Leica LASER ALIGNMENT DIGICAT 100 User manual

Leica DIGICAT 100/200
English
Français
Español

Leica DIGICAT 100/200
User Manual
Version 3.1
English

2DIGICAT 100/200Introduction
Introduction
Purchase Congratulations on your purchase of a DIGICAT instrument.
This manual contains important safety directions as well as instructions for setting up the
product and operating it. Refer to "9 Safety Directions" for further information.
Read carefully through the User Manual before you switch on the product.
Product identification The model and the serial number of your product are indicated on the type plate.
Enter the model and serial number in your manual and always refer to this information when
you need to contact your agency or Leica Geosystems authorized service workshop.
Type: _________________________
Serial No.: _________________________

Introduction DIGICAT 100/200 3
Symbols The symbols used in this manual have the following meanings:
Trademarks • DIGICAT is a registered trademark of Cable Detection Limited.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Type Description
Danger Indicates an imminently hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will
result in death or serious injury.
Warning Indicates a potentially hazardous situation or an unintended use which, if
not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.
Caution Indicates a potentially hazardous situation or an unintended use which, if
not avoided, may result in minor or moderate injury and/or appreciable
material, financial and environmental damage.
Important paragraphs which must be adhered to in practice as they enable
the product to be used in a technically correct and efficient manner.

4DIGICAT 100/200Table of Contents
Table of Contents
In this manual Chapter Page
1 How to Use this Manual 6
2 General Information 7
3 How the DIGICAT Functions 9
4 Basic Overview 10
5TracingModesSummary 15
6 How to Use the DIGICAT 17
7 The DIGISYSTEM and the DIGICAT 28
7.1 DIGISYSTEM 28
7.2 DIGITEX 29
7.3 SIGNAL CLAMP 30
7.4 PROPERTY CONNECTION SET 30
7.5 DIGITRACE 31
7.6 DIGIMOUSE 31
7.7 Locating with the DIGITEX 31
7.8 Locating the DIGIMOUSE 34
7.9 Wireless Communication 38

Table of Contents DIGICAT 100/200 5
8 Care and Transport 39
8.1 Transport 39
8.2 Storage 39
8.3 Cleaning and Drying 40
9SafetyDirections 41
9.1 General 41
9.2 Purpose 41
9.3 Limits of Use 42
9.4 Areas of Responsibilities 42
9.5 International Warranty 43
9.6 Hazards of Use 43
9.7 Electromagnetic Compatibility EMC 47
9.8 FCC Statement, Applicable in U.S. 50
10 Technical Data 52
Appendix A Functional Check 56
Appendix B Wireless Communication with DIGICAT 200GIS 62
Index 65

6DIGICAT 100/200How to Use this Manual
1 How to Use this Manual
It is recommended to set up the product while reading through this manual.
DIGICATTM100,
DIGICATTM200,
DIGICATTM200GIS
Is hereinafter referred to as DIGICAT.
Differences between the two models are marked and described. General pictures show a
DIGICAT 200 instrument.
DIGITEXTM8/33 Is hereinafter referred to as DIGITEX.
Index The index is at the back of the manual.
Instrument label On the DIGICAT instrument you will find a label that shows some important information by
means of illustrations. You will find some of these illustrations in this manual too. This
should help to get a clear connection between the instrument label and the information in
this manual.

General Information DIGICAT 100/200 7
2 General Information
Many services are
buried underground
Why we detect and
locate services
•Torepairthem
• To avoid (damaging) them
• To document them
Why do we require Underground Service
Location Systems ? This is Why!
Highway
?
????
Highway
Surface Water Drain
Foul Sewer Drain
Gas High and Low
Voltage Electricity

8DIGICAT 100/200General Information
How we detect and
locate services
• Using Plans and drawings:
Drawings, plans or information should always be obtained but they may be faulty or
incomplete. The difficulty of obtaining information about buried utility lines is that
nothing is visible.
• Electromagnetic location:
This method of locating buried pipes, cables and sewers has become almost universal.
The main shortcoming is that it will not locate non-metallic lines such as plastic pipes.
However, utilities taking the small amount of trouble to lay tracer wires with plastic pipes
are not affected by this shortcoming.
The technology has a large number of advantages and Leica Geosystems specialize in
developing and exploiting electromagnetic location technology.

