Performing a Sweep of an area
Performing a sweep of an area with a Pipehorn is helpful when you need to quickly find all conductors in the area. It is useful to do this before digging in an area just to be sure there are no conductors that were missed during the locate.
One- Person Search and Sweep
To do a one-person sweep, place the transmitter on its side "flooding" the area with signal. Back away from the transmitter and set a reference signal (strong but not beeping). Walk a circle around the transmitter, keeping the receiver as level as possible and facing the transmitter. Try to stay the same distance from the transmitter all the way around, and do not adjust the sensitivity.
Put a temporary mark at any place where the signal peaks so you can go back later and verify it is a conductor. Move the transmitter at least once, preferably twice, once to the left / right and then forward / backwards to be sure you haven't nulled out any conductors. You want to walk a circle around the transmitter each time you move it.
To verify the conductors, set the transmitter up (inductively) on the marks and try tracing them out.
Two-Person Search and Sweep
One person holds the transmitter pointed towards the person with the receiver. One person holds the receiver and keeps it in-line with the transmitter. Stand apart a certain distance and get a steady tone (strong but not beeping). Walk in a direction together, maintaining a constant separation distance and keeping the tools in-line with each other (do not adjust sensitivity). Signal strengthens as you walk over conductors. Make temporary marks at the peaks as you pass across conductors.
Now set up at 90° and walk over the same area to look for conductors running in that direction, marking them as you pass.
Then all that is left to do is to verify the marks. Reposition back where the first mark was and pin-point using the receiver. Next pin-point with the transmitter by moving it side to side until the strongest tone is heard at the receiver. Set the transmitter down at that spot, check direction and mark the line. Do the same for the remaining marks.
Table of Contents
Pipe and Cable Locator Tips
Ferromagnetic Locator Tips