OPERATOR INSTRUCTORS NOTES AND SYLLABUS F1A4 Metal Mine Detector st Issue: 1 June, 2005
1 SLIDE F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus DESCRIPTION INSTRUCTORS NOTES These Instructor Notes are produced to assist instructors in preparing for the F1A4 Operator Training Course. They are provided as a guide and are not intended to be prescriptive. They should be used in combination with the information contained in the F1A4 Operations Manual and Field Guide. Personnel attending the course will be required to pass an Evaluation to qualify as a proficient operator on the equipment.
2 SLIDE Three F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus DESCRIPTION LESSON 1 – DESCRIPTION OF THE F1A4 Aim. Correctly describe and identify the F1A4. Classroom Instruction. The training aids required are: Chalk board or white board. F1A4 Training PowerPoint Presentation. One F1A4 in its Compact Bag inside the Hard Case. F1A4 detectors - one per two students. The major teaching points of this lesson are as follows: Safety. Equipment specifications. Description of all F1A4 components.
3 Six F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Main Components Using the assembled detector identify the following components. Avoid giving detailed descriptions of the function of each component, as this will be covered in Lesson 4. Arm Rest. Designed to ensure a comfortable fit for the operator’s arm and adjustable when fitted to the detector. Note the strength of the material. Upper shaft. Identify Upper shaft pointing out: • Made of aluminium for ruggedness.
4 Eight F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Skid Plate. The Skid Plate provides protection for the Coil. It has no effect on the sensitivity of the Coil even when wet and is easy to replace. Earsets. Identify where the Earsets are stowed in the Compact Bag. Demonstrate attachment to ear. Emphasize: • Comfort and durability. • Ease of fit underneath helmet. • Military connector for connection to Control Box. • Strength of Earset cable. • Ease of clipping earphone back into moulding if required.
5 Ten F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Stowing the detector. Use the packed Compact (carry) Bag to indicate the locations of the stowed F1A4 components. Mention the following: • Check for damage/cleanliness. • Have students be able to name each item. • Stow away correctly. Other Components. • • • Eleven Operations Manual – waterproof paper. Field guide – abbreviated and pictorial instructions, waterproof. Control Box Bag – shoulder straps and belt clips.
6 SLIDE Twelve F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus DESCRIPTION LESSON 2 – ASSEMBLY OF THE F1A4 Aim. Correctly assemble and disassemble the F1A4. Classroom instruction. The training aids required are: Chalk or white board. F1A4 Training PowerPoint Presentation. F1A4 detectors - one per pair of students (minimum). One set (four size “D” cells) of fresh batteries per F1A4. The major teaching points of this lesson are as follows: Review. Assembly and disassembly of the F1A4. TEACHING POINTS Review.
7 • Fourteen • • • F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Secure Grommet. Show both Grommets and explain the reason for their existence (reduces stress on cable) and ability to shaft or hip mount the Control Box. Stress the importance of the selected Grommet being properly locked into the Keyway opening located at the top of the Upper shaft. Unlock Upper Camlock. Insert Armrest. Explain the correct orientation needed to ensure the cable does not interfere with the insertion of the Armrest.
8 Nineteen F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Disassembly. Reverse the procedure to demonstrate disassembly. While disassembling place each component back into the Compact Bag paying particular attention to the: • Correct location of each component as shown on the reverse side of the field guide. • Yellow alignment line in the base of the Compact Bag to illustrate the correct orientation of the handle.
9 SLIDE Twenty one F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus DESCRIPTION LESSON 3 – PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION Aim. To understand the principle of metal detection and how Multi-Period Sensing (MPS) eliminates false alarms generated from mineralized ground. Classroom instruction. The instructor must decide whether the content of this lesson is applicable for the student group. The training aids required are: Chalk board or white board. F1A4 detectors - one per pair of students (minimum).
10 Twenty four F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Multi Period Sensing. The F1A4 uses three channels in its electronics comprising two target channels and one ground channel. MPS successfully and easily detects the presence of mineralized ground and ignores its effects. MPS can be a difficult concept to explain. It is recommended that instructors make best use of PowerPoint presentation. MPS produces a series of wide and narrow pulses that are transmitted into the ground from the Monoloop.
11 F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Twenty six Twenty seven If the ground is mineralized, the ground will also provide a response after each pulse that will also decay over time. In conventional detectors, the interference from the ground cannot be removed unless the sensitivity of the detector is decreased. Twenty eight Demonstration of Ground Balance.
