Emulator Download

[mrix]

Hi all, Minelab have released a Emulater, its a bit like actually using a virtual online detector before you actually buy the machine to help get you used to the controls..
Its really good The Download link is below.
Direct Download Link - Minelab Etrac Emulator

Also below is a list of additional files that can be used with it

Download for English Coins - Etrac Emulator English Coins File

Download for USA Coins - Etrac Emulator USA Coins

Download for Common USA Items - ETrac Emulator Common USA Items

Download for Silver and Jewellery - ETrac Emulator Silver Jewellery

Cheers all
mrix

[Finnbass]

I've spent a reasonable amount of time playing with the emulator and it is far better to run through all of the E-Trac controls in the warm and dry than trying to remember what does what out in the field.

A nice feature of the emulator is that you can tweak a pattern, save it and then upload it to your E-Trac. Alternatively, you can build patterns on the emulator and then test them on the targets contained in the downloadable files

[stevexxx]

This emulator has been so helpful, I was erring away from getting the e-trac because I thought it was going to be too complicated but after several hours playing got the hang of the basics and ordered the real thing.

[mrix]

The E-Trac works fantastic on the beach, wet sand, salt mud not a problem B-)
You will need to read up and spend time mastering the machine mind
Best of luck
mrix

[Hornchurch]

Cant see any files for UK coinage etc, anyone know if theres a file?

[Blackadder43]

There is but ive never managed to get it to work...
Best thing is put your machine into "learn" mode..
Then get all the coins you think you want to find and wave them under the coil......the machine will open up the areas that the coins fall into.....giving you exact numbers and a good beach program if coins are the only thing you want to find.....

[Hornchurch]

Thanks BA, i dont do beaches generally, just trying to get used to all the responses. My 1st trip out was good, but a little confusing at times

[mrix]

I use the system BA explained on my local Bournemouth beach, this beach generally gets massively populated during the summer months so modern day coinage can be ripe, unfortunately so is rubbish
To counteract many hours of unnecessary digging, I make a pattern by blanking out the screen, set to auto except then pass all targets I wish to find in front of the search head, it really does work a treat you will still pick up some ring pulls and bottle caps as they are still classed as good signals but generally searching will be so much easier, really love this function of the e-trac B-)

Cheers
mrix

[Blackadder43]

It might make it easier if you post up all the settings you have made and people can advise you...
It sounds as though you have "multi sounds/tones" on.....you may find it easier on the learning curve if you turn this to "4 tones"
On 4 tones dig the top 3 and ignore the iron grunt (providing you are in ferrous sounds, if in conductive sounds then ignore the high squeal and dig the lower 3 sounds)

Still worth experimenting by passing objects under the coil to get used to their sounds...

[Hornchurch]

Settings were as follows:
Threshold Pitch 16
Threshold Level 15
Vol Limit 30
Vol Gain 24
Response NORMAL
2 Tone
FERROUS
Variability 25
Limits 30
Recovery Deep ON (when i found my key)
Recovery Fast ON
Trash Density LOW
Ground DIFFICULT
Pinpoint Mode SIZING
Sensitivity AUTO +3 or +2

My good signals were nice & clear & iron grunted, but there were quite a few iffy signals inbetween that i didnt understand.
Not got a hang of what the numbers mean yet or Iron Mask

Well you did ask!!

[Blackadder43]

Hiya mate, ok lets tackle things one at a time.
Volume gain: set this to 30
Recovery deep: turn this off
Read this thread to understand my thinking, the initial post is copy and pasted from Minelab.com engineer who wrote this to explain how "recovery deep" worked and when it should be used, the blog came about after a few of us emailed them the query.
http://www.metaldetectingforum.co.uk/vi ... =98&t=4123
Volume gain at max does more good and uses less process power than recovery deep on.

You say you had a few iffy signals that you didnt understand, i think the reason for this is using "2 tones"
Basicaly you have told your machine to put all targets into 2 areas.
The problem this creates is the "cut off " point at which the machine will go from "iron grunt" to "diggable signal" is quite high.
What i'm trying to say is you may have a target that isnt fully iron, or is so close to the "iron grunt" cut off that the machine isnt sure which area to put it in.
If you change this to "4 tones" then you may find the "iffy" signals will fall significantly.
Basicaly by using 4 tones you lower the "cut off" point for iron, and assign anything above this as a diggable signal.
So in 4 tones you still get and ignore the iron grunts, but you have 3 tones that are diggable signals.
If that makes sense.
I dont suggest using multi tones yet as they will do your head in until you get used to the numbers.

Try to keep auto sensitivity on +3 if you can.
Also make sure the sensitivity on that same screen is set to 30......its not a proven fact yet whether this has a bearing on the level the machine will set itself to, but it does no harm to have it set at its max.

If when on a field your auto sensitivity is hitting the high 20's, then try switching to manual and setting the senisitivity as close to the auto level as you can, it will increase the depth of the machine.
Using auto the machine filters the 3 channels and sets them the same, where as manual will allow the 3 channels to work more efficiently....
Only start using manual sensitivity when you are comfortable with the machine in auto, it does turn the Etrac into a different beast.

To start learning the numbers then collect as many things as you can that you are likely to find and set the machine up on a table outside, without the stems.
This way you can hold the coil and wave the object under it whilst still reading the numbers on the display....
Hope this helps....

[Hornchurch]

Thanks BA, thats very helpful, i am starting to understand things a little more now.
Are there any numbers that are just not worth digging, or should i always judge by the audio response?

[Blackadder43]

Dont concern yourself too much with numbers just yet, they can be influenced way too much by whats in the ground, objects close by, mineralisation, etc etc....
If you switch to 4 tones then dig all tones above the iron grunt....
Iffy signals, try moving around the target by 360 degrees and listen to how the iffy signal changes, try diggin some to give you an idea what makes them...

[billy fishpond]

this is a great tool, its really helping me loads with my e-trac. i would't have a clue with out it. by the way the forum is great aswell

[stargazer]

Cant see any files for UK coinage etc, anyone know if theres a file?

I've got a UK coins file , I think. But I'm blowed if I can enter the file into the programme !

It's not a big issue as I am sure I've outgrown it now anyway.