OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
Contents
1. ETtings Waveguide Length 15 cy 9f Sed w Eurlahla Window Size 10 n Fatture Table SUN Buerogng o Waveguide Waveguide Length refers to the length of the waveguides being used in a Length particular measurement Using the stylus pen from the drop down menu select the appropriate waveguide length for your measurement You may select from thefollowinglengths 15 cm 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 cm and 60 cm Toselect the desired waveguide length tap on your selection and it will be selected and display on the screen Fig 5 5 15 box marked Std This boxis always checked as a default f you uncheck it then you will be allowed to enter any length waveguide you wish This is ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL 5 2 primarily used when using the Mini Buriable probe 6111 which has 8 cm waveguides Palm llle Waveguide Length 16 cm O Waveguide Window Size w 10 ri Moisture Tabla SUP Averaging He ay Fig 5 5 Waveguide me Ja Fig 5 6 Next you will need to select the type of waveguide There are three types of waveguide connectors to choose from Connector Buriable and Field Fig 5 6 Thedefault selection set at thefactory isConnector TheConnector isutilized for thestandard Waveguide Co2. 6 2 Insert the Waveguides into the Soil 2 6 2 Makea Measurement odere t r D endian kou ur LU RA CRT Ee nk Red ceu 6 3 NOUS ien ta Suae c tan tarde ui ba ne Ea ecu esu eru cet Sanoa roce eus s Seco elo cud reote 6 3 SAVE th usi e 6 3 WAG 6 4 Store Readin s Graphis 6 4 5 BUTON 6 4 WSW ae BUCOR 6 4 7 USING THE TRASE STORED READINGS SCREEN 7 1 NOUS 7 1 Screen Abbreviations den 7 1 7 1 8 DOWNLOADING 2 8 1 Downloading Data via the Palm Hotsync Method 8 1 Setting Up MiniTrase and WinTrase Software for Data 8 2 IN DEO me 8 2 WinTrase Software ec e dono eee neue 8 2 9 FIELD MEASURE MENTS Standard Waveguide Connector 9 1 Using Standard Waveguides in Spot Measurements 9 1 CAUTO Ra ae a yale 9 1 Using Long Waveguides for Spot 9 1 Insertion of Waveguides in Dense Soils
3. annan naan 4 1 Car Ge Batteri eS 4 1 Verifying Battery 4 1 Install the Palm Software on your iiiter 4 2 5 ne eas 4 2 AQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL 5 1 TESS oho S OLENA FS sea NN n mnas UEM aol 5 1 Activating the Handheld Terminal 5 1 Familiarize yourself with the TraseT erm 5 5 3 Waveguide Lengths t cess te adie 5 3 5 3 Window Size Selector terere Ore ke o Er eec 5 4 Moisture Table Selection adero Ree cee ie tele oce o s Taio Fd Kip e ERN 5 4 5 5 VIG TIS ut oo scietis Ua 5 5 6 USING THE MEASURE SCREEN 6 1 Making Measurement with the Waveguide Connector 6 1 LET OSA 6 1 2680 Se Fayre Met
4. The Coaxial Cable Assembly is a part of the Waveguide Connector It can readily be replaced with a new cable when required If it becomes necessary to replace the Coaxial Cable Assembly use a 5 16 inch open end wrench toloosen thehex nut on the coaxial fitting Fig 3 5 Thehex nut can then be unscrewed For proper compatibility with Trasesoftware itis necessary touseSoilmoisture s Waveguide Connector Cable 6003F 1L 78 as a replacement The Palm Handheld Terminal and its use are described in Chapter 5 Acquaint Yourself with the Operation of the Handheld Terminal All MiniTrase items fit conveniently inside the MiniTrase Backpack with sufficient room for other items such as notepads pencils etc A special foam insert holds the MiniTrase securely in place The foam insert provides comfort able cushion between the user and the unit while being transported in the field and to protect the unit from damage ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE PARTS 3 4 4 REQUIREMENTS PRIOR USE Charge Batteries Charging the Battery in the Unit Charging the Battery with the External Battery Charger Verifying Battery Charge Fig 4 1 After unpacking your MiniTrase the first step in putting it into operation is to charge the removable battery An internal power charging unit has been incorporated in the MiniTrase Connecting the Power Supply 6051V 100 240 tothe unit will charge the battery without having to remove it
5. 9 2 Repeat Readings At The Same Location 9 5 Insertion In Container S are 9 5 n d ceu c A a 9 5 Special Measurement Conditi enne nnne 9 5 Measurements with Long Waveguides in Wet Soils 9 5 Measurements in Saline SONS wes se eu 9 5 10 FIELD MEASUREMENTS USING BURIABLE WAVEGUIDES OR THE SLAMMER HEAVY DUTY WAVE GUIDE ana aan annan 10 1 Inserting B rlableMavegulcdes p sti mne do 10 1 Precautions When Installing Buriable 5 10 2 Saiko SA A a EA EI 10 2 Using the Handheld Terminal i s mata aa et ttt ete pa Pot on e Eras 10 3 Zero Set Not Required for Buriable 65 10 3 Making Measurements with the Slammer 10 4 TABLE OF CONTENTS 11 12 13 Insertion of the Slammer Waveguides into the Soil 10 4 A E tttm a ntt 10 4 Making a Measurement 10 5 Zero 5 ___ ___ 10 5 CUSTOM LOOKUP MOISTURE 5 11 1 Standard Moisture
6. In order to obtain accurate results when making measurements in containers or pots caution must beexercised regardi ngthesizeofthecontainer Thewaveguide spacing 5 cm is such that a volume of soil approximately the shape of a cylinder with radius of 4 15 sampled Inserting the waveguides too close to the wall of the container will introduce error in the moisture measurement Measuring too close to the wall of the con tainer will average not only the soil but the dielectric of the container and the air outside the container It is recommended that the waveguides be inserted at least 2 3 cm approx 1 inch from the wall of the container Special Measurement Conditions Measurements with Long Waveguides in Wet Soils Measurements in Saline Soils When working with long waveguides in wet soil it may be necessary to select a longer capture window in order to make the moisture reading Selection of the window length is made in the Setup Screen Any of thecoated waveguides madeby Soilmoisturearefor usein very conductive saline soils Their specific Moisture Tables are selected in the Setup Screen FIELD MEASUREMENTS STANDARD WAVEGUIDE CONNECTOR 9 5 FIELD MEASUREMENTS STANDARD WAVEGUIDE CONNECTOR 9 6 10 FIELD MEASUREMENTS USING BURIABLE WAVEGUIDES THE SLAMMER HEAVY DUTY WAVEGUIDE Installing Buriable Waveguides The standard 6005L series Buriable Waveguides Fig 10 1 and the 6005CL Series Coated BuriableWa
7. 11 1 Custom Moisture Tables 6 eene nnne aa aa retra 11 1 MULTIPLEXING ure En phu cu Cu Ga gu Gun SN 12 1 MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLE SHOOTING rne 13 1 CareAnd Maintenarnce certet ere Pere ei xvi er ke e neges ehe 13 1 MiniTrase Will Not Turn On When ou Press Power Switch to ON Position 13 1 MiniTrase Will Not Zero amp 13 1 Unable to Measure Moisture o R 13 1 Cold Booting the MiniTrasSe cnc cientos a petiolo Hera io Pen Ubera doctos 13 2 Partei ti mt tint td ee ba te ba rdiet Maan 13 2 ACCESS OF LOGS xt edere rief em Mei du ed cata tet 13 2 Replacement Pals soie ectetuer Cue 13 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 THE 6050X3K1 MINI TRASE KIT Unpacking Cautions and Warnings Note MiniTrase Warranty Palm Warranty Not Liable for Improper Use The MiniTrase 6050X3 uses Time Domain Reflectometry TDR to measure instantaneously the volumetric water content of soils and other moist media A variety of connectors and waveguides for depth measurements ranging from 15 to 70 cm are available and can be used in portable manner or permanently installed for periodic moisture monitoring The volumetric moisture
8. DOWNLOADING DATA 8 4 9 FIELD MEASUREMENTS STANDARD WAVEGUIDE CONNECTOR Using Standard Waveguides in Spot Measurements CAUTION Using Long Waveguides for Spot Measurements The standard waveguide connector and waveguides in conjunction with acces sory items are capable of measuring moisture in virtually all types of soils When the soil can be readily penetrated the measuring waveguides are com monly 15cm 30 45 cm long After zero setting mount the waveguides in the connector and insert them in the soil Always make sure that the waveguides arefully inserted in thesoil to obtain an accurate moisture measure ment Fig 9 1 The waveguide connector is ruggedly built and considerable force can be used to push the waveguides into the soil Donot hammer or stamp on the connector sincesharp blows can disturb internal electronic components Contact our Sales Department regarding our heavy duty Slammer waveguide connector When longer waveguides such as 45 cm and 60 cm long are mounted in the waveguide connector the ends of the waveguides can be flexed considerably during the insertion process Proper spacing between the two waveguides is necessary to obtain accurate moisture measurements When using long waveguides it is important to guidethe ends of the waveguides when they enter the soil Our accessory Alignment Block 6012 should be used for this purpose Fig 9 2 Fig 9 2 FIELD MEAS
9. Press the key 4 The table will be displayed on the screen in the same format as used in entering a moisture table When Trase software calculates the moisture content it considers that thereisa linear relationship of to moisture content between two adjacent Ka values in the table If the Custom oisture Table you areentering only covers a part of the full range of moisture for example 0 40 where say 40 corresponds to a Ka value of 26 0 then if in the course of making measurements a Ka value of greater than 26 0 is encountered MiniTrase will always report 40 moisture If you want to know that a measurement exceeds the range of your moisture table you can assign a Ka value of for example 26 5 just slightly above 26 0 and relate this to 99 9 moisture Then when making a reading if MiniTrase reports 99 9 moisture you will know that the moisture value measured is beyond the range of your Custom Moisture Table CUSTOM LOOKUP MOISTURE TABLES 11 3 CUSTOM LOOKUP MOISTURE TABLES 11 4 12 MULTIPLEXING MULTIPLEXING The MiniTrase comes standard with 6022 Multiplexer Control Board installed therefore your MiniTrase unit has the capability of selectively reading and or autologging installed waveguides at many locations Each installed waveguide together with its connecting cable is referred to as a channel The 6020B05 Enclosure which handles a maximum of 76 channels and the 6020B 17 Enclosure which handles a
