Multiple Tone Generators on a pair 6

[KZ9Y]

Would more than one tone generator put more noise on a pair to make a difference in picking up the tone, for instance - under a raised floor - without picking up the tiles to visibly trace a cable?

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[Lostpbx]

Not as much as connecting one of your tone generators leads to a good ground. If I'm having a hard time finding a pair I will tie the red clip to the ring side of a pair and the black to ground and it will increase the noise output a lot more.

 

[SYQUEST]

Another trick is to split pairs, Ring and Ring or Tip of another pair with the tone generator. It makes a better transmitter antenna that way. The tighter twist the more restrictive the radiation to surrounding area, less propagation .

....JIM....

 

[KZ9Y]

Thanks for your comments so far.

The transmitter - antenna - receiver components are what got me thinking about putting more voltage on a pair ...

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[KZ9Y]

Thanks to Lostpbx and SYQUEST.

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[skip555]

Another trick is to split pairs, Ring and Ring or Tip of another pair with the tone generator. It makes a better transmitter antenna that way. The tighter twist the more restrictive the radiation to surrounding area, less propagation .

not only that , it spreads the tone out within the jacket making it more likely for the probe to "hit " a pair

the trick of one lead to ground gets you in the ballpark but I have trouble id'ing the particular cable with the tone so strong

 

[SYQUEST]

Sometimes our "tricks" experience trial and error, then we come up with new "tricks". I have had that experience when it propagates too much, but it got me in the area I needed to be.

....JIM....

 

[KZ9Y]

That's what I was looking for - lots of noise - to follow a 25 pr. cable in a crawl space. Without going in to the crawl space!

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[mforrence]

@M3904DBA - I think you'll still need to be within a couple of inches of the cable jacket - it's not going to work thru the floor.
Mike

 

[skip555]

I would put one end of the tone on a single wire from each group (wh/bl re/bl bl/bl yl /bl vl /bl ) then the other lead to a good earth ground and it MIGHT work through the floor

or try multi tones hooked up the same way

let us know if it works

what you really need is a cable hound

 

[Bob3470]

Some of the older tones(not electronic) you could use a small portable radio and pick up static thru a wall. I havent tried this with the newer tones.

 

[mikeydidit]

Most all tone probes are setup with pins out of the back of them. This lets you connect your buttset up to the probe and hear the tone at a lot farther distance than you could by just listening to the probe itself. This gets you close and may even work through the floor.

Just a thought..

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For the best response to a question, read faq690-6594

 

[KTM72]

There is an old outside plant tool commonly referred to as a "hound dog" which is basically a toner on steroids. The suggestions about going to a good ground though are valid. I would call around a few outside plant splicers and see if anyone has a hound dog if you cant get a solution using your existing gear.

I was miserable, then someone told me "smile and be happy, things could be worse". So I smiled and was happy...and they were right, things were worse!

 

[KZ9Y]

Thanks all!

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[clidpri]

the best trick of all time is to label all the cables to begin with. it takes only about 2 sec. and keep a record of what loc. number is connected to what. especially in a raised floor computer room.
that's my opinion but it'll never happen

 

[SYQUEST]

Unfortunately, many installers and techs don't take the time to do the planning and documentation for those that come after them!

It is just "wam bam thank you ma'am" and they are out the door!

....JIM....

 

[RikRodgers]

If the 25pr you're toning is cat 3, and not cat 5, you may get away with a toner trick to find it.

In that scenario, sometimes it's quicker to wear an old pair of jeans, and get dirty.

 

[pbx2sip]

IF you can find a miliwatt tone, rather than a simple toner, you will get a much louder signal out of it.

The old style probes were much better at picking up the signals, you used to be able to trace them through the walls and ceilings by attaching a butt set to them. I think we called them pickle tones if my memory serves me.

 

[skip555]

banana probes in these parts

 

[pbx2sip]

Yep, thats the original. I remember working as a contractor to one of the local telephone companies. They had not discovered them yet, and used to call us to help them trace cables quicker. Nice paying work to just go out and trace cables for the telco. The contractor we worked for gave us these as a Christmas bonus when they first came out. It was pretty cool technology for its time.