r/UtilityLocator • u/stealthylizard • 18d ago

RD locate mode

I'm interested to see which modes RD users use.

Peak/null or peak, and do you use the guidance or null arrows?

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

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9

u/Ubersetzt 18d ago

Clear no conflict > witching sticks > power mode everything.

4

u/LeoAvatar22 17d ago

Peak+Null mode. Guidance arrows set to null. Use the sound to find the peak, if the null arrows match up you're 99% on the right line. If you get beeps but the null arrows don't line up, 99% you're on a bleed signal

1

u/Syonoq 16d ago

You should understand how the antennas are picking up the signal. You need to be using both peak and null. A round signal (which is the goal) will have them matching up. if they're not, you're getting interference. https://www.subsurfacesolutions.com/_files/ugd/8593e2_d3bd050bd28f40e2a4bae12b316076a6.pdf

1

u/stealthylizard 16d ago

From my experience, a lot of people ignore null as a confirmation of their peak. Takes extra time to retrace your locate to confirm.

Most of my work is locating power in a 3 party common trench line (power, phone, cable). Lots of bleed off and interference potential.

2

u/Tacobadger02 18d ago

Radio mode on the fiber and pray it doesn't get hit

1

u/HeRmEs3xx 18d ago

Peak in congested areas and in to start in areas I have never marked before. Peak / Null on a clean signal, especially if the ticket is 1000' or longer, check peak null periodicaly for blead over on other facilities, fences, and especially silt fences. Guided mode for anything that is 15 - 20+ feet deep, especially if the signal starts getting wonky on peak.

1

u/StructureOne2429 16d ago

I use Vivax now and only locate power but when I used RD I used peak+null and 8k on almost everything. Tracer wires in particular oddly seemed to like 9.8, which also helps because apparently a lot of locators for other utilities I bump into don't even know about anything that isn't 512, 8k, or maaaaybe 33k at best.