Vivax Easy Locator User manual

www.vivax.it
19-001011
Easy Locator
Operator’s Manual
Version 1.6

www.malags.com
2
Table of Contents
_________________________________________________
1Introduction 3
1.1 Unpacking and Inspection 4
1.2 Repacking and Shipping 4
1.3 Important information regarding the use of this GPR unit 4
2System Startup 5
2.1 Hardware Assembly 5
2.2 Cable Connections and Startup 7
2.3 Start up and Power buttons 9
2.4 Changing antennas 10
2.5 Adjustable wheels 11
3System operation 12
3.1 Monitor Operation 12
3.2 System settings 12
3.3 Start 15
3.4 Stop 15
3.5 Full screen 16
3.6 Filter 16
3.7 Save image (only for the IXM monitor) 16
3.8 Quit 18
4Using the Easy Locator 19
5Data examples and Interpretation 21
6Batteries 25
7Trouble shooting 27
8Technical Specification 28

www.malags.com
3
1 Introduction
__________________________________________________
Thank you for purchasing the Easy Locator. The Easy Locator is a Ground
Penetrating Radar (GPR) that can detect metallic as well as non-metallic
objects in the ground. GPR are in many cases the only non-intrusive
method to detect and designate the location of e.g. non-metallic utilities
such as plastic or concrete, where standard locating technology cannot
provide the complete picture.
The Easy Locator is available with two different models of monitors, the
EXM and the IXM. The IXM monitor enables saving screen dumps of the
radargram (as *.jpg-images), which can be uploaded for documentation.
The EXM and IXM are equipped with a High Bright screen, but also
available in a +-option, giving you a Transflective screen for best
performance in bright daylight.
We at Malå GeoScience welcome comments from you concerning your use
and experience with our products, as well as the contents and usefulness
of this manual. Please take the time to read through the assembling
instructions carefully and address any questions or suggestions to us at the
following addresses:
Main Office: North & South America: Asia/Pacific:
Malå GeoScience Malå GeoScience USA, Inc. MALÅ GeoScience
Skolgatan 11 2040 Savage Rd, P.O. Box 80430 23-1b, Jalan 26/70a
S-930 70 Malå Charleston, SC 29416 Desa Sri Hartamas
Sweden USA 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Phone: [phone] Phone: [phone] Malaysia
Fax: [phone] Fax: [phone] Phone: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail] E-mail: [e-mail] Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Technical support issues can be sent to: [e-mail]
Information about the products from MALÅ GeoScience is also available on Internet:
http://www.malags.com

www.malags.com
4
1.1 Unpacking and Inspection
Great care should be taken when unpacking the equipment. Be sure to
verify the contents shown on the packing list and inspect the equipment for
any loose parts or other damage. All packing material should be kept in the
event that any damage occurred during shipping. Any claims for shipping
damage should be filed to the carrier. Any claims for missing equipment or
parts should be filed with Malå GeoScience.
Note! Three serial numbers are attached, on the backside of the monitor,
under the control unit and on top of the antenna.
1.2 Repacking and Shipping
If original packing materials are unavailable, the equipment should be
packed with at least 80 mm of absorbing material. Do not use shredded
fibres, paper wood, or wool, as these materials tend to get compacted
during shipment and permit the instruments to move around inside the
package.
1.3 Important information regarding the use of
this GPR unit
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
unintended. 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

www.malags.com
5
2 System Startup
_______________________________________________________
The Easy Locator is a system with an integrated but modular control unit
and monitor. The control unit is mounted directly to the antenna and
powered internally. It is compatible with both Easy Locator antennas “Mid”
and “Shallow”. See Chapter Changing antennas for more information.
The monitor (EXM or IXM) mounts on the handle and can be moved for use
on either antenna choices, either by transferring the monitor only or by
transferring the handle, shafts, battery box and the monitor as one unit.
The system will automatically detect the selected antenna and default to
the appropriate data collection settings.
2.1 Hardware Assembly
The complete Easy Locator system is seen in Figure 2.1.
Fig. 2.1 An Easy Locator with all its parts; monitor, control unit and
antenna.
2.1.1 Mounting the shafts
When delivered the Easy Locator has it handles mounted and folded, as in
Figure 2.2. In this way your equipment is quit handy to move and pack. By
just securing the locks in Figure 2.3 the system is ready to use.
Monitor
Shaft
Battery box
Control unit
Antenna

www.malags.com
6
Fig.2.2 The Easy Locator with folded shafts.
Fig.2.3 The foldable shafts unlocked (left) and locked (right).
When changing antennas or otherwise dismounting the shaft, this is best
done with the foldable shaft in an up-right position.
Insert the shafts with monitor and battery box into the slots on the antenna
and secure with pins (Figure2.4).
Fig.2.4 Left: Shaft mounted to the antenna. Right: Securing pins.

