DigiTrak FALCON F5 Operator's Manual

Directional Drilling Guidance System

Operator’s Manual

[e-mail]

www.DigiTrak.com

DIGITALCONTRO LINCORP ORATED

403-2400-21-B metric,Russia, printed on 5/30/2017

© 2017 DigitalControl Incorporated. Allrights r eserved.

Параметры электромагнитной совместимости соответствуют Техническому регламенту Таможенного союза
«Электромагнитная совместимость технических средств» ( ТС ТР 020/2011).

“ООО РадиоСерт”
ул. Раменки, д. 31, кв. 135, г. Москва, 119607

7.495.669.11.64
[e-mail]

Trademarks

The DCI®logo, F5®, and DigiTrak®are U.S. registered trademarks.

Patents

U.S. and foreign patents applyto the product covered by this manual. For details,please visit www.DigiTrak.com/patents.

Limited Warranty

Allproducts manufactured and sold by Digital Control Incorpor ated (DCI) are subject to the terms of a Limited Warranty. A copy of the
Limited Warranty isincluded at the end of this manual; it can also be obtained at www.DigiTrak.com.

Important No tice

Allstatements, technical information, and recommendations related to DCI products are based on information believed to be reliable.
However, DCI does not warrant or guar antee the accuracy or completeness of such information. Before using any DCI product, the
user should determine the suitability of the product for its intended use. All statements herein r efer to DCI products as delivered by DCI
for use with horizontaldirectional drilling in the or dinary course, and do not apply to any user customizations, third-party products, or
any usage of the DCI product outside of the ordinary course. Nothing herein shall constitute a warranty by DCI nor willanything herein
be deemed to modify the terms of DCI’s existing Limited Warranty applicableto allDCI products. DCI may update or correct the
information in this manual from time to time. You may find the most recent version of this manual on DCI's website, www.DigiTrak.com.
Under Service & Suppo rt, click Documentation and select from the Manu als drop-down menu.

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) thisequipment must accept any interfer ence r eceived, 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 (US/CA).

Changes or modificationsto any DCI equipment not expressly approved and carried out by DCI willvoid the user’s Limited Warranty
and the FCC’s authorization to operate the equipment.

CE Requ irements

DigiTrak receivers are classified as Class 2 radio equipment per the R&TTE Directive and may not be legal to oper ate or
require a user license to operate in some countries. T he list of restrictionsand the required declarations of conformity

are availableon DCI’s website at www.DigiTrak.com. Under Service & Support, clickDocumentat ion and select from the CE
Docu ments drop-down menu.

ii DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual

Contact Us

DIGITALCONTRO LINCORP ORATED

United States

DCI Headquarters

Australia

China

Europe

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]

2/9 Frinton Street
Southport QLD 4215

61.7.5531.4283

61.7.5531.2617 fax

[e-mail]

368 Xingle Road
Huacao Town
Minhang District
Shanghai 201107, P.R.C.

86.21.6432.5186

86.21.6432.5187 传 真)

[e-mail]

Brueckenstraße 2
97828 Marktheidenfeld
Deutschland

49.9391.810.6100

49.9391.810.6109 Fax

[e-mail]

India

Russia

DTJ 203, DLF Tower B
Jasola District Center
New Delhi 110025

91.11.4507.0444

91.11.4507.0440 fax

[e-mail]

Молодогвардейская ул., д.4
стр. 1, офис 5
Москва, Российская Федерация 121467

7.499.281.8177

7.499.281.8166 факс

[e-mail]

DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual iii

DIGITALCONTRO LINCORP ORATED

Dear Customer,

Thank you for choosing a DigiTrak guidance system. We are proud of the equipment we have been designing
and building in Washington State since 1990. We believe in providing a unique, high-quality product and
standing behind it with world-class customer service and training.

Please take the time to read this entire manual, especially the section on safety. Please also register your
equipment online at access.DigiTrak.com. Or, fill in the product registration card provided with this
equipment and either fax it to us at 253-395-2800 or mail it to DCI headquarters.

Product registration entitles you to free telephone support (in the USA and Canada), notification of product
updates, and helps us provide you with future product upgrade information.

Our Customer Service department is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the U.S. to help with
problems or questions. International contact information is available in this document and on our website.

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

We welcome your questions, comments, and ideas.

