Ditchwitch 950R

**scrappy57** · June 6th, 2011, 09:43 AM

Hey guys I got a couple of questions on some confusion I have about my locator. I am new to it and I could stand to learn more about the use of locators. I happened to notice when I was toning a cable that if I came toward the target from one side and marked the spot, I could also come in from the other side and the spot would be about 6 or 8 inches away from the first spot. This really threw me. It doesn't happen all the time but occassionally. It leaves you wondering which one is right? Maybe you just choose the middle between them. It was telephone cable I was locating. I also noticed that you could hook up at a ped and do a locate. You could hook up at a different ped and redo that locate and find that the new mark was not where the original mark fell. why the difference?
This locator also has a beep with the directional arrows to let you know when you are over the cable. It also has the sound to indicate you are over your target when it is at it's highest. I have noticed a few times that the beeps didn't fall in with the peak in pitch but they came as it was going down some. what to trust? Thanks for your opinion

**TheCableVine** · June 6th, 2011, 11:15 PM

If you are sure that you were on the correct cable then I don't know the answer.

I have noticed something similar. If I locate a cable walking North (for example) and then turn around and locate the same cable going south, I will be off by about 6 inches.

**Wingfoot** · June 7th, 2011, 01:32 AM

Hey scrappy - Welcome to the'Vine!

14 May 2009 - An early morning sun illuminates a light rain over Nevada, Missouri

I work for USIC a hundred miles north of your town. I've been thru your town many times on my way to Baxter Springs, Kansas when I worked for Goodyear and on my way to the lake at Stockton, Missouri for pleasure. I am happy you decided to join us!

I'm not familiar with the Ditchwitch locator. BUT, I am using a locator (Radio Deiection 8000) that is doing the same as your 950R............ When I hook-up and walk away from my transmitter, depending on the depth of my target, my tone is 8" to 12" to the right of my target. When I walk towards my transmitter, regardless of the depth of my target, my tone is nutz-on my target... WTF? I have been on enough Emergency locates to know my equipment's accuracy. I quickly learned to make the adjustment to throw accurate paint walking to or away from my transmitter.

The RD 8000 has peak response, null response and a combination peak/null response. The combination peak/null will give accurate readings walking to or away from my transmitter, but I gotta watch the screen for the 2 arrows to point to the center. The peak signal does NOT quite match the centering of the arrows. This kind of shit drives me nutz! I am into my 15th year of locating and I mark by listening to tones. It's a pain in my ass if I have to watch graphs and arrows to throw accurate paint.

Anyway, I welcome your membership to the'Vine and please post often!

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**sprayandpray** · June 7th, 2011, 06:54 AM

I, too, get the same results with the 8000 and nearly always used the combined signal. By the way scrappy, which state are you from , Nevada or Missouri?

Welcome to the 'Vine.

One tip - make sure you are not gripping your receiver - just let it hang in your hand.

**tequilawombat** · June 7th, 2011, 10:19 AM

Hi everyone. I locate telephone. Last year I had a contractor that dug for miles just 6 inches from my marks. When he turned and went up another road, I got a call saying I missed a line. When I got there, I saw the exposed tele. wire and I was 4 ft. off. I hooked up at a different ped and got it to locate correctly. Anyway from what I gather, I had hooked up to a ped and was running it toward a remote c/o. Signal must have bounced back through the c/o and came back at me giving me a ghost signal, with a depth and a good tone. This was a new one on me. So a lesson to be learned here. Locate going away from c/o when your near one and unbond everyting when you are near one. This may not be the answer your looking for, but it may help latter on.