Nav-Tech Beats Passive Interference
Rebar Packs A One-Two Punch For This HDD Crew
Nav-Tech Horizontal Directional Drilling has operated in the Southern United States for over 20 years. Specializing in utility installation for customers both big and small, Nav-Tech is well known for its high quality of work within the territory.
On this particular project, Nav-Tech's jobsite in downtown Columbia, South Carolina, was plagued by heavy active and passive interference. As a result, the crew faced significant delays and needed a solution that could make up the lost time. They needed a solution that would overcome BOTH the active interference caused by operating in an urban area as well as the passive interference encountered while drilling under steel-reinforced concrete.
They also needed equipment able to deliver the accuracy to hit a 7" wide exit target.
After a few unsuccessful blind drill attempts Nav-Tech was ready to pull the plug but instead reached out to DCI for help.
Confident he had the solution, DCI Field Service Manager Terry Crosier met with the Nav-Tech team. Terry walked the crew through the proper operation of the Falcon F5 system and rebar transmitter. The team was able to lock-in on the right frequency bands with the F5 locating system and battle the active interference. After adding the rebar transmitter to their setup, Nav-Tech finished two 500-foot shots perfectly on target. With another successful shot behind them, Nav-Tech decided to add a Falcon F5 system with a rebar transmitter to their tool kit, allowing them to better serve their customers and complete challenging projects.
"In addition to steel infested sidewalks and lots of existing utilities the job was challenging. We attempted the job with two different sondes with no success. I contacted DCI Field Rep Terry Crosier, and he met us with the Falcon F5 and the rebar sonde. Ultimately, the Falcon F5 with rebar did the job."Chad Spiva Nav-Tech Directional Drilling
The DigiTrak Falcon F5 system with Sub-k Rebar capabilities lets crews fine-tune their transmitter to take on any interference condition they come up against. Thanks to the Falcon F5 exclusive band optimization & Sub-k frequencies, Nav-Tech was able to scan the area they planned to drill in and select the frequency best suited for this unique project. Where older fixed-frequency systems had failed, Falcon, with its ability to scan over a thousand frequencies, had no trouble turning this difficult job into a successfully completed project.