Digital Control Incorporated DigiTrak LT Operator's Manual

DIGITAL
CONTROL

INCORPORATED

[e-mail]

www.DigiTrak.com

™

Directional Drilling Locating System

Operator’s Manual

403-1000-00-C1, Aug 2013

Copyright © 2005-2013 by Digital Control Incorporated. All rights reserved.

DIGITAL CONTROL INCORPORATED

Trademarks

The DCI logo, CableLink®, DataLog®, DigiTrak®, Eclipse®, F2®, F5®, iGPS®, MFD®, SST®, target-in-the­box®, Target Steering®, and TensiTrak
F Series™, FSD™, FasTrak™, LWD™, SBP™, SE™, SED™, SuperCell™, and TeleLock™ are
trademarks of Digital Control Incorporated.

®

are U.S. registered trademarks and DucTrak™, FBC™, FBP™,

Limited Warranty

All products manufactured and sold by Digital Control Incorporated (DCI) are subject to the terms of a
Limited Warranty. A copy of the Limited Warranty is included at the end of this manual; it can also be
obtained by contacting DCI Customer Service, 425-251-0559 or 800-288-3610, or at DCI's website,

www.digitrak.com.

Important Notice

All statements, technical information, and recommendations related to the products of DCI are based on
information believed to be reliable, but the accuracy or completeness thereof is not warranted. Before
utilizing any DCI product, the user should determine the suitability of the product for its intended use. All
statements herein refer to DCI products as delivered by DCI and do not apply to any user customizations
not authorized by DCI nor to any third-party products. Nothing herein shall constitute any warranty by DCI

nor will anything herein be deemed to modify the terms of DCI’s existing Limited Warranty applicable to all

DCI products. The most recent version of this manual is available on DCI's website.

Compliance Statement

This equipment complies with Part 15 of the Rules of the FCC and with Industry Canada license-exempt
RSS standards and with Australia Class License 2000 for LIPD (low interference potential devices).
Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this equipment may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this equipment must accept any interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation. DCI is responsible for FCC compliance in the United States: Digital
Control Incorporated, 19625 62nd Ave S, Suite B103, Kent WA 98032; phone [phone] or 800-288-

3610.
Changes or modifications to any DCI equipment not expressly approved and carried out by DCI will void

the user’s Limited Warranty and the FCC’s authorization to operate the equipment.

CE Requirements

DigiTrak receivers are classified as Class 2 radio equipment per the R&TTE Directive and
may not be legal to operate or require a user license to operate in some countries. The list of restrictions
and the required declarations of conformity are available on DCI’s website, www.digitrak.com, under the
Service & Support tab. Click on DOWNLOADS and select from the CE Documents pull-down menu to
download, view, or print the documents.

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DIGITAL CONTROL INCORPORATED

United States
DCI Headquarters

19625 62nd Ave S, Suite B103
Kent, Washington 98032, USA
+1.425.251.0559 / 1.800.288.3610
+1.425.251.0702 fax

[e-mail]

Australia

2/9 Frinton Street
Southport QLD 4215
+61.7.5531.4283
+61.7.5531.2617 fax

[e-mail]

China

368 Xingle Road
Huacao Town
Minhang District
Shanghai 201107, P.R.C.
+86.21.6432.5186
+86.21.6432.5187 fax

[e-mail]

Europe

Brueckenstraße 2
97828 Marktheidenfeld
Germany
+49.9391.810.6100
+49.9391.810.6109 fax

[e-mail]

India

DTJ 1023, 10th Floor
DLF Tower A, DA District Center
Jasola, New Delhi 110044
+91.11.4507.0444
+91.11.4507.0440 fax

[e-mail]

Russia

Molodogvardeyskaya Street, 4
Building 1, Office 5
Moscow, Russia 121467
+7.499.281.8177
+7.499.281.8166 fax

[e-mail]

Contact Us

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DIGITAL CONTROL INCORPORATED

Dear Customer,

Thank you for choosing a DigiTrak locating system. We are extremely proud of the equipment we have
been designing and building in Washington State since 1990. We believe in providing a unique, high­quality product and standing behind it with superior customer service and training.

Please take the time to read this entire manual, especially the section on safety. Also, please fill in the
product registration card provided with this equipment and either mail it to DCI headquarters, fax it to us
at 253-395-2800, or complete and submit the form online at our website, www.digitrak.com. We will put
you on the Digital Control mailing list and send you product upgrade information and our FasTrak
newsletter.

