PHOENIX GEOPHYSICS

LoTEM Loop
Calibration
Version 1.0 April 2007
Printed in Canada on water resistant Xerox® Polyester paper.

This User Guide was created in Adobe FrameMaker 7.0.

Writing and Production: Stuart Rogers.

Copyright 2007 Phoenix Geophysics Limited.

All rights reserved. No part of this Guide may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or information storage and
retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Address requests for permission to:

Phoenix Geophysics Limited, 3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 3,

Toronto, ON Canada M1W 3K5, or [email protected].

Information in this document is subject to change without notice.

V8 Multi-Function Receiver, V5 System 2000, System2000.net,

SSMT2000 and the Phoenix logo are trademarks of Phoenix
Geophysics Limited. All other trademarks referred to in this
document are the properties of their respective owners.
Calibrating LoTEM loop • 202m of #12–#18 gauge copper wire for the
excitation loop
sensors • a length of bare wire to short-circuit the E-channel
terminals
Calibration of a LoTEM loop uses an excitation loop as
• measuring tape (≥50m)
the signal source, similar to calibrating an MT air loop.
• marking stakes and hammer
(See Fig. 1-2 on page 2.)
• a compass and tripod
To ensure correct phase relationships, polarity must be
correct. Follow the connection instructions carefully.

The LoTEM loop must be calibrated as channel Hx. The

Hz channel is used for the excitation loop, and Hy is not
used.

Tools and equipment required:

• sensor to be calibrated and a cable for it
• 3-way adapter cable
• air-loop “CAL Box” (See Fig. 1-1.)
• calibrated V8
Fig. 1-1: Air-loop CAL Box.
• battery and cable
• GPS antenna and cable
• a ground electrode and cable

1 LoTEM Loop Calibration Calibrating LoTEM loop sensors 1

2 LoTEM Loop Calibration Calibrating LoTEM loop sensors 2
To lay out the excitation loop: 50m x 50m excitation loop
1. Review Figure 1-2. (#12–#18 Cu)

2. Prepare the wire for the excitation loop by marking 35.35m

it with coloured tape at 1m, 26m, 76m, 126m,

176m, and 201m. The tape will mark the corners
and the ends of the loop. Wind the wire onto a
portable spool.
3. Set up a compass on a tripod where you plan the
centre of the loop.
15.9m
4. Sight from the compass toward one of the planned
corners and have an assistant place stakes to mark
15.9m and 35.35m. These stakes mark one corner
of the LoTEM loop and one corner of the excitation
loop.
Hy Hx
5. Repeat step 4, staking the remaining corners of the 25m 25m
two loops by sighting at 90° increments and
Black Red
measuring 15.9m and 35.35m. Air-loop
CAL Box Hz Hx
6. Starting at the midpoint between two corners, walk
the perimeter of the excitation loop, unwinding the GPS
copper wire from the portable spool as you go. 12V V8

Align the tape markings at the corners to verify

your compass sightings and measurements. Fig. 1-2: Air-loop sensor calibration.
7. Connect the excitation loop ends to the Air-loop CAL 4. Verify that:
Box, with the red terminal connecting to the left • The LoTEM loop sides are parallel to the
end of the loop, when viewed from within the loop. excitation loop sides.
8. Arrange the 1m excess cable at each end of the • The LoTEM loop forms a perfect square.
loop in parallel, at right angles to the loop side, as (Opposite corners are 31.8m apart.).
shown in Figure 1-2.
• The 50-pin terminal on the LoTEM loop connector
9. Place the V8 and remaining equipment near the Air- box is toward the right when viewed from within
loop CAL box. the sensor loop.
• The red terminal on the Air-loop CAL box
To lay out the LoTEM loop:
connects to the left side of the excitation loop
1. Start at the midpoint between two stakes of the when viewed from within the loop.
15.9m measurements closest to the V8, and place
the connector box of the LoTEM loop on the ground To connect the V8:
with the 8-pin connector facing the V8.
1. Set up the V8 with a battery, ground electrode, and
2. Walk counterclockwise around the perimeter of the GPS antenna.
sensor loop position, unwinding the loop cable as
2. On a Layout Sheet, note the serial number of the
you go.
sensor loop and connect the cable to the V8 as Hx.
3. When you complete the perimeter, connect the free
3. Connect the Air-loop CAL Box to the V8 as Hz.
end of the loop to the 50-pin terminal on the
connector box. 4. Run a bare wire from the GND terminal to all four E-
channel terminals to short-circuit them.
5. Complete the Layout Sheet.

3 LoTEM Loop Calibration Calibrating LoTEM loop sensors 3

4 LoTEM Loop Calibration Calibrating LoTEM loop sensors 4
6. Power on the V8. To complete the setup:
1. From the Calibration menu, choose Coil
To set calibration parameters for the LoTEM loop: Calibration.
1. On the V8, select Calibration from the main
The Coil Calibration dialog box appears.
window.
2. From the Setup menu, select either 50Hz or
60Hz, according to the local power grid frequency.
3. From the Help menu, choose Parameter Table.
4. In the Lookup entry by code box, type CCMN and
press Enter twice to open the Edit Parameter
Table Entry dialog box.
5. Change the value of CCMN to 0.0 and press Enter
twice.
6. Using the DOWN arrow to scroll, locate each of the
following parameters and similarly change their
values as follows:
• CCMX: 0
• HAMP: -0.235 Fig. 1-3: The Coil Calibration dialog box.
• HNOM: 50
• CPHC: 0.0
7. Choose Done to return to the Calibration window.
2. Do not select a Coil Type! Doing so will change the 5. To start the calibration, choose OK; to cancel the
parameter values that you set in the previous calibration, choose Cancel.
procedure.
Calibration begins as soon as you select OK. The status bar
3. In the Coil Calibration time box, type a value of displays Coil No Cal, then Coil In Progress.
at least 2. If you know that the area is electrically
6. Wait until the status bar displays Coil Cal OK
noisy, set this parameter to a higher number to
before closing the Calibration main window.
extend the calibration time.
(Sensor calibration may take a few minutes longer
4. In the Hx serial number text box, type TDEM than the time set in the Coil Calibration dialog
followed by the 4-digit serial number of the sensor. box.)
Leave the text boxes blank for the other two
channels.

5 LoTEM Loop Calibration Calibrating LoTEM loop sensors 5