Digital Control Incorporated
Kent, Washington
2017

Watch our DigiTrak Training Videos at www.youtube.com/dcikent

For system component name and model information, refer to Appendix A on page 65.

iv DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual

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Table of Contents

Important Safety Instructions 1

General 1
Pre-Drilling Testing 2
Interference 2

Potential Interference Received 2
Potential Interference Generated 2

Battery Pack Storage 3
Equipment Maintenance 3
General Transmitter Care Instructions 3

Getting Started 5

Introduction 5
Using This Manual 6
Powering On 6

Receiver 7
Transmitter 7
Remote Display (Aurora) 7

Setup Summary 7

Select Frequency Optimizer 7
Assign Frequency Bands 8
Interference Check 8
Calibrate 8
Above Ground Range Check 8
Drill 8

Receiver 9

Overview 9
Toggle and Trigger Switches 9
Audible Tones 10
Startup Screen 10
Using the Keypad 11
Your Remote Display 11

Receiver Menus 12

Locate Mode 13
Power Off 13
Calibration and AGR 13

1-Point Calibration 14
In-Ground Calibration 16
View Calibration 17
Above Ground Range (AGR) 17
15 m Calibration (Optional) 18

Height-Above-Ground (HAG) 18
Settings 20

Depth Units Menu 20
Pitch Units Menu 20
Set Time and Calendar Menu 21

DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual v

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Telemetry Channel Menu 21
Roll Offset Menu 22
Pressure Units Menu 23
Temperature Units Menu 23
Language Selection Menu 23

Transmitter Selection and Frequency Optimization 23

Frequency Optimization 24
So I Just Paired, Now What? 27
Transmitter Selection 27
View Frequency Optimization 28
Transmitter Information and Runtime 28

DataLog 29

Left/Right Offset 30
Deviation 30
Flags and Pins 30

Diagnostics 31

Perform Level Check 32
Perform System Self-Test 33
Perform Signal Self-Test 33

System Information 34

Locating Basics 35

Locating Screens 36

Locate Screen 36
Locate Screen Shortcuts 37
Depth Screen 37
Predicted Depth Screen 38
Depth Screen, Invalid Location 39

Interference 39

What is Interference? 40
Checking for Interference 40
Roll/Pitch Check 41
Suggestions for Dealing with Interference 42

Locate Points (FLP & RLP) and Locate Line (LL) 43

Effects of Depth, Pitch, and Topography on Distance Between FLP and RLP 44
Marking Locate Points 45

Locating the Transmitter 45

Finding the Front Locate Point (FLP) 46
Finding the Locate Line (LL) 47
Finding the RLP to Confirm Transmitter Heading and Position 49

Advanced Locating 51

Tracking “On-the-Fly” 51
Off-Track Locating 52
Target Steering 54

Feasible Target Steering Area 55
Turning Target Steering On 55
Positioning the Receiver as the Target 56
Steering to the Target with the Remote Display 57
Target Steering in Interference Areas 57
Turn Target Steering Off 57

vi DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual

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Transmitter 58

Batteries and Power On/Off 59

19-inch Transmitters 59
15-inch Transmitters 59
Installing Batteries / Power On (19- and 15-inch) 59
Transmitter Battery Strength 60
Sleep Mode 60

Transmitter Drill Head Requirements 61
Temperature Status and Overheat Indicator 61

Transmitter Temperature Warning Tones 62
Transmitter Overheat Indicator (Temp Dot) 62
Transmitter Warranty Timer 62

Changing Frequency Bands 62

Above Ground (Pre-Bore) Tilt Method 63
Below Ground (Mid-Bore) Roll Methods 63

AppendixA: System Specifications 65

Power Requirements 65
Environmental Requirements 65
Storage and Shipping Requirements 65

Temperature 65
Packaging 65

Equipment and Battery Disposal 65
Transmitter Pitch Resolution 65

AppendixB: Receiver Screen Symbols 67

AppendixC: Projected Depth Versus Actual Depth and the Fore/Aft Offset 69

AppendixD: Calculating Depth Based on Distance Between FLP and RLP 73

AppendixE: Reference Tables 74

Depth Increase in cm per 3-m Rod 74
Depth Increase in cm per 4.6-m Rod 75

WARRANTY

DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual vii

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viii DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual

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Important Safety Instructions

General

The following warnings relate generally to the operation of DigiTrak®guidance systems. This is not
an exhaustive list. Always operate your DigiTrak guidance system in accordance with the manual
and be aware of interference that may affect efforts to retrieve accurate data with this guidance
system. Failure to do so can be hazardous. If you have any questions about the operation of the
system, please contact DCI Customer Service for assistance.

To prevent potentially dangerous conditions, all operators must read and understand the safety
precautions, warnings, and instructions before using a DigiTrak guidance system.

DigiTrak guidance systems cannot be used to locate utilities.

