Dos
✓ Install new batteries in the transmitter before you begin your pig run
✓ Verify transmitter function with the pig in the launcher, before sending the pig
✓ Be patient – don’t get fooled by false signals
✓ Walk slowly and pause every 10 feet or so – let the system be still, vibrations may cause a false reading
Don’ts
✗ ‘Hard’ launch the pig – this can flatten the batteries and render the transmitter inoperative
✗ Ride a quad rather than walking – there will be too much vibration and you’ll get a false signal
✗ Start tracking without first locating the line
✗ Just walk the right of way (ROW) – you may be too far away from the pipeline to see a signal
Pipetech Tip:
The absolute best method to track and locate a pig is to “leap frog” as it moves to stay ahead of it. When using this method, two operators will each have a receiver. Each will set up at separate points along the pipeline and wait for the pig to pass a stationary point. When the pig passes the first operator, they will radio the second operator and then move downstream of operator #2. When the pig passes operator #2, they will radio the first operator, and move downstream of them. They leap frog each other to stay ahead of the pig as it progresses through the pipeline. This shortens the distance of your search – if the pig passes one operator and doesn’t reach the next operator, you walk from the location it didn’t reach, back to the last known point the pig passed.
If you have no experience working with pig tracking equipment, we always recommend our own tracking crew be sent out to do this for you. As always, get in touch with us to discuss your pig tracking needs!