Noggin 1000 Smart Cart, User Manual

Page 1: ...Users Manual Version 1 1 ...

Page 2: ...Smart Systems User s Manual Version 1 1 ii ...

Page 3: ...ous interference will not unduly cause an instrument apparatus device to stop functioning or to function in a faulty manner Based on independent testing house measurements Sensors Software Inc systems comply with such regulations in Canada USA European Community and most other jurisdictions One must remember that Sensors Software Inc s products are designed specifically to sense electromagnetic fi...

Page 4: ...of subsurface imaging products being used near blasting caps and unexploded ordnance UXO Experience with blasting caps indicates that the power of Sensors Software Inc s products are not sufficient to trigger blasting caps Based on a conservative independent testing house analysis we recommend keeping the subsurface imaging transmitters at least 5 feet 2m from blasting cap leads as a precaution Th...

Page 5: ... laws Grant of SOFTWARE PRODUCT Licence In consideration of payment of the license fee which is part of the price you pay for this product and your agreement to abide by the terms and conditions of this License Agreement SSI grants to you the Licensee a non exclusive right to use the SOFTWARE PRODUCT under the following conditions You may use the SOFTWARE PRODUCT on a single workstation owned leas...

Page 6: ...s of the SOFTWARE PRODUCT postage prepaid with a copy of the receipt If failure of the diskette or hardware component resulted from accident abuse or misapplication SSI shall have no responsibility to replace the diskette refund the license fee or replace the hardware component NOTE DO NOT TAMPER WITH UNIT No user serviceable parts in unit If tampering is evident warranty is void and null No oral ...

Page 7: ...breaches by the other party Acknowledgement You acknowledge that you have read this agreement understand it and agree to be bound by its terms and conditions You further agree that this agreement is the complete and exclusive statement of agreement between the parties and supersedes all proposals or prior agreements oral or written between the parties relating to the subject matter of this agreeme...

Page 8: ...Smart Systems User s Manual Version 1 1 viii ...

Page 9: ...view of Noggin Menu Options 19 5 1 1 Run 19 5 1 2 Demo 19 5 1 3 Noggin Setup 19 5 1 4 Transfer All Buffers 19 5 1 5 Delete All Buffers 20 5 1 6 Upgrades 20 5 1 7 Return 20 5 2 Noggin Screen Overview 21 5 2 1 Section A Data Parameters 22 5 2 2 Section B Data Display 22 Depth Lines 22 Battery Voltage Indicator 22 Start of Section Indicator 23 Fiducial Markers 23 5 2 3 Section C Menu 24 5 3 Noggin Me...

Page 10: ...ed 38 Odometer Markers 39 Odometer Calibration 39 Cart Direction 40 Odometer Active 40 Label Size 40 Noggin System 40 Station Interval 41 Station Interval 42 Linear Gain 43 Arrow Reference 44 Window Zooming 44 GPS Setup Menu 45 Mode 46 Baud Rate 47 Stop Bits 47 Data Bits 47 Parity 47 End String 48 System Test 1 48 System Test 2 49 Transfer Rate 49 Reset Counter 49 5 6 Noggin Buffer File Management...

Page 11: ... Section C Menu 60 6 2 6 Gain 60 6 2 7 Collecting Data using the Odometer 61 Reducing Data Quality by Moving too Fast 62 Backing up the Cart to Pinpoint Target Positions 62 6 2 8 Calib Calibration Menu 63 Hyperbola Matching 63 Target of Known Depth 65 6 2 9 Error Messages 66 6 3 Nogginplus Setup 67 6 3 1 System Parameters 67 Depth 67 Velocity 68 Depth Units 68 Noggin System 69 Stacks 69 Linear Tim...

Page 12: ... an External Computer using the WinPXFER Program 85 Connecting the Digital Video Logger to an External Computer 85 Installing the WinPXFER Program 85 Exporting Data to an External Computer 86 Parallel Port not bi directional Error 87 Viewing Data Files on the External Computer 88 6 4 2 Deleting Data on the DVL 88 6 5 Nogginplus Utilities 89 6 5 1 Time and Date 89 6 5 2 Odometer Calibration 89 6 5 ...

Page 13: ... s Manual Version 1 1 xiii 8 3 Skid Pads 95 APPENDIX A NOGGINPLUS DATA FILE FORMAT A 1 APPENDIX B HEALTH AND SAFETY CERTIFICATION B 1 APPENDIX C FCC REGULATIONS C 1 APPENDIX D OPERATION OF SHUT OFF SWITCH D 1 References ...

Page 14: ...Smart Systems User s Manual Version 1 1 xiv ...

Page 15: ...dometer wheel a digital video logger DVL and a battery Section 2 describes how to assemble a Smart Cart system The Smart Handle system consists of the Smart Handle a Noggin an odometer wheel a digital video logger DVL and a battery Section 3 describes how to assemble a Smart Handle system Each Smart System s DVL comes with all the necessary software installed This includes software to acquire data...

Page 16: ...gin Smart Cart can be configured for Noggin 250 Noggin 500 or Noggin 1000 operation For the Noggin 250 Smart Cart refer to Figure 2 10 For the Noggin 500 Smart Cart refer to Figure 2 11 and for the Noggin 1000 Smart Cart refer to Figure 2 12 Figure 2 1 Fully assembled Smart Cart ...