Failure to use the front and rear locate points technique described in this manual for locating the
transmitter can lead to inaccurate locates.

Serious injury and death as well as substantial property damage can result if underground drilling
equipment makes contact with an underground utility, including natural gas lines, high-voltage
electrical cable, or other utilities.

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

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

Directional drilling operators MUST at all times:

l Understand the safe and proper operation of drilling and guidance equipment, including proper grounding

procedures and techniques for identifying and mitigating interference.

l Ensure all underground utilities and all potential sources of interference have been located, exposed, and

accurately marked prior to drilling.

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

safety glasses.

l Locate and track the transmitter in the drill head accurately and correctly during drilling.

l Maintain a minimum distance of 20 cm from the front of the receiver to the user’s torso to ensure

compliance with RF exposure requirements.

l Comply with federal, state, and local governmental regulations (such as OSHA).

l Follow all other safety procedures.

Remove the batteries from all system components during shipping and prolonged storage. Failure to do so
may result in battery leakage, which may lead to risk of explosion, health risks, and/or damage.

Store and transport batteries using a suitable protective case that will keep batteries safely isolated from one
another. Failure to do so may result in short circuits, which may lead to hazardous conditions including fire.
See Appendix A for important restrictions on shipping lithium-ion batteries.

Use of this equipment is restricted to internal use at a construction site.

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Pre-Drilling Testing

Before each drilling run, test your DigiTrak guidance 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:

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

receiver shows the correct depth.

l 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.

l 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

The Falcon frequency optimizer selects frequencies based on measured active interference at a given point
in time and space. Active interference levels can change with time and location, passive interference (which
the system does not detect) may be present, and performance may vary as a result. Selections by the
frequency optimizer are not a substitute for prudent operator judgment. If performance drops while drilling,
consider switching to the other selected band or using Max Mode.

Potential Interference Received

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 using your receiver (locator), as well as a visual
inspection for possible sources of interference, prior to drilling.

A background noise check will not identify all sources of interference, as it can only pick up sources that are
active, not passive. Interference, as well as a partial list of sources of interference, are discussed in the
section Interference on page39.

Never rely on data that does not display quickly and/or remain stable.

If an A displays at the top right of the roll indicator or frequency optimizer at distances greater than 3.0 m from
the transmitter, attenuation is in effect, indicating the presence of excessive noise that can lead to inaccurate
depth readings. A flashing signal strength and A icon indicate the presence of extreme interference; depth
and locate points will not be accurate.

Potential Interference Generated

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:

l Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.

l Increase the separation between the receiver and affected equipment.

l Consult the dealer, DCI, or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

l Connect the equipment to an outlet on a different circuit.

2 DigiTrak Falcon F5®Operator's Manual

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Battery Pack Storage

If you plan to store the battery packs for any period of time, please follow these guidelines:

l Do not store the battery pack at temperatures greater than 45° C.

l Do not store the battery pack in a fully discharged state.

l Do not store the battery pack in the battery charger.

l Do not store multiple batteries together where their terminals or other loose conductive materials may

contact one another and cause a short circuit.

If a lithium-ion battery pack will be stored for an extended period of time, pre-charge the battery to a charge
level of 30% to 50% (two or three LEDs illuminated on the meter). Do not store the battery pack for more than
one year unless it is periodically recharged to the 30% to 50% level.

Equipment Maintenance

Turn off all equipment when not in use.

Store the equipment in cases, away from extremes of heat, cold, and moisture. Test to confirm proper
operation prior to use.

Clean the glass screens on the receiver and remote display only with a cleaner specifically formulated to not
harm the protective coatings on the glass. If in doubt, use only warm water and a microfiber cloth. Do not use
household or commercial window cleaning products that include chemicals such as ammonia, alcohol, or
any acidic liquid; these cleaners can contain microscopic abrasive granules that will damage the anti­reflective coating and may cause the display to spot.

Clean equipment cases and housings using only a soft moist cloth and mild detergent.

Do not steam clean or pressure wash.

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.

The battery charger provided with your DigiTrak guidance 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.

General Transmitter Care Instructions

Periodically clean the spring and threads inside the battery compartment as well as the spring and threads of
the battery end cap to ensure a proper power connection with the batteries. Use an emery cloth or wire brush
to remove any oxidation that has built up. Be careful not to damage the battery cap O-ring; remove it while
cleaning if necessary. After cleaning, use a conductive lubricant on the battery cap threads to keep it from
binding in the battery compartment.

For better battery performance, all DCI battery-powered transmitters ship with both
a special battery contact spring and a nickel-based anti-seize lubricant on the
battery end cap to aid in electrical contact.

