User's Manual

DIGITAL CONTROL INCORPORATED
DigiTrak Falcon
™
F5

Operator’s Manual 43
Depth Screen, Invalid Location
Hold the trigger at any time during locating to display the Depth screen. No depth or
predicted depth will appear if the receiver is not positioned at the locate line or front or
rear locate point. However, holding the trigger more than five seconds to enter Max
mode may obtain more stable roll/pitch data (use of Max mode has special
requirements and restrictions).
Max Mode
Page 41
Receiver Depth Screen with HAG Enabled (not at FLP, RLP, or LL)
Interference
Interference can compromise a transmitter's signal even when drilling with an optimized
frequency band. It is important to the success of your bore that, after pairing your transmitter
at a newly optimized frequency, you check how the transmitter's signal will perform along the
intended bore path.
Warning To best overcome interference, find and deal with it above ground,
before you start drilling.
What is Interference?
Interference can reduce the transmitter’s range or cause variable readings and possibly result
in job slowdowns. Interference is classified as either active or passive.
Active interference, also known as electrical interference or background noise, can have
varying effects on locating equipment. Most electrical devices emit signals that can inhibit the
ability to locate the transmitter accurately or get good roll/pitch readings. Examples sources
of active interference include traffic signal loops, buried dog fences, cathodic protection, radio
communications, microwave towers, cable TV, fiber-trace lines, utility data transmissions,
security systems, power lines, and phone lines. Interference at the remote display may also
occur from other sources operating nearby on the same frequency. The following section
describes how to use the receiver to test for the presence of active interference.
Passive interference can reduce or increase the amount of signal received from the
transmitter, which results in incorrect depth readings, a completely blocked signal, or locates
in the wrong position. Example sources of passive interference include metal objects such as
pipes, rebar, trench plate, chain-link fence, vehicles, saltwater/salt domes, and conductive
earth such as iron ore. The receiver cannot test for the presence of passive interference.
Slanted line indicates
receiver is not at
FLP, RLP, or LL