Page 17: ...eel 2 Unfold the Handle Refer to Figure 2 4 Pull the ring to remove the handle Clevis pin from the handle support arm Raise the handle support arm and then the handle and place the open end of the T shaped tube on the handle onto the end of the support arm Step 1 Then lock the handle into position by lining up the hole in the support arm with the hole in the T shaped tube and inserting the handle ...

Page 18: ... Smart Cart set up 3 Attach the Noggin Before the Noggin unit can be attached to the Smart Cart the 4 swivel adapters with attached Clevis pins must be attached to the mounting posts on the Noggin see Figure 2 5 Set the swivel adapter down on the post It may be necessary to loosen the Allen hexagonal screw before the swivel adapter will slide down into the proper position This can be done using th...

Page 19: ...he cart locate the 4 oval moveable hangers suspended from the frame of the cart see Figure 2 6 Notice that each hanger has a hole in it To attach the Noggin 250 to the cart place each hanger into the slot on the top of the swivel adapters line up the holes and insert the Clevis pin Figure 2 6 Attaching the Noggin 250 to the cart Noggin 500 and Noggin 1000 Remove the Clevis pins from the swivel ada...

Page 20: ...gital Video Logger DVL The bottom of the Digital Video Logger is designed to slide onto the support shelf attached to the Smart Cart Figure 2 8 Line up the bottom of the Digital Video Logger with the shelf and slide it back onto the shelf Push the Digital Video Logger back far enough so that the flexible clip on the front of the shelf catches and holds the Digital Video Logger firmly in place Wigg...

Page 21: ...the cable with the 37 socket female D connector to the 37 pin receptacle on the back of the Digital Video Logger This attachment can be secured by tightening the hand screws The Digital Video Logger can be pivoted to adjust the view angle If it is difficult to pivot the Digital Video Logger slightly loosen the hand screws on the bottom of the support shelf Figure 2 9 The Noggin Smart Cart battery ...

Page 22: ...attery onto the cart put the straps provided over the battery unit and lock into place with the plastic buckle Tighten the straps if necessary With the Noggin Smart Cart completely assembled connect the round 4 pin battery cable to the receptacle on the side of the battery Note the battery mass forms part of the overall cart balance which enables users to raise the front wheels with a minimum amou...

Page 23: ...Smart Systems User s Manual Version 1 1 9 Figure 2 11 Noggin 500 Smart Cart Figure 2 12 Noggin 1000 Smart Cart ...

Page 24: ... 500 or a Noggin 1000 system This can be done by replacing the two support arms on the cart see Figure 2 13 with the support arms for another system Each arm is attached to the cart by two hand screws For each arm remove the screws detach the arm from the cart and replace it with the new arm Figure 2 13 Changing the Smart Cart s support arms to carry a different Noggin system ...

Page 25: ...Smart Systems User s Manual Version 1 1 11 3 Assembling the Smart Handle System Figure 3 1 Smart Handle System with a Noggin 1000 ...

Page 26: ...re put together see Figure 3 2 and Figure 3 3 and then attached to the Noggin see Figure 3 4 The system can be deployed without the handle extension as shown in Figure 3 5 and Figure 3 6 Figure 3 2 Simply push the Smart Handle grip into the Smart Handle extension Figure 3 3 To separate them push on the large grey button on the extension and pull them apart ...

Page 27: ...e Smart Handle extension to the Noggin by simply pushing it in Figure 3 5 If short handle is required it may be easier to just connect the SmartHandle grip to the Noggin without the extension Figure 3 6 To separate either the short or long handle from the Noggin press on the large grey ...

Page 28: ... the 37 pin connector on the cable to the 37 socket connector on the Noggin Use the thumb screws to secure this connection From the Noggin the DVL to Sensor Cable runs up the side of the Smart Handle Use the guides clips on the side of the Smart Handle to attach the cable to it see Figure 3 7 a b Figure 3 7 a Insert cable b twist to grip DVL Connection The second connection from the DVL to Sensor ...

Page 29: ...nd beeper into the system The Smart Grip Cable is a light grey two part cable pre assembled that connects from the Noggin to the end of the Smart Handle grip The connection at the Noggin may already be made when the system is pulled from the box The other end of the cable attaches to the connector at the bend of the Smart Handle grip see Figure 3 8 Again this cable can run up the side of the Smart...

Page 30: ...in to beep indicating it is booting up The lower red LED on the front panel should illuminate Figure 4 1 Digital Video Logger DVL face At this stage the Noggin unit will still be powered down Once Noggin action is requested see later menu items the DVL will enable power to the Noggin If the Noggin is receiving power the red LED light on the connector to the Noggin will be illuminated The water res...

Page 31: ...re sensors within the DVL automatically compensate the screen setting so that manual adjustments of Brightness and Contrast should seldom be needed after initial setup Once the Digital Video Logger powers up the Main Menu is displayed with 3 choices A NOGGIN B NOGGIN PLUS 5 POWER OFF 12 1 V 38 C Rev 3 00 100 F Pressing the A button starts the software for standard Noggin systems Details about the ...

