RD 4000 or Seektech 60

**martinv** · May 5th, 2009, 07:25 PM

Scap and RD....Thanks for the insight into 65.5.
I have been trying to find out it the RD8000 generator can be controled from a seperate Source other than the RD8000 Locator.
Separate Hand Held remote, Bluetooth Phone, PDA etc.....?
Just toying with the option of using the 8000 Geni with the Seektech-60 Locator. Not that I can afford one, but may be something to aspire to...!!
Have put the question to Radiodetection, but not getting an answer.
Has anybody on the Forum got contacts in the R&D Department or any insight into the Bluetooth control of the RD8000 Geni.

**martinv** · May 8th, 2009, 04:16 AM

Well the oficial word Back from RD is that a Bluetooth enabled RD8000 Geni can only be controled from a Bluetooth enabled RD8000 locator..... not a great supprise...... would have been nice if it could have worked "stand alone" with other locators.

**icor611** · June 16th, 2009, 09:36 PM

What is the best locator out there? I have a RD8000 and am looking for some other that might fill in the gaps.

**scap** · June 18th, 2009, 01:06 AM

it's not about the machine...it's about the guy swinging it...

it's like fishing...a guy with a cane pole can sit on a bank and catch ten pound bass all day long and go four times over his legal limit, because he knows the ins and outs of fishing......... while some other guy in a brand new bass boat with a 300.00 rod and reel combo can ride around and not catch a damn thing...

go with the 4000 and save money...

**pipehorn hog** · June 18th, 2009, 08:38 AM

ive used both rd 4000 amd the seek teck 330q i think it is had some problems with the seek teck would work real good then you would lose the line and it would go eveywhere. found out real quick not to turn it up to 100 right off the bat . it has a lot of frequencys in it so you can use other receivers with it . once i got the hang off keeping the power down and getting the ground way out there it works pretty good . used the sonde for a lot of stuff works well

**spencer newson** · December 9th, 2009, 05:15 AM

Rd do have a the rd385 and the itrack both i believe are used for directional drilling applications in nlocating the drilling head hope this helps

**[HAF]Foxtrot** · December 9th, 2009, 12:35 PM

Rd 4000

**GPGrasshopper** · December 9th, 2009, 09:39 PM

Originally Posted by martinv

A 7000 or 8000 would be great, but I think well outside of our budget....... where do you recommend I check for the best deal New or Used.....?

I know a bunch of guys with the new RD8000. Most of them do NOT like it. They love the 4000, but they are having a lot of trouble keeping the 8000's out of the shop.
I like the 4000 better than the SeekTech, but if Vivax is the list of potential machines, go for the Vivax VLoc pro. That is a killer unit. I am an old Metrotech and Subsite guy. I heard about the Vivax unit from a Viner, and I gotta say, it is one of the better units I have used. Best of RD andthe best of MetroTech in one package, and the cost is low compared to machines with similar features. You can pick one up for about 3,700.

**headcipher** · December 9th, 2009, 11:34 PM

Originally Posted by GPGrasshopper

I like the 4000 better than the SeekTech, but if Vivax is the list of potential machines, go for the Vivax VLoc pro. That is a killer unit. I am an old Metrotech and Subsite guy. I heard about the Vivax unit from a Viner, and I gotta say, it is one of the better units I have used. Best of RD andthe best of MetroTech in one package, and the cost is low compared to machines with similar features. You can pick one up for about 3,700.

Vivax and Metrotech are working together now, can't wait to see what they put out.

Anyone have an inside line?

**paintitnow** · December 10th, 2009, 12:48 AM

I have only used the RD's. I had a chance to use the RD8000 for a few hours while they were shuttling me a replacement RD4000 transmitter. The receiver was light about the weight of a paint stick. The design i am sure there will be a lot of broken ones. I wish they had put a louder volume on it. Someone said in another post he wish they make the equipment more durable, I agree. Just the bag alone for the RD4000 tells you their R&D do not understand what someone who has to do 50+ locates needs and equipment that is going to be picked up and put down hundreds a times along with being pulled out and put back in a truck dozens of times.

**spencer newson** · December 10th, 2009, 07:48 AM

i currantly run the Rd 4000, which i find real heavy after lugging the bugger around all day, so occasionally i go back to the ole 400 which is so much lighter. i also find the 400 more sensitive and it never lets me down.
i have used the new 8000 which looks and feels so much better but unfortunatly the company i work for can't afford one right now which is a damn shame i shall look up the vivax vloc pro not sure if i can get this in England but what i would say is the the two passive modes on the 4000 need to be sorted out and i hope they have sorted it with the 8000

"peace is a dirty word" The Cult

**headcipher** · December 10th, 2009, 11:46 AM

Originally Posted by spencer newson

i currantly run the Rd 4000, which i find real heavy after lugging the bugger around all day, so occasionally i go back to the ole 400 which is so much lighter. i also find the 400 more sensitive and it never lets me down.
i have used the new 8000 which looks and feels so much better but unfortunatly the company i work for can't afford one right now which is a damn shame i shall look up the vivax vloc pro not sure if i can get this in England but what i would say is the the two passive modes on the 4000 need to be sorted out and i hope they have sorted it with the 8000

Should be easier to get there. Vivax parent company is based in Europe.

**Linerider** · February 8th, 2010, 10:02 PM

I have the 4000 and a seektech SR20. They both have their place.

The SR20 has a datastream via a serial port that spews out the depth and current that allows me to mix with GPS data to perform really cool DOC (Depth Of Cover) surveys. The SR20 has also has a really good passive mode that has allowed me to pick up things NOTHING else was able to do. It is, however, not so good in a conjested area.

The 4000 is a workhorse. Robust (though heavy) and reliable as anything. For most of my difficult locating, this one gets used the most as it is very refined. They are not very good for 2 man blind sweeps.

I don't see much mention of the Japanese models by Fuji Tecom on this site. These are fantastic for inductive work and once you're used to them, you'll trust it more than just about anything, especially while 2-man sweeping for unknown structures.

I carry all three in every truck. Sometimes I carry my 400 too.