2008 Locate Rodeo Winners - LFH

[GWJ_CAS]

Here are the 2008 Locate Rodeo Locate From Hell event winners

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3074/2741370875_3e27076446.jpg?v=0

[yahoo]

:clapping::woot: well done and a :yahoo: to you guys

[gypsygirl]

Congratulations to all!! Good Job!!:yahoo::drinks:

[Jared]

Weird to see yourself pictured on an unfamiliar website...

Thanks for the recognition! FYI -The points spread between first and third was 4 points or less... my score was 996/1000. Another guy with my company got the same score as me, but I finished the event in 1:37, which was faster than him. Crazy! I was using their RD4000, but I'm used to a Subsite 950. Where the crap was Subsite?!

Oh, and I still haven't found a bank that would take that HUGE check!

Jared

[Goldenboy]

Congrats Jared on your award winning locating.

I just love those Happy Gilmore checks.

[yahoo]

dude good one about the check>>>>>>>> where was the subsite i ask???? that really angers me cuz that is my machine!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 75 or 950 it's all good!!!

[GWJ_CAS]

Here's a video of Jim Driscoll competing at "Locate from Hell" at the 2008 International Locate Rodeo!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HXKfrtBn5o8

[testtech]

I watched the video. For the non-professional locators, can you explain what I just saw?

[Goldenboy]

The "pinwheel" you saw is set up over known underground utilities. You perform the locate and set coins down where you believe the utility crosses each colored string. Then you measure from the center on each place you dropped down a coin and write down the measurements. The one with the closest measurements and best time wins the money.

Here's another link to the rodeo that may give you a little better idea of how the rodeo works.
Locate Rodeo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmzzl8Zka6o)

[GWJ_CAS]

I watched the video. For the non-professional locators, can you explain what I just saw?

OK, a complete description:

This is the Locate from Hell competition. The locators are sequestered off-site so they cannot see the locate area before being called to compete.

In the video you can see an open manhole with numerous extension rods protruding. Each equipment manufacturer (those participating in the Rodeo Equipment Manufacturer's Challenge (REMC)), have their respective transmitters hooked up to the target facility or facilities with their respective receivers on the ground near the scoring tent.

The locator is called to the site and must choose a piece of equipment. They tell the equipment judge which piece and what frequency they want (except 810, only 1 freq). They do not get to see any prints, no looking in the manhole, no touching the transmitter.

Once their chosen weapon warms up they say ready and time begins. They are allowed a maximum of three minutes to perform the locate.

The "wheel" is set so that at least one facility intersects with at least a portion of the wheel. The locator starts sweeping for the facility or facilities and places a "poker chip" where he finds the target(s). Once the locator finds all the targets that are within the wheel, he measures from the center of the wheel to the targets and that data is recorded by the judge. The object being to locate as accurately as possible as quickly as possible.

The locator in this video is Jim Driscoll, the winner of Locate from Hell. He approaches and requests the Metrotech i5000, the equipment all of our locators use. Once warmed up, he finds the target facility pretty quickly and marks it. He does a quick sweep to the other signal but realizes it is outside the wheel, measures and calls time. He completed the locate officially in 1:07 and was within 1" total on all measurements, scoring 999 points out of a possible 1000.

Nearly everyone who used the 810 got a strong ghost signal on the opposite side of the wheel and marked it. Several of the RD users got the same ghost signal and marked it as well.

The wheel had been set so that only one target facility was within the wheel. The transmitters were clamped on a bundle that had three cables exiting the manhole, two of which left in the opposite direction from the target and were just outside the wheel and not in competition, but guys accepted the signal anyway and marked it, thereby eliminating themselves from any chance of winning.

This was Metrotech's first win in the REMC. The previous 6 years were won by RD. Metrotech took out an ad in the upcoming issue of Underground Focus to commemorate the win. The ad features Jim Driscoll and the i5000, look for it in the next issue.

[testtech]

Thanks for the description.

[sprayandpray]

I would like to see a competition between all of the different equipment manufacturers.

[GWJ_CAS]

I would like to see a competition between all of the different equipment manufacturers.

Please clarify, whay kind of competition and what type of equipment specifically? Would you pit EM locators against GPR? EM vs EM? On what type of course? How would it be evaluated?

[yahoo]

em vs gpr would not be fair would it GWJ???

[GWJ_CAS]

em vs gpr would not be fair would it GWJ???

Especially if the facility was a PVC main with no tracer!

But, there are times when GPR cannot tell you what the EM instrument can...knowing when is the rub...

[scap]

I just located my own service drop blindfolded ten times...

...I'm training hard for that Rodeo gold.......We goin to Vegas baby...

[GWJ_CAS]

I just located my own service drop blindfolded ten times...

...I'm training hard for that Rodeo gold.......We goin to Vegas baby...

Ahhh yes, but you don't get to use your own equipment, you don't get to see the connection point or even know if it is direct connected or induced and the facility could be telephone, CATV, power or something else.

Oh, and the last little tidbit...the locate rodeo is held in Atlanta every year, not Vegas...sorry.

[yahoo]

well scap .....looks like you and i are out!!!!!!!!!!!! so much for us going to vegas....hahahhahahhaah

[scap]

Hey yahoo, check your email if you want to laugh. I had a case of locator rage today. rofl....you don't **** with a locator who's on his 13th hour of the day at dusk, damnit!...Yea. You'll enjoy it. It's kind'va long read, but you'll enjoy. Lol.

[GWJ_CAS]

A new video from Metrotech about the Locate Rodeo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9Pc9xjkNbE

Also, a shameless plug...