HDD locating systems

The Mag X walk-over locators from Underground Magnetics, with Echo and Armor VTX sondes.

The product

Locating from Underground Magnetics

A walk-over locating system tells the driller where the drill head is: its depth, pitch and roll, and where it is heading. DHT Europe supplies the Mag X series from Underground Magnetics — three locators that share the same frequency range and telemetry, and differ in display, GPS and the sondes they run.

Every Mag X system works on 16 frequencies from 0.325 to 41 kHz, including the sub-kHz rebar frequencies for work under reinforced concrete and wire mesh. Both the frequency and the power level are changed while the sonde is down the hole, and telemetry reaches the display at the rig from up to 900 m. Bore logging is built in: every rod is recorded, utility crossings are added as you expose them, and the finished report is e-mailed from the display or synced to the UMmaps web portal.

The sonde decides the range. The Echo series runs from the 16 cm Echo ST for tracing existing conduit to the Echo 110 with 110 m depth and data range. The Armor VTX sondes have a steel body, three power levels and all 16 frequencies, reach up to 120 m and are used with the Mag X GEO.

  • 16 frequencies from 0.325 to 41 kHz
  • Telemetry up to 900 m on four radio channels
  • Frequency and power level changed down-hole
  • Built-in bore logging, synced to UMmaps
  • Locators IP65, sondes IP67 — accuracy ±5 %
  • Sondes with a range of up to 120 m
Specifications

Locators and sondes

Choose the locator, then the sonde for the depth and the housing you run. Press Get quote on any row and we come back with a quote, stock and lead time.

Mag X locators

All three: 16 frequencies 0.325–41 kHz, four radio channels with telemetry up to 900 m, accuracy ±5 %, IP65 and built-in bore logging. Radio in Europe: 433 MHz on the Mag X PRO and COR, 869 MHz on the Mag X GEO, which can also send its data over the mobile network. Locator size 73.5 × 23 × 33 cm (GEO 73.5 × 23 × 35.5 cm); the 7″ display at the rig is 19 × 13 × 19 cm and weighs 1.5 kg.

Model Part number Display Antenna GPS Battery life Weight Sondes Quote

Echo sondes

Range and run time are given per power level, lowest first. With the 261020 cell the Echo 50XF runs 60 / 15 h. Echo sondes are IP67, withstand up to 88 °C and have 24 roll positions and 0.1 % pitch resolution.

The Echo sonde range from Underground Magnetics, seven sizes
Model Part number Ø × length Frequencies Range Battery Run time Quote

Armor VTX sondes

Steel body, three power levels and 16 frequencies from 0.325 to 41 kHz. Used with the Mag X GEO. With a 261020 primary cell the VTX50 and VTX75 run up to 300 h on low power. The Armor VTX85 fits standard Ditch Witch housings.

Model Part number Ø × length Frequencies Range Battery Run time Quote

Accessories

Batteries and housings for the Echo sondes.

Model Part number Contents For Quote

Spec sheets and manuals

Underground Magnetics' own documents for the Mag X series. The manual and the quick-start guide are available in several languages.

Spec sheets (PDF, English)
Mag X manual (PDF)
Quick-start guide (PDF)

Data per Underground Magnetics, spec sheets 2025; range is depth and data range and depends on interference. Run time is with rechargeable cells. Mag X, Echo and Armor VTX are products of Underground Magnetics; product images: Underground Magnetics. Ditch Witch® is a trademark of The Charles Machine Works, Inc.

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