CA1131338A - Radio frequency seismic gathering system employing an airborne blimp - Google Patents

Radio frequency seismic gathering system employing an airborne blimp

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Publication number
CA1131338A
CA1131338A CA345,724A CA345724A CA1131338A CA 1131338 A CA1131338 A CA 1131338A CA 345724 A CA345724 A CA 345724A CA 1131338 A CA1131338 A CA 1131338A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
blimp
transmitter
voltage
antenna
detectors
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA345,724A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
William T. Mcdavid
James M. Mckeever
Roger A. Imm
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fairfield Industries Inc
Original Assignee
Fairfield Industries Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fairfield Industries Inc filed Critical Fairfield Industries Inc
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1131338A publication Critical patent/CA1131338A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01VGEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS
    • G01V1/00Seismology; Seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting
    • G01V1/22Transmitting seismic signals to recording or processing apparatus
    • G01V1/223Radioseismic systems

Abstract

RADIO FREQUENCY SEISMIC GATHERING
SYSTEM EMPLOYING AN AIRBORNE BLIMP
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The central station of a radio-connected seismic surveying system uses a tethered blimp carrying an antenna and an electronics package including a dc voltage/rf decoupler, a variable dc controlled preamplifier, a P-I-N diode switch for changing the antenna from receive to transmit operation, a transmitter and modulator and a battery. An rf coaxial cable to ground provides means for controlling the preamplifier gain and for switching the central station to the transmit mode by using appropriate dc signals. In the receive mode, the cable carries detected field unit seismic signals, which are detected by the blimp-carried antenna and preamplified by the blimp preamplifier, to the ground for suitable recording and further processing in the ground portion of the central station. An audio channel can also be modulated onto the transmit carrier of approximately 70 MHz to provide voice communications via the blimp electronics, if desired. Both the ground portion and the blimp portion of the central station are packaged for helicopter transporting.

Description

~.3~3~3 BA('KGRC)UI~D OF' THI~ INV~'N']`10N
_ __ _____ _ ___ _ _ .

Field of the .~nvention _ _ . .
This invention pertains to sei.smlc survey.ing gatherirlg systems and more particularly to such a system employin~
radio communications between the field data acquisitions units and a centrcll recordi.ng s-tation wherein part of the electronics for the central station is carried as an electronic package by a tethered blimp.

Description of the Prior ~rt ~_ __ _ _ The use of radio links for the comrlurlicatioll network required between remote or field data c~cqui.sition units for detectors and the command or celltral data ~athering and recording station is becomin~ increasillgly popular with the increasingly difficult geographical terrains now being encountered~ That i 5, with the increasing pressure to survey for oi.l and gas supplies, more and more difficult arl~
remote areas of the world are being explored for this purpose.
Conventional cable connections previousl~ employed are becoming increasingly difficult or impractical to use.

The rnost effective gatherirl(3 system employing radio co~nunications uses an airborne-instal.]ed central station, such as described in Canadian patent application Serial No.
352,215, filed May 20, 1980, and commonly ass:igned with the present application. The detector arrays wl-lich are unifo:rm1y located for regular and complete coverage, often locate some individual detectors in yround swells, in swamps, behind hills and otherwise makes line-of-sight radio communications difficult to impossible without the use of an airborne central station.
With an airborne central station, however, line-of-sight is assured and the high frequencies that are allocated for use by the FCC can be utilized.