Page 32: ...ble allows the user to power the DVL away from the cart using the system battery As shown in Figure 4 2 the cable connects the battery to the 9 socket connector on the back of the DVL Figure 4 2 The optional DVL II to Power Supply cable can be used to power the Digital Video Logger DVL from the system battery To avoid having to use the system battery to power the DVL an optional AC power supply is...

Page 33: ...e user to see and experiment with the different menu items and different settings to see the effect they have on the data presentation It is useful to run the demonstration program while reviewing the Noggin Screen Overview described in Section 5 2 and Noggin Menu Options described in Section 5 3 5 1 3 Noggin Setup There are many background setup parameters related to the Noggin Smart Cart operati...

Page 34: ...5 1 6 Upgrades Pressing the number 4 on the main menu puts the DVL into listen mode to allow a software upgrade to be transferred from an external PC to the DVL Avoid pressing this button until the instructions in a software upgrade tell you to Once pressed the DVL must be powered down exit from this menu item See Section 5 7 5 1 7 Return This button will return the user to main menu See Section 4...

Page 35: ...ttom section Section C contains the menu Each screen of data is saved in the Digital Video Logger as an individual PCX graphics file called a SPI file Although each screen is saved as an individual file these files can be viewed together as a continuous chart up to 250 screens long These data can be viewed on screen see Section 5 3 3 printed directly to a printer attached to the DVL or transferred...

Page 36: ...r enters See the sections below for more details Depth Lines Depth lines are horizontal labelled lines indicating the estimated depth They are very useful for getting depth estimates to features of interest in the data The positions of the Depth Lines are controlled by the current velocity value as well as the depth selected See Section 5 3 5 on selecting different depths and Section 5 8 1 for mor...

Page 37: ...s or the positions of surface objects encountered during the survey The position and name of the object encountered at each marker can be recorded in a field notebook Then when the data are reviewed these markers are visible right on the data section and can assist with data interpretation A fiducial marker is activated by pressing the A button on the DVL keypad during data acquisition Smart Handl...

Page 38: ...ggin again run the demo program change DVL settings download data to an external PC delete data or return to the main menu see Section 3 Note that when the Start button is pressed and data acquisition begins see Section 5 3 7 the Exit button turns into a Stop button see Section 5 3 8 Data acquisition must be stopped by pressing the Stop button before it is possible to exit from this menu 5 3 2 Pri...

Page 39: ...selected the user must define the section to be printed The left edge of the page must be established first This is done by lining up the left edge of the Digital Video Logger screen with the edge of the plot desired Use the arrow buttons on the screen to move the section back and forth Figure 4 1 A single arrow moves the image 8 pixels either right or left A double arrow will move the image 640 p...

Page 40: ... the external computer and after the WinPXFER program has been installed on the external computer and run Section 5 6 1 describes how to attach the parallel XFER cable and also how to install and run the WinPXFER program Once WinPXFER has been run on the external computer it is ready to receive data image files from the Digital Video Logger On the Digital Video Logger after the Print option is sel...

Page 41: ...locity can be determined in one of four different ways depending on the situation 1 Hyperbola matching 2 Target of known depth 3 Select a media 4 Input a velocity value Hyperbola Matching This is the most accurate way of determining the velocity of the material being scanned because it extracts the speed using data collected in the area This method may not work in all situations because it depends...

Page 42: ...upward without having to press any more buttons When it gets close to the desired location press any button to stop it and then use the up down left and right buttons to fine tune the position The REPEAT button can also be used after pressing the wider or narrower button Figure 5 5 Hyperbola matching to extract velocity After pressing the CALIB button a hyperbola appears on the screen a This hyper...

Page 43: ...ere is a target of known depth in the area being scanned If this is the case selecting the button with the circle with a horizontal line through it will superimpose a horizontal line on the data This line can then be moved up or down until it lies on top of the Noggin response to the known target Then the user can adjust the velocity value up or down until the known target depth is correct Once th...

Page 44: ...ry Rock 0 120 0 394 Soil 0 100 0 328 Rock 0 100 0 328 Wet Soil 0 080 0 262 Wet Rock 0 080 0 262 Very Wet Soil 0 065 0 213 Input a Velocity Value It is also possible to input a velocity value directly When the Velocity button is selected the user sees the current velocity and can use the up and down arrows to increase or decrease that value A table of typical radar velocities in various materials i...

Page 45: ... subsurface information Some materials will absorb the Noggin signal and limit penetration to less than the selected depth If the depth setting is deeper than the Noggin signals penetrate the data in the lower part of the section will look blank or speckled rather than signal with continuity 5 3 6 Gain Menu The signals that the Noggin system collects from the ground can be very weak especially fro...

Page 46: ...re removed Data acquisition begins by pressing the Start button on the DVL Smart Handle systems On Smart Handle systems data acquisition can also be started by quickly pressing the Smart Handle button When the Smart Handle button has been pressed the lights on the handle should change from red to green to indicate that the system is ready to collect data The Smart Handle button can also be used to...

Page 47: ...cation to help the user organize where each section of data was collected 5 3 8 Stop Menu After the Start button is pressed it disappears from the menu and the Exit button turns into a Stop button Data acquisition can be stopped by pressing the Stop button Smart Handle systems On Smart Handle systems data acquisition can also be stopped by pressing the Smart Handle button and holding it pressed fo...