Feel free to contact us if you have any problems or questions. Our Customer Service department is
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. International contact information is available on our website.

As the horizontal directional drilling industry grows, we’re keeping our eye on the future to develop
equipment that will make your job faster and easier. Visit us online any time to see what we’re up to.

We welcome your questions, comments, and ideas.
Digital Control Incorporated

Kent, Washington
2013

See our DigiTrak Training Videos on YouTube at www.youtube.com/dcikent.

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Table of Contents

Safety Precautions and Warnings ................................................................................................................. 7

General .................................................................................................................................................... 7

Equipment and Battery Disposal ............................................................................................................. 8

Pre-Drilling Testing .................................................................................................................................. 8

Interference .............................................................................................................................................. 8

Equipment Maintenance .......................................................................................................................... 9

Introduction.................................................................................................................................................. 10

Power Requirements ............................................................................................................................. 11

Environmental Requirements ................................................................................................................ 11

Receiver ...................................................................................................................................................... 12

Main Display Screen .............................................................................................................................. 13

Standard Display Screen Symbols ........................................................................................................ 14

Power On/Off ......................................................................................................................................... 15

Proper Handling of Receiver .................................................................................................................. 15

Accessing and Changing Menu Settings ............................................................................................... 16

Receiver Display Menus ........................................................................................................................ 16

Transmitter .................................................................................................................................................. 26

Types of LT Transmitters ....................................................................................................................... 26

Transmitter Housing Requirements ....................................................................................................... 27

Transmitter Battery Power ..................................................................................................................... 28

Transmitter Temperature ....................................................................................................................... 28

Sleep Mode (Automatic Shutoff) ............................................................................................................ 29

General Transmitter Care Instructions ................................................................................................... 29

Remote Display ........................................................................................................................................... 30

Main Display Screen .............................................................................................................................. 30

Remote Display Menus .......................................................................................................................... 32

Power On/Off .................................................................................................................................... 32

Telemetry Channel Settings ............................................................................................................. 32

Backlight On/Off ................................................................................................................................ 32

Depth Units ....................................................................................................................................... 33

Pitch Units ......................................................................................................................................... 33

Battery Charger ........................................................................................................................................... 34

General Description ............................................................................................................................... 34

AC/DC Power Setup .............................................................................................................................. 35

Charging a Battery ................................................................................................................................. 35

Locating Instructions ................................................................................................................................... 38

Depth or Slant Distance ......................................................................................................................... 38

Locate Points (FLP & RLP) and Locate Line (LL) ................................................................................. 38

Effects of Depth, Pitch, and Topography on Distance Between FLP and RLP .................................... 39

Marking Locate Points ........................................................................................................................... 40

Locating the Transmitter – Standard Method ........................................................................................ 41

Finding the FLP ................................................................................................................................ 42

Finding the Transmitter and the LL ................................................................................................... 43

Confirmation of Exact Heading and Transmitter Position ................................................................. 44

Finding the RLP ................................................................................................................................ 45

Plus/Minus ("+/–") Locating Method ....................................................................................................... 46

Finding the FLP ................................................................................................................................ 46

Finding the Transmitter and the LL ................................................................................................... 47

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Confirmation of Exact Heading and Transmitter Position ................................................................. 48

Finding the RLP ................................................................................................................................ 48

Limited Warranty

DIGITAL CONTROL INCORPORATED

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Warning All operators must read and understand the following safety

precautions and warnings and must review this operator’s manual

before using the DigiTrak F5 Locating System.

Serious injury and death can result if underground drilling equipment makes
contact with an underground utility such as a high-voltage electrical cable or a
natural gas line.

Substantial property damage and liability can result if underground drilling
equipment makes contact with an underground utility such as a telephone, cable
TV, fiber-optic, water, or sewer line.

Work slowdowns and cost overruns can occur if drilling operators do not use the
drilling or locating equipment correctly to obtain proper performance.

DCI equipment is not explosion-proof and should never be used near flammable
or explosive substances.

In the event of electrostatic shock, the display screen may go blank. No data loss
will occur. Click the trigger to reset the receiver, or toggle down to reset the
remote display.

Hot surfaces can occur on cable transmitters if housing requirements are not met.
Always ensure the transmitter is installed properly in the housing during use.

Safety Precautions and Warnings

Carefully review this manual and be sure you always operate your DigiTrak locating system properly to
obtain accurate depth, pitch, roll, and locate points. If you have any questions about the operation of the
system, please contact DCI Customer Service for assistance.