10. T03 4 04 Selection default 1 You will enter either 1 2 3 4 to select the destination for your new custom table 6 After you have entered thetablenumber you will be prompted as follows Enter table label 8 characters alphanumeric maxi mum Y ou will now enter the name for your custom table 7 The following message will confirm that your custom table has been entered New table values stored in table TXX the x s designating the table number selected Steps 1 Prepare the The should contain one entry per line Each entry is the Ka value a comma then the moisture value The moisture value is expressed as a three place decimal F example 5 0 is written 050 and 27 5 is written as 275 Kaiscarriedtoa oneplacedecimal Thefollowing example of the first four lines of our standard table are see Graphs at the end of Chapter 2 2 0 0 000 3 8 0 050 6 0 0 100 7 8 0 150 2 As with entering a custom moisture table by hand you must have a terminal or a computer used as a terminal connected tothe DB 9 Port of theTraseunit with thebaudrateset to match theTrasesetup thedefault is 9600 See Setting the Data Transfer Parameters in this section for further details 3 Key to the Setup Screen 4 Press the key 5 The following message will appear on the terminal Type each table entry as Ka moisture Press after each entry Example 15 3 351 lt ENTER gt Press again after l
11. Y ourself with the Parts Check your entries in the TraseM easure Screen to make sureentries are all properly and completely entered Refer to Section 6 Using TheTrase Measure Screen Check to make sure plug and cable connections to the Waveguides connector or buried Waveguide are intact Check theCaptureWindow If you areworking with very long Waveguides in very wet soils the Transit Time through the Waveguides may exceed windowing time of the Capture Window Y ou must select a time capture window size of 10ns 20ns or 40ns which will encompass the full TDR waveform Refer to Section The Measuring System under Section 2 Principles and Techniques of Operation If you are working with shorter waveguides or standard buriable waveguides make sure you are using 10ns capture window MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING 13 1 Cold Booting the The MiniTrase Processor can be returned to its initial state The process is MiniTrase sometimes referred to by the computer industry as a cold start or a cold boot The process erases all stored data and returns all fields totheir original default conditions This process is normally used only if a computer appears to be malfunctioning in the sequencing of operations or handling of data Parts 6002F 1 6008L 15 6031 6050X3 6050X3SW 6051V100 240 6910 898 6050X3 MEZ032 MEZ036 6065BAG Accessories 6008L 15 6008L 30 6008L 45 6008L 60 6008L 70 6008CL 15 6008CL 30 6010 6012 6053V1
12. adjust transit times provide multiple custom lookup tables for specialized waveguides and material allowing for quick analysis and determinations In order to download collected data from the MiniTraseto WinTrase you must first install WinTrase software on your PC Follow the instructions that are included with the WinTrase software for proper installation Items needed to download data from the MiniTrase to the PC l Before beginning first verify that the MiniTrase Battery is either fully charged or connect the MiniTrase to the Power Supply plugged into a wall socket 2 Locate the Output Direct M odem Switch on the MiniTrase front panel Set the rocker switch to the Direct Setting You were provided with an MEZ036 Cablethat has a male DB 9 connector on oneend and a female DB 9 connector on the opposite end Connect the MiniTraseto your PC s serial port usingthis cable Y ou may need a connector adapter depending on thetype of serial port on your computer Oncethe MiniTraseis properly connected tothe PC turn the MiniTraseon with the Power Rocker switch in the ON position and the Output rocker switch to Direct From your PC start the WinTrase software From the pull down menu select Remote then select Settings settings you will need toindicate which com port is being used Generally this is Com Port 2 but this may differ in your particular situation The Palm Hotsync Manager should be deactivated before performing this pro
13. factory since this give the greatest resolution when working with waveguides of 20 or 30 cm lengths When using longer 40 60 cm waveguides you must select the 20 nS window The 40 nS window size is used for saturated soils or unusual conditions Finally select the Moisture Table Select either BUN Buriable Uncoated or BCT Buriable Coated depending on the type of waveguide being used Now that the TraseTerm software has been properly set for making measure ments with the buriable tap the Home button on your handheld terminal When you are using the Buriable waveguides the Zero Set Process previously described for use with the standard Waveguide Connector is NOT required The Buriable Waveguide has a built in electronic feature which the Trase software recognizes for its computation of percent of moisture Therefore after entering the desired parameters and synchronizing the time between the Palm and the MiniTrase in the Trase Setup Screen tap the Home button Before proceeding be sure that the Buriable Waveguide is attached to the MiniTrase and inserted in the soil The BNC fitting on the cable of the Buriable Waveguide is protected by a soft plastic cap The cap provides the BNC fitting protection in thefield from soil water and other possiblecontaminants To make a reading remove the protective cap from the end of the BNC fitting connect the fittingtotheBNC Port on thefront of the MiniTrase Then skipping the Zero Set Pro
14. maximum of 256 channels are used in conjunction with any Trase unit to accomplish the multiplexing operation Multiplexing with theM iniTraseis an optional feature Separateinstructions for multiplexing are provided when this feature is ordered 12 1 MULTIPLEXING 12 2 13 MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING Care And Maintenance Troubleshooting MiniTrase Will Not Turn On When You Press Power Switch to ON position MiniTrase Will Not Zero Set Unable To Measure Moisture MiniTrase requires very little maintenance other than periodic charging of the batteries Clean plastic surfaces with a moist clean soft cloth Store the unit in a dry environment Excessive moisture may damage internal circuits and cause the unit to fail Check to see that the Power Switch is in the ON position and that the Battery is properly seated Refer to Section 4 Requirements Prior to Use If you areusing auxiliary power make sure power cable connections are properly made Is the Waveguide connect handle plugged into MiniTrase If you are using a buriable probe do you have the correct waveguide type selected in the Setup Menu Makesurethat waveguides havebeen removed fromtheconnector if using the Standard Waveguide Connector and make sure the waveguides are installed if using the Slammer Be sure Waveguide sockets are not touching any surface Make sure all cable connections are properly made see Section 3 quaint
15. na pato pedo desi tie toda 2 4 Graphs Produced by Buriable Waveguides 2 7 Determilie caede rto eve pedi tte ale ied 2 8 Relationship of Ka to Moisture Percentage 2 8 Graphs on Relationship of to Moisture Percentage 2 9 ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE PARTS eese esee nn nananana 3 1 Battery and Battery 3 1 e T 3 1 Terminal RET 3 1 M ltiplexer POLE ede ren id eee POE bp 3 1 Power Port for External Power 4 4 11242 2 nnns 3 1 OuEDUEDITecE SWITCI otto eo avausta eati 3 2 ELORE PS ns CT ELE 3 2 BNOC PORE E 3 2 Reset BUON M 3 2 Waveguide Connector Waveguides 2 0 242 3 2 Cable 5560 3 4 N 3 4 The ci metae te petebat te are te packet one aided 3 4 TP 3 4 REQUIREMENTS PRIOR USE
16. pulseis reflected back through the line much the same as a beam of light traveling down a tube and being reflected back by a mirror at the end of the tube Thesecharacteristics makeit possible with sophisticated electronics to measure the time required for a microwave pulse to travel down a known length of transmission line referred to as waveguides buried in the soil The apparent dielectric constant Ka of the air soil water complex can then be determined by the formula 2 Where L is the length of the waveguides centimeters t is the transit time in nanoseconds billionths of a second and c is thespeed of light in centimeters per nanosecond The transit time is defined as the time required for the pulse to travel in onedirection fromthestart of thewaveguidetotheend of the waveguide If the soil is completely dry Ka will be 2 to 4 If 25 of the volume of the soil is water Ka will be approximately 11 12 For agricultural soils the value of Ka depends primarily on the volumetric water content of the soil and is largely independent of the type of soil The relationship of the Ka value to the volumetric water percentage has been established by careful measurements of Ka in test cells prepared with accurately known volumes of water in soil This relationship is then used to automatically convert field measurements of to the volumetric water content of the soil PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION
17. the installation tool is in contact with the soil surface Fig 9 8 FIELD MEASUREMENTS STANDARD WAVEGUIDE CONNECTOR 9 3 WAVEGUIDES _ Fig 9 9 Disconnect the installation tool by loosening the hex bolt with the wrench and liftingthetool off the waveguides The ends of the waveguides will project slightly above the soil surface Fig 9 9 Fig 9 10 Align the Waveguide Connector over the ends of the waveguides as shown in Fig 9 10 and press down until the waveguides are fully seated in the waveguide sockets of the connector Then tighten the clamping knob on the waveguide connector to secure contact with the waveguides The moisture reading can now be made Toremovethe waveguides loosen the clamping knob on the waveguide connector and remove Fit the protruding ends of the waveguides into the holes of the installation tool Makesurethe waveguides seat on the bottom of theholes in the installation tool Tighten the hex bolt securely with the wrench Use the instal lation tool to pull or pry the waveguides out of the soil Fig 9 11 Fig 9 11 FIELD MEASUREMENTS STANDARD WAVEGUIDE CONNECTOR 9 4 Repeat Readings At The Same Location Insertion In Containers CAUTION After installing waveguides in thesoil as described above they can beleft in the field and tagged for identification and returned to for subsequent readings The waveguides are made of stainless steel and can be left in the field indefinitely
18. theM easure button will immediately start the measurement process The Waveguide Connector must be inserted in the soil and ready for the measurement reading BEFORE tapping the Measure button If the connector is not attached to the MiniTrase and the waveguides are not inserted in the soil then a Timeout error message will appear in the screen To start the measurement process tap the Measure button Fig 6 6 from the Home Screen This will immediately start the measurement process Measure will appear in the terminal screen and it will take few seconds for the process to be completed Fig 6 6 Once the moisture reading has been taken the date and ti me will appear in the screen as well as the moisture value in percent and the Ka value of the reading Fig 6 7 The reading may now be tagged before saving the data Fig 6 7 USING THE TRASE MEASURE SCREEN 6 3 the Reading Store Readings Graphs Note Remeasure Button View Data Button 12APR2001 Tira 10 18 09 Moisture 9 894 KR 590 _ iLength 15cm Conr ctor Window Size 10ns Table CUN Save Reading Remei BE The TAG input field Fig 6 7 is provided for you tofurther identify the reading such as the location where the reading was made or for other particulars associated with the reading This is an 8 digit alphanumeric field Fig 6 7 Toenter tap on the dotted line after the
19. 2 1 Measurement System mi i i i i Start of Timing Start of Transit lt End of Waveguides Time Waveguides irsidgnt lt Zero Set Time gt Capture Window Pulse Time to Point of Reflection Fig 2 1 The TDR processor incorporates a very accurate timing system capable of measuring time in picoseconds a picosecond is onetrillionth of a second When making a measurement a long series of timing cycles is initiated Soon after the start of each timing cyde a fast risetime pulse of electricity referred to as the incident pulse is generated and sent down thetransmission line consisting of the coaxial cable and the waveguides buried in the soil After the start of a timing cycle sophisticated electronic components and software measure the effective voltage of the transmission line at a precise moment On the first cycle for example a measurement would be made 10 picoseconds after the start of timing This value would be stored On the next cycle the measurement would be made 20 picoseconds after the start of timing This value would be stored F or each successive cycle measurement would be made 10 picoseconds later than the previous cycle Each measurement is stored Theprocessis repeated timing cycleby timing cycle until thestored values of the effective voltage cover the complete time range of interest For examplethe 10 ns nanosecon
20. 20 Buriable 600512 Waveguides 6005 2 6111 Slammer amp 6101 Accessories 6101 4000 6009L 20 6009L 30 6009L 40 6009L 50 6009L 60 Extension Cables 6006L02 6006L 05 6006L 10 6006L 15 6006L 20 6006L 25 6006L 30 6006L 35 6006L 40 Standard Waveguide Connector Set of 15 cm long Waveguides MiniTrase Backpack MiniTrase with Multiplexer Card TraseTerm software on CD Power Supply unit for MiniTrase Palm Handheld Terminal Set MiniTrase Operating Instructions Connector Cable from Palm to MiniTrase Connector Cable from MiniTrase to PC Bag of various gender changers Standard Waveguides 15 cm set of two Standard Waveguides 30 cm set of two Standard Waveguides 45 cm set of two Standard Waveguides 60 cm set of two Standard Waveguides 75 cm set of two Coated Waveguides 15 cm set of 2 Coated Waveguides 30 cm set of 2 Waveguide Installation Tool for 6008 Series Waveguide Waveguide Alignment Block MiniTrase Battery Charger Buriable Waveguide 20 cm probe 2 meter cable Coated Buriable Waveguide 20 cm probe 2 meter cable MiniBuriable Waveguide 8 cm probes Slammer Waveguide Slammer Alignment Block Heavy Duty Slammer Waveguides 20 cm Heavy Duty Slammer Waveguides 30 cm Heavy Duty Slammer Waveguides 40 cm Heavy Duty Slammer Waveguides 50 cm Heavy Duty Slammer Waveguides 60 cm Extension Cable 2 meters Extension Cable 5 meters Extension Cable 10 meters Extension Cable 15 meters E
21. GOSOXIKI msTRUcTIONS 6050X3K1 MiniTrase Kit July 2005 6050X3K1 MiniTrase Kit Power Supply Charger and Software CDs not shown SOILMOISTURE EQUIPMENT CORP Box 30025 Santa Barbara California 93130 USA Phone 805 964 3525 Fax 805 683 2189 SOILMOISTURE e mail sales soilmoisture com Web http www soilmoisture com TABLE CONTENTS THE 6050X3K1 MINITRASE 0 5 0202022 2 004214044 4 4 1 1 WJ ACT Ng D a e 1 1 Cautions and Warnings chico terne red rod eg as i RR ex RE adeno 1 1 force 1 1 MiniTrase Marano obese ure ote c hd 1 1 abyssus d 1 1 Not Liable for Improper eI caes tren bae e AER RE ee SE REN Du Egan 1 1 General SpedTICatloris RM I MG 1 2 Palm Handheld Terminale EM ette depress rano 1 3 TASE orn SoftWare cies oe aoe ase ahi cas do DOR rH Pe a 1 3 PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 1 25 Debt eee E t EI a Mete 2 1 The Measurement System mannaa nananana Kanaa nennen trennen rn tenen tren 2 2 The Capture WIndOW eiii oxi reete nani ar ec c ee espe e 2 3 Graph Features si
22. ION 6861 INALNOO JUNLISIOW VIHLJINNTOA 001 06 08 0 09 09 0t 06 06 01 0 0 01 0 ITI m o 06 o v O or 2 O 5 04 gt 09 A 0 08 0861 Ie 19 jo AINO jeouidui3 Koeinooy QNVS H3AlH V INVO1AQNVS A O JO WIT 2 moys Saul S1u9 u02 0 5106 1 Aq diusuonejeu Paledald 5192 1591 peuiuuejeg 104 197 M Y 61105 JO 1 1 H31VM DIHLIWNTOA OL LNVLSNOO DIHLIJTAIA JO dIHSNOILV13 2 2 2 10 PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 3 ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE PARTS Battery and Battery Charger Power Switch Terminal Port Multiplexer Port Power Port for External Power Charger Fig 3 1 The MiniTrase utilizes a rechargeable NiCad battery To remove the battery grasp the black plastic holder firmly and pull straight out The battery can be recharged easily with its own charger With the battery securely in place turn on the MiniTrase using the black rocker switch located on the face of the
23. If you are supplied with a different Palm model please refer to the user s manual with your unit Turn on the Palm terminal by pressing the green ON button in the lower left corner of the unit When the Palm is first turned on you should see the main screen Fig 5 1 If not then tap the H ouse icon to go tothe Main Screen Using thestylus tap on thescroll down bar totheright of your screen Scroll down until you seetheTraseT ermicon TaptheTraseTermicon oncewith your stylustostart the program Fig 5 1 ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL 5 1 Familiarize There are a total of four screens in the TraseTerm Program The Trase Home yourself with the Screen the Trase Setup Screen the easure Screen and the Trase Stored TraseTerm Reading Screen Screens Trase Home Screen has 3 buttons Measure Zero and Setup Fig 5 2 Fig 5 2 Before taking moisture readings it is necessary to set various internal opera tional parameters which are used in calculations and in therecording of data To set these parameters tap the Setup Button In the Trase Setup Screen there are five drop down menus for selecting the parameters for making measurements These menus are Waveguide Length Waveguide Type Window Size Moisture Table and Averaging There is also a Sync Trase Time button in the upper right hand corner of the screen Fig 5 3 Palm HI cona a kr a