Page 48: ...race is 2 pixels wide Since the screen is 640 pixels wide each screen has 320 traces When the station interval is set to Normal each screen displays 16 0 metres 51 2 feet of data for the Noggin 250 For the Noggin 500 each trace is 1 pixel wide Since the screen is 640 pixels wide each screen has 640 traces When the station interval is set to Normal each screen displays 16 0 metres 51 2 feet of data...

Page 49: ...ing traces is not usually a problem because in order for the system to do this it has to be moving at a running pace It is more likely to happen if the depth setting is very deep 10 metres Backing up the System to Pinpoint Target Positions The odometer also allows the user to stop the Smart System in the middle of a survey line and back up When this is done an arrow and vertical line appear on the...

Page 50: ...e data collection speed Noggin system The speed the Noggin moves determines the distance between sample points on the ground station interval This type of data collection requires experimenting with the number of stacks see above and practicing to find a satisfactory speed for the Noggin Moving too quickly may result in under sampling the data making it more difficult to interpret Moving too slowl...

Page 51: ...LTERING IS NECESSARY The background subtraction process has the effect of removing flat lying events in the data and enhancing dipping events like the response from pipes and other point targets It can also assist in seeing very shallow targets 0 5 meters that may be masked by the strong signals at the start of the trace Pressing the B button during data acquisition turns on or off the Background ...

Page 52: ...mage every time data are collected The DVL date and time setting can be changed by moving to one or more of the appropriate fields and editing the current setting The LEFT and RIGHT arrows are used to move between fields To change any of the numbers or months use the UP and DOWN arrows to increase or decrease the value When the desired date and time are set press ENTER to save the changes Save Dat...

Page 53: ... the two Smart Handle odometers usually 1 If the system is being towed behind a vehicle and using the transmission odometer to trigger the system select one of the two Vehicle odometers usually 1 The odometers labelled Other are to be used in future configurations Once an odometer is selected the user is prompted to either 1 manually enter the odometer calibration factor or 2 to actually calibrate...

Page 54: ...er is then prompted to select the number of stacks for the system to run at Increasing the number of stacks has the effect of slowing down the data acquisition speed Decreasing the number of stacks has the effect of speeding up the data acquisition speed The number of stacks should be set to a value that when combined with speed the Noggin is moving at provides an appropriate station interval This...

Page 55: ...f the target is small the user may want to shorten the station interval to ensure that data traces are collected over the target Conversely if the target is very large or is a flat lying feature it is probably not necessary to collect a lot of traces over the target in fact sometimes this can make the target more difficult to see in the data In this case it may be beneficial to increase the statio...

Page 56: ... or 9 6 in 80 m or 256 ft 20 km or 12 1 miles Norm x10 50 0 cm or 19 20 in 160 m or 512 ft 40 km or 24 2 miles Norm x20 100 0 cm or 38 4 in 320 m or 1024 ft 80 km or 48 5 miles Norm x40 200 0 cm or 76 8 in 640 m or 2048 ft 160 km or 97 0 miles Norm x50 250 0 cm or 96 0 in 800 m or 2560 ft 200 km or 121 2 miles Norm x100 500 0 cm or 192 0 in 1600 m or 5120 ft 400 km or 242 4 miles Noggin 500 System...

Page 57: ...wide while traces from the Noggin 500 and 1000 are plotted on the screen 1 pixel wide see Section 5 4 1 Linear Gain As described in Section 5 3 6 the weak signals must be amplified or gained to see them on the display The Gain button described in Section 5 3 6 can be set to a value from 1 to 9 depending on the amount of gain required 1 is lowest gain 9 is highest gain There is also a second level ...

Page 58: ... the user may want to change the Arrow Reference value is so that the Noggin does not cover the actual target location This makes it easier to spray paint a mark or put a flag on the ground where the target occurs To change the Arrow Reference value use the Increase and Decrease buttons The Increase button will increment the value by 0 025 meters or 2 5 centimeters The Decrease button will decreme...

Page 59: ...e data image every certain number of data traces collected by the Noggin system or 2 to display GPS information on the data image every time the user presses the A button during data acquisition In order for the DVL to read the GPS data string the GPS settings for the specific GPS receiver being used must be input into this menu There are 4 important items that must be specified correctly for the ...

Page 60: ... be written to the data image For example the data may look like this Figure 5 9 Noggin Data with GPS information written to the screen every 150 traces When this option is selected the user is prompted to enter the number of traces to collect before the GPS information is written to the data image With a Noggin 250 system there are 320 traces per screen so using a value of 160 traces would ensure...

Page 61: ...re 5 10 Noggin Data with GPS information written to the screen when the A button is pressed Baud Rate The baud rate is the speed that data is sent from the GPS receiver to the serial port of the DVL The available options are 2400 4800 9600 default or 19200 Stop Bits The available settings for Stop Bits are 1 default or 2 Data Bits The available settings for Data Bits are 7 or 8 default Parity The ...