-1- ~ i ~ .~

33~3 However, it is well known that usin~ an airplane is ~pensive. Moreover, airplanes are cGmplicated machinery and are subject to maintenance and repair problems that result in sometimes more than occasional down time. Furth~r-more, operating an airplane can be hazardous and should a plane crash, there would be expected long delays in runninq a survey as well as the expense of replacing the aircraft and the equipment.
Electronics have been carried by unmanned airborne vehicles in applications where it was advantageous to have a high elevation communications terminal and other electrical components. For example, weather balloons carry instruments for sampling the environment and transmitting certain findin~s back to a land-based or ground receiver. Such balloons are, of course, not tethered and are not controlled or powered or signalled in any way through the use of cables. Moreover, such balloons are not controlled as to location nor do they operate intimatel~ with an electronics package which is partly ground based and partly air-]aunched. Furthermore, such a balloon, if tethered, would tend to lie over at an acute angle to the earth in steady winds and would not attain the desirable high altitude and nearly vertical attitude of an aerodynamically shaped blimp.
Balloons have been used to enhance communications, particularly voice communications, in some military applications.
Such balloons have carried only the rather long wire antennas that are reyuired when communicatin~ at relatively low frequencieq, for example, below 30 ~1Hz. It ls not believed that any such balloons have carried appreciable electronics controllable from the ground, nor that they have had componen~s including a small battery to optimize operations while minimizing the effects of power losses both to and from the
2-- ~33~338 b~llloon-carrled components. ~oceover, no known ~alloon ~ntenna system has been operable in the 70+ rlHz range contem~
plated for the system described herein.
Therefore it is a feature of the present invention to provide an improved seismic survey qathering system wherein part of the central station electronics can be airborne without the use of an airplane.
It is another feature of the present invention to provide an improved seismic survey gathering system utilizing a blimp for carrying some of the electronic elements of the central station.
It is still anoth~r feature of the present invention to provide an improved seismic survey gathering system whereby the central station thereof is heliportabl.e, and in which part of the central station is launchable via a tethered blimp, thereby providing the advantages of an airplane-installed central station without the disadvantages of hiqh cost of operation and unreliability of airplane availabilit~.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
-The seismic gathering system utili~ing the present invention includes a central station having a data recordinq system and transmitters ancl receivers for communicating with the individually arrayed field detectors. The primary power supply for the central station and the heavy equipment items are hou~ed in a manned instrument room suitably mounted for heliporting. The room also includes a switch control for sending appropriate dc voltages from a variable dc voltaqe power supply via an rf coaxial cable to ~he electronics carried by a blimp tethered to the sta~ion's inStrUJnent room.

`:

1~3~38 T}-le blimp-car:ried electronics include a decoup]er for separating the dc voltages connected via the ground switch control from rf and audio frequencies and applying the dc voltages as a gain control for a suitable preamplifier. A
voltage regulator provides a trickle charge to a battery through an electronic switch and provides a reference dc voltage to the preamplifier. Detector signals received by the antenna on the blimp are preamplified and coupled to the instrument room via the rf cable.
A ground potential from the ground switch control operates a transmit control network on the blimp, which, in turn, disconnects the voltage regulator from trickle charging the battery and connec-ts the output of the battery to activate a transmitter and a companion modulator. Outgoing transmissions are coupled to the antenna through a P-I-N diode switch which is switched from the receive mode to the transmit mode by a transmit control network.
Audio communications are also capable of being coupled through the rf cable and the decoupler through a suitable band pass filter to the modulator, if desired.
The blimp is transportable even without being deflated.
Winches are used to lower the inflated blimp so that it can be tied to the instrument room, and then covered by an appropriate net or tarpaulin. Thus secured, the entire assembly is -then helicopter transportable using a long line connec-tion.
The present invention further comprehends a seismic gathering system employing a plurality of field unit seismic detectors and a central data gat:hering station. Each of the detectors includes a receiver and a controllable rf transmitter wherein a predetermined received signal activates the transmitter at each of the detectors. The central data gathering station transtt~its predetermined signals -to selectively 1~L;31~38 controllably activate the transmitter at the fleld detectors and receive and record transmissions from the field detectors. The central gathering sta-tion comprises a ground station and an rf radio receiver means. The ground s-tation includes recording means for recording seismic data, a power supply for supplying operating power to the recording means and includes a variable dc voltage output. A switching means is connected to the variable dc voltage output from the power supply and to the recording means. The station further includes a blimp station apparatus including a tethered aerodynamically stabilized blimp having a reflective surface. The rf radio receiver means includes decoupling means connected to the output of the switching means for separating rf signals from the variable dc voltage. A preamplifier having a gain contrGl is connected to the decoupled variable dc output and has an rf output connected as an input to the switching means. An antenna means receives field detectors transmissions following reflection from the reflective surface of the blimp station apparatus. The antenna means is coupled to the preamplifier for producing rf seismic data transmissions to the recording means.
Alternativel~ an rf co-axial cable may be connected to the switching means and the rf radio receiver means carried by the blimp.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
So that the manner in which the above-recited features, advantages and objects of the invention, as well as others which will become apparent, are attained and can be understood in detail, more particular description of the :inventior ~ -5-briefly summarized above may be had by reference to the embodiment thereof whieh is illustrated in the drawinys, whieh drawings form a part of this speeifieation. It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate on a typieal embodiment of the invention and are -thcrefore not to be eonsidered limiting of its seope, for the invention may admit to other equally effeetive embodiments.

