Confidence is Contagious
When your HDD Locating operation suffers from unstable readings caused by passive interference, lack of confidence can creep in quickly and force you to make tough choices. Choices that could result in a failed project, costly budget overruns, or worse.
What is Passive Interference?
Passive Interference is defined as any metallic object that draws signal from your transmitter, away from your locator. Passive Interference is a confidence-shaking phenomenon that many HDD Locating Specialists have experienced, but not many understand or know how to overcome. Characterized by drifting locate points and greater than expected depth readings, passive interference is an “invisible enemy.” Unlike the more well-known active interference, passive interference cannot be picked up by any scanner, it must be located the old-fashioned way, visually.
What causes Passive Interference in HDD Locating?
The most common source of passive interference is steel reinforced concrete containing rebar. Found in sidewalks, bridge decks, culverts, freeways, and runways, steel-reinforced concrete can wreak havoc on HDD operations, causing unstable readings and ultimately shaking operator confidence.
How can my HDD Locating Operation overcome Passive Interference?
In 2017 DCI released the HDD industry’s first sub-1kHz transmitter designed specifically to overcome the challenges passive interference creates for HDD Locating system operators. The science behind sub-1kHz is simple but the possibilities it has opened for the HDD industry have been profound. When paired with patented DigiTrak Falcon Technology, projects previously thought impossible are now routine thanks to DCI’s investment in innovation.
Real-World Problems - Proven Solutions
One such project recently tackled by East Coast HDD Contractor Bore-Tech is a fantastic example of the confidence that patented DigiTrak Falcon Technology and Sub-K Rebar Transmitters can bring to your crew. The project included two parallel bores, crossing 15 lanes of traffic with very little margin for error. The length of the bore was over 500 feet, with a target depth of 22 feet. This is the type of bore that previously may not have been possible if not for DCI’s Sub-K Rebar transmitter.
Confidence doesn’t just come from having the right tools, it also comes from having the right training. Enter DCI Territory Manager Terry Crosier.
Terry supported the Drill-Tech crew with both cutting-edge technology and world-class support. Providing them a no-cost demo on the equipment as well as the training they would need to complete the project. The Falcon F5+ locating system, paired with the Sub-K Rebar Transmitter, iGPS, and the all-new TrakStand were the perfect recipe for a successful, confident crew and a trouble-free bore.
"Confidence is contagious, so is lack of confidence"Vince Lombardi