Page 62: ...ds to be specified as GPGSA To see what the End String is for your particular GPS run System Test 1 and note the first 5 characters on the last line after each series of strings is written to the screen These are the 5 characters that need to be filled in under End String The End String option allows the user to fill in the 5 character GPS prefix Use the Left and Right buttons to move left or righ...

Page 63: ...rom the Noggin to the DVL A value of 8 provides the fastest transfer speed while a value of 1 is the slowest For standard Smart Systems like the Smart Cart system and Smart Handle system the Transfer Rate value must be set to 8 The Transfer Rate value will only be decreased for systems with data cables longer than standard lengths Please contact Sensors Software before changing the Transfer Rate o...

Page 64: ... of transfer is appropriate when the user wants to transfer a small amount of data to an external computer for use with third party graphics software packages like Microsoft Paint and Word To transfer all the data buffers from the DVL to an external computer the computer must be connected to the DVL using the special parallel XFER cable that is supplied with the system Section 5 6 1 Note that this...

Page 65: ... on the Desktop double clicking the WinPXFER EXE program in Windows Explorer or pressing Start Programs Sensors Software GPR and finally WinPXFER Figure 5 12 WinPXFER main screen When the WinPXFER program has been run it will display a screen as shown in Figure 5 12 This means that it is ready to receive data transferred from the DVL to the LPT port number 1 This command assumes that the data buff...

Page 66: ...ave different ways to start this program Some use the Delete key on boot up some use the F1 or F2 key on boot up some have a special key sequence and others use a program run through DOS or Windows Often there is a line of text written to the screen during the boot up sequence that indicates which key must be pressed to run Setup This key MUST be pressed BEFORE Windows starts If you miss pressing ...

Page 67: ...rom Sensors Software Inc 5 6 2 Deleting all Buffer Files on the DVL Pressing the number 3 on the main menu allows the user to delete ALL the data buffers up to 250 screens currently saved on the DVL Before the buffers are deleted the user is asked Do you want to delete all the buffers To answer YES to this question press the A button To answer NO to the question press the B button and the buffers ...

Page 68: ...calculated as D V x T 2 Where D is Depth m V is Velocity m ns T is Two way travel time ns The wave velocity depends on the properties of the material The Noggin software allows the user to input different velocities which changes the total depth range displayed on the screen The velocities of common materials are Material Velocity m ns ft ns Air 0 3 1 Ice 0 17 0 57 Dry Soil 0 15 0 5 Dry Rock 0 12 ...

Page 69: ...r and line number to save each data file to Data files from the same area can be organized and saved under a project number selected by the user As each individual line is collected it is given a line number These line numbers are usually in sequential order but this is up to the user 6 1 2 Grid Survey lines collected with the Nogginplus are saved as digital data files that can be viewed on the DV...

Page 70: ...loaded from the DVL to an external computer via the parallel XFER cable see Section 6 4 1 This option can also be used to delete data from the DVL 6 1 5 Run without Saving Data This option allows the user to go straight into data acquisition This feature is to allow a quick look at the data in the area The data collected when in this mode are NOT saved and cannot be reviewed later or exported Data...

Page 71: ...icate that the system is ready to collect data The Smart Handle button can also be used to stop data acquisition by pressing and holding the button for 1 second before releasing it see Stopping Smart Handle systems below When the Start button is pressed for the first time after the unit is turned on the Noggin will boot up this can take up to 30 seconds depending on the software version of the Nog...

Page 72: ...a with a depth setting of 5 0 metres will show the first 2 5 metres of data on the screen Any data file that has been collected can be replayed at any time by selecting the file number and selecting Run The user then has the option to View Overwrite or Delete the data file 6 2 2 Screen Overview The data acquisition screen is shown in Figure 6 1 It is divided into 3 sections Figure 6 1 Nogginplus D...

Page 73: ...tion 6 2 8 on how to calibrate the system Once a velocity value has been determined see Section 6 3 1 on how to change the velocity setting Note that it is possible to change the depth units between metres and feet see Section 6 3 1 Fiducial Markers A fiducial marker is a dotted vertical line placed on the data section at a specific position during data acquisition Adding these markers during data...

Page 74: ...g logged 3 GPS fix not valid means GPS data are NOT currently being logged This is usually because GPS satellites are not available 4 GPS No Input means the GPS receiver is not operating properly Check the settings and test the system see Section 6 3 5 5 GPS No GGA means the GPS receiver is not outputting a GGA NMEA string that the DVL requires see Section 6 3 5 6 2 6 Gain During data acquisition ...

Page 75: ...or the Noggin 500 the normal station spacing is 2 5 centimetres about 1 inch For the Noggin 1000 the normal station spacing is 1 0 centimetres about 0 48 inch The Station Interval can be changed to a longer or short distance see Section 6 3 3 Each data trace is plotted as a vertical strip on the screen see Figure 6 1 For the Noggin 250 each trace is 2 pixels wide Since the screen is 640 pixels wid...

Page 76: ...ber exceeds 1 or if the user notices the data looking smeared or blocky this is probably due to moving the cart too quickly To eliminate this either slow down the system speed decrease the number of Stacks or reduce the Depth setting see Section 6 3 1 If the cart is being moved too fast after the data survey line is complete the DVL will indicate the total number of traces that were skipped The us...