www.malags.com
7
2.1.2 Mounting the monitor
The monitor can be mounted or removed from the handle by using the two
screws beneath the handle. The monitor is also secured by Velcro strips.
2.1.3 Mounting the EasyLocator in an RTC (Rough
Terrain Cart)
The EasyLocator antenna, control unit and monitor can also be used
together with Malå´s Rough Terrain Cart, the RTC, which increases the
operational capabilities in a more rugged terrain.
In Figure 2.5 the EasyLocator system with the RTC is seen. The antenna is
dismounted from the EasyLocator shafts (see above) and then the antenna
is placed on the RTC antenna tray. This is self-adjustable to ensure that the
antenna stays in contact with the ground for optimal signal performance.
The monitor is mounted on the RTC handle with the same screws used on
the EasyLocator handle.
Fig.2.5. The EasyLocator antenna, control unit and monitor on a RTC.
2.2 Cable Connections and Startup
2.2.1 Connecting cables to the monitor
Connect the Ethernet communication cable to the monitor and use the
cable supplied or a crossover RJ-45 cable.

www.malags.com
8
Also connect the power cable to the monitor. Use the standard cable
supplied. See Figure 2.5.
Look for the countersink in the power cable and place it towards the mark
on the connection. Push lightly. If you have it in the correct position it will go
in its position smoothly. To disconnect: Pull out, holding the metal part of
the connection.
Fig. 2.5 Connections on the monitor; to the left, the Ethernet cable and to
the right, the power cable.
Connect the power cable to one of the identical outlets in the battery box
(Figure 2.6). If a RTC is used the power cable is connected to the battery
pack on the RTC, see Chapter Batteries.
2.2.2 Connecting cables to the control unit
Connect Ethernet and power cables to the control unit (Figure 2.6)
Fig. 2.6. The connections to the control unit; left is power and right is
Ethernet communication cable. Above right the connections to the battery
box is seen.

www.malags.com
9
Connect the power cable to the other outlet in the battery box (Figure 2.6).
If a RTC is used the power cable is connected to the battery pack on the
RTC, see Chapter Batteries.
Finally, connect the encoder cable to the control unit (Figure 2.7).
Fig. 2.7. Encoder cable to the control unit.
2.3 Start up and Power buttons
Start the Easy Locator by pressing the start button on both the control unit
and the monitor (Figure 2.8). The light in the centre of the button on the
control unit will start to blink. During the measurement the button will
remain illuminated continuously.
Fig 2.8. Start button on the control unit (left) and the monitor (right)
To turn the Easy Locator off, push the button and release quickly. The red
light will then stop blinking and the unit will be turned off with a click sound.
If the power cable is accidentally pulled out the Easy Locator will start
automatically when connected.

www.malags.com
10
2.4 Changing antennas
Depending on the soil conditions and/or the depth penetration required two
choices of antennas are available, “Shallow” and “Mid”. See Fig. 2.9. The
“Shallow” antenna has a depth penetration of approx. 2.5 m and detects
targets with a size of approx 3 cm in diameter. The corresponding figures
for the “Mid” antenna are 4 m and 5 cm.
Fig. 2.9. Shallow and Mid antennas
To change the antenna, remove the monitor with handle, shafts, and
battery box as well as the control unit. Pull out all cables and the pins
securing the shafts. Change the antenna unit and re-connect all parts back
to original state.
When remounting the control unit be sure to see that it is in the right
direction. See Fig 2.10. There is a slight difference in distance from the
centre between the two connectors.
Fig. 2.10. Backside of the control unit showing one of the two connectors
that should be fitted on the antenna unit.
When the Easy Locator is turned on the control unit will automatically
calibrate to the antenna it is attached to, provided that they are factory