24. Port for multiplexing Power Port 8 pin DIN MiniTrase Standard 256 Kb memory with storage capacity greater than 180 graphs Memory 5 610 readings Optional 4Mb memory board increases storage to greater than 3 900 graphs 122 880 readings Automatic data tagging with time and date plus user defineable Tag field MiniTrase Measuring pulse amplitude 1 6 volt peak Electronic Sampling resolution 10 picoseconds Particulars Hardware 5 slot card cage 3 system boards 2 optional slots for optional expanded memory and multiplexing Included Items 1 MiniTrase with Multiplexer Card 6050 3 1 Palm Handheld Terminal 6910 1 TraseTerm software on CD 6050X3SW 1 WinTrase Software on CD 8001 1 Standard Waveguide Connector 6002F 1 1 Set of 15 cm long Waveguides 6008L 15 1 Connector Cable from Palm to MiniTrase MEZO32 1 Connector Cable from MiniTrase to PC 7036 1 Power Supply unit for MiniTrase 6051V 100 240 1 MiniTrase Backpack 6031 1 Set MiniTrase Operating Instructions 0898 6050 3 1 Set of 3 Letter Code Instructions 0898 60503L C 1 Optional 1 MiniTrase Battery Charger 6053V 120 THE MINITRASE SYSTEM 1 2 PALM HANDHELD TERMINAL ThePalmterminal is a product manufactured by Palm Inc Any malfunctionsin the Palm hardware and or Palm operating system software must be addressed directly with Palm Inc Please refer to the Palm operating instructions provided for you on the Palm S
25. S START OF WAVEGUIDES Fig 2 6 In moist soil there is considerable attenuation loss of the pulse energy as it travels along the waveguides Thisisindicated Fig 2 6 by thelarge difference in height between incoming pulse energy as it enters the waveguides and the energy level at thereflection off of the ends of the waveguides Connector Waveguides in Saline Soil ENERGY LEVELAS IT ENTERS WAVEGUIDE E weeeeeueeeeeeeeeeeees CHANGES IN IMPEDANCE 111 E AS THE PULSE TRAVELS ALONG WAVEGUIDES REFLECTION OFF END OF WAVEGUIDE APPARENT T ua EAS DIELECTRIC WITH HIGH dr NU ita red ATTENUATION EFFECTIVE VOLTAGE TRANSIT TIME IN WAVEGUIDES Fig 2 7 START OF WAVEGUIDES Inasalinesoil high bulk electrical conductivity high attenuation with thesame moisture content as a nonsaline soil the attenuation loss of pulse energy is much greater as it travels along the waveguides This is indicated Fig 2 7 by a much smaller and less energetic pulse being reflected off of the ends of the waveguides Thereflected pulse shows theloss of energy by thesmaller height of the reflected pulse NOTE In highly attenuated environments high bulk electrical conductivity EC unusual days of high water content TDR waveform analysis may be hindered by thelack of a recognizable end refection This frequently can occur in areas where strong fertilizers are applied or where EC values are elevated as a by pr
26. The battery can also be removed and charged if you have purchased the optional external battery charger It requires approximately 12 hours to initially charge the battery Locate and then connect the Power Supply to the MiniTrase s Power Port marked Ext Power on the front of the unit Fig 3 1 Makesurethe battery is fully seated in the unit then plug the power supply into an electrical wall socket Let theunit sit for aminimum of 12 hours tofully charge RemovetheBattery fromtheM initraseunit as shown Fig 4 1 Inser the battery into the external battery charger Read all manufacturer s instructions first regarding proper battery charging procedures It generally requires 12 hours to recharge a fully discharged battery Once the battery is fully charged reinsert it in the MiniTrase unit As a precaution we recommend that you carry at least 1 extra fully charged battery with you intothe field should you be taking extensive readings Y ou can verify that the battery is fully charged turn the unit on by pressing the black Power rocker switch to the ON position If the battery is fully charged then thegreen indicator light light will comeon and blink as shown below in Fig 4 2 REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TOUSE 41 Install the Palm Software on your PC Note TraseTerm Software Note Fig 4 2 In order to use the Palm with the MiniTrase all the Palm software must be installed on your PC first Insert the CD marked Pal
27. UREMENTS STANDARD WAVEGUIDE CONNECTOR 9 1 The ends of the Waveguides are inserted into the Alignment Block as they start to enter the soil Fig 9 3 Fig 9 3 The alignment block starts the waveguide entry into the soil with exactly the same spacing as in the waveguide connector and helps assure that they will be paralleled as they move down into the soil When the waveguides are well into the soil the alignment block can be twisted to free it from the waveguides and removed Insertion of Soils of high plasticity compacted soils very dry soils and cemented soils require Waveguides in the use of our Installation Tool 6010 Fig 9 4 Dense Soils Fig 9 4 The installation tool is made from steel and plated for corrosion resistance A wrench is provided with theinstall ation tool The waveguides are mounted the installation tool by first loosening the hex head bolt slipping the grooved end of the waveguides all the way down tothe bottom of the holes and then tightening the bolt securely F ig 9 5 Fig 9 5 FIELD MEASUREMENTS STANDARD WAVEGUIDE CONNECTOR 9 2 Fig 9 6 a Use the alignment block to space the waveguides as shown Fig 9 6 Drive the waveguides into the soil A mallet or similar heavy tool can be used Fig 9 7 When the waveguides are mostly driven into the soil remove the Alignment Block Fig 9 7 Fig 9 8 Drivethe waveguides all the way intothesoil until the bottom of
28. ast entry Begin 6 UsingtheASCII upload feature of your communication program send the file to Trase CUSTOM LOOKUP MOISTURE TABLES 11 2 7 After the file has been uploaded to your Trase unit the following message will appear on your terminal XX entries Enter the table destination 1 01 2 T02 3 T03 4 T04 Selection default 1 You will enter either 1 2 3 or 4 to select the destination for your new custom table 8 After you have entered the tablenumber you will be prompted as follows Enter table label 8 characters alphanumeric maxi mum You will now enter the name for your custom table 9 The following message will appear on the terminal confirming your custom table has been entered New table values stored in table TO the s designating the table number selected If you have problems transferring data you may have to set your communication program upload to lineat Thecommunication program will not send the next line until it has received the echo from the previous line Totransfer a Moisture Table you must havethe PC connected to the MiniTrase using the DB 9 Serial Port with the baud rate set to match the MiniTrase setup the default is 9600 See Setting the Data Transfer Parameters in this section for further details Steps 1 Key to the Setup Screen 2 Select either one of the 4 Standard or one of the 4 Custom Tables in the Moisture Table field SEND 3
29. asurements The default Moisture Table is CUN The eight selections are CUN Connector Uncoated waveguides CCT Connector Coated waveguides BUN Buriable Uncoated waveguides BCT Buriable Coated waveguides FUN Field Uncoated waveguides FCT Field Coated Waveguides SUN Special Uncoated Waveguides SCT Special Coated waveguides ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL 5 4 Averaging Fig 5 9 Averaging 15 an optional selection for you to use 5 9 There are 4 selections None default setting 2 Readings 3 Readings and 4 Readings Averaging allows theuser totake either 2 3 or 4 readings and then saveonly the average of those readings Sync Trase Time Palm Connector CUN Mone te Trase time and date tin Pein time and date Fig 5 10 Once all of the proper selections have been made from the drop down menus it is recommended that you synchronize the MiniTrase time date stamp with your Palm terminal Using the Palm Cable 7032 connect the Palm to the MiniTrase as shown Fig 5 10 With the stylus tap the Sync Trase Time button in the top right hand corner of the screen the synchronization has completed you will see a confirmation pop up window appear in the screen Fig 5 11 Synchronization prior to making measurements will ensure that all measurements taken have the correct time a
30. cedure If running it could interfer or prevent the data transfer process Check the Direct Connection box All other default communications settings remain the same Baud Rate 9600 Stop Bit 1 Parity None Flow Control Xon and Data Bits 8 Once the settings have been made WinTrase is ready to download the collected data from the MiniTrase From WinTrase s main pull down menu select Get Remote Readings WinTrase will automatically connect with theM iniTrase Theuser is prompted by WinT to save readings at this time When prompted to savereadi ngs you may either append this information already created or you may overwritea file deleting previous data and replacing it with the new data to be saved Tosavedata toa new file leave Append selected and click OK WinTrase will now prompt for a file folder and file name to be entered From the folder menu select the file folder where you want to save the data and enter a file name using the DOWNLOADING DATA 8 2 WinTrase extension trs Oncethereadings have been saved graphs may now be viewed by selecting F ile Open Graph from the WinTrase main menu Graphs may be selected one at a time for viewing and moisture content calcula tions Collected moisturereadings may alsobedownloaded directly fromthe MiniTrase tothe PC using 3 letter command protocol a communications program such as HyperTerminal or Windows Terminal DOWNLOADING DATA 8 3
