Single and multi-trace omnidirectional sonde and line locators and transmitter used therewith
At least one antenna array including three mutually orthogonal antennas each sharing a common center point senses an electromagnetic signal emitted by a buried object such as a utility line, pipe or sonde. A circuit at least partially mounted in a housing is connected to the array and determines a location of the buried object by measuring signal strength and field angles in three dimensions without having to align the antenna array relative to the buried object while eliminating nulls and false peaks. A graphical user interface (GUI) has user-friendly icons, symbols, menus, numbers and graphical and auditory representation of signal strength. A plurality of different underground objects can be simultaneously detected and their different locations can be simultaneously indicated to a user via audible sounds and/or visual images on a display.
1. A transmitter for use with an underground utilities locator, comprising:
a portable housing;
a control panel mounted on the housing for receiving manually inputted commands;
an electronic circuit mounted in the housing for receiving the commands from the control panel and generating a predetermined electrical output signal in response to the commands, including means for selecting one of a plurality of different frequency bands and means for selecting a channel frequency within the selected one of the bands that is uniquely associated with one of a plurality of different types of utilities;
means for coupling the predetermined electrical output signal across a selected underground utility; and
the control panel including means for providing a visible luminous signal in a color that is normally associated with a particular type of underground utility when a channel frequency for tracing that type of underground utility has been manually selected.
2. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the control panel includes a keypad.
3. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the control panel includes a display and the electronic circuit is connected to the display for depicting alphanumeric and graphic information indicating the selected commands.
4. The transmitter of claim 1 wherein the control panel includes means driven by the electronic circuit to indicate to a user that a hazardous voltage across the selected underground utility has been detected.