www.malags.com
11
calibrated together. Factory calibration can be done by Malå GeoScience
or by your nearest distributor.
Note! Do not switch antennas in the rain. This is important in order to avoid
moisture from reaching vital connectors beneath the control unit. In event
the Easy Locator is operated in the rain or exposed to moisture, it is
extremely important to dry the antenna and control unit before putting the
system away. These precautions will help avoid damages to the system.
2.5 Adjustable wheels
The antenna should be kept parallel with, and as close as possible to the
ground surface. But a higher setting of the antenna may be required when
operating in grass or loose sand etc.
The height of the front and the back pair of wheels should be changed
equally. Pull the spring and turn the adjustment leveller to desired position
(Figure 2.10). This has to be done individually for the front and the back
pair of wheels.
The tires should be inflated to 25 psi (1.7 bar).
Fig. 2.10 Height adjustment spring and adjustment leveller.
When using the RTC the wheels on the RTC are not adjustable, however
the height of the antenna tray can freely be set according to the terrain
conditions.

www.malags.com
12
3 System operation
__________________________________________________
3.1 Monitor Operation
The monitor is designed to operate together with the Easy Locator. The
monitor is available in two different versions: EXM or IXM. The IXM monitor
enables saving screen dumps of the radargram (as *.jpg-images), which
can be uploaded for documentation.
The screen (on both IXM and EXM) is available as a high brightness colour
350 cd 10.4” TFT-LCD providing high visibility for outdoor use or an
optional (EXM+ / IXM+) Transreflective screen for maximum visibility in
sunlight. The screen is weather resistant (IP 67 standard) to withstand rain
and dust.
The monitor is operated with a dual function turn-push button for controlling
the program flow. By turning the button right or left, a selection from a
specific menu can be highlighted. By pushing the button, the selection is
activated.
3.2 System settings
When the Easy Locator (monitor and control unit) are turned on, the
following menu appears after approximately 20 seconds:

www.malags.com
13
The battery meter (top right corner) indicates the battery status (see
Chapter 5).
The antenna type and depth window setting is automatically recognized
and seen at the bottom of the screen, together with the selected trigger and
soil type.
3.2.1 Settings
If all settings are appropriate for the project the measurements can be
started immediately by choosing . But if settings need to be
changed, choose to reach the following alternatives:

www.malags.com
14
3.2.2 Color
The colour scheme of the radargram can be
changed, between grey scale and two different
colour schemes. Grey scale is the default setting.
3.2.3 Soil type
Some general soil types are categorized in
the table displayed for soil type. The table is
factory set to suit your area on delivery but
note that there are local variations of soil
types.
Choose soil type that most closely matches what is observed at your
particular project site. The soil type selection allows adjustment of the
depth scale for differing soil conditions. This is a critical setting if accurate
depth information is required. It should be noted that soil conditions can
vary rapidly at any location. Therefore all depth information must be used
with caution.
3.2.4 Acquisition Mode
The trigger provides information to the horizontal
distance-scale about the length of the profile. The
internal trigger is placed in the left back wheel and is
connected to the control unit with the encoder cable.
Default setting is “Internal forward”. In rough terrain, it
may be easier to pull the Easy Locator backwards and
use the setting “Internal backward”.
The choice External is used for instance for the encoder wheel on the RTC
(see Section 2.1.3). Time triggering can be used in very rough terrain. If
using time triggering no horizontal distance information is available for the
profile.
3.2.5 Depth window
The depth window determines the depth
scale shown on the monitor, but the soil
setting also influences it.
Note that selection of a depth window does not influence the actual depth
penetration of the GPR signal but only the maximum amount of data that
can be viewed on the screen. Three depth ranges are available: shallow,
medium and deep.