31. cess tap the Measure button to immediately initiate the measurement process As described earlier once the measurement has been successfully taken the reading may now tagged for identification purposes and then either only the moisture reading may be stored or both the Reading and Graph together may be stored FIELD MEASUREMENTS 10 3 Making Measurements with the Slammer Insertion of the Slammer Waveguides into the Soil NOTE For assembly and use of the Slammer please refer to the separate instructions for the Slammer The Slammer was designed for rough use in agricultural envi ronments where the soils vary in texture structure hardness or moisture con tent moist soils Waveguides up to 40 cm may be pushed into the soil without much difficulty Most or all of theinsertion may be achieved in oneor two pushes It is important to apply the pushing force directly over and vertical to the Waveguides as all of this force 15 translated to the Waveguides Fig 10 7 Fig 10 7 Hammer to aid in the insertion process Move the Hammer up and down the Handle Stem to drive the Waveguides into the soil See Figure 10 8 Fig 10 8 In thetoughest situations we havefound it most effective to almost sit on theT handle whileusingthe sliding H ammer The H ammer Plate must be attached to the Top Cap of the Handle Assembly to prevent damage to the welded Handle Assembly sure grasp the Hammer tight
32. content is displayed on the Palm terminal and the graph of the TDR pulse can also be tagged for identification and stored for later viewing and analysis on the PC All stored data can betransferred either by hotsyncingthePalmto your PC or via an RS 232 port connection from the MiniTrase to the PC The MiniTrase unit is designed for rugged field use and is environmentally sealed to prevent damage to sensitive electronic components The MiniTrase system shipped to you was thoroughly tested before shi pment When packed it was in perfect order U npack with care being sureto remove all packing material Follow the instructions carefully in order to ensure long trouble free service Handle all components of the system with care to avoid any damage to delicate electronic components Any damagefound upon receipt should bereported immediately tothetransport carrier for claim It is important that you save the shipping container and all evidence to support your claim Be sure to read all operating instructions thoroughly before operating the unit When in use static discharge to waveguides or waveguide sockets may cause damage to sensitive electronic components Operating the system when the OPR operating light is flickering on the MiniTrase can result in incorrect readings and can cause loss of stored data MiniTrase involves proprietary electronic circuits and hardware Repair of this precision instrument requires highly specialized equip
33. d capture window uses 1 200 each 10 ps picosecond readings spanning 12 ns This process is then repeated several times to determine the average value for each of the 1 200 reading points Analysis including tangent fittingis then made on this 1 200 point TDR waveform to determine start and end reflection The developed transit times information in turn provides the key in calculating the volumetric moisture content When these processes have finished the final 1 000 reading points are can be viewed in our optional WinTrase PC software as the TDR graph However the full 1 200 points are retained in memory if the graph is saved Thesampling timeinterval may be changed for different applications the start of the sampling process is determined by the function being performed In Fig 2 1 when you zero set the MiniTrase before making a series of readings thezeroset timeis being determined as shown above When you makea reading thetimeto point of reflection is being determined The difference between these twotimesis thetransit time which is usedtocalculatetheKa value as described above under Theory MiniTrase s internal softwarethen determines froma pre programmed look up table the appropriate volumetric water percentage PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 2 Window For moisture measuring purposes itis only that portion of the pulserepresented by its transit timeon the buried waveguides which is of im
34. ding soil or other media The resultant graph of the pulse reveals much about the surrounding soil or media Waveguide Connector only no Waveguides Reflection off end of sockets N End of sockets in waveguide connector Fig 2 4 Aboveisatypical graph of the waveguideconnector without waveguides mounted The bottom of the depression corresponds to the end of the waveguide sockets in the connector this case this is the end of the transmission line and the pulse energy is reflected back through the line at this point Connector Waveguides in Dry Soil END OF WAVEGUIDE EFFECTIVE 4 piss E77 1 t VOLTAGE LEVEL AT VOLTAGE CONNECTOR CABLE mimm mim m m miu mn Mi m mim mmm ee mm min mol STK N START OF WAVEGUIDES kras TIME IN WAVEGUIDES lt TIME IN NANOSECONDS gt Fig 2 5 In dry soil thereis practically noattenuation loss ofthe pulseenergy asittravels along the waveguides This is indicated by thesmall differencein height between the pulsein the connecting cable and the pulse whilein the waveguides Fig 2 5 PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 4 Connector Waveguides Moist Soil 5 CHANGES IN IMPEDANCE AS A THE PULSE TRAVELS ALONG KN rere akita ruuti WAVEGUIDES 4 WA REFELCTION OFF OF END OF WAVEGUIDE APPARENT DIELECTRIC WITH LOW ATTENUATION EFFECTIVE VOLTAGE TRANSIT TIME IN WAVEGUIDE
35. e deep installa tions a heavy slurry of water and native soil may be poured down the hole after insertingthe buriable waveguide Sufficient slurry should be used to completely cover the buriable waveguide This should be followed by a small amount of soil which is then tamped in place with a small diameter rod When packing around the buriable waveguide never use silica flour or other materials that differ in dielectricor volumetric character from the native soil in your location since this can result in readings that are not representative of your soil When installing one buriable waveguide above another make sure that the coaxial cablefromthelower unit is kept atleast 2inches away fromthemetal rods of the upper unit Fig 10 5 KEEF 2 SPACE BLURAY Fig 10 5 FIELD MEASUREMENTS 10 2 Using the Handheld Terminal Zero Set Not Required for Buriable Waveguides When installing buriable waveguides horizontally near the surface such as in seed beds make sure that the metal rods at least 2 inches below the surface in order to obtain accurate volumetric moisture content readings Fig 10 6 CABLE SUPPORT POST MINIMUM 2 INCHES WAVEGUIDE INSTALLED HORIZONTALLY Fig 10 6 From the Trase Setup Screen select the appropriate Waveguide Length From the Waveguide Type drop down menu select Buriable Next select the appropriate Capture Window Size Note that the 10 nS length set at the
36. e handheld will be removed and appended to a file on your PC By default these readings are appended to the file Readings csv in the Trase subdirectory in your Palm User directory For example for user Tom ones the readings would be appended CA Palm J onesT Tras Readings csv Although the default extension is csv the readings are stored the Trase trs format This file can be loaded directly by either Microsoft Excel or WinTrase Y ou can change the file name and location by copying the sample trase ini file from CA Program Files Soilmoisture Equipment Corp Trase Terminal to the CA Windows directory and then editing this file The sample file contains PalmConduit OutputDataF CA TraseData trs Change the OutPutDataF ile value to whatever directory and file you desire To view the data simply open either Excel or WinTrase and locate the directory where the readings csv file is stored DOWNLOADING DATA 8 1 Setting Up MiniTrase and WinTrase Software for Data Transfer NOTE WinTrase Software Settings WinTrase is a comprehensive software program designed for the remote use of MiniTrase via modems and DB 9 links The software package is available from Soil moisture or local Soilmoisture dealers as an accessory for the Trase Trase BE and MiniTrase Usingthe same mathematical processes incorporated into MiniTrase WinTrase can automatically fit tangents to the waveforms provide movable ti mebars to
37. e indicates the moisture percentage displayed by Trase for the corresponding Ka value calculated from the moisture measurement sequence These graphs can be used to develop moisture percentages from Ka values determined independently by time measurements made on graphs of the TDR pulse using the Graph Screen Thegraph oftherelationship of Katovolumetricmoisturecontent was developed using test cells carefully prepared to accurately known volumetric moisture contents The Ka value for a given volumetric moisture content is not exactly the same for all types of soils The graphs indicate the differences encountered for 3 types of soils Thesedifferences appear tobeduetodifferences in bonding of water molecules todiffering mineralsin thesoil as well as other physical characteristics that are not fully understood at this time The differences shown however only result in a minor difference in the evaluation of the moisture content PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 8 1N31NOO JUNISION JIYLIWNTOA 09 0 06 01 0 0 Or r O v O 06 O gt oe R OV Aoeinooy 5 1 JO WWI 2 MOUS seur penog 77777 SEAID eur PIOS 51105 IN31NOO H31VM DIHLIWNTOA OL VA LNVLSNOO 219199731 JO dIHSNOILV T3H Graph 2 1 2 9 PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERAT
