Guideline Geo MALA User manual

MALÅ Easy Locator Core
User Manual

2
Our Thanks...
Thank you for choosing Guideline Geo and MALÅ! The very core of our philosophy is
to provide our users with great products, support, and services. Our team is committed
to providing you with the most efficient and easy-to-use solutions with the capability
to meet your needs for efficiency and productivity.
Whether this is your first MALÅ product, or addition to the MALÅ collection, we believe
that small investment of your time to familiarize yourself with the product by reading
this manual will be rewarded with a significant increase in productivity and
satisfaction.
Please let us know about your use and experience of our products as well as the
contents and usefulness of this manual. We’re excited to be part of your journey!

3
Under the copyright laws, this manual may not be copied, in whole or in part, without the
written consent of Guideline Geo. Your rights to the software are governed by the
accompanying software license agreement. The MALÅ logo is a trademark of Guideline Geo
registered in Sweden and other countries.
The product described in this document is subject to continuous developments and
improvements. All particulars of the product and its use contained in this document are given
by Guideline Geo in good faith. However, all warranties implied or expressed, including but not
limited to implied warranties or merchantability, or fitness for purpose, are excluded. This
document is intended only to assist the reader in the use of the product and every effort has
been made to ensure that the information in this manual is accurate. Guideline Geo shall not be
liable for any loss or damage arising from the use of any information in this document, or any
error or omission in such information, or any incorrect use of the product.
Guideline Geo, the MALÅ logo, are trademarks of Guideline Geo, registered in Sweden and other
countries. Other company and product names mentioned herein are trademarks of their
respective companies. Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and
constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Guideline Geo assumes no
responsibility with regards to the performance or use of these third-party products.
Guideline Geo AB
www.guidelinegeo.com
Release Date:
Version:

4
Table of Contents
MALÅ Easy Locator Core......................................................................1
User Manual..........................................................................................1
Our Thanks...........................................................................................2
Table of Contents..................................................................................4
Preface .................................................................................................6
About this Manual ................................................................................................. 6
Additional Resources............................................................................................ 6
Feedback.............................................................................................................. 6
Safety and Compliance User Notices....................................................7
According to the regulations stated in ETSI EN 302 066-1 (European
Telecommunication Standards Institute):........................................................ 7
Canadian and US regulations state that whenever GPR antennas are in
use the following notes apply:......................................................................... 7
French translations:............................................................................................... 8
Radiation Exposure Statement ............................................................................. 8
About Easy Locator Core......................................................................9
Unpack. Inspect. Register...................................................................10
Repacking and Shipping..................................................................................... 10
Registering MALÅ Easy Locator Core................................................................. 10
Assembly and Start-up........................................................................11
Assembly ............................................................................................................ 11
Start measurements............................................................................................ 12
Wireless connection............................................................................13
System parts.......................................................................................14
Antenna box and wheels..................................................................................... 14
Power.................................................................................................................. 14
Handle................................................................................................................. 15
External wheel .................................................................................................... 15
Positioning .......................................................................................................... 15
Data acquisition software.................................................................................... 16
Troubleshoot and Maintenance...........................................................17
Troubleshoot connectivity issues ........................................................................ 17
Maintenance ....................................................................................................... 18
The following actions are advisable to carry out prior to measurements:..............................18
The following actions are advisable to carry out after measurements:....................................18

5

6
Preface
About this Manual
This manual is written for the end user of the product and explains how to set up and configure
the product, as well as providing detailed instruction on its use.
Additional Resources
Training: www.guidelinegeo.com/training-gpr-resistivity-seismics-tem/
Downloads: www.guidelinegeo.com/support-service-advice-
training/resource-center/
Applications: www.guidelinegeo.com/application-areas/
Feedback
Feedback regarding the contents of this manual or the product may be sent using any of the
contact details found at www.guidelinegeo.com

7
Safety and Compliance User Notices
This GPR-device is certified according to FCC, subpart 15, IC RSS-220 and ETSI EN 302 066-
1&2.
You are cautioned that changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital
device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with
the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is
no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does
cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by
turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by
one or more of the following measures: —Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna. —
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver. —Connect the equipment into
an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected. —Consult the
dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
According to the regulations stated in ETSI EN 302 066-1 (European
Telecommunication Standards Institute):
The control unit should not be left ON when leaving the system unattended. It should always
be turned OFF when not in use.
The antennas should point towards the ground, walls etc. during measurement and not
towards the air.
The antennas should be kept in close proximity to the media under investigation.
Canadian and US regulations state that whenever GPR antennas are in
use the following notes apply:
This Ground Penetrating Radar device shall be operated only when in contact with or within
1m of the ground.
Only law enforcement agencies, scientific research institutes, commercial mining companies,
construction companies and emergency rescue or firefighting organizations shall use this
Ground Penetrating Radar Device.
This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standards. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause interference and (2) this device
must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the
device.

