Friday 19 December 2014

BOOST Your Cable Locators Signal


BOOST Your Cable Locators Signal

Locating buried cables by a Cable Avoidance Tool (CAT or cable locator) works by detecting electromagnetic signals passing through the utility (cable or pipe).

Where there is a weak or no signal present, the utility cannot be detected with just a cable. An artificial signal is applied to the utility to provide a detectable signal and improve the detection reliability. A signal generator (Genny) applies a signal to the utility, which the cable locator can detect.

The cable locator is set to the same signal mode as the genny. Commonly this is a 33 kHz signal, although other frequencies are also used with different characteristics and advantage depending on the site situation and application.



Boosting the Signal
Some applications may encounter a small diameter cable running in the ground, which on occasions may cause the signal from the signal generator to reduce in strength and become undetectable.

Some modern signal generators provide the option of increasing the signal frequency or increasing the signal power.

Cable Detection provides the ‘BOOST’ mode in their signal generators, increasing the energy transferred through the tracing utility above the normal level output. Where a 2x signal output results in 2x improvement in the CAT detected signal.

Cable Detection’s signal transmitters are available with increased output power setting controls, the T100 to a maximum of 1 Watt and T300 to a maximum of 3 Watt. The variable output power settings enable the operator to select the right level of signal boost for the site conditions, normally the power on "default level "is OK for most applications with good battery life and trace performance, rated at 100 mW, this is the common industry standard.

Where site conditions require increased performance the transmitter output setting can be increased to HIGH or BOOST levels, the site conditions for this might include greater tracing range, inducing a signal onto a deeper utility (where the efficiency is reduced) or where the cable impedance is high and low level of signal is present (small diameter cable).



Performance improvement
The performance of the combination between the cable locator and signal transmitter can be improved by increasing the signal frequency (131 kHz gives 4x improved signal over 33 kHz) or by boosting the power of the same signal x4 with T100 or x12 with T300.

It should also be understood that when increasing the signal frequency that the tracing signal will be increased but perhaps importantly the tracing range is reduced.

In comparison boosting the transmitter power delivers the same locating performance benefit and perhaps importantly for some users with the added benefit of the same tracing characteristics and increased range that may also be important.


Friday 12 December 2014

Harness + Lanyard Inspection

Harness & Lanyard Inspection

Inspection of safety equipment is imperative to ensuring that the life saving equipment is in the best working order before and after every use. Failure to undertake this simple task could lead to a person working onsite being injured or even killed.

Inspection of equipment manufactured from webbing only takes a few minutes. Survey Express Services have produced a simple guide which can be downloaded.




Radiodetection gCAT4 GPS Cable Locator


Radiodetection gCAT4 GPS Cable Locator

Radiodetection has announced that they have extended their market leading CAT4 cable avoidance range to include fully integrated, automatic GPS and enhanced logging and data analysis capabilities.

Radiodetection gC.A.T4 incorporates an internal Global Navigation Satellite System receiver capable of acquiring multiple satellite systems to provide positional data which are logged every second into the locator’s internal memory.

Accurate Records
The enhanced logging capabilities of the RD gCAT4 allows accurate records to be kept and analysed, showing not only how an operator was working, but also where a C.A.T was being used.

No Operator Input
The new GPS feature needs no operator input to function. The Radiodetection gC.A.T4 locator starts acquiring a satellite lock when the trigger is first pressed, and once acquired maintains the fix for a set time even if the trigger is released, to be ready when next used.



Enhanced Data For Fleet Managers
The comprehensive data logging capabilities of the RD gC.A.T4 allow fleet managers to review one year or more of usage data which can then be used to assess individual locate operations in order to ensure compliance with best-practice, or to identify training needs.

By using the C.A.T Manager PC Software users can export CSV, XLS or KML files that can be quickly imported into map services like Google Earth.

Location of search area through Google Maps

Revolutionised Locating Industry
The Radiodetection C.A.T4 range, launched in 2012, has revolutionised the way the locating industry operates thanks to innovative features such as dual frequency small diameter cable locating and built in data logging, that have helped to improve the quality of locate operations and reduce cable strikes.

As detailed below, the Radiodetection gCAT4 incorporates the full range of features including datalogging, StrikeAlert, Swing alert, CALSafe and Bluetooth. The Radiodetection gCAT4+ features depth location.

Radiodetection CAT4 Options List


Authorised Dealer
Survey Express Services are the leading authorised dealer and service centre for all Radiodetection products. Being an authorised distributor, we maintain the highest standards befitting the quality of Radiodetection. Our support technicians are supplier trained to meet the manufacturer’s high standards. You will find a purpose built calibration centre in all our offices capable of maintaining your fleet of Radio detection cable locators. Read more