General

Directional drilling operators MUST at all times:

 Understand the safe and proper operation of drilling and locating equipment, including the use of

ground mats and proper grounding procedures.

 Ensure that all underground utilities have been located, exposed, and accurately marked prior to

drilling.

 Wear protective safety clothing such as dielectric boots, gloves, hard hats, high-visibility vests, and

safety glasses.

 Locate and track the transmitter in the drill head accurately and correctly during drilling.
 Maintain a minimum distance of 8 in. (20 cm) from the front of the receiver to the user’s torso to

ensure compliance with FCC requirements.

 Comply with federal, state, and local governmental regulations (such as OSHA).
 Follow all other safety procedures.

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This symbol on equipment indicates that the equipment must not be disposed of with your
other household waste. Instead, it is your responsibility to dispose of such equipment at a
designated collection point for the recycling of batteries or electrical and electronic
equipment. If the equipment contains a banned substance, the label will show the pollutant
(Cd = Cadmium; Hg = Mercury; Pb = Lead) near this symbol. Before recycling, ensure
batteries are discharged or the terminals are covered with adhesive tape to prevent
shorting. The separate collection and recycling of your waste equipment at the time of
disposal will help conserve natural resources and ensure it is recycled in a manner that
protects human health and the environment. For more information about where you can
drop off your waste equipment for recycling, please contact your local city office, your
household waste disposal service, or the shop where you purchased the equipment.

DigiTrak locating systems cannot be used to locate utilities.
Continued exposure of the transmitter to heat due to frictional heating of the drill head can cause

inaccurate information to be displayed and may permanently damage the transmitter.
Remove the batteries from all system components during shipping and prolonged storage; damage

caused by leakage may occur.

DIGITAL CONTROL INCORPORATED

Equipment and Battery Disposal

The battery charger provided with your DigiTrak locating system is designed with adequate safeguards to
protect you from shock and other hazards when used as specified within this document. If you use the
battery charger in a manner not specified by this document, the protection provided may be impaired. Do
not attempt to disassemble the battery charger, it contains no user-serviceable parts. The battery charger
shall not be installed into caravans, recreational vehicles, or similar vehicles.

Pre-Drilling Testing

Before each drilling run, test your DigiTrak locating system with the transmitter inside the drill head to
confirm it is operating properly and providing accurate drill head location and heading information.

During drilling, the depth will not be accurate unless:

 The receiver has been properly calibrated and the calibration has been checked for accuracy so the

receiver shows the correct depth.

 The transmitter has been located correctly and accurately and the receiver is directly above the

transmitter in the drill head underground or at the front locate point.

 The receiver is placed on the ground or held at the correct height-above-ground distance, which has

been set correctly.

Always test calibration after you have stopped drilling for any length of time.

Interference

Interference can cause inaccuracies in the measurement of depth and loss of the transmitter’s pitch, roll,
or heading. Always perform a background noise check prior to drilling.

 Sources of interference include, but are not limited to, traffic signal loops, invisible dog fences, cable

TV, power lines, fiber-trace lines, metal structures, cathodic protection, telephone lines, cell phones,
transmission towers, conductive earth, salt, salt water, rebar, and radio frequencies.

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 Interference at the remote display may also occur from other sources operating nearby on the same

frequency, such as car rental agencies using their remote check-in modules or other directional
drilling locating equipment.

 Background noise must be minimal and signal strength must be at least 150 points above the

background noise during all locating operations.

 Because this equipment may generate, use, and radiate radio frequency energy, there is no

guarantee that interference will not occur at a particular location. If this equipment does interfere with
radio or television reception, which can be determined by powering the equipment off and on, try to
correct the interference using one or more of the following measures:

o Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
o Increase the separation between the receiver and affected equipment.
o Consult the dealer, DCI, or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
o Connect the DCI equipment to an outlet on a different circuit.

Equipment Maintenance

Turn off all equipment when not in use.
Store the equipment in cases, away from heat, cold, and moisture. Test to confirm proper operation prior

to use.
Clean the screens on the receiver and remote display using a damp soft cloth without chemicals or

cleaning agents.
Clean the receiver, remote, and battery charger case using only a soft moist cloth and mild detergent.
Do not use chemicals to clean the transmitter.
Inspect the equipment daily and contact DCI if you see any damage or problems. Do not disassemble or

attempt to repair the equipment.
Do not store or ship this equipment with batteries inside. Always remove the batteries from the equipment

before shipping or periods of non-use.

