Using utility locators / external sensors

Use a utility locator / external sensor connected via Bluetooth to capture information and automatically store it to specific "sensor" fields in a TerraFlex form. For example:

  • you might want to capture how far below the surface an underground utility like a power cable or water pipe is buried; using an external sensor enables you to measure the depth of the buried asset.

  • you might need to capture the height of an asset you cannot reach.

The data from the sensor then automatically populates specific fields in a TerraFlex form when collecting data.

with Android devices:

  • LaserTech TruPulse 200 laser rangefinder

  • LaserTech TruPulse 200X laser rangefinder

  • LaserTech TruPulse 200i laser rangefinder

  • LaserTech TruPulse 360° laser rangefinder

  • LaserTech TruPulse 360i laser rangefinder

  • LaserTech TruePulse 360°R laser rangefinder

  • SPX Radiodetection RD8100 underground utility locator

  • SPX Radiodetection RD8200 underground utility locator

  • Vivax Metrotech vLoc3-Pro underground utility locator

with iOS devices:

  • LaserTech TruPulse 200X laser rangefinder

  • LaserTech TruPulse 200i laser rangefinder

  • LaserTech TruPulse 360i laser rangefinder

  1. Once you have paired to the external sensor (see the using the locators section).

  2. In TerraFlex tap / GNSS configuration.

  3. Scroll down to the External Sensor section. From the list of devices, tap the device you want to connect to.

    If the device you want is not listed, tap Scan for more devices.

  4. Once connected to a Vivax or Radiodetection underground utility locator, you can select from either Locator-Driven or Manual for the collection type.

    1. The Locator driven collection type is automatically selected when connected to a supported utility locator (Vivax or Radiodetection). Both GNSS and sensor data are collected at the same time when the locator measurement is received by TerraFlex. Sending a locator measurement will create points for templates with sensor fields and also create new vertices in lines and areas.

      • The Record utility elevation setting will also be enabled by default. This automatically adjusts the forms height value based on the locators depth value. The Record utility elevation is only available in real time projects and not available in post-processing.

    2. The Manual collection type will only parse locator data into sensor fields. No further actions will be triggered by the locator measurements.

You can capture data about forms that are underground.

  1. Once your External Sensor is connected, open a form template with sensor fields enabled.

  2. Use the controls on the sensor to fire the sensor and capture the required data. "Sensor" fields are automatically populated in the data collection form. See Collecting new data, Updating an existing form, and Working with tasks.

  3. If Locator driven mode and Record utility elevation is enabled, then your GNSS position will also be captured, and the z value will be adjusted by the locator's depth reading automatically, to record the utility's true height.

To pair the sensor with your device

  1. Turn on the Vivax Metrotech vLoc3-Pro underground utility locator.

  2. On your device, go to the Bluetooth settings screen and scan for devices; select the vLoc3-Pro_Serialnumber sensor.

  3. The Bluetooth symbol on the Vivax Metrotech vLoc3-Pro underground utility locator turns blue, and the TerraFlex software shows the sensor as connected.

NOTE – Do not use the pairing function on the Vivax Metrotech vLoc3-Pro underground utility locator to connect to your device.

If the Vivax Metrotech vLoc3-Pro underground utility locator is used across multiple devices, this pairing process may need to be redone when going back to previously-used devices.

If TerraFlex shows the sensor as connected and the Bluetooth icon on the sensor is blue, but no data is being received in TerraFlex, turn the sensor off and on, then reconnect.

To pair the sensor with your device

  1. Turn on the sensor.

  2. Press to open the menu, then use the / arrows to scroll to the Bluetooth menu.

  3. Press to open the Bluetooth menu, then scroll to the Pair menu.

  4. Press again to open the Pair menu, then scroll to the BT-PC option.

  5. Press to start pairing.

  6. On your device, go to the Bluetooth settings screen and scan for devices; select the SPX Radiodetection RD8100 / RD8200 sensor.

  7. If requested, enter the PIN / passcode as 1234.

NOTE – If RD8100 / RD8200 underground utility locator is used across multiple devices, this pairing process may need to be redone when going back to previously-used devices.

If data from the sensor is not being received by TerraFlex, "forget" the sensor from your paired devices, the re-pair following the steps above.

The sensor is not showing in the Bluetooth scan list

On some devices, the sensor will show as unnamed in the list of devices in TerraFlex. If the sensor does not appear in the scan list the first time you are connecting to it, make sure you have paired it with your device as described above, and then enable the Show Bluetooth devices without names settings:

  1. Go to your device's Settings / About Phone.

  2. Tap the build number seven times, to enable Developer options.

  3. Go to Developer Options.

  4. Enable Show Bluetooth devices without names.

  5. Connect to the RD8xxx in the device's system Bluetooth settings where it will show as an unnamed Bluetooth device.

  6. Return to TerraFlex.

    When connected in the device's system Bluetooth settings, the expected RD8xxx name shows in the system Bluetooth settings and in TerraFlex.

To check that the sensor is set to the correct protocol—ASCII Format 1

To be supported by TerraFlex, the RD8100 / RD8200 underground utility locator must be set to ASCII Format 1. If it is set to PPP or ASCII Format 2-3, the sensor message cannot be parsed by TerraFlex. To check that the sensor is set to ASCII Format 1:

  1. Press to open the menu, then use the / arrows to scroll to the Bluetooth menu.

  2. Press to open the Bluetooth menu, then scroll to the PROT menu.

  3. Press to open the PROT menu, then scroll to the ASCII menu.

  4. Press to open the ASCII menu, then scroll to the number 1.

  5. Press five times to select ASCII format 1 and navigate back to the data collection screen.

To turning GPS+ On / Off

  1. Press to open the menu, then use the / arrows to scroll to the Bluetooth menu.

  2. Press to open the Bluetooth menu, then scroll to the GPS+ menu.

  3. Press to open the GPS+ menu, then scroll to ON or OFF.

  4. Press five times to select ON/OFFand navigate back to the data collection screen.