38. ents to span the range of moisture content that is of interest The samples must be of sufficient volume so that thedielectric constant Ka of thesamples can be measured using Trase with standard waveguides inserted into the samples The development of the table relating the known volumetric moisture content to the dielectric constant Ka at a series of increasing moisture contents must be done carefully to maintain measurement accuracy in the field A Custom Moisture Table needs to consist of a series of volumetric moisture content values and the corresponding Ka values To enter a Custom Moisture Table you must first have WinTrase software installed on a computer to use as a terminal and the PC must beconnected tothe MiniTrase Steps 1 FromtheWinTraseMain Menu select the Remote gt Trase Control Panel from the Pull Down menu A simulated keypad and Trase screen will appear 2 Using your mouse pointer on the alphanumeric keypad on your screen Key to the Setup Screen SAVE Press the key The following prompt will appear on the terminal Type each table entry as Ka moisture Press after each entry Example 15 3 351 lt ENTER gt Press again after last entry Begin CUSTOM LOOKUP MOISTURE TABLES 11 1 1 01 2 02 3 T03 4 Type the entries After the last entry press the E key again 5 The following prompt will appear on the terminal XX entries Enter the table destination 1 01 2 02 3
39. f the soil it is necessary to have an accurate measure of the travel time of the pulse along the waveguides Measuring the transit time accurately depends on knowing exactly when the pulse 15 reflected off of the ends of the waveguides Because of the nature of the pulse of electricity the point of reflection is not sharp and steps have to be taken to further define this point The graph below illustrates the manner in which the point of reflection is determined Tangent line Exact intersection lt lt of tangent lines at time of reflection Fig 2 11 Tangents are constructed to the graph of the incoming pulse and to the graph of the reflected pulse as shown The intersection of the two tangent lines is the specific point of reflection The Trase software automatically constructs these tangent lines and determines the intersection point in the process of calculating thetransit timeofthepulsein the waveguides and thesubsequent determination of Ka The Graph Screen and the associated time bars allow you to make independent measurement of the transit time in the waveguides using the intersecting tangent method Ka is then calculated using the formula given under Theory See the section on Using the Graph Screen for time measurement details Relationship of The following two pages show the relationship of the Ka value to the volumetric Ka to Moisture moisture percentage in soil Percentage a ee The heavy lin
40. he Palm Screen USING THE TRASE MEASURE SCREEN 6 1 Zero Set Failure Insert the Waveguides into the Soil bce Length 5 pris Tapa Tmne Dute 5 7 Trase time and date E have to tkm Palm tima ond data 2 e ae am Jaa If the Zero Set is not completed successfully an error message will appear on the terminal screen Fig 6 3 The most common error during the Zero Set process is not removing the waveguides from the Waveguide Connector before starting the Zero Set process Check all cable connections and repeat the Zero Set process Fig 6 3 a TEMS gt nitan lt se EA rc i 7 Once the Zero Set is completed successfully Fig 6 4 the Waveguides may now be inserted into the Connector Be sure to mount them properly as described in Waveguide Connector and Waveguides in Section 3 Acquaint Yourself with the Parts Push the Waveguides into the soil until their full length is in the soil Fig 6 5 USING THE TRASE MEASURE SCREEN 6 2 Measurement Note Save the Reading Waveguides must bein intimate contact with the soil along their entirelength to give accurate moisture readings Both the standard stainless steel or coated waveguides must bein intimate contact with thesoil Air gaps will beinter preted as air space and will reduce the estimated moisture content value Tapping
41. he Trase Stored Readings Screen will be discussed in more depth in the next section USING THE TRASE MEASURE SCREEN 6 4 7 USING THE TRASE STORED READINGS SCREEN Screen IntheTraseStored Readings Screen thereadingsarestoredin columns The Abbreviations data oncestored properly will belistedin columnar form inthisorder TagNumber Date MoistureReadingvalue in KaValue Usingthestylus youcantapontheupanddownarrowsnexttotheH omebutton intheterminal screentoscroll upanddowntheStoredReadingslist Fig 7 1 MAAS 2245 k q Fig 7 1 1e Deleting Readings Fig 7 2 If for anyreason areadingmustbede eted tapontheDropDown M enu button onthePalmTerminal Fig 7 2 you can then select View Delete or DeleteAll View will displayin order taken theTag MoistureReading Date timethe readingwastaken and G ifagraph wasstored Deleteallowstheuser todd ete onereadingat atime andDeleteAll will deleteall readingslisted Note IfeithertheDeleteortheDeeteAll selectionsareused theuser is promptedto deletetheinformation only fromthePalm or from both thePalmand the MiniTraseaswell USING THE TRASE STORED READINGS SCREEN 7 1 USING THE TRASE STORED READINGS SCREEN 7 2 8 DOWNLOADING DATA MiniTrase was designed for full portability and data collection in the field Waveform analysis is not a critical part for simple data collection therefore the screen for graph v
42. iewing was not provided on this unit However graphs and waveform analysis be performed after downloading the collected readings from the field and then viewed using the optional WinTrase software There are two methods for downloading data First readings can be easily and quickly downloaded via the hotsync procedure and can be loaded directly into Excel or WinTrase If the hotsync procedure is used graph data even though stored with the reading will not be available The only data available will readings Thesecond method is to download the data directly fromtheMiniTrasetothePC using a DB 9 cable ME 2036 to connect to a COM port on the PC Downloading To download moisture measurements make sure that the Palm Hotsync Data via the ager is running Y ou should seea small red and blueHotsyncsymbol in thelower Palm Hotsync righthand corner of your screen We recommend that you not use the hotsync Method functions for synchronizing email expense and other hotsync functions as this will slow down the hotsync procedure These functions can easily be disabled in the Hotsync Manager refer to Palm s operating instructions for further details When the Hotsync Manager is running insert the Palm into the hotsync cradle and press the hotsync button TraseTerm software installs a palm conduit to download the readings from the TraseTerm application on your handheld When you perform a hotsync all of the readings on th
43. in If you have not already done so tap the SyncTraseTime button in thetop right hand corner of the terminal screen This will ensure that the MiniTrase time date stamp is synced with the handheld terminal From the Home Screen tap the Measure button Once the measurement has been made you may now choose to tag and store your reading FIELD MEASUREMENTS 10 5 FIELD MEASUREMENTS 10 6 11 CUSTOM LOOKUP MOISTURE TABLES Standard Moisture Table Custom Moisture Tables The Trase software incorporates 4 Standard Moisture Tables CUN CCT BUN and BCT which are used to convert the measured apparent dielectric constant Ka to volumetric moisture content as explained in Section 2 Principles and Techniques of Operation The Standard oisture Tables arelocated in a fixed placein memory and cannot be modified The tables can be transferred however to an external terminal review When moisture measurements are required in materials or unusual soils where therelationship of Ka to percent of moisture is radically different from conven tional soils a Custom Moisture Table can be prepared in WinTrase and entered intotheMiniTrasesoftware TheMiniTrase system provides a separate placein memory to store one SUN OR SCT Custom Moisture Table which is separate from the Standard Moisture Tables Tomakeupa Custom M oistureT ableitis necessary topreparea series of samples of the material with known volumetric moisture cont
44. ld your Palm lose power or fail for any reason REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TOUSE 42 5 ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL Traseterm software Activating the Handheld Terminal The MiniTrase utilizes a Palm as a handheld terminal to make measurements In order to operate the MiniTrase correctly we recommend that you thoroughly familiarize yourself with the standard operation of the Palm by readingthePalm Operation Manual before making measurements with the MiniTrase Tousethe Palm you must be familiar with the use of the stylus and how to enter data into the Palm There are 3 ways to enter data into the Palm Use Graffiti writing use the on screen keyboard and utilizing a PC or specialized Palm compatible keyboard Standard MiniTrase operations will require the use of a stylus and the on screen keyboard We recommend that you familiarize yourself with these skills first before taking the unit out into the field Soil moisture has specialized software for the Palm for making measurements with the MiniTrase and for downloading the data to your PC via hotsync TraseTermsoftwarewill needtobeloaded onto your Palmterminal A companion CD with theTraseTerm softwareis provided and serves as a backup in case you need to reset your Palm for any reason There are many versions of the Palm however the main operating features are the same on all units For simplicity s sake we are only showing the use of the Palm 111
