EPE Software

[Unregistered]

Howdy, I am building the EPE Resistivity Meter as part of an undergrad research grant. The meter seems to be sitting up and talking, but I am not having any luck with the VB6 software that came from the site. The serial port isn't hearing the meter or this software isn't seeing it. Has anyone else had similiar problems, or used any other programs to download the collector data?

[Carl-NC]

If you're running on a Windows NT platform (NT, 2000, or XP) you might be forbidden from directly accessing the serial port. I know that is true for the parallel port. NT requires using a VxD to access the ports, and they are a real pain to write.

Win95/97 allowed direct port access, so you might try to run your software on an older OS. Or, try to find a freeware program called "userport", which runs on NT and creates Win95-like direct access.

- Carl

[RAEL]

EPE Software

Hi,

I have software working under XP using property Win95, 98 compatibility, making "Snuffler", "Archeo surveyor" format data file (read data via parallel port).

[Geophyz]

Hi,

I have software working under XP using property Win95, 98 compatibility, making "Snuffler", "Archeo surveyor" format data file (read data via parallel port).

Very interesting software. See the "My Front Yard" ER Survey Pictures thread ot see a novel idea about making the EPE resistivity Logger into a ER resistivity switch system via a breakout box switch. Would you be interested in further development of your software for such a project?

[RAEL]

EPE Software

Hi Geophiz,

Sorry for delay,

In the moment I’m working on the software for my project “IP and resistivity meter”.
I think the EPE RM is not very proper for multi-electrode resistivity meter. We need much more precise voltage and current measurement to obtain good resistivity interpretation image.
To measure a high apperent resistivity of sends, rocks, caves in large electrode area, we need high transmit voltage.
For the purpose of IP, and high conductivity soil, we need high transmit current. To achieve useful resistivity image, we need much more precise instrumental amplifier, and better ADC and DAC.
For the purpose of the RES2DINV calculations, the apperent resistivity is defined to be Rho = K * V / I, where K is a geometric factor, depending on the electrode area (Wenner, Shlumberge, Dipole-Pole...).
Note, the EPE RM has small resolution (10 bit ADC), the transmitting voltage is very low, and the transmitting current is assumed to be constant and never measured.
My project is based on produced by Analog Devices instrumental amplifier IC’s, low-pass and notch filter, and 24-bit ADC with digital filter. Transmiter is designed as current stabilized "H-bridge" giving up to 500V p-p voltage. 12 bit. DAC set output current in 4 ranges (0-1, 0-10, 0-100, 0-1000 mA) which is maesured by 16 bit ADC.
The IP-RM is connected via USB to a LAP or a Pocket PC, and specially designed software is used to control the box, to initialize the electrodes, etc.
I am currently working on two variants for electrode switches -- for passive and active electrodes. Please, see bellow.

[Leto]

Great work Rael!!
I agree with you on EPE RM limitations.

[RAEL]

EPE Software

Dear EPE RM project fans,

The Electrode switching system for the EPE Earth Resistivity Logger idea is oldest then EPE RM project.

I know a treasure hunter who had geophysical logger, integrating ground resistivity meter, gradiometer and a metal detector, called MAGNARADAR. The cost was 5500 euros (at a discount). After three months of long archaeological itineracy, RM sounding and digging, he sed: “I do not find things below one meter and images is different from one site”. My response was: “For this money I can make for you “Pendulum & map” based logger with interpretation software, and you will save many time and money. (Oil is limited on planet).”

A presentation of this EPE RM modification can be found here:
http://www.mediaelettra.com/geoit.htm

The Magnaradar have switching system with 22 electrodes. Switching sequence do measurement of 20 points per line, using Wenner-Schlumberge configuration. The Logger does not support RES2DINV as data format. The output file format is known (see below). The gradiomater or the metal detector can be connected to the analog input of the Resistivity meter.

The design of the gradiometer probe (1900 euros) is described in details below:
http://www.thunting.com/cgi-bin/geotech/pages/common/index.pl?page=mag&file=/projects/fmx1/index.dat

The attached screenshoot bellow do not show new Tetris game. I make it from pirate copy of "Software specially designed for deep underground scanning".

Thanks to Carl Moreland and John Becker, for theirs project, which are excellent for education purposes.

RAEL

[ishtar hunter]

Hi to all
I download my data with snuffler software so i export to xyz file and so open this file in surfer12 software . but i do not know this software is suitable for EPE device or no? this software is for map but i do not know do we can use this software for analysis EPE data?

[rael]

Hi,

For interpretation of survey data, software should be have processing functions as "clip", "despike", "walls". Also different pattern is used for visualisation of suspected targets.
Such software is Snuffler, Wumap, MagPick, TerraSurveyor.
Then may be used Surfer for presentation.

For useful image the survey data must be have exact measured resistance, free of noise i.e. good resistivity meter.

Surfer is suitable for EPE device, but EPE device is not suitable for Surfer software.
For making of beautiful pictures, Photoshop is the best.

[mossine]

Hi Geophiz,

Sorry for delay,

In the moment I’m working on the software for my project “IP and resistivity meter”.
I think the EPE RM is not very proper for multi-electrode resistivity meter. We need much more precise voltage and current measurement to obtain good resistivity interpretation image.
To measure a high apperent resistivity of sends, rocks, caves in large electrode area, we need high transmit voltage.
For the purpose of IP, and high conductivity soil, we need high transmit current. To achieve useful resistivity image, we need much more precise instrumental amplifier, and better ADC and DAC.
For the purpose of the RES2DINV calculations, the apperent resistivity is defined to be Rho = K * V / I, where K is a geometric factor, depending on the electrode area (Wenner, Shlumberge, Dipole-Pole...).
Note, the EPE RM has small resolution (10 bit ADC), the transmitting voltage is very low, and the transmitting current is assumed to be constant and never measured.
My project is based on produced by Analog Devices instrumental amplifier IC’s, low-pass and notch filter, and 24-bit ADC with digital filter. Transmiter is designed as current stabilized "H-bridge" giving up to 500V p-p voltage. 12 bit. DAC set output current in 4 ranges (0-1, 0-10, 0-100, 0-1000 mA) which is maesured by 16 bit ADC.
The IP-RM is connected via USB to a LAP or a Pocket PC, and specially designed software is used to control the box, to initialize the electrodes, etc.
I am currently working on two variants for electrode switches -- for passive and active electrodes. Please, see bellow.

hi Mr Guest
can you shared with us . you shematic ? really we need a project like this pls

[obolo]

Thank you very much.