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Before use, inspect the battery cap O-ring for damage that may allow water to enter the battery compartment.
Replace the O-ring if the one installed becomes damaged.

Do not use chemicals to clean the transmitter.

Placing tape around the fiberglass tube of the transmitter, if space allows, will keep the fiberglass protected
from most corrosive and abrasive environmental wear. Do not tape over the IR port as this will interfere with
IR communication.

Falcon 19- and 15-inch transmitters have a threaded hole (1/4”-20 thread) in the battery cap to allow the use
of an insertion/extraction tool for installing and removing the transmitters in end-load housings. Ensure this
hole remains clear of debris.

Send in the Product Registration Card or register online at access.DigiTrak.com within 90 days of purchase
to enable the warranty on your equipment, including a 3-year/500-hour warranty on your transmitter. Ask your
dealer about our extended 5-year/750-hour transmitter warranty.

4 DigiTrak Falcon F5®Operator's Manual

Getting Started

Introduction

DIGITALCONTRO LINCORP ORATED

1. Aurora touchscreen
remote disp lay

2. Receiver

3. Transmitter

4. Li-ion/NiMH battery
charger

DigiTrak Falcon F5®Guidance System with Aurora®Remote

Display

Congratulations on your purchase of the DigiTrak Falcon F5®, the flagship system of the DigiTrak Falcon line
of guidance systems. Falcon technology represents a significant advancement in helping crews overcome
one of the biggest obstacles to completing their underground drilling projects: active interference. Falcon F5
provides crews with Falcon technology alongside all the advanced features of the classic F5 system, like
DataLog, fluid pressure monitoring, and Target Steering.

In today’s competitive underground drilling landscape of deeper bores and more challenging jobsites,
interference has emerged as one of the primary obstacles to completing HDD installations on time.
Interference varies from jobsite to jobsite, at different points within the same jobsite, and even with time of
day. After extensive research and testing in some of the most challenging interference environments in the
world, DCI concluded that selecting a transmitter frequency that sidesteps interference is far more effective
at overcoming this obstacle than simply increasing power.

The Falcon approach involves dividing a wide range of frequencies into bands, then selecting the frequencies
that are least susceptible to the interference in each band. Falcon F5 has eight bands that each use the best­performing of hundreds of frequencies between 9.0 and 45 khz. Optimize one band for best performance on
the majority of the bore and the other for a high-interference segment. The system is easy to learn and simple
to use every day. By following a few easy steps at the beginning of each pilot bore, you will be ready to drill
within minutes.

Competing systems define success in terms of depth and data range. Falcon technology also provides
tremendous range, but that isn’t what makes Falcon great. DCI defines success as enabling crews to
complete the largest number of jobs possible in the shortest periods of time. Falcon technology is designed
around that principle.

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What if I have a question about this topic?

As you read this manual, you may have questions. We've already answered some of them right at
the source in boxes like this. If the topic isn't for you, skip it and read on.

You might need this.

Sometimes it's handy to have some extra information at your fingertips. While it may be
discussed in detail elsewhere in the manual, we've extracted and placed some important data
right where you need it, with a page link if you want to read more.

Go watch some TV.

Subjects with training videos available online will be marked with this icon.

Toggle, trigger, go.Page9

At the Locate screen, toggle down to open the Main menu. Toggle in any direction to reach the
icon you want. Click the trigger to make a selection. In some cases, hold the trigger for
additional information, such as a depth reading at the Locate screen.

The Falcon system comes standard with a receiver, transmitter, batteries, and battery charger. The separate
operator's manuals for these devices are located on the flash drive that accompanied your guidance system
and also at www.DigiTrak.com.

Using This Manual

This manual is an important tool for you as the operator of a Falcon guidance system. You can find it on the
flash drive that accompanied your system or at www.DigiTrak.com. We encourage you to load it onto your
mobile device and keep it handy so the information you need is always close at hand.

When something is worth a little extra attention, we'll mark it with this handy Notebook icon.

To help find those distant details, the manual includes hyperlinks that will take you right there, like this
example:

Prior to use, the receiver must be paired to and calibrated with the
transmitter.

Calibration and AGR

Page13

Powering On

The regional designation number in the globes on the receiver startup screen and transmitter body
must match. If they don’t, contact your DigiTrak dealer.

6 DigiTrak Falcon F5®Operator's Manual

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Receiver

1. Install a fully charged battery pack.

2. Power on the receiver by holding the trigger briefly.

3. Click to accept the “Read the manual before using” statement. The
subsequent information screen provides useful information such as
software version and compatible transmitters. Click to advance.

