Midspan measurements capture wire heights at crossing points between two poles. This guide covers the most common issues fielders encounter with midspan collection, along with steps to resolve them. For a complete overview of all measurement types, see Utility Scout Measurement Workflows.
In This Guide
How Midspan Measurement Works
Midspan points appear on the map as red diamonds between two connected poles. When you measure a midspan, the app uses your camera and AR sensors to calculate the height of wires at that crossing point. You can measure midspans in either Standard or High Accuracy mode.
The general process is:
Tap the midspan diamond on the map
Tap Measure Midspan (long-press to choose Standard or High Accuracy)
Place the reference marker at the drop point under the lines
Walk back and capture the photo
Add attachment markers where the lines cross
Tap Finalize
Tip: If midspan heights seem off, try adjusting the ground reference line. After capturing the photo, drag the bottom reference line to align with the actual ground level. This can correct measurements when the AR baseline calculation is slightly off. Tap the reset button to return the line to its default position.
Heights Seem Wrong
If midspan wire heights are coming back inaccurate or inconsistent, work through these steps:
Update to the latest version of Utility Scout
Recent updates fixed several calibration shift issues that affected standard accuracy midspan measurements. Check the App Store and make sure you're running the latest version before troubleshooting further.
Adjust the draggable ground reference line
After capturing the midspan photo, a ground reference line appears on the image. If heights seem off, drag this line up or down to align it with the actual ground level. This corrects the measurement baseline when the AR ground calculation was slightly off. Use the reset button to return the line to its default position if needed.
Check the Bottom Pole Length setting (High Accuracy mode)
If you're using High Accuracy mode with the stick and bipod, make sure the Bottom Pole Length setting matches your physical stick configuration. For details on stick settings, see Measurement Calibration and Stick Settings. Setting 1 is for the standard three-section (6 ft) setup, and Setting 2 is for the four-section (8 ft) setup. An incorrect setting here will throw off all height calculations.
Recapture the photo if AR drift occurred
AR drift can cause the reference point to shift during the walk-back, which affects the baseline for all measurements. If the measurement line looks off or the ground reference doesn't match reality, recapturing the photo may produce better results.
Tip: Recent app updates (March 2026) resolved several midspan calibration issues, including measurement line shifting in captured photos and 2-section stick calibration for midspan. If you experienced these issues previously, updating to the latest version of Utility Scout should resolve them.
White Marker Not Appearing
In Standard mode, a white AR dot should appear when the camera opens. If you don't see it:
Make sure you're using an iPhone 14 Pro or newer. Older or base-model iPhones may not support the full AR features needed for midspan measurement.
Restart the app. Force close Utility Scout and reopen it, then try the measurement again.
Restart the phone. A full device restart can clear temporary sensor issues.
Check your iOS version. Make sure you're running the latest iOS update.
Note: The white dot has a range of about 15 feet. If you're too far from the measurement point, the dot may not be visible. Walk closer to where you want to place the reference marker.
App Stuck After Capture
If you've captured the midspan photo and added attachments but the Next or Finalize button doesn't respond:
Update the app. Check the App Store for the latest version of Utility Scout. This issue was addressed in a recent update.
Force close and reopen. Your captured data should still be saved. Reopen the job and check if the midspan shows as collected.
Re-sync. Make sure sync is enabled (check the green toggle in the top left). Force a sync by tapping the status indicator.
Tip: Always keep Utility Scout updated to the latest version. Many field issues are resolved in app updates that are released regularly through the App Store.
Midspans Not Exporting to Katapult
If midspan data isn't showing up in Katapult after an export:
Check that the midspan is associated with a span. Each midspan must be connected to a parent span (the line between two poles). If the association is missing, the export won't include that midspan. See the next section for how to fix this.
Try re-exporting the job. In some cases, individual items may not transfer on the first attempt. Running the export again will pick up anything that was missed.
Check for export errors. Look at the export status in the web portal. If there are error warnings listed, note them and see Troubleshooting Export Errors or contact support with the details.
Important: Do not delete or archive a span after a midspan measurement has been taken on it. Removing the parent span breaks the midspan's association and will prevent it from exporting. If you need to restructure connections, contact support first.
Midspan Not Associated with a Span
If you see a "not assigned to a span" warning for a midspan:
This can happen if the parent span was deleted, archived, or modified after the midspan was measured
You can try reassigning the midspan to the correct span using the web portal tools
If reassignment doesn't resolve the issue, contact support with the job name and midspan details. The team can manually fix the association on the backend.
Tips & Reminders
Keep the app updated. Many midspan issues are resolved in app updates.
Do not delete or archive spans that have midspan measurements attached to them
In Standard mode, place a bright-colored disc or marker on the ground at the drop point before starting. This gives you a visual reference to confirm the measurement point is accurate.
If the AR line drifts in Standard mode, walk back toward the reference point to let it snap back into place
Use the draggable ground reference line to fine-tune the measurement baseline after capturing a photo
High Accuracy mode with the bipod provides more consistent results for midspan measurements
If an export is missing midspan data, try re-exporting before contacting support