thanks for your input Ron...appreciate it.

Patrick
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Ron Westfall=20
  To: psn-l@.................
  Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2001 4:34 PM
  Subject: RE: Hello


  The "governing" authority for mines is the State Fire Marshall...and =
the laws governing mining are full of loop holes at best.  The immediate =
problem is that the mine self-monitors their blasting activities through =
a subcontractor.  First, many in the community do not believe that the =
mine always makes aware the State when they are to blast and second, we =
do not believe the reported results are accurate.

  =20
  If all you want to do is verify that the monitoring company is =
reporting all of the blasts that take place, you could set up your
  own recording seismograph fairly inexpensively.  I would suggest a =
geophone, some of Larry Cochrane's electronics, and
  a PC.  Larry sell electronics and geophones through his web page at =
www.seismicnet.com.  Most of us are using his
  electronics.  The courts would probably accept your evidence for the =
occurrence of blasts.
  =20
  Keep in mind that if you try to set up your own equipment, you will =
record all sorts of local cultural noise (e.g. cars and
  trucks passing by on nearby roads) in addition to blasts.  Situating =
the seismograph away from such noise will reduce
  the clutter.  Even so, you will get some non-blast events.  Through =
correlation with the blasts that are reported by the
  monitoring company, you should learn how to distinguish between blast =
and non-blast events.
  =20
  If you need to record the strength and any other characteristics of =
the blasts such that they could be used in court, I
  agree with Doug that you would be better to get professional help.  By =
changing the gain on a seismometer pre-amp, it
  is easy to create as small or large a trace as you want for a given =
event.  It would be difficult for an amateur to calibrate
  the seismometer and maintain the calibration over a period of time to =
stand up in court under expert scrutiny.
  =20
  Ron
  =20







thanks for your input Ron...appreciate=20
it.
 
Patrick

  
----- Original Message ----- 
  From:=20
  Ron =
Westfall=20
  
  
To: psn-l@.............. 
  
Sent: Thursday, July 26, 2001 =
4:34=20
  PM
  
Subject: RE: Hello
  


  
The "governing" authority for mines =
is the State=20
  Fire Marshall...and the laws governing mining are full of loop holes =
at=20
  best.  The immediate problem is that the mine self-monitors their =

  blasting activities through a subcontractor.  First, many in the=20
  community do not believe that the mine always makes aware the =
State when=20
  they are to blast and second, we do not believe the reported results =
are=20
  accurate.

  
 
  
If all you =
want to do=20
  is verify that the monitoring company is reporting all of the blasts =
that take=20
  place, you could set up your
  
own =
recording=20
  seismograph fairly inexpensively.  I would suggest a geophone, =
some of=20
  Larry Cochrane's electronics, and
  
a =
PC.  Larry sell=20
  electronics and geophones through his web page at www.seismicnet.com.  Most =
of us are=20
  using his
  
electronics.  The=20
  courts would probably accept your evidence for the occurrence of=20
  blasts.
  
 
  
Keep in =
mind that if=20
  you try to set up your own equipment, you will record all sorts of =
local=20
  cultural noise (e.g. cars and
  
trucks =
passing by on=20
  nearby roads) in addition to blasts.  Situating the seismograph =
away from=20
  such noise will reduce
  
the =
clutter. =20
  Even so, you will get some non-blast events.  Through correlation =
with=20
  the blasts that are reported by the
  
monitoring =
company,=20
  you should learn how to distinguish between blast and =
non-blast=20
  events.
  
 
  
If you need to record the =
strength and=20
  any other characteristics of the blasts such that they could be used =
in court,=20
  I
  
agree with Doug that you would be better to =
get=20
  professional help.  By changing the gain on a seismometer =
pre-amp,=20
  it
  
is=20
  easy to create as small or large a trace as you want for a given =
event. =20
  It would be difficult for an amateur to calibrate
  
the=20
  seismometer and maintain the calibration over a period of time to =
stand up in=20
  court under expert scrutiny.
  
 
  
Ron
  
 
=