4.

First time use: from the Main > Settings menu , set the depth units,
pitch units, date/time, and telemetry channel.

5.

On the Main menu, set the optional Height-Above-Ground .

Transmitter

Do not power on the transmitter until after running the frequency optimizer on
the receiver (see next section). After that, or after resuming work (such as
after lunch) using the same frequency bands, simply install batteries with the
positive end first and completely fasten the battery cap.

Settings

Page20

Height-Above-Ground

(HAG)

Page18

Batteries and Power On/Off

Page59

Remote Display (Aurora)

The Aurora®remote display powers on automatically with the drill rig.

1. Connect the telemetry antenna and connect the Aurora to 10–28 VDC power on the drill rig. It
displays the Home screen.

2.

Tap Main Menu in the taskbar, then Receiver to set your type of receiver, telemetry
channel to match that of the receiver, and region.

3.

Tap to return to the Main Menu, then in the Settings tab, tap Device to set the date, time,
and depth and pitch units. Use the same settings as on the receiver. It is also good practice to use
the same system of units (English or metric) on both devices.

4.

Tap Home to return to the Home screen. If the receiver is receiving data from a transmitter,
that data will now display on the Aurora.

If you are using an existing DigiTrak remote display, select F5 to receive data from the locator, and refer to
the separate operator's manual located on the flash drive that accompanied your guidance system and also
at www.DigiTrak.com.

Setup Summary

Getting started with a Falcon F5 receiver is easy: run the frequency optimizer, walk and scan the bore path,
pair the receiver with the transmitter, calibrate, check Above Ground Range, and check for active
interference. It's all summarized in the following several paragraphs, with links to the details later in this
manual. If you're hungry for the details now, skip to Receiver on page9.

Select Frequency Optimizer

1. With the transmitter off (batteries not installed), take the receiver to the point along the intended
bore that might create the biggest locating challenge, like the deepest point of the bore or where
there is obvious active interference such as a railway crossing, transformer, traffic lights, or power
lines.

DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual 7

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2. Power on the receiver and from the Main menu

> Frequency Optimizer

select Transmitter Selection, then Frequency
Optimizer (FO).

3. With the FO results active, walk the entire intended bore path with the receiver and note areas of
high background noise (active interference). The higher a frequency band's bar is on the graph, the
greater the interference. Note which band remains consistently low, since the band with the lowest
level of interference will likely be the one you want to use.

Assign Frequency Bands

1. On the receiver, use the toggle to move the selector on the bottom of the frequency optimizer graph
to the band you want to use and hold the trigger briefly to select.

2. Assign as the Up or Down band.

3. Optional: select and assign a second frequency band.

4.

Select Pair .

5. Insert batteries in the transmitter, positive end first, install the battery cap, and allow several
seconds for the transmitter to fully power on and begin sending data to the receiver.

6.

Align the receiver and transmitter IR ports within four cm of each other. Select to open the

pairing menu, then again to pair.

Page23

Interference Check

Now that your transmitter is paired with your receiver, walk the bore with
both the receiver and transmitter powered on to check for active
interference on both frequency bands.

Changing Frequency Bands

Interference

Page39

Page62

Calibrate

Perform a separate 1-point (1PT) calibration for each newly optimized frequency
band in a low-noise area with the transmitter in a housing. Always calibrate after
assigning a new frequency band.

If you paired two bands and want to be able to switch between them later, calibrate both bands.

Calibration

Page13

Above Ground Range Check

Perform an Above Ground Range check on the new optimized frequency band (or
bands) before drilling. The AGR screen displays automatically after calibration.

If the above-ground AGR distance at 15 m is not accurate, conduct a 15M

15M Calibration

calibration (which also uses only one point) to improve the accuracy of the above­ground distance measurement. A 15 m calibration is not necessary for drilling.

The AGR check shows the distance between the receiver and transmitter without having to constantly hold
the trigger, as when taking a depth reading at the locate line.

AGR

Page17

Page18

Drill

What are you waiting for? Start drilling. Or read on for more details and cool acronyms to know about the best
locator on the planet.

8 DigiTrak Falcon F5®Operator's Manual

Receiver

I know what a trigger switch is; can I skip this?Page12

This section is like shaking hands with your Falcon for the first time. If you and your receiver
already have a solid relationship, you can probably jump ahead to Receiver Menus.