How the DIGICAT Functions DIGICAT 100/200 9
3 How the DIGICAT Functions
Electromagnetic signals The DIGICAT locator detects the electromagnetic field, which is emitted by electrical currents
passing through metallic underground services. The DIGICAT converts the electromagnetic
field into an electrical signal, which then informs the user of the results of the detection via
the display panel.
Passive signals Different types of underground services emit different types of signals. Some signals are
already present on the service and can be readily detected by the DIGICAT. We call these
passive signals. Power distribution systems and radio transmitters.
Metallic services Some metallic underground services do not emit signals. These services may be traced by
applying a signal to the service using a DIGITEX.
Depth measurement Depth measurement is only available with DIGICAT 200!
Wireless communica-
tion
Data can be wirelessly transferred from the DIGICAT using an integrated radio communca-
tion device. This feature is only available with DIGICAT 200GIS!
Easy to use The DIGICAT has been designed to be very user friendly.
It is simple to use in many tracing situations without requiring highly trained operators.
Although the DIGICAT is a powerful tool, it is vital to obtain diagrams, drawings and other
information about the area to be traced.

10DIGICAT 100/200Basic Overview
4 Basic Overview
DIGICAT Controls and
features
a) Display Panel
Contains the operational controls.
b) Speakers (left and right)
Active when a signal is detected. A port for
an optional stethoscope headphone is
provided over each speaker.
A double beep indicates data being output;
only available with DIGICAT 200GIS.
c) On/Off Trigger
Pressing and holding the trigger activates
the DIGICAT.
d) Battery Hatch Release
Pressing the yellow release button unlocks
the Battery Hatch allowing access to the
battery compartment.
e) Battery Compartment
6 x LR6 (AA) batteries are used. Replace all
batteries once the battery pack becomes
exhausted.
f) Case Foot
This component can be replaced if it is
worn.
a
b
f
c
d
e

Basic Overview DIGICAT 100/200 11
DIGICAT 200 display
panel and controls a) Function control
Selects DIGICAT operating mode.
b) Mode indicators
Displays the selected mode Power, Radio,
8 kHz, 33 kHz (as shown, from bottom to top).
c) Battery indicator
Flashes when approximately 20% of battery
life remains. The rate of flashing increases as
the battery life declines.
d) Bar display
Indicates the response of the DIGICAT to a
signal.
e) Depth modes indicator
Light to show whether the DIGICAT is meas-
uring depth in line or sonde (DIGIMOUSE)
mode.
f) Numerical display
Shows the depth to the source of the signal
(line or sonde) when in depth mode; displayed
in metric or ft / inch units depending on the
model. Refer to "6 How to Use the DIGICAT" for
a full explanation.
It also shows that the logging feature is avail-
able and that data is being output; only avail-
able with DIGICAT 200GIS.
g) Depth function button
To read the depth of a signal, the button should be pressed once for line mode or pressed
and hold for sonde mode. Depth measurement only functions with the DIGICAT switched to
33 kHz and used in conjunction with a DIGITEX (line) or DIGIMOUSE (sonde).
The button is also used to activate the wireless data link and export the data to a compatible
wireless computing device.
a
b
cd
e
f
g

12DIGICAT 100/200Basic Overview
DIGICAT 100 display
panel and controls a) Pinpoint Up Control
Used in conjunction with the speakers to accu-
rately determine the position of the service.
b) Mode Control
Selects and indicates the DIGICAT 100 oper-
ating mode.
c) Mode indicators
Displays the selected mode Power, Radio,
8 kHz, 33 kHz (as shown, from bottom to top).
d) Battery indicator
Flashes when approximately 20% of battery
life remains. The rate of flashing increases as
the battery life declines.
e) Bar display
Indicates the response of the DIGICAT to a
signal.
f) Pinpoint Down Control
Used in conjunction with the speakers to accu-
rately determine the position of the service.
a
b
cd
e
f

Basic Overview DIGICAT 100/200 13
Best practise proce-
dure
The following is a suggested best practise procedure for using the DIGICAT.
Examine the area.
Obtain Utility drawings and other relevant information (if available).
Examine the area for evidence of recently installed services.
Mark out the area to be surveyed / excavated.
Make sure you are fully conversant with the DIGICAT and all its functions.
Conduct a sweep search within the marked area in POWER mode followed by RADIO mode.
Get to know the DIGICAT.
Ensure all users are fully conversant with its operation.
Ensure the DIGICAT is functioning correctly.
Practise over known underground services.
Thoroughly sweep the area in both power and radio modes.
Use a signal generator (e.g. DIGITEX) whenever possible.
Use the DIGICAT in the trench to check for further underground services after excavating
approx.0.3m/1ft.
The depth function is only available in 33 kHz generator mode and only with the
DIGICAT 200.
The wireless data communication is only available with the DIGICAT 200GIS.