Page 77: ...ation with Noggin systems see Section 5 3 4 the Nogginplus Calibration does NOT automatically update the velocity value in the software In the Nogginplus calibration once a velocity is determined the user must enter it into the System Parameters see Section 6 3 1 Velocity Hyperbola Matching This is the most accurate way of determining the velocity of the material being scanned because it extracts ...

Page 78: ...en it gets close to the desired location press any button to stop it and then use the up down left and right buttons to fine tune the position The REPEAT button can also be used after pressing the wider or narrower button Figure 6 3 Hyperbola matching to extract velocity After pressing the CALIB button a hyperbola appears on the screen a This hyperbola should be moved overtop of a hyperbola in the...

Page 79: ...rough it will superimpose a horizontal line on the data This line can then be moved up or down until it lies on top of the Noggin response to the known target Then the user can adjust the velocity value up or down until the known target depth is correct Once the depth is matched the current velocity value is the one used for all subsequent data acquisition a b Figure 6 4 Using a target of known de...

Page 80: ...n of the data acquisition screen Note the message number exit the program and turn off the Digital Video Logger Make sure the cables are not damaged and that all cable connections are tightly secured Sometimes vibrations cause the cable connections to loosen just a bit and break contact and this can cause errors Disconnecting cables and reconnecting them may provide a better contact and solve the ...

Page 81: ...ic to the data collection of the Noggin system This includes the type of Noggin system the desired depth of investigation the velocity of the material being surveyed the units of depth and position the number of stacks and the amount of linear gain Depth The depth setting is how deep the radar will try to probe in to the subsurface It is important to realize that the depth setting is an estimated ...

Page 82: ...ection 6 2 8 for a discussion about determining velocity A table of typical radar velocities in various materials is given below If in doubt use a value of 0 10 m ns This is a good average velocity that will provide a good estimate of depth in most situations Material Velocity m ns ft ns Air 0 300 1 000 Ice 0 170 0 558 Dry Soil 0 130 0 427 Dry Rock 0 120 0 394 Soil 0 100 0 328 Wet Rock 0 100 0 328...

Page 83: ...t data at each survey position Therefore it is important to find the lowest number of stacks that still reveal the target adequately For most surveys stacking 4 times is suitable See the warning in Section 6 2 7 about losing data if the Smart System is moving too quickly for the Noggin system to keep up Linear Time Gain As described in Section 6 2 6 the weak signals must be amplified or gained to ...

Page 84: ...uns continuously 1 Yes use the odometer default 2 No operate continuously Auto Start If the Auto Start option is set to ON the default after the user presses Run to collect a data line the system will automatically boot up and be ready for data acquisition rather than having the Start button appear This prevents the user from having to press the Start button at the start of every new line This set...

Page 85: ... Noggin and negative values are positions behind the Noggin Note that the Arrow Offset value is always expressed in metres regardless of the settings of the other units Trip Menu The software records the total distance the cart has travelled This value is displayed in Setup but cannot be changed The software also records a distance that can be reset by the user To reset the distance counter move t...

Page 86: ...ero this value can be edited Line Direction The Line Direction setting specifies which direction that line will be collected either Forward or Reverse Data are usually collected in a forward direction If data are collected in the Forward direction the position stepsize is positive that is the position value of each data collection point increments positively For example for a Noggin 250 system if ...

Page 87: ... a lot of traces over the target in fact sometimes this can make the target more difficult to see in the data In this case it may be beneficial to increase the station interval Figure 6 5 The Station Interval is the distance between sample points on the ground Be careful not to choose a Station Interval that is larger than the smallest target to be detected Note that decreasing the station interva...

Page 88: ...r 256 ft Norm x10 50 0 cm or 19 20 in 160 m or 512 ft Norm x20 100 0 cm or 38 4 in 320 m or 1024 ft Norm x40 200 0 cm or 76 8 in 640 m or 2048 ft Norm x50 250 0 cm or 96 0 in 800 m or 2560 ft Norm x100 500 0 cm or 192 0 in 1600 m or 5120 ft Noggin 500 System Setting Station Interval Data per Screen Short 1 0 cm or 0 48 in 6 4 m or 25 6 ft Normal 2 5 cm or 0 96 in 16 m or 51 2 ft Long 5 0 cm or 1 9...

Page 89: ... software Producing accurate 3D volumes or plan maps is easier if the field survey is properly designed and data are collected correctly Positional accuracy of each line is vital if the user wants to be able to relocate targets of interest after the data have been processed For linear targets like pipes and utilities the best GPR response occurs when the GPR survey line crosses the target at right...

Page 90: ...as zero 0 0 Figure 6 7 Proper Y Line surveying pattern Following this pattern and starting each line from the same baseline minimizes the data editing required to produce a spatially accurate map of GPR data XY Lines Forward Set up a first quadrant XY grid X data lines run in the X direction distance increasing from the Y axis baseline Line numbers increase in the positive Y direction see Figure 6...

Page 91: ...verse direction Figure 6 9 Figure 6 10 and Figure 6 11 This is called a Forward and Reverse survey format Using forward and reverse format can speed acquisition but can lead to mapping artifacts called herringbone if there are positional errors It is important that the odometer is calibrated Section 6 5 2 and that the Grid Dimensions are correct Section 6 3 4 Grid Dimensions X Lines Only Forward a...

