Ground Penetrating Radar

[kayssupply]

Does anyone have any experience with ground penetrating radar? My son and I are researching getting into it. It can "see" PVC pipe , fiberglass tanks, rebar in concrete, old ditch lines, sewer taps down to 15 ' ( 30' with optional antenna ) basically anything different than the soil it is in. Does it sound like something any of you would use if it were available to you? We are trying to find a niche. There are too many excavators in our area. If we can work for them not against them It might be a easier road.

[lamarbur]

They're used a lot here in New England area. Bad septicv lines that are "lost", especially good use is for all the old gas stations that have to ahve fuel and drain oil tanks found, then removed.

[ksss]

I have seen the ads for the companys that make them but have never seen one work in the field. It sounds like a good idea. Its got to be better then spending time tearing up yards, roads, and concrete looking for utilities. I would be curious as to what insurance would cost. If you fail to locate something (expensive) like fiber optic and it gets hit it; the liability would be huge. The one call utility locator companys around here seem to go under on a regular basis due to miss marking.

[Currier]

Off topic, but any idea on how you would find someone who offers this service? Right now I am trying to find a "hidden" septic tank and I could really use someone with a tool like that!

[kayssupply]

I contacted some manufactures when I first started looking into this. They gave me a list of people in my state they sold units to.
I have put a sewer rod onto the sewer from the house and then used a signal generating locator attached to it. If it is basement deep that would make it tougher to find though. The radar would do it easy though.

[bob]

Not to get too much off the topic, but I saw them use this several times on CSI and the forensic shows on the Discovery channel. It must be expensive.

[Skippy]

The local VARMEER dealer was supposed to bring one out for us to try but we never saw it. It looked neat and sounded like a good thing but I couldn't imagine what insurance would be.

[kayssupply]

Originally posted by Skippy
The local VARMEER dealer was supposed to bring one out for us to try but we never saw it. It looked neat and sounded like a good thing but I couldn't imagine what insurance would be.

That is what turned us off to starting a business using it. My agent told me my liability insurance I currently have would cover me once. After that I probably wouldn't be able to ever buy it again under my name.