DIGITALCONTRO LINCORP ORATED

1. Screen

2. Toggle Switch

3. Front

4. Infrared port

5. Trigger switch

6. Battery tab

7. Battery compartment

8. Serial n umber

Falcon F5 Receiver – Side and Back Views

Overview

The DigiTrak Falcon F5®receiver (locator) is a handheld unit used for locating and tracking a Falcon
wideband transmitter. It converts signals from the transmitter to display depth, pitch, roll, temperature, and
battery level, plus sends this information to the remote display on the drill rig.

The receiver and transmitter must meet specific operational requirements for
different global regions. A regional designation number is located on the

Startup Screen

Page10

receiver’s startup screen. This number must match the one stamped on the
transmitter for proper communication.

Prior to use, the receiver must be paired to and calibrated with the transmitter.

Calibration

Page13

Toggle and Trigger Switches

The Falcon F5 receiver has two switches for operating the system: a toggle switch located on the top of the
unit and a trigger located under the handle.

l Use the Toggle Switch to access and navigate menus.

l Use the Trigger Switch to turn on the receiver, select (click on) menu options, and change the screen

view for depth readings. Pull and release (click) once, hold briefly and release, or use in combination with
the toggle switch, depending on the desired action.

DigiTrak Falcon F 5®Operator's Manual 9

DIGITALCONTRO LINCORP ORATED

Can I change the screen brightness?

No. The display is pre-tuned for optimal contrast and visibility in all conditions.

Audible Tones

The Falcon F5 receiver beeps to signal power on/off, confirm menu
changes, and acknowledge the pass/fail status of actions. The receiver
also beeps with transmitter temperature increases.

Transmitter Temperature Warning

Tones

Page62

Two long beeps indicate a problem with the menu option selected and a failure screen will appear until you
click the trigger or remove the battery (in the case of a critical failure). Verify your setup and try the operation
again or contact DCI Customer Service for assistance.

Startup Screen

Insert a charged battery pack. To power on the receiver, click the trigger. After you have read the warning
screen, click again to acknowledge you have read and understand this manual. The receiver displays the
startup screen:

1. Receiver ID number

2. Software version

3. Customer service phone
numbers

4. Regional designation number
must match that o f
transmitter

Receiver Startup Screen

Click to exit the startup screen and open the Main menu.

If an item of the self-test fails, a warning displays and a failure message appears in place of the
system name. An exclamation mark(!) may also appear in the roll indicator on the Locate
screen. Please contact DCI Customer Service.

Receiver Menus

Page12

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Using the Keypad

Use the keypad for setting the height-above-ground (HAG) value, a target depth for Target Steering, date and
time, and for programming rod lengths and survey points in the DataLog function.

1. Display window

2. Backspace

3. Enter

Standard Keypad

To input a value, toggle to and select the desired digits from left to right. When a decimal value is required
(such as for feet only or meters), then the last two digits entered will be to the right of the decimal point. To
enter a whole value, enter two zeros at the end of the value. Use backspace to delete the last digit entered.
Once the desired number is in the display window, select Enter to lock in the value and turn on the function.

Your Remote Display

The Falcon F5 receiver is compatible with the following remote displays:

Remote Display Minimum Software Version Select on Remote Display

Falcon Compact Display - FCD 4.0 Falcon F5

Multi-Function Display - MFD 3.0, F5 compatible F5

F Series Display - FSD all F5

Aurora - AP8 , AF8, AF10 all Falcon F5, F5

A remote display that accompanied your Falcon F5 receiver will already be set to communicate with your
receiver.

If you purchased your Falcon receiver by itself, your existing remote display may not include the required
option. If so, contact your regional DCI office or Customer Service for a software upgrade.

The operator's manuals for these remote displays are located on the flash drive that accompanied your
Falcon system and also at www.DigiTrak.com. For an MFD, use the FSD manual.

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I am already familiar with DigiTrak receiver menus; can I skip this?Page35

If you have used a DigiTrak F5 receiver, you are well on your way to mastering a Falcon. Read
the section on the Frequency Optimizer, then skip ahead to Locating Basics. Come back and visit
later as needed for reference. If this is your first DigiTrak, keep reading.

Is there a faster way to get to the menu item I want?

Yes, it's called screen wrapping. If you're at the top of a menu page, toggle up to jump to the
bottom, or if you're at the left side, toggle left to jump to the right, and so on. To get from the top­left icon to the bottom right on the next page, you could toggle right-right-down-down, or just left­up. Yeah. Pretty cool.

Receiver Menus

To access the Main menu from the Locate screen, toggle down. The Locate Mode icon is shown selected
below; clicking the trigger would take you to the Locate screen.