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Remote
Display

Battery

Charger

Receiver

LX

Transmitter

Rechargeable
Battery Packs

Mini

Adapter

LS Transmitter

Introduction

DigiTrak LT Locating System

The DigiTrak LT Locating System is used to locate and track the drill head during horizontal directional
drilling (HDD) operations. The system consists of a handheld receiver, a transmitter, which is placed in
the drill head, and a remote display. The receiver and remote are powered by a rechargeable DCI battery
pack, and a battery charger is also included with the system.

Locating is streamlined using the LT receiver’s graphic display and menu system. The real-time graphic
display guides you in positioning a target (or a line) in a box on the display window to locate the trans­mitter in the drill head. You can also locate using the plus/minus signs, as on earlier DigiTrak models
produced by Digital Control Incorporated (DCI).

This manual provides information on each LT system component—the receiver, transmitter, remote dis­play, and battery charger—in separate sections following this introduction. These sections are followed by
the Locating Instructions section, which explains important locating terms and gives step-by-step locating
instructions.

The remainder of this section presents the LT system’s power requirements, environmental requirements,
and equipment maintenance requirements.

If you have any questions about the information in this manual or about the use of the LT system, please
call DCI’s Customer Service Department at 800-288-3610 or 425-251-0559.

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Device

Voltage

Current

DigiTrak LT Receiver

14.4 V DC (nominal)

< 0.25 A DC

DigiTrak LT Remote Display

14.4 V DC (nominal)

< 0.25 A DC

DigiTrak LT Battery Charger

12–28 V DC

100–240 V AC, 50/60 Hz

< 2.0 A DC

Altitude

Up to 6561 ft. (2000 m)

Temperature

-4°F to 140°F (-20°C to 60°C)

Relative Humidity

< 90%

Power Requirements

Environmental Requirements

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Handle

Trigger

Display Screen

Front
Panel

Battery

Compartment

DigiTrak LT Receiver (top view)

Display
Screen

Handle

Battery
Compartment

Receiver

DigiTrak LT Receiver (side view)

The LT receiver is a hand-held unit used for locating
and tracking an LT transmitter emitting a signal at
12 kHz. The receiver converts signals from the
transmitter and displays the following information:
depth, pitch, roll, and temperature of the transmitter,
and battery status of both the transmitter and the
receiver. The LT receiver also sends signals to the LT
remote display at the drill rig.

The LT system can be used to take depth readings
without setting the receiver on the ground. The height­above-ground function allows you to program a
comfortable height for holding the receiver for depth

readings (see discussion under “Receiver Display

Menus” later in this section). Using the height-above-

ground feature also allows greater separation, which
can decrease the effects of interference.

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Receiver

Signal Strength (with
+/– Locating Symbol)
Replaces Distance to

Transmitter

Transmitter
Temperature
Replaces Pitch
Reading

Height-

Above­Ground

Setting

Target-in-

the-Box®
Locating

Display

Distance to

Transmitter

Transmitter

Battery

Transmitter
Temperature

Transmitter
Roll (Clock)

Pitch/Roll
Update
Indicator

Transmitter
Pitch

Receiver
Battery

Telemetry Channel

Setting Replaces

Height-Above-

Ground Setting

Main Display Screen

When the LT receiver is on, the display screen usually shows the standard locating mode display (see
figure below), which is the default display. The display symbols that appear on the locating screen are
identified in the figure below and described in the “Standard Display Screen Symbols” table on the next
page. Note that the height-above-ground setting will only appear if the height-above-ground function is
enabled.

Standard Locating Mode Display with Height-Above-Ground Function

Enabled (Left) and Without (Right)

When the operator holds in the trigger, the display changes to show the telemetry channel setting, signal
strength, and transmitter temperature (see figure below and table on next page).

Standard Locating Mode Display with Trigger In

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Receiver

Height-Above-Ground Icon – Appears when the height-above-ground function is on and

shows the current height setting.

Locating Icon – Represents a bird’s-eye view of the receiver. This icon is referred to as

the “box” when using the target-in-the-box and line-in-the-box locating techniques.

Target – Represents the front and rear locate points (FLP and RLP). When the receiver is

positioned directly above a locate point, the target will be in the box.

Line – Represents locate line (LL). When the receiver is positioned directly above the

LL, the line will be in the box. The LL also allows for off-track locating when access over
the drill head is limited.

Transmitter Battery – Depicts the battery status of the transmitter.