45. ly with all your fingers to pre vent a finger being smashed under the Hammer s blow Fig 10 9 Fig 10 9 FIELD MEASUREMENTS 10 4 Making a Measurement Zero Set Required From the Trase Setup Screen select the appropriate Waveguide Length From the Waveguide Type drop down menu select Field Next select the appropriate Capture Window Size Note that the 10 nS length set at the factory since this give the greatest resolution when working with waveguides of 20 or 30 cm lengths When using longer 40 60 cm waveguides you must select the 20 nS window The 40 nS window size is used for saturated soils or unusual conditions Finally select the Moisture Table Select either FUN Field Uncoated or FCT Field Coated depending on the type of waveguide being used Now that the TraseTerm software has been properly set for making measure ments with the Slammer tap the Home button on your handheld terminal Attach the Slammer Connector Cableto your MiniTraseunit and tothe Slammer Unlike our standard connecor type waveguide the waveguides MUST be in serted in the Slammer during the zero setting process With the waveguides in air tap the ZeroSet key The process takes a number of seconds When the pro cess is complete the message Zero set is displayed If for any reason you need to change the configuration of your Slammer setup either changing cables resetting the Capture Window Size etc you MUST zero set the system aga
46. m Operating Software that came with the MiniTrase Kit Follow the prompts to install the software Once you have performed a successful hotsync with the Palm you can now proceed to install the TraseT erm software required for use with the MiniTrase Insert this CD and follow the prompts for its installation Note some Palm units requirebatteries and others haveinternal batteries Prior to installing any software be sure that the Palm unit is fully charged For instructions on the use of the particular Palm unit that was supplied with your MiniTrase unit visit Palm s website at http www palm com After the Palm operating software has been installed on the PC and you should thoroughly familiarize yourself with the use of a Palm device You will need to install the TraseT erm software in order to use the Palm as a Heldheld Terminal for the MiniTrase A CD has been provided for you with the software Simply insert the CD into the PC and the install program will run automatically After the software is successfully installed you will need to perform a hotsyncto load thesoftwareintothePalm After thehotsynchas completed you will beable to utilize the TraseT erm software for making measurements If your Palm requires batteries we recommend always carrying an extra set of batteries in thefield If battery power in thePalmis extremely low you could lose your data off the Palm However all readings taken are also stored on the MiniTrase shou
47. ment F or this reason the unit should be returned to SEC for any major repair work Tampering with the MiniTrase in any unauthorized manner prior to return will void warranty and make the user liable for costs of repair Soil moisturewarrants all its products and related softwaretobefreefrom defects for the period of one year The Palm handheld terminal is warranted through Palm Inc Please refer to Palm s operating instructions for the warranty period Any mechanical or Palm operating system problems should be addressed directly with Palm Inc Soilmoisture Equipment Corp is not responsible for any damage actual or inferred for misuse or improper handling of this equipment MiniTrase is designed to be used solely as directed by a prudent individual under normal conditions in the applications intended for this instrument THE MINITRASE SYSTEM 1 1 GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS MODEL 6050X3 5 Measuring 0 100 volumetric moisture content Range Measuring 2 full scale or better with the standard waveguide connector Accuracy Operating Oto 45 C Temperatures Power Supply One each NiCad battery supplied Total capacity 1 2 amp hr Recharge time 30 45 minutes Auxiliary power input 18 volt 2 2 Amp AC Power Adapter for independent operation External battery input 12 volts for independent operation Connecting Ports BNC Port For waveguide connection DB 9 Serial Port For data transfer DB 15 Multiplexer
48. nd date automatically recorded with each reading ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL 5 5 ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL 6 USING THE TRASE MEASURE SCREEN Making a Measurement with the Waveguide Connector Zero Set After all thecorrect parameters have been selectedin theTraseSetup Screen the MiniTrase is now ready for taking and recording moisture readings Trase Setup Screen press the Home button at the bottom of the screen Fig 6 1 Fig 6 1 Before makinga series of readings with the Waveguide Connector it is necessary to Zero Set the TDR Processor for the Waveguide Connector and cable to be used This process establishes the zero time reference for the start of the microwave pulse down the waveguides Before you perform the Zero Set attach the BNC fitting of the Waveguide Connector to the BNC Port on the front of the MiniTrase as shown Fig 6 2 Crane dl Fig 6 2 Ifthereareany waveguidesin theConnector handle removethem and placethe Connector upright on its ClampingK nob sothat theWaveguideSocketsareinthe air and not touching any object To ZeroSet tap the Zero button on the Palmterminal with thestylus theZero Set process will take few seconds When the process is complete Zero Set will appear in the terminal screen to confirm that the Zero Set was made correctly Tap OK on t
49. nnector supplied with the MiniTraseKit Buriableis selected for any type of buriable probe being utilized and Field is selected when making measurements with the Slammer H eavy Duty Waveguide To select the appropriate Waveguide Type from the drop down menu tap on the desired waveguide type ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE OPERATION OF THE HANDHELD TERMINAL 5 3 Selection Fig 5 7 Thedefault Window sizeis 10 ns However you may select from 10 ns 20 ns 40 ns Window sizes Fig 5 7 Although you will not be able to view the graph on the Palm terminal the window size you select will be important if you choose to view graphs utilizing the optional WinTrase software on your PC for waveform analysis Tolearn more about this important function please refer to Section 11 Using WinTrase Software for Data Collection and Analysis Note Most measurements made in soils with waveguides 30 cm or less read very well with the default 10 ns setting However should you encounter a Time M ment failure warning change the Window size to 20 ns and repeat the reading You will need to perform a zero set again if using a standard Waveguide Connector or Slammer Moisture Table Selection Fig 5 8 The next field 15 for selecting the Moisture Table to be used Fig 5 8 There are 8 MoistureT ables to choose from The type of Moisture Tabletouseis dependent on the type of Waveguide being used for making me
50. oduct such as rock salt applications in the winter time If you have encountered this typeof situation or will bemonitoringin high EC environments we suggest the use of our 6005CL 2 coated buriablewavegui deor our 6008CL 15 15 cm or 6008CL 30 30 cm coated waveguides B oth providereliable end reflections in 50 0 ds EC conditions PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 5 Soil dry at top of and moist at bottom of connector waveguides END OF START OF WAVEGUIDES 5 WAVEGUIDES be ONE CU WET ZONE Fig 2 8 Soil moist at top and dry at bottom of connector waveguides START OF WAVEGUIDES gt lt WAVEGUIDES WET ZONE N bRY zone Fig 2 9 PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 6 Graphs Produced by Buriable Waveguides Sandy Loam Soil at 5 V olumet ric Moisture Content Effective Start of waveguides gt lt Transit time waveguides A Sandy Loam Soil at 2596 Volu metric Moisture Content Effective voltage Reflection off of end of waveguides Start of waveguides Clay Soil at 45 Volumetric Moisture Content Reflection off of Effective end of waveguides voltage esit sua Start of i waveguides gt l lt Transit time in waveguides PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 7 Determine To determine the apparent dielectric constant o
51. oftware CD or Palm s website at http www palm com TraseTerm TheTraseTerm software used with the Palm deviceto operate your MiniTrase Software is a product of Soil moisture All TraseTerm softwareissues should be directed to Soil moisture s technical staff or your local Soil moisture representative THE MINITRASE SYSTEM 1 3 THE MINITRASE SYSTEM 1 4 2 PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES OPERATION Theory The speed with which an electromagnetic pulse of energy travels down a parallel transmission line depends on the dielectric constant Ka of the material in contact with and surrounding the transmission line The higher the dielectric constant the slower the speed Soil is composed in general of air mineral and organic particles and water The dielectric constants K for these materials are Air 1 Mineral Particles 2 4 Water 80 Because of the great difference in the dielectric constant of water from the other constituents in the soil the speed of travel of a microwave pulse of energy in a parallel transmission line buried in the soil is very dependent on the water content of the soil When a microwave pulse travels down a transmission line it behaves in many ways likea beam of light Discontinuities in the transmission line and surround ing material cause some of the microwave energy to berefl ected back through the line When the pulse reaches the end of the transmission line virtually all the remaining energy in the
