BGH86 Beacon for SubSite 750/752 Ditch Witch Locating System
BGH86 Beacon for SubSite 750/752 Ditch Witch Locating System
The SubSite 750/752 TKR is widely regarded as the most widely used locating system for Ditch Witch drilling rigs. The beacons most commonly paired with it belong to the 86-series: 86B, 86BH, 86BG, and their variants. Each of these has its own drawbacks — the 86B delivers relatively modest signal output, the 86BH has a noticeably higher current draw, and the 86BG consumes an almost excessive amount of power despite its high pitch accuracy. On top of that, due to the architecture of their electronics, all three are prone to unpredictable behavior inside different drill heads, including intermittent signal dropout.We set out to combine the strengths of the entire 86-series into a single beacon for the SubSite 750/752 platform— and eliminate the weaknesses at the same time. In our view, the result is a success.TheBGH86 brings together the best characteristics of the 86-series beacons. The table below compares key parameters across the lineup:
Parameter
86B
86BH
86BG
BGH86
Max depth (interference-free)
15.24 m / 50 ft
21.3 m / 70 ft
15.24 m / 50 ft
22 m / 72 ft
Pitch accuracy
±1%
±1%
±0.1% up to 45° slope, ±1% from 45° to 100°
±0.1% up to 45° slope, ±1% from 45° to 100°
Current draw (open air)
30–50 mA
<75 mA
<170 mA
22–25 mA
Battery life (standard C-size)
50 hours
35 hours
18 hours
70 hours
Battery life (NagoTwin lithium)
125 hours
90 hours
45 hours
175 hours
Standard batteries: Energizer or Duracell, size C.
Pitch Accuracy ±0.1% — Matching the 86BG
One of the standout — though sometimes underappreciated — features of the BGH86 is that it brings high-precision pitch measurement to what would otherwise be a general-purpose beacon. That ±0.1% accuracy was previously reserved for the specialized 86BG, designed for storm drain and sewer installations. Now all of that capability is packed into a single unit.
Up to 175 Hours of Runtime — Outperforming the 86B
Here is what makes the BGH86 genuinely unique: at ±0.1% pitch accuracy, its current draw in open air is just25 mA. Runtime reaches175 hours on Twin lithium cells, or 70 hours on standard alkaline batteries — measured in a drill head. Compare that to the OEM alternatives on standard batteries:
86B — 50 hours
86BH — 35 hours
86BG — 18 hours
22 m Depth — On Par with the 86BH
Despite the ultra-low current consumption, operating range has been extended to 22 meters, putting it in the same class as the deep-range 86BH.Note: how to estimate maximum working depth for an HDD beaconThe depth figures in beacon specifications represent the maximum data reception range(pitch, roll) under ideal, interference-free conditions. Actual field depth will be lower. For SubSite 750/752 locating systems, a practical rule of thumb is:
After calibration, switch the beacon off.
Measure the "virtual" depth from ambient interference (press the DEPTH button and read the display). The real reliable working depth for data reception will be approximately 70% of that virtual reading.
Signal Dropout Fixed — Broken Antenna No Longer Causes Loss of Signal
One of the persistent issues across the 86-series — intermittent signal dropout — has been resolved in the BGH86. The root cause was antenna failure: physical damage to the ferrite rod inside the beacon. Ferrite is brittle, and impact or intense vibration can crack it. When that happens, the beacon can no longer maintain the required output level, resulting in sporadic signal loss.We redesigned the antenna drive circuit so that even with a damaged ferrite rod, output power remains unchanged. Current draw may increase slightly in that scenario — runtime on standard batteries would drop from around 80 hours to roughly 50–60 — but in most real-world conditions you may not notice the difference at all.
Conclusion
The BGH86 was made possible by years of hands-on repair work with SubSite beacons. Back in 2011, for instance, we built a custom SubSite 750 beacon with a 27–28 m working range for a river crossing bore. Beacons with antenna-related signal dropout are a routine repair job — and working through those cases led us to develop a new antenna power supply design that keeps the beacon transmitting at full strength even with physical antenna damage.The result is a fully upgraded 86-series beacon: 22 m working depth, ±0.1% pitch accuracy, 175 hours of runtime on lithium cells.The BGH86 is available now! Link below: https://www.sondex.shop/collections/subsite/products/ss-86
