DFX made me over 15K inside of 5-6 years paid $1000 for it and still sold if for $600, then upgraded. For a few hundred more you would have a proven operator period, an expert in the field. Give it a few months you like it sell it for a few hundred less then you paid upgrade. Although now with a broken toe only had my new one 3 weeks made $70 in clad two silver rings and one gold at $175, doesnt sound like much but it was maybe 10 hours of hunting.....
Plus durability....If you have the money go with the V3I, I would have this year again but didnt have the extra cash for it. I went with the DFX 300 it can not be beat in any class, hands down I can set it to any ground condition and to hunt what ever I want or feel like hunting at the time. Minelab makes the best water hunter out there the Excal some say the Whites but all these lower end models that minelab came out with are not tried and true, give them a few seasons and see how they hold up not only in the long run but in resale as well.. Trust me when you want to upgrade and have no resale on your old machine it will mean something to you then.....
My first DFX made me over 15K inside of 5-6 years paid $1000 for it and still sold if for $600, then upgraded. For a few hundred more you would have a proven operator period, an expert in the field. Give it a few months you like it sell it for a few hundred less then you paid upgrade. Although now with a broken toe only had my new one 3 weeks made $70 in clad two silver rings and one gold at $175, doesnt sound like much but it was maybe 10 hours of hunting.....
Coyote65
Elite Member
Most detectors will find gold jewelry and gold coins to some degree. It's the smallish gold nuggets common in Colorado, Arizona, and other places that really call for a "gold machine"......
Dusty
Dusty
jcham
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,621
I never said the machine couldnt find gold I just trusted my old hunting partner enough to listen to what he had to say, said he finds gold with his DFX but not with the ETRAC, I dont know dont kill the messanger.....
Coyote65
Elite Member
Agreed but this is how rumors start, I constantly hear and read how the E-Trac doesn't find gold and it's not true. I surely agree that the E-Trac and any other detector labeled coin & relic detector won't compare to a gold detector on finding the tiny gold it's why the companies make gold detectors for that specific purpose. However rumors start and the next thing you know it won't find gold period. As we all know there is no one perfect do it all detector, hence we have water detectors, gold detectors and coin, jewelry and relic detectors etc.
jcham
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,621
Well you know you have posted a Celtic gold coin, I mean I didnt watch the vid, ok I'll ask for once instead of run off at the mouth, was it found in the states? The reason I ask if I took a tour of Europe and got to detect I would dig every tiny peep out of that or any detecter wouldnt you??????? So that really doesnt do the machine justice, it doesnt.
The other one I watched as I will probably never have the opertunity to find a celtic gold coin no matter what detector I use, this is all I have been trying to get across with my posts these machines are not proven operators (not yet).
Your into the hobby for 12 inch deep old coins or some where in the middle and the best of both worlds. I'll take best of both worlds any day of the week and twice on sundays.
I believe this man, he has hit gold with his DFX and not the Etrac. I dont know why dont care and really dont want to know its hard enough to pull gold on land without even the possibility of no return.
As far as rumers and the like I dont see many Etrac owners finding gold rings out there, let me see 300-500-1000 posts both on land and at the beach and ok same with all the other machines out there...........
Thanks for explaining and not killing the messanger, thank you.......
Coyote65
Elite Member
Gold is gold no matter where it's found, the video below is an accumulation of US beaches with a minelab.
Kolby72
Forum Supporter
I have heard the stories and I have heard from people on this forum that the E-Trac has problems finding small bits of gold where the V3i has no problems at all...I would like to see a video of this because that would prolly set me on edge if I knew I was passing up gold
jcham
Elite Member
- Joined
- Apr 17, 2007
- Messages
- 1,621
I'm sorry but I do not see your point perhaps you can talk about what it is your trying to say rather than show vids of people other than you finding gold. Looking at your album you have some great coins, and one gold ring and ok good stuff. Where is your one pound of gold rings, that is something I want to see.
I can go on Utube and watch all this cool stuff but what I want is YOUR own experience with finding gold with the machine, not someone else, yours.
You baught an ETRAC and found one ring far as I can tell still a great find but what have you found with it. My hunting partner and I hunted CT parks for over one season I know he finds gold or has with his DFX running into him unless he is FULL OF IT says its not a good gold machine I dont know. WHat is your experience.
Hey I feel your pain with all the rumers I had the same thing happen with my VISION from whites paid top price for it $1799 brand new find out there is problem with them a name change and everyone goes ape having it up for sale for $1400 and everyone asking to buy for for $100, was I pissed.....
This is where experience and knowledge comes into play, what have you found with it........I may get one but it would be from the advice I got from people I know here at friendly not utube........