Page 92: ...mum of editing data collected in this pattern should be on lines that extend completely from one baseline to the other XY Lines Forward and Reverse Using the Forward and Reverse survey format XY line data are collected in the pattern shown in Figure 6 11 When data are collected like this it is important that lines start and end on established baselines otherwise when lines are reversed to the corr...

Page 93: ... metres the maximum X dimension is 100 1 X 0 25 24 75 metres One is subtracted because the first line is at position 0 0 metres To increase the X dimension value the Y line spacing must be increased Using the example above if the Y Line Spacing is increased to 0 30 metres then the maximum X dimension is 100 1 X 0 30 29 70 metres If the Grid Type is set to X Lines only or Y Lines only see Section 6...

Page 94: ...s port will accommodate any GPS receiver that has a standard serial port output This feature allows GPS information to be logged while collecting Nogginplus data The GPS information may be useful for mapping where GPR surveys have been performed see Reading per Trace mode below or determining where a specific target of interest is located in GPS co ordinates see Fiducial Tagging mode below The DVL...

Page 95: ...09 M 5 0 0118 79 GPVTG 34 0 T 001 4 N 002 5 K D 70 GPGSA A 3 30 26 10 13 24 06 4 2 2 1 3 6 36 Trace 3 GPGGA 134713 00 4338 221086 N 07938 421365 W 2 06 2 1 152 51 M 35 09 M 5 0 0118 79 GPVTG 34 0 T 001 4 N 002 5 K D 70 GPGSA A 3 30 26 10 13 24 06 4 2 2 1 3 6 36 Trace 4 GPGGA 134713 00 4338 221086 N 07938 421365 W 2 06 2 1 152 51 M 35 09 M 5 0 0118 79 GPVTG 34 0 T 001 4 N 002 5 K D 70 GPGSA A 3 30 ...

Page 96: ... a TAGGED GPS file is shown below New File 09 18 2000 13 53 38 F1 GPGGA 134227 00 4338 190520 N 07938 438280 W 2 05 2 6 153 98 M 35 09 M 4 6 0118 7E GPVTG 347 7 T 000 3 N 000 5 K D 44 GPGSA A 3 30 10 13 24 06 4 3 2 6 3 4 36 F2 GPGGA 134228 00 4338 190238 N 07938 438286 W 2 05 2 6 153 87 M 35 09 M 4 4 0118 75 GPVTG 5 4 T 000 2 N 000 4 K D 42 GPGSA A 3 30 10 13 24 06 4 3 2 6 3 4 36 F3 GPGGA 134229 0...

Page 97: ...GA 134713 00 4338 221086 N 07938 421365 W 2 06 2 1 152 51 M 35 09 M 5 0 0118 79 GPVTG 34 0 T 001 4 N 002 5 K D 70 GPGSA A 3 30 26 10 13 24 06 4 2 2 1 3 6 36 GPGGA 134713 00 4338 221086 N 07938 421365 W 2 06 2 1 152 51 M 35 09 M 5 0 0118 79 GPVTG 34 0 T 001 4 N 002 5 K D 70 GPGSA A 3 30 26 10 13 24 06 4 2 2 1 3 6 36 Before using the GPS with the Nogginplus the DVL software needs to know the prefix ...

Page 98: ...f the last NMEA string in the list and input it in the End String setting above If the NMEA strings do not appear check that the port settings are correct It is also possible that a crossover cable is required between the output cable of the GPS receiver and the serial port on the DVL System Test 2 Once the GPS system is running successfully System Test 2 can be used to graphically display the GPS...

Page 99: ...the Digital Video Logger to an External Computer Smart Systems come with a separate cable called the parallel XFER cable This cable is designed to connect the DVL to an external computer Note that this is a special cable and standard 25 pin to 25 pin or Laplink cables will not work Figure 6 12 Parallel XFER cable connections The 2 connections that must be made before attempting to transfer data ar...

Page 100: ...erred across Parallel Port 1 LPT1 If using Parallel Port 2 LPT2 or higher LPT3 LPT4 etc specify the parallel port number under the Port menu item from WinPXFER The name of the folder or directory that the Noggin data will be transferred into is listed under the Current selected data directory In the example in Figure 6 13 the data will be transferred to the c data directory The data directory can ...

Page 101: ... computers configure the port using a BIOS setup program Again different manufactures have different ways to start this program Some use the Delete key on boot up some use the F1 or F2 key on boot up some have a special key sequence and others use a program run through DOS or Windows Often there is a line of text written to the screen during the boot up sequence that indicates which key must be pr...

Page 102: ...deleted from the DVL From the File Management main menu select Delete Line Project or Delete Grid Project The next screen lists all the current projects To delete a project use the up and down arrows to highlight it and then press the DEL button It is also possible to use the TAG button to select several projects and delete them all at once Use the up and down arrows to highlight the projects the ...

Page 103: ...s prompted to select the odometer that is being used with the Smart System If a Smart Cart System is being used select one of the two Smart Cart odometers usually 1 If a Smart Handle system is being used select one of the two Smart Handle odometers usually 1 If the system is being towed behind a vehicle and using the transmission odometer to trigger the system select one of the two Vehicle odomete...