www.malags.com
15
How well the soil type selected matches the actual ground conditions
determines the accuracy of the depth scale. In poor soil conditions
selection of the deep depth scale may only yield GPR data to depths less
than a few feet/around 1 meter due to attenuation of the GPR signal.
Therefore, objects may exist but not be displayed on the screen because
they are well below the penetration depth of the signal. With experience the
operator can readily determine when the radargram is displaying
attenuated or noisy signals, which typically appear as snow (see Chapter
5).
3.2.6 Regional options
By choosing regional options there is a possibility to
change language or the measuring scale. Use the turn-
push button to select your choice and press. Save your
settings before closing the window.
3.3 Start
To start scanning just press and the following screen will appear.
The radar data will be shown on the black screen as the unit is moved
forward.
3.4 Stop
Selecting the profile is stopped and remains on the screen until a
new measurement is started or until the program is ended. There is no

www.malags.com
16
possibility to continue a stopped profile. Stopping the system creates an
entirely new profile. All data displayed previously is not saved.
3.5 Full screen
When selecting the
radargram screen is expanded, so
that it is covering the full screen.
Pressing the knob again will show
the normal screen with the different
menus and the radargram.
3.6 Filter
When selecting you can, by turning the knob, apply various
levels of a background removal filter. The affect of the filters will be noticed
immediately. Adjust to create the clearest most interpretable image
possible. Going from zero to full filter setting has the effect of removing
progressively more background signatures by average value calculations.
The manages the contrast of the radargram screen. The turn-
push button is used to increase and decrease the contrast.
The allows gain adjustment of the radar data. Use the turn-push
button for increasing or decreasing the applied time gain. Gain is very
useful for making targets appear brighter in the radargram, this is especially
important when searching for deeper targets.
3.7 Save image (only for the IXM monitor)
With the IXM monitor it is possible to save measured radargram images
(what is seen on the screen).

www.malags.com
17
When you have measured along a
profile and are satisfied with the filter
settings and want to save the result
seen on the screen, select and press
.
The monitor immediately saves the expanded
radargram, a so-called full screen, where the
date and time is seen (below the radargram),
as an identification of the image and the saved
file.
These saved images can easily be
up-loaded with an USB-memory
connected to the monitor
(connection located on the left side
of the parallel port). See Fig. 3.1.
Within the Settings menu, the option
Upload images is found.
Fig. 3.1. Left: Rubber lid covering the USB port. Right: Connected memory.

www.malags.com
18
One can choose to erase the images from the monitor or leave them, when
the upload is carried out. It should be remembered that the memory
capacity is limited so it advisable to upload and erase images.
3.8 Quit
To quit after finished radar measurements press .
When the QUIT-option is used, but then the power is not turned off
immediately, with the on/off switch on the unit, the unit has to be powered
off before start again by pressing the on/off switch and then wait for 5-10
seconds before pressing the on/off switch again. Otherwise the unit will not
turn on.

www.malags.com
19
4 Using the Easy Locator
_______________________________________________________
In some cases GPR is a stand-alone method that can solve a particular
locate problem. An additional bonus of using GPR beyond detecting non-
metallic objects is the ability to scan large areas and detect many unknown
utilities at one time without prior knowledge of their locations or directly
connecting to them.
When locating utilities, plan the survey in accordance to Figure 4.1. Start
with a number of scans perpendicular to the area with the expected utility.
Do a number of scans to get a correct picture of the signature. Follow up
with parallel scans to search for laterals if needed.
Fig. 4.1 Example of a survey plan.
Place the Easy Locator on the start of the first profile; choose the start
button and start the measurements.
It is possible to change the settings while you are scanning to get the most
suitable screen.
When you find a signature of a utility to be marked showing up on the
screen, continue measuring until the full signature can be seen on the
screen and then walk backwards. When the vertical marker (seen on the
radargram window) is in the middle of the signature, draw a mark on the
ground beside the arrow on the antenna.
Normally, a numbers of scans have to be made to ensure the existence
and extension of the utility. The last signatures can be retained on the
screen by lifting the back wheels when moving the Easy Locator in position
for the next scan. This way a comparison between the different scans can
be made directly on the screen. This can be done if the measured profiles
are short, as the space on the screen is limited.
Area with expected utility
Parallel survey lines
Perpendicular
survey lines

www.malags.com
20
With the IXM monitor images can be saved over the different measured
profiles and also compared later on.
Note! That the detachable wear plates (also called skid plates) should
always be used to insure a long antenna unit life. In some soil conditions
(where the depth penetration is limited as in clays, silts or other conductive
materials) it might, however, be better to carry out measurements without
the skid plates attached. This will of course affect the antenna unit and one
should be careful about excessive use of the antenna without skid plate.