52. on for the circuitry during field use A convenient electrical fitting allows for easy replace ment of the Coaxial Cable Assembly when necessary Toinsert the Waveguides turn the Clamping nob counterclockwise Fig 3 3 until it stops The end of the Waveguidethat has the groove Fig 3 4 is then inserted into theWavegui deSockets Y ou must always insert both Waveguides intothe Connector for proper damping operation After thewaveguides areinserted turn theClamping Knob dockwise to tighten the Waveguides into the Waveguide Sockets Hand tightening is sufficient Do not overtighten When the Clamping Knob is turned dockwise an internal mechanism forces twostainless steel balls intotheWaveguide grooves to lock them securely in place and to make excellent electrical connection ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE PARTS 3 2 Waveguide Clampim connector E HE 9 Waveguides Coaxial cable assembly Fig 3 3 Waveguide sockets Semicircular groove Waveguide 2AN Fig 3 4 prevent measurement errors ensure that the Waveguides are fully inserted into the sockets before tightening the Clamping Knob The Waveguides supplied with the unit are 15 cm long Accessory waveguide sets are availablein 30 40 cm 45 cm 60 cm and 70 cm lengths Waveguides made entirely from stainless steel ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE PARTS 3 3 Coaxial Cable Assembly NOTE The Palm Handheld MiniTrase Backpack Fig 3 5
53. onnectingtheMiniTrasetoaPC to download data TheRocker Switch should remain in the Direct Position when not downloading data to the PC There are four lights on the Light Panel Display PWR Green light to indicate power is fully functional OPR Operational light toindicatethat the MiniTraseis operating or perform ing a function When theMiniTrase Battery is low the user will bealerted by a beeping sound indicating the battery is low and needs recharging RTX Indicates that the MiniTrase is receiving data TRX Indicates that the MiniTraseis transmitting data When operating the Red and Amber LED s will blink when the unit is either transmitting or sending data Fig 3 2 The BNC port located just under the Battery handle of the MiniTrase Fig 3 2 accepts the standard BNC connector on the coaxial cable of all Soilmoisture waveguides WaveguideConnector BuriableP robes Slammer E xtension Cables when making a reading Should theMiniTraselock up for any reason the Reset button is utilized to cold boot theunit This function is used asa last resort to restart theunit as all data will be erased from memory if the Reset button is pushed TheWaveguide Connector is specifically engineered tominimizesoil disturbance and simplify the precedure for making numerous and repeated measurements The rugged polycarbonate housing is hermetically sealed to prevent moisture damageto internal electronic components as well as providing protecti
54. portance F theuser s convenience MiniTrase software has been designed to capture and display ina window only this portion of the complete graph in the optional WinTrase PC software The window starts before the zeroset ti meis reached The zero time is the time at which the pulse starts down the waveguides A choice of three window sizes is available 10 20 and 40 nanoseconds The selection is made in the TraseT erm software on the Palm in the Trase Setup Screen The 10 nanosecond length is set at the factory sincethis gives thegreatest resolution when working with waveguides of 15 to 30 cm lengths When using long waveguides in very wet soils the transit time may exceed the length of the window as shown A measurement can only be made if the entire transit time lies within the capture window lt 10 NANOSECONDS REFLECTION CAPTURE WINDOW OUTSIDE WINDOW Fig 2 2 In this case the transit time cannot be measured and it is necessary to changeto a longer time window as shown REFLECTION WITHIN WINDOW CAPTURE WINDOW Fig 2 3 The transit time while in the waveguides can now be displayed and measured The 40 nanosecond capture window provides for greater waveguide lengths or unusual conditions that may be found in some applications PRINCIPLES amp TECHNIQUES OF OPERATION 2 3 Connector Graph Whenthepulseof electricity travels down the waveguides its speed is influenced Features substantially by the surroun
55. unit Fig 3 1 When the unit is powered on the Power LED will blink green When power is gettinglow theOPR Operating light will flicker Readings may not be accurate if taken when the MiniTrase battery ower is low TheTerminal Port located just below the Battery Handle is used for connecting the MiniTrase to the handheld Palm as well as for connecting the MiniTrase to the Palm Cable ME 2032 to connect the Palm Handheld Terminal to the MiniTrase for making moisture measurements and use the PC Cable 2011 for connecting the MiniTrase to the PC The Multiplexer Port DB 15 provides for optional connection to external multiplexing instrumentation The Multiplexer Board is supplied as a standard part with the MiniTrase and is already installed The 8 Pin DIN Power Port allows for the use of auxiliary power and accepts the plugon the M iniTrase Power Supply supplied with theinstrument TheE xternal Power Charger 6051V 100 240 accepts any input 100 240 Volts U S 2021 and Foreign Euro MEZ 022 Plugs are available SEC will supply the plug appropriate for your location ThePower Charger is plugged intoa wall outlet and the charger cableis plugged into the Power Port on the front of the TDR processor ACQUAINT YOURSELF WITH THE PARTS 3 1 Output Direct Modem Switch Light Panel BNC Port Reset Button Waveguide Connector and Waveguides The Output Direct M Switch is used when c
56. veguides are20 cmlong with 2 meter cable attached Extension cables for use with the buriables comein a variety of lengths up to 45 meters long Fig 10 1 The Buriable Waveguide is designed to be buried permanently in the soil The waveguides can be buried and accessed the MiniTrase from the surface The cablecan simply run up toa designated access point in thesampling area or they can be better protected by first inserting them into PVC tubing and then buried Fig 10 2 Extension cables up to45 meters areavailable Theseare constructed of special Soil moisture low loss RG 58 type cable Fig 10 2 A group of buriable waveguides can be installed at various depths to monitor moisturein thesoil horizon to program irrigation frequency and amount Fig 10 3 CABLE SUPPORT POST Fig 10 3 FIELD MEASUREMENTS 10 1 Precautions When Installing Buriable Waveguides CAUTION In light soils and in many containers used in the nursery business and in research work the Buriable Waveguide beinserted from the surface by hand to its full depth for rapid evaluation of the moisture content Fig 10 4 Fig 10 4 Tosecure an accurate moisture measurement it is essential that the metal rods of the buriable waveguide bein tight intimate contact with the soil This means that rods be inserted directly intothe soil to retain bulk density characteristics or tightly packed around with native soil taken from the hol
57. word TAG in theterminal screen UsethePalmstylusto either enter theinformation with Graffiti or the on screen keyboard to enter the desired tag label Thetag entered for this reading may now be saved with the reading If no tag is entered then the reading will be tagged with a default numeric value starting with 1 Tostorethemoisturereading together with its associated identification tag you tap either the Save Reading or the Save Graph button on the terminal if you select Save Reading only the moisture value will be saved If you select Save Graph both the Moisture value and the graph will be saved All readings taken arestored simultaneously on both thePalmandtheM iniTrase However if storing a graph duetolimited memory storage the Palm only the moisture reading is stored on the Palm Graphs are saved and stored separately on the MiniTraseand must be downloaded directly from the MiniTrasetothe PC for viewing Graphs are not currently viewable on the Palm terminal They may only be viewed after the data is downloaded from the MiniTrase to a PC and then subsequently viewed in the optional WinTrase software If for any reason you are not satisfied with the reading tap the Remeasure button on the screen This will overwrite the reading just taken and the reading may be saved using the same tag information After all measurements have been taken you can verify that the data was properly stored by tapping the View Data button T
58. xtension Cable 20 meters Extension Cable 25 meters Extension Cable 30 meters Extension Cable 35 meters Extension Cable 40 meters MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING 13 2 Multiplexing 6020B05 6020B17 6021C16 6022 2011 MiniTrase 6075 0000 02 Replacement MEB006 Parts 009 MZL 032 MZL034 MZL 035 Multiplexer Enclosure 76 channel For connection of up to 5 16 channel switching boards Multiplexer Enclosure 256 channel For connection of up to 16 16 channel switching boards 16 Channel TDR Switching Board Multiplexer Control Board Controls all functions of the multiplexer switching boards MiniTrase to Multiplexer Enclosure Cable Black Rubber Battery Handle AA SizeAlkalineBatteries internal toMiniTrasefor memory NiCad 12 Volt 1 3 Amp Hr Replacement Battery Plastic Dust Cover for 8 pin DIN Power Port Plastic Dust Cover for DB 9 port Terminal Port Plastic Dust Cover for DB 15 Multiplexer Port MAINTENANCE AND TROUBLESHOOTING 13 3 Copyright 2005 rights reserved 0898 6050X 3K 1 pmd 07105 SOILMOISTURE EQUIPMENT CORP id P O Box 30025 Santa Barbara California 93130 USA Phone 805 964 3525 Fox 805 683 2189 SOILMOISTURE e mail sales soilmoisture com Web http www soilmoisture com
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