12 SLIDE Thirty F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus DESCRIPTION LESSON 4 – OPERATION OF THE F1A4 Aim. To understand how to operate the F1A4. Classroom instruction followed by an outdoors practical exercise with students working in pairs locating previously buried targets in a designated area. The training aids are: Classroom: Chalk board or white board. F1A4 detectors - one per pair of students (minimum). One set (four “D” cells) of fresh batteries. Mineralized rock (laterite if available).
13 Thirty one F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Control Box Operation. Have the students unpack the Control Box from the bag and follow the demonstration while looking at the Control Box. Explain the function of each Control Box switch and button. Key points to note are: • • • • • • Thirty two The Ground Balance Switch must be held in Balance position throughout the Ground Balance procedure. There must be no metal under the Coil when conducting Ground Balance.
14 • Thirty four F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus completed the F1A4 will select the frequency band with the least interference. o There must be no metallic objects near the Coil during Noise Cancel. Audio Reset o Field experience shows that Audio Reset is rarely required, although this procedure can be used to “re-acquaint” an operator’s ear to the threshold tone, especially during training. Critical Safety Procedure.
15 Thirty seven F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Pinpointing Targets - Edge Detection – Pinpointing Small Targets Key points: • Explain to the students that when a possible target has been located continue to sweep the Coil over the location, but reduce the size of the sweeps to more accurately determine the position of the target. • To further pinpoint the location, sweep the Coil across the ground and advance forward towards the target with a half Coil diameter overlap on each sweep.
16 Forty two Detector Tones • • Forty three F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus Threshold Tone. A low volume continuous tone indicating correct operation of the detector. Target Tone. Abrupt variation to the volume and pitch. Operating Multiple Detectors Key points: • When two or more F1A4 detectors are operating in close proximity it is necessary to automatically tune each unit via the Noise Cancel procedure to set the operating frequencies so that signals do not interfere with each other.
17 SLIDE Forty five F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus DESCRIPTION LESSON 5 – OPERATOR MAINTENANCE AND CARE Aim. To understand how to care for and maintain the F1A4 detector. Classroom instruction. The training aids are as follows: F1A4 Training PowerPoint Presentation. F1A4 detectors - one per pair of students, and one per instructor. Clean wipe cloth, one per instructor and student. The major teaching points of this lesson are: Revision. Care of the F1A4 Detector. Replacing the Skid Plate.
18 Forty eight F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus QUESTIONS At the end of this period of instruction the student shall be able to carry out operator care and maintenance and correctly stow the equipment in the Compact Bag and the Transport Case.
19 F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus OUTDOOR TRAINING At the completion of the classroom instruction it is important that all students have a sufficient amount of time to demonstrate proficiency in an outdoor environment with the F1A4. It is recommended that this be done over two full days however depending on time available the least amount of time to be allocated should be no less than one full day.
20 F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus at picking the exact centre of your target. If you have an odd shaped target it may have two centres or be a pipe. You should still be able to pick the centre of the mass. • Two targets resolution. Your aim here is to show how to map two targets laid within close proximity to each other showing the actual shape on the ground of the dual targets. Use the pinpointing procedure mentioned above. • Similar looking targets but opposite tones.
21 F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus OPERATOR CONFIRMATION EXERCISE The Operator Confirmation Exercise is used to confirm all training objectives for the course. Instructors can decide to what degree the exercise can take. For example, it can include a theory evaluation with oral questions being given to the student. However, as a minimum each operator must demonstrate proficiency in the use of the detector by entering a previously prepared test area.
22 F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus As a minimum, set up the lane as follows: E D C B A START POINT • A - Medium Size Target (PMA-2 det). A good strong tone so that they can demonstrate solid pinpointing technique. • B - Large and Small Target (PMA-2 and M14). Here they must demonstrate that they can actually detect two targets. Be careful to ensure that the students do not miss the smaller target by only recognizing a response from the larger target.
23 F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus • C - Three similar targets in star shape (three Test Pieces). This brings out the lesson that they must sweep forward to clear ground. Some will note the first two targets and forget the upper third one. The good operators will actually be able to state that there are three targets. That is an excellent response but all you should seek from this exercise is that the student can accurately map the “suspicious area” that they will investigate by prodding.
24 F1A4 Operator Instructor Notes and Syllabus This is to certify that MINELAB F1A4 METAL MINE DETECTOR MINELAB ELECTRONICS PTY LTD Signed ………………… Minelab Countermine Division Dated: ………………… Safety through Excellence