Transmitter Temperature – Shows temperature status of transmitter. An arrow appears

next to the thermometer pointing either up to indicate increasing temperature, or down to
indicate decreasing temperature. The three curved lines extending from the top of the
thermometer appear if the transmitter has reached a dangerous temperature of 111°F or
43°C and requires immediate attention. The thermometer will flash off and on at 118°F
(48°C) to further indicate the need for immediate action to cool the thermometer. The
actual temperature can be displayed in place of the pitch by holding the trigger in.

Receiver Battery – Depicts the battery status of the receiver.

Transmitter Pitch – Shows the inclination of the transmitter (drill head), displayed in

either percent slope or degrees. The pitch value is shown with a drill head indicator
behind it that points up for positive pitch and down for negative pitch. When using percent
slope for pitch measurements, a value from 1 to 100 will appear; when using degrees, a
value from 0 to 45 will appear, followed by a decimal point and a value of 0 or 5. Pitch
measurements are given in 0.5-degree increments.

Pitch/Roll Update Indicator - The dot in the center of the clock should blink 2 times per

second, indicating that current pitch, roll, battery, and temperature information is being
received from the transmitter.

Transmitter Roll – The clock shows the 12 roll positions of the transmitter.
Telemetry Channel Setting – Shows the current channel setting for the receiver. The

receiver must be set to the same channel as the remote display. There are eight channel
settings (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8) and an Off setting.

+/–

Plus/Minus Locating Indicator – The plus or minus sign in front of the signal strength

value can be used to guide the operator in finding the locate points (FLP and RLP) and
the locate line (LL).

Signal Strength – Displays the amount of signal from the transmitter when the trigger is

held in. The signal strength scale ranges from 0 to 999, where 0 indicates no signal and
999 indicates signal saturation (receiver and transmitter are very close). When the trigger
is not held in and the receiver is saturated (too close to transmitter), you will see four

dashed lines ( — — — — ) where the distance/depth number should display.

Standard Display Screen Symbols

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Receiver

Drill

Receiver

Transmitter

Drill

Receiver

Transmitter

Level Receiver Not Level Receiver

Power On/Off

On – To turn the LT receiver on, pull and hold the trigger in for 2 seconds and release. You will briefly see

a test screen, followed by a set of numbers that represent the firmware version in the receiver. Then you
will go to the standard locating mode display screen.

Off – To turn the unit off, you must first access the menu choices (see “Receiver Display Menus”). Click
the trigger until you reach the power on/off menu , then hold the trigger in during the countdown from
3 to 0 to shut the receiver off.

Automatic Shutoff – The receiver will automatically shut itself off if no signal is received for 15 minutes.
Note that when the receiver power is turned off, the height-above-ground function is also turned off. If you

want to use the height-above-ground function, you must turn it on and reset (if needed) the value after
you turn on the receiver.

Proper Handling of Receiver

The receiver must always be held correctly to obtain
accurate readings. You must hold the receiver level

at all times and at a constant height above the
ground (see “Height Above Ground” discussion

later in this section).
You can hold the receiver so that it faces in the same direction as the transmitter (away from the drill) or

in the opposite direction, facing toward the drill (see figures below). For an accurate depth reading, you
must hold the receiver parallel to the transmitter and directly above it.

Receiver Facing Away from Drill Receiver Facing Toward Drill

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Receiver

Accessing and Changing Menu Settings

To access the LT menu functions, you simply click the trigger. Each trigger click advances you to the
next menu item. When you stop at a menu, you will see a number that indicates a countdown sequence.
To change a menu setting, you hold the trigger in while the counter goes down to 0. Once the counter
reaches 0, release the trigger and the menu setting will be changed, which is indicated by a checkmark at
the bottom of the screen (). If the change was not successful, you will see a checkmark with a slash

through it ( ). The display will then go back to the standard locating display screen.
When in the standard locating mode, you hold the trigger in to display the signal strength in place of the

depth reading and the transmitter temperature in place of the pitch value. You will also see the telemetry
channel setting in the location where the height-above-ground value is normally shown. When using the
standard locating method, you leave the trigger out and move the receiver to position the target or line
symbol in the box. You can use the standard method of finding the locate points and locate line to find the
transmitter, or you can use the plus/minus ("+/–") locating method, which requires you to hold the trigger in
to locate the transmitter (see Locating Instructions section).

Receiver Display Menus

The front label on the LT receiver shows the display menus (see figure below). This section describes
each menu function and gives instructions for how to change the menu settings. The menus are listed in
the order that they appear on the front label of the receiver, starting with the height-above-ground menu.
The locating mode is the standard default display that you will see when you turn on the receiver.

Receiver Display Menus as Shown on Front Label

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