Page 104: ... system information that may be useful to troubleshoot a problem with the Noggin The information is intended for the use of Sensors Software staff to assist in solving a problem with the Noggin system System information can be listed to the screen printed directly to an attached printer or transferred to a PC To print the information to a printer attach the printer to the parallel port of the DVL ...

Page 105: ...arged or replaced for the Noggin to run see below If the battery voltage is less than about 10 5 volts the DVL may not turn on and the upper red LED will flash or not illuminate Check the battery voltage with a voltmeter Try to do this while the system is still attached to the Smart System to get a true measure of the voltage while under load it will be necessary to open the Smart Cart battery cas...

Page 106: ...ions of high ambient temperatures or long exposure to direct sun this maximum internal temperature may be exceeded and cause the system to fail While the temperature displayed on the DVL in the lower left corner of the main menu indicates the internal temperature of the DVL and not the Noggin this temperature should give an idea of whether the Noggin is overheating If you suspect that the Noggin s...

Page 107: ... screen and the only way to exit from the screen is to pull out the power connection If this error occurs power the system down power it up again and retry data acquisition If the error persists contact Sensors Software Inc see Section 7 6 7 6 Contacting Sensors Software Inc If the Noggin system does not run contact your agent or Sensors Software Inc When contacting SSI please have the following i...

Page 108: ...ltage monitoring circuit that will turn off the unit when the input voltage drops below 10 2 volts If a battery has been deeply discharged or left in a discharged condition for some period of time it may not accept charge immediately when it is connected to the charger The fast charge LED will not light If the fast charge light does not come on within 6 hours the battery should be considered damag...

Page 109: ...skid pad is designed to protrude from the bottom of the Noggin and take the majority of the abrasive wear If the pad wears down enough the less resistant plastic housing may start to wear If this occurs it is best to replace the skid pad It is easily removed with a Phillips screwdriver and a new one can be purchased from Sensors Software Inc ...

Page 110: ...ION UNITS m NOMINAL FREQUENCY 250 00 ANTENNA SEPARATION 0 3048 PULSER VOLTAGE V 100 NUMBER OF STACKS 4 SURVEY MODE Reflection This file can be read and or printed using any Word Processor Data DT1 File The data file contains as many records as there are traces Each record in turn consists of a header section and a data section The header section consists of an array of 25 real 4 numbers and a stri...

Page 111: ...osition 19 reserved for transmitter y position 20 reserved for transmitter z position 21 timezero adjustment where point x point x adjustment 22 Zero flag 0 data okay 1 zero data 23 not used 24 Time of day data collected in seconds past midnight 25 Comment flag 1 comment attached 26 32 Comment The data section consists of an array of two byte integers one value for every data point ...

Page 112: ...requency The lowest threshold plane wave equivalent power cited is 0 2 mW cm2 for general population over the 30 to 300 MHz frequency band All other applications and frequencies have higher tolerances as shown in graphically in Figure 1 Figure 1 FCC limits for maximum permissible exposure MPE plane wave equivalent power density mW cm2 All Sensors Software Inc pulseEKKO Noggin and Conquest products...

Page 113: ...erference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment This equipment generates uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual may cause harmful interference to radio communications Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to co...

Page 114: ...ices We do not believe that the recent adoption of the UWB rules should disrupt the critical safety services that can be performed effectively only through the use of GPRs and wall imaging systems We viewed these operating restrictions in the broadest of terms For example we believe that the limitation on the use of GPRs and wall imaging systems by construction companies encompasses the inspection...

Page 115: ...gineering and Technology who shall coordinate this information with the Federal Government through the National Telecommunications and Information Administration The information provided by the UWB operator shall include the name address and other pertinent contact information of the user the desired geographical area of operation and the FCC ID number and other nomenclature of the UWB device This...

Page 116: ...r AREA OF OPERATION counties states or larger areas FCC ID e g QJQ NOGGIN250 for Noggin 250 system EQUIPMENT NOMENCLATURE e g Noggin 250 Send the information to Frequency Coordination Branch OET Federal Communications Commission 445 12th Street SW Washington D C 20554 ATTN UWB Coordination Fax 202 418 1944 INFORMATION PROVIDED IS DEEMED CONFIDENTIAL ...

Page 117: ...ate a manually operated switch that causes the transmitter to cease operation within 10 seconds of being released by the operator Sensors Software GPR systems will only operate when triggered by the operator If the system is not triggered by the operator it will cease transmitting within 10 seconds of releasing the trigger ...

Page 118: ...ds without the shut off switch installed and depressed by the user Installation To install the switch plug the 25 pin male connector into the printer port of the DVL II or the controlling PC Software will automatically detect the switch Operation To operate the switch hold the button in the closed position Releasing the button for more than 10 seconds will cause the unit to stop functioning ...

Page 119: ...y references and web sites 2 Evaluation Compliance with FCC Guidelines for Human Exposure to Radio Frequency Electromagnetic Fields USA Federal Communications Commission Office of Engineering Technology OET Bulletin 56 Contains many references and web sites 3 USA Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations paragraph 1910 67 and 1910 263 Web Sites www fcc gov Bureau EngineeringTechnlo...