1. Telemetry channel

2. Transmitter type an d freq uency
band

3. Band Up or Do wn

4. Receiver battery strength

5. Locate Mode (blue backgrou nd =
selected )

6. Power Off

7. Calibration

8. HAG

9. Settings

10. Transmitter Selectio n and

Frequency Optimization

11. Down arrow ind icates seco nd page
below (toggle do wn to view)

12. Second page

13. DataLog

14. Diagnostics

15. System Information

Receiver Main Menus

The top of the Main menu displays the telemetry channel, transmitter, transmitter frequency band, and
receiver battery strength.

The following sections describe the Main menu items in order. Use the links above to jump straight to a
section.

12 DigiTrak Falcon F5®Operator's Manual

Locate Mode

Is it okay to power off by pulling the battery out?

Yes, your Falcon can handle it.

Calibrate each band separately

If you select an optimized band that has not been calibrated yet, appears in the roll indicator.
Calibrate and verify Above Ground Range separately for each optimized frequency band prior to
each job. Calibration affects depth readings, but not roll/pitch.

DIGITALCONTRO LINCORP ORATED

When the receiver is detecting a signal from a transmitter, the Locate screen
provides real-time data about the transmitter’s location, temperature, pitch, roll, fluid
pressure (when a fluid pressure transmitter is used), and signal strength.

Locating Screens

Page36

Power Off

Select Power Off from the Main menu to turn the receiver off. The receiver automatically shuts down after 15
minutes of inactivity, or after 30 minutes when in Target Steering mode.

Calibration and AGR

Use the Calibration menu to calibrate the receiver to a transmitter and to verify the Above Ground Range
(AGR). Calibration is required prior to first-time use and before using a different transmitter, receiver, drill
head, or optimized transmitter band. Calibration is not necessary, however, when switching between bands
on a transmitter that are already paired and calibrated.

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Do not calibrate if:

l You are within 3 m of metal structures, such as steel pipe, chain-link fence,

metal siding, construction equipment, automobiles, etc.

l The receiver is over rebar or underground utilities.

l An A is displayed at the top right of the roll indicator on the locating screen, as

Attenuated Signal

this indicates signal Attenuation is in effect, likely due to excessive
interference. If possible, relocate to a quieter location before calibrating.

l The receiver is in the vicinity of extreme interference, as shown by high

Frequency Optimizer

background noise readings on the frequency optimizer graph or a flashing
signal strength value on the locate screen along with the A icon (calibration is
prohibited when the signal strength is flashing).

l The receiver is not displaying transmitter data.

l The signal strength from the transmitter is less than 300 points (too low) or

Installing Batteries /

greater than 950 points (too high). Outside this range, a calibration failure
screen will indicate low or high signal strength.

The transmitter must be installed in a drill head during calibration.

During calibration, Height-Above-Ground (HAG) is automatically turned

Height-Above-Ground (HAG)

off. After calibration, HAG must be turned back on manually.

1-Point Calibration

Calibrating depth readings is accomplished above ground, prior to drilling.

1. Place the receiver and the transmitter (in a drill head) parallel to each other on level ground, with
both devices powered on.

Page67

Page23

Power On

Page59

Page18

2. With the receiver at the Locate screen, verify that roll and pitch values are being displayed and that
a steady signal is being received from the transmitter. The transmitter’s signal strength at
calibration is available under View calibration. A change in signal strength at 3 m later can indicate
you are currently in an interference environment or there is a problem with your equipment.

3. Move the locator within 0.5 m of the transmitter to enable signal attenuation, indicated by an A at
the top right of the roll indicator. Move the locator back to 3 m away and verify attenuation turns off.
If it does not, excessive noise may be present. Due to its higher signal strength, a 19 in. transmitter
must be moved more than 3 m away from the receiver before attenuation will turn off.

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4.

At the Main menu, select Calibration and then 1 pt calibration.

1. 1 p t calibration

2. In-Ground Calibration

3. View Calibration

4. Above Ground Range (AGR)

Calibration Menu

5. Use a tape measure to ensure the distance from the center of the transmitter to the inside edge of

the receiver is 3 m as shown below, then click Continue to begin the calibration.

6.

Do not move the receiver. A successful calibration yields a check mark and four beeps.

Calibration can fail for one of three reasons:

Transmitter signal is

too low (below 300

points)

Transmitter signal is

too high (above 950

points)

Extreme signal

attenuation is in effect

If calibration fails, review the items mentioned in the question titled Why do I keep getting calibration

errors? below, read more about signal attenuation in Appendix B (if it applies), then click Retry to try

calibrating again.

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Why do I keep getting calibration errors?

