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Re: [TowerTalk] DIY conduit locator?

To: "[TowerTalk]" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] DIY conduit locator?
From: "Joe Subich, W4TV" <lists@subich.com>
Date: Wed, 28 Oct 2020 15:19:41 -0400
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
On 2020-10-28 11:11 AM, Grant Saviers wrote:
> Trying to find a design for a empty conduit tracer.

Plastic or metal conduit?  Empty or in use?

I've used my old "tone and trace" device to find buried wires
(irrigation controls and valves) where I had some general idea
where they were.  Something along the order of this:
<https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwiPhN62_tfsAhXFnLMKHUqjCDMYABANGgJxbg&sig=AOD64_0Pp00PBuNdaGEXNM7c-CFrDS0vOQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwj1qta2_tfsAhWmpFkKHSq1BxEQ9aACegQIDhB6&adurl=>

Google "Wire tracer"

The alternative, if you have plastic/empty conduit is to push
a single wire through it, ground it at the far end and feed
the wire with an Elecraft XG3 at 0 dBm on 160 meters (tune it
down to your AM radio range if you can).  I suggest 160 tuned
down to AM so you can use the "null" of the AM loopstick to
better locate the signal.

73,

   ... Joe, W4TV


On 2020-10-28 11:11 AM, Grant Saviers wrote:
Trying to find a design for a empty conduit tracer.  We've dug at a couple of places at the 501c3 where it was "supposed to go", NG.  Seems to me this is a simple widget for energizing a test wire in the conduit or some sort of mouse - LF or magnetic placed on the end of a snake.

Some googling hasn't found a design so hoping a towertalkian has a design or link to one that works.  This 2" conduit was installed some time ago at 24" depth but where it routes is now lost.

The commercial tracers are $3000.  My budget is more like $20.  The usual AM radio and dongle SDR's are available.

Also interested for when I need it to exactly locate my coax conduits before digging.

Grant KZ1W
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