8
French translations:
Cet instrument de Géoradar se devra d’être opéré seulement en contact à même le sol ou en
deça d’un mètre du sol.
Cet instrument de Géoradar se devra d’être utilisé seulement par les agences chargées de
l’application de la loi, les instituts de recherches scientifiques, les compagnies minières à buts
lucratifs, les compagnies de construction et les organisations responsables pour le sauvetage
et la lutte contre les incendies.
Cet instrument répond aux exigences de la licence avec Industrie Canada- exempt des
standards RSS. L ‘opération est sujette aux deux conditions suivantes : (1) Cet instrument ne
peut pas causer une interférence et (2) cet instrument se doit d’accepter quelque interférence
que ce soit, incluant une interférence qui pourrait causer une opération non-souhaitable de
l’instrument.
Radiation Exposure Statement
To comply with ISED RF exposure compliance requirements, a separation distance of at least
20cm should be maintained between the EUT and all persons during normal operation.
Pour se conformer aux exigences de conformité d'exposition ISDE RF, une distance de
séparation d'au moins 20 cm doit être maintenue entre l'EST et toutes les personnes pendant
le fonctionnement normal.

9
About Easy Locator Core
MALÅ Easy Locator Core is a state-of-the-art Swedish quality product built on the latest
research and innovation. It includes unique MALÅ features, such as MALÅ AI, Dynamic grid,
Dynamic Menus, and direct access to MALÅ Vision connecting all MALÅ products.
Together with the data acquisition software MALÅ Controller App and the data processing
software MALÅ Vision, Easy Locator Core creates a streamlined chain, from fieldwork to the
office and delivery of results. Data collected with the Easy Locator Core can instantly and
securely be uploaded and directly be processed and interpreted at any office around the world.

10
Unpack. Inspect. Register
Great care should be taken when unpacking the equipment. Be sure to verify the contents
shown in the packing list and inspect the equipment and accessories for any loose parts or
other damage.
Note! The packing list that is included with the shipment should be read careful and any
discrepancy should be reported to our sales department at www.guidelinegeo.com
Note! All packing material should be kept in the event that any damage occurred during
shipping.
File any claim for shipping damage with the carrier immediately after discovery of the damage
and before the equipment is put into use. Any claims for missing equipment or parts should be
filed with Guideline Geo within fourteen (14) business days from the receipt of the equipment.
Repacking and Shipping
The Guideline Geo packing kit is specially designed for shipping MALÅ Easy Locator Core. The
packing kit should be used whenever shipping is necessary. If original packing materials are
unavailable, pack the instrument in a box that is large enough to allow at least 80 mm of shock
absorbing material to be placed all around the instrument. This includes top, bottom and all
sides.
Warning! Never use shredded fibres, paper or wood wool, as these materials tend to pack down
and permit the instrument to move inside its packing box.
Please read our shipping instructions before returning instruments to Guideline Geo. These
instructions can be found on our website at:
https://www.guidelinegeo.com/service-and-repairs/
Registering MALÅ Easy Locator Core
By registering your equipment, you ensure that you will receive important information, such
as manual updates, software upgrades and other product information, which all helps to
optimize the utilization of the equipment and realize the maximum return on your investment.
To register your equipment, simply visit –www.guidelinegeo.com/product-registration
Note! The serial number is found on the antenna.

11
Assembly and Start-up
Assembly
The Easy Locator Core is delivered mounted and folded.
Unfold the handle by pressing the black
button and releasing the quick lock knob.
Fit the two handle parts to each other
and, when in upright position, secure the
silver-colored knob on the mid part.
Press the button and pull the quick lock knob to unfold the
handle. Secure the silver-coloured knob when in up-right
position.
Attach a tablet for data acquisition (and if
needed an external GNSS device or a
Total Station prism).
The rear left wheel has an internal
encoder for data triggering and precise
distance measurements.
The tablet is attached to the tablet holder on
the top part of the handle. The GNSS device or
Total Stations prims (on top of an extension
pole) is attached to the GNSS bracket with a
quick release mechanism.