Carefully review the items under Do not calibrate if at the beginning of this section. Try
calibrating in a different location. Make sure the transmitter is on and paired (data showing on
the Locate screen). If you're still having trouble, give us a call, we'll get you going.

After a successful calibration of one band, before proceeding to the AGR screen
to verify above-ground distances for this calibration, the receiver briefly displays
this icon:

Above Ground Range

(AGR)

Page17

This simply means the Down band (on the left) has been calibrated, but the up band has not. After checking
AGR for the current band, remember to calibrate and check the AGR of the other band.

If depth data does not display, hold the trigger while over the transmitter to display the locate
line. For additional information on obtaining this reference lock (“R”), see step 4 in the
discussion under Finding the Front Locate Point (FLP) beginning on page46.

If you just completed AGR after calibration, don't forget to turn
Height-Above-Ground (HAG) back on, if necessary.

Height-Above-Ground (HAG)

Page18

In-Ground Calibration

This calibration procedure is rarely needed. If you find it necessary to calibrate with the transmitter in the
ground, contact DCI customer service for information on this option, and perform this procedure with caution.

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AGR: It's Just What You Do

Performing an AGR test on both frequency bands at every jobsite is just good practice.

View Calibration

Use this feature to check the most recent calibrations for your transmitter(s). The data will include the model
of transmitter, type of calibration (1-point or in-ground/2Pt), signal strength, and a timestamp. Though this
window lists all transmitters compatible with your receiver, only transmitter bands calibrated to your receiver
will display data in the Signal and Timestamp columns.

View Calibration Window

After calibrating a fluid pressure transmitter, turning the fluid pressure
feature on or off does not require a new calibration. However, a
separate calibration is required for each frequency band if you want
the option of switching between them mid-bore.

Click to return to the Calibration menu.

Changing Frequency Bands

Page62

Above Ground Range (AGR)

After successfully completing a 1-point calibration, the receiver displays the Above Ground Range screen,
which is an active measurement between the transmitter and receiver. You can also access this tool directly

from the Main menu > Calibration > Above Ground Range (AGR) . Use this screen along with a tape
measure to verify calibration of the transmitter at different depths/distances. With the transmitter level, the
depth readings should be within ±5% of the measured distance.

Note that because AGR intentionally does not consider pitch when
calculating range, it displays a symbol indicating "Warning, pitch is
unknown, assume zero". It also ignores any HAG setting.

Note that the 15 m calibration button does not appear when the AGR screen appears immediately after
calibration.

Pitch Assumed Zero

Page37

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Prior to enabling HAG, verify accurate range/depth readings at a minimum of two points using
AGR (see link above) or a regular depth reading (hold the trigger). If the transmitter is not
properly calibrated, inaccurate depth readings will be made worse by an inaccurate HAG
distance.

1. AGR

2. Pitch assumed zero

3. 15 m calibration

Above Ground Range (AGR)

If you just completed AGR after calibration, don't forget to turn Height-Above-Ground (HAG) back on, if
necessary.

15 m Calibration (Optional)

This feature is primarily used for demonstrations of the guidance system above ground and is not necessary
for drilling. Above ground range (AGR) measurements beyond 12.2 m often read shallower (shorter) than they
actually are due to variations in ground conditions, and this feature calibrates these measurements to
account for these variations. Using this feature is substantially similar to the procedure described for 1 pt

calibration; if you require further information, please contact DCI customer service.

Height-Above-Ground (HAG)

Use Height-Above-Ground (HAG) to set a height measurement on the receiver so you don’t have to set it
on the ground for a depth reading. Raising the receiver above the ground also provides separation from
underground interference that might otherwise reduce the transmitter’s range or cause variable readings.

To prevent incorrect readings, Falcon F5 always powers on with
the HAG function off (disabled). HAG also automatically shuts

Calibration

Page14

off during calibration and is ignored during Target Steering and
AGR tests. Until you enable HAG, the receiver must be placed
on the ground for accurate depth readings.

AGR Test

Page17

1. To determine your desired HAG distance, hold the receiver comfortably at your side, maintaining 20
cm of separation from the front of the receiver to your torso as specified in the Safety section on
page1. Measure the distance from the bottom of the receiver to the ground.

2. From the Main menu, select HAG. The HAG menu displays with Enable HAG highlighted and the
current or 0.51 m default HAG setting shown in the description line at the bottom of the screen. If
the HAG had been enabled, Disable HAG would be highlighted.

Depth Units

Page20

Target Steering

Page 54

18 DigiTrak Falcon F5®Operator's Manual