14DIGICAT 100/200Basic Overview
Caution The absence of a positive indication does not guarantee the non-existence of a service.
The DIGICAT can only locate non-metallic services such as plastic pipes, typically used by the
water and gas utilities, with the use of appropriate accessories.
Precautions:
Always excavate with care.
Change battery 1. Battery indicator flashes when approxi-
mately 20% of battery life remains. The
rate of flashing increases as the battery
life declines.
2. Press the yellow release button to unlock
the Battery Hatch. Remove the battery
compartment from the DIGICAT.
3. Replace all batteries with six new
LR6 (AA) batteries.
Alkaline batteries should be used.

Tracing Modes Summary DIGICAT 100/200 15
5TracingModesSummary
Available operation
modes
The DIGICAT operates in the following modes:
• Power (Default Mode)
• Radio mode
• DIGITEX 8 kHz mode
•DIGITEX33kHzmode
• DIGITEX 33 kHz mode and depth measurements; only available with DIGICAT 200.
Power mode Frequency range: 50 Hz - 1.5 kHz
This is a passive mode – the signal, which the DIGICAT detects, is already present on the
service.
Used to trace live (energised) electrical power cables. Other services may emit power signals
due to currents flowing in them, such as metallic water pipes.
Radio mode Frequency range: 15 kHz - 30 kHz
This is a passive mode – the signal, which the DIGICAT detects, is already present on the
underground service.
Used to trace metallic services, which may or may not have a power signal present. The radio
signal originates from powerful transmitters, operating at frequencies detectable by the
DIGICAT.
DIGITEX 8 kHz mode Frequency range: 8192 ± 30 Hz
This is an active mode – the signal, which the DIGICAT detects, must be impressed onto the
service by a DIGITEX.
Used to trace and identify metallic services, by impressing a distinct signal onto the service,
allowing it to be traced above ground. The 8 kHz signal provides minimum cross coupling
(leakage of signal from one service to another), when tracing in congested areas where
many services are present.

16DIGICAT 100/200Tracing Modes Summary
DIGITEX 33 kHz mode Frequency range: 32768 ± 30 Hz
This is an active mode – the signal, which the DIGICAT detects, must be impressed onto the
service by a DIGITEX.
Used to trace and identify metallic services, by impressing a distinct signal onto the service,
allowing it to be traced above ground. The 33 kHz signal provides a greater locating inter-
ference rejection than 8 kHz, but with increased cross coupling (leakage of signal from one
service to another).
DIGITEX 33 kHz mode
and depth measure-
ments
Only available with DIGICAT 200.
33 kHz is the only mode used to obtain depth measurements. When the depth function
button is pressed and released, line mode is selected and will display the depth to the centre
of the line being traced. If a sonde is being used, the button should be pressed and held,
this will display the depth to the sonde. The depth reading is displayed for five seconds.
Wireless data commu-
nication
Only available with DIGICAT 200GIS.
1. When the depth reading is displayed, press and release the depth function button, the
display will indicate "LOG".
2. Press and release the depth function key again to activate the wireless data link and
export the data to a compatible wireless computing device.
Refer to "7.9 Wireless Communication" for further information.

How to Use the DIGICAT DIGICAT 100/200 17
6 How to Use the DIGICAT
DIGICAT start up test This is best done in an area free of underground services. Hold the DIGICAT vertically upright,
press and hold the yellow on/off trigger. The following test sequence will take place.
DIGICAT 200
ON Test Test pattern Information on instrument
label
Audio output On throughout test sequence
Meter display LEDs scroll through in
sequence (once)
Mode selection indicator LEDs scroll through in
sequence
Depth modes indicator LEDs scroll through test
pattern. Depth LED's come
on together "888".
Battery low indicator On throughout test
sequence.
Flashes at end of test
sequence if batteries are low.

18DIGICAT 100/200How to Use the DIGICAT
DIGICAT 100
Locating process The locating process is split into three steps:
• Sweep search
• Pinpointing
•Direction
These steps are described in detail on the following pages.
ON Test Test pattern Information on instrument
label
Audio output On throughout test sequence
Meter display LEDs scroll through in
sequence (once)
Mode selection indicator LEDs scroll through in
sequence
Battery low indicator On throughout test
sequence.
Flashes at end of test
sequence if batteries are low.