12
Make sure the batteries are charged. See
section PowerPower below.
Open the battery compartment and insert
the batteries.
Press the ON/OFF button to start the Easy
Locator Core.
Note! When powering OFF; press and hold
the ON/OFF button.
The batteries are found under the black lid. It
is possible to hot-swap, one battery at time,
during measurements.
The ON/OFF button will blink to indicate start/boot. When the light turns steady, the Easy
Locator Core is ready to be connected to the MALÅ Controller App.
Note! If the light is blinking very fast, this indicates a problem with the unit. Please
contact the Guideline Geo support team for further assistance.
Start measurements
Make sure MALÅ Controller App is
installed on your mobile device.
MALÅ Controller App can be downloaded from
https://www.guidelinegeo.com/product/mala-controller-app/
or by using the QR code.
Set up a mobile hotspot for communication
between your mobile device and the Easy
Locator Core. The Easy Locator Core serial
number is found on the label on the back-
right corner.
For hotspot, change the network name
(SSID) to MALAxxxxxxxx, where xxxxxxxx
refers to the serial number and change
the password for the mobile hotspot to
mala0123
For further instructions see; MALÅ
Controller App User Manual or MALÅ
Controller App Quick Guide.
Label with information on serial number
and QR code.

13
Wireless connection
To communicate between the EL Core antenna and MALÅ Controller App, Wi-Fi
(mobile hotspot) is used. When communication is working, the antenna model is
displayed to the left in the status bar in MALÅ Controller App together with battery
and GPS status.
Successful connection No connection
It is important to have a stable Wi-Fi connection between the mobile device and GPR
antenna for effortless data collection. The MALÅ Controller App has advanced features
to minimize the impact of difficult Wi-Fi conditions while you measure such as
automatic sync to recover data from interruptions.
Unstable Wi-Fi connections are typically caused by wireless interference. This can
occur in apartment complexes or other dense areas, where several Wi-Fi networks are
active nearby.
If you have troubles with the wireless connection, see section Troubleshoot and
Maintenance.

14
System parts
Antenna box and wheels
The antenna box contains two antenna elements, a transmitter (Tx) and a receiver
(Rx). The location of the measurement point is defined as the point in between these
two antenna elements. This is clearly marked on the antenna itself (on three sides of
the antenna box).
For easy lifting, there are larger handles (countersinks) on all sides of the antenna box.
The wheels are made of solid durable rubber and are easily detachable by pressing
and holding the quick release button on the wheel hub and then pulling the wheel and
axle out.
The rear wheel, on the left-hand side, is equipped with a pulse encoder for precise
distance measurements during a survey. When this wheel is re-attached, make sure
the wheel axle is firmly attached and secured. Dirt can prevent proper locking of the
wheel.
The encoder wheel is factory calibrated. Make sure to choose the correct wheel type
in the MALÅ Controller App settings before starting a measurement.
Power
The Easy Locator Core is powered by two internal Li-Ion batteries, 10.8V and 6.9Ah.
The batteries are located in the battery compartment behind the black lid. Make sure
the lid is properly closed and secured, to prevent water and dust to enter.
Hot swap, of one battery at a time, is possible. The Easy Locator Core can also be run
on only one battery.
The batteries are charged in an external RRC charger. Both batteries can be charged at
the same time.
If needed there is also an additional option for the RRC charger to charge the batteries
from a 12V outlet.
The 12V connector on the Easy Locator Core can be used to power the Easy Locator
Core from an external power source such as a MALÅ battery bag.
Power connector for external power source.

