Low Cost Geophysics

[Pacito]

I’m interest in hearing if anybody has any experience with low cost geophysics equipment. I’m aware that a while back ACF developed their own low cost electrical resistivity equipment for resistivity profiling and vertical electrical soundings (basically some ammeters, voltmeters, variable resistors and battery pack). We’re after something cheap that we could train and give free to some of the manual drilling contractors we use. Thanks.

[Kostas]

The ACF’s low cost resistivitymeter (OMEGA) have been developed in the early ‘90s by a company that not exists any more. In fact it was the father of a top ACF engineer who developed them. Consequently there are only few remaining OMEGA equipments operational because there is not any available service. Even ACF is trying to replace them with more sophisticated and well commercialised equipment.
I am doing geophysics several years now and unfortunately I am not aware about any kind of cheap equipment with available service and stable measurements. Some years before in Uganda I used a homemade resistivitymeter by an old swiss engineer that it was working quite ok. But he was not interested in commercialising his equipment. I can try to find his contact (if he is still alive) and send it to you.
Kostas

[Johann]

Yes Kostas, we built a second resistivity meter soon after we tried out one with you in Uganda. Yes walter is still very much alive but does not do any more field work.

Pacito would you let me know exactly what your interests are. I will get in touch with Walter.

contact: cohannie@yahoo.com

[Pacito]

Kostas, Johann. Thank you for your kind support. What I am really after is some support to take standard stock equipment (multimeters, variable resistors, banks of lorry batteries) and with a bit of guidance turn them into low-cost electrical resistivity equipment that is not perfect but still gives reasonable results. The total package would end up costing up to 300/400 USD$ and could be given to 30 manual drilling teams with training to help them run their businesses more profitably. The idea is that the kits may even be copied locally and go to scale. I'm known to be an optimist so if my ideas are not based in reality please feel free to tell me this just isn't possible. Thanks again.

[Walter]

Hi Pacito

We have built a low cost resistivimeter in Uganda which was in use for about 3 years.
For any information, you may call me in Kampala at 0414 26 99 22 or mobile 0712 35 25 52.
There is no copyright for the instrument, and you can come and have a look at it.