15
Handle
The handle can be folded for
transportation but also
completely detached from the
Easy Locator Core antenna. The
handle is attached with four
quick release bolts. Release
these and the handle can be
removed.
Release the four bolts by pulling and rotating a quarter
turn.
The soft part of the handle is interchangeable, to any ordinary bike-handles and can
be purchased as spare parts.
External wheel
The Easy Locator Core can be used with an external encoder wheel as well, as together
with a RTC Mini. The external encoder is connected on the back side of the Easy
Locator Core. If an external wheel is connected, the EL Core GPR system will
automatically detect this.
Connector for external encoder found to the left.
Positioning
The Easy Locator Core has an internal DGPS inside the antenna box.
The Easy Locator Core also works with an external GNSS device, such as an RTK-GPS.
The external GNSS needs to be able to communicate a NMEA0183 string by Bluetooth.
The Easy Locator can also be positioned with a Total Station communicating a pseudo-
GGA string by Bluetooth or serial cable.
It is recommended to attach the external GNSS or Total Station prism using the GNSS
holder on the handle. This position of the external GNSS antenna or Total Stations
prism is a preset in the MALÅ Controller App to get the correct position for each trace.
Read more in the MALÅ Controller App User Manual.

16
The GNSS device or a Total Station prism is attached to the GNSS holder on the Easy Locator Core handle. This gives a
location at the measurement point of the GPR antenna. The extension pole is attached with a quick release.
Data acquisition software
Data collection from the Easy Locator Core system is made with the MALÅ Controller App. This
is a simple and straight forward application designed to collect, view, and save Easy Locator
Core data on a mobile device. For more information, see the MALÅ Controller App User Manual.

17
Troubleshoot and Maintenance
As with all electronic equipment it is important to handle the Easy Locator Core with great care
and to avoid harsh handling and bumps against the antenna box or the tablet. During transport
of the equipment the Easy Locator Core should be packed properly and firmly in a transport box.
When finishing a survey, the equipment should be checked and packed properly before
transport.
Below troubleshoot for connectivity issues is given, together with some good maintenance
procedures to make your Easy Locator Core last.
Always check our website www.guidelinegeo.com for latest news and updates and if needed,
please contact Guideline Geo support ([e-mail]) or your closest Guideline
Geo sales representative.
Troubleshoot connectivity issues
If you can’t connect to the antenna at all make sure you follow the workflow described
in the section Start Measurement or the MALÅ Controller App Quick Guide or MALÅ
Controller App User Manual. Make sure everything is configured exactly as
described.
1. Ideally set up your system in an area with minimal Wi-Fi interference to reduce
potential problems.
2. Make sure that there is no other hotspot with the same network name (SSID) running on
another mobile device. Do this by disable the hotspot and search for Wi-Fi networks. Make
sure there is no other Wi-Fi network with the same SSID as you have set up.
3. Disable Wi-Fi on your mobile device and then turn off and turn on the hotspot.
4. Make sure you’re using the correct SSID for the hotspot (MALAxxxxxxxx). The xxxxxxxx
indicate the serial number of your GPR antenna. Also check the password, which should be
mala0123
5. Make sure that the antenna batteries are charged. For Easy Locator Core, the indicator on
the batteries should have at least two bars. The LED may be on even though there is not
enough battery power to initiate connection to MALÅ Controller App.
6. If that doesn't work, restart the MALÅ Controller App on your mobile device and wait for
at least 30 seconds. This is done by “Close all” or swipe off the app in the Recent view
(button with three lines or a square).
7. If you still cannot get connection, or if you for some reason would lose connection to the
antenna, press the ON/OFF button on the antenna 5 times within 5 seconds. This will
reinitialize the antenna and reset the connection. Please note that this may take up to 2
minutes.
8. If that doesn’t work press and hold the ON/OFF button to turn the antenna off
completely, then power it on again.

18
Maintenance
The following actions are advisable to carry out prior to measurements:
Make sure that the batteries are
charged.
Make sure that the battery
compartment is firmly closed.
Make sure that the connector lids for
external wheel and power are firmly
closed, if not in use.
The following actions are advisable to carry out after measurements:
Check the button to release the
handle from the antenna. Dirt can
collect on the backside of the button
(on the handle) and prevent proper
locking.
To clean, apply 5-56, WD40 or
similar in the locking mechanism
and wipe out using a cloth or Q-tip.
Repeat until clean and the button is
locking as expected again.
Also check the GNSS-pole quick lock
for dirt.
Check the o-rings around the battery
compartments. These should be
changed if broken.
Batteries should be kept charged
(40-60%) and if stored away for
longer time they should be charged
now and then. It is not recommended
to leave the batteries uncharged
longer than 1 month and do not store
batteries without charging for more
than a year.
The wheel axles should be sprayed
with 5-56/WD40 or similar from
time to time for a continuous smooth
function. At least every 6 months.