In the Drawings:
Fig. 1 is a pietorial view of a blimp earrying an eleetronics package at the central station of a seismic survey gathering system in accordance with the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a bloek diagram of the ground eontrol network for operating with the blimp-earried electronics in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 3 is a bloek diagram of the bllmp-earried electronics in aeeordance with a pre~errcd emboclilllellt of the prescn~
invention.

D~SCRIPTION OF T~IE P~cEFERRED ~MBODIMENT
A seismie gathering system in aceordanee with the present invention ordinarily employs a plurality of field unit seismic detectors or data acquisition units, eaeh of whieh ineludes a re~eiver for reeeivinc] an activation sic and an rf transmitter. ~hen a predetermined signal is reeeived by the reeeiver at a detector, the transmitter at that detector is aetivated and transmits seismic data tl~erefrom to a eentral data gathering station. T~ere khe signals ~rom the varlous deteetors are reeorded and proeessed. Also, the eentral data gathering station includes the control transrnission .~

33~
equipment for initiating the predetermin(d activatiorl si~.al to the detectors. The central station may also house the equipment for activatin(3 the seism;c source c)r sources with which the detectors operate as wel~ as the voice communicatiorls equipment for giving direction to the field personnel, both those who are attending the source operd~ion as well as thcse attendinc~ the field uni~ detectc)rs.
A more comple~e description of a system comprising the components described above is found in Canadian patent application Serial No. 352,215, filed May ~0, 1980, and con~only assigned.
The invention described below is an improvement in the central data gathering station of a sei,smic data develo~ lent, transmission and recording system having the qeneral system components as set forth above.
It has been discovered that a central station is aclvan-tageously housed in an airborne instaLlation, èspecial,ly when a rugged terrain is anticipated where there is difficulty in obtaining reliab:Le line-of-sight radio contact betwcen the central station antenna and the anténnas of each ot the field detectors. However, i-t shoulc~ be noted that air~)orne operations are expensive and are vulnérable to being down for repairs. Hence, a system which relies on an airplane being operable cannot always be de~c-ndably utilized.
The central station described herein overcomes the unreliability of airplane der~endency hy utill~ing a blimp substation or partial statiorl, the blimp being of the kind requiring only a small lifting capacity, for example, on the order of only a few pounds. One successful blimp that has been employed as hereinafter described has a length of approximately 18 feet and a diameter of about 7-1/2 feet Now referring to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a tethered aerodynamically stablized blimp 10 carrying on its underside an electronics package 12 to be explained more fully hereinafter.
The blimp is tethered via line 14 to a ground station instrument room 16 or in the near vicinity thcreof. ~n rL coa~
cable 18 connects the instrument room with electronics package 12, the cable conveniently being lashed to the tether line, as shown. An rf cable of 100 feet has about 10 db of attenuation for a signal of about 70 Mllz. In a~dition, such a cable has an inheren~ dc resistance to applied dc voltage.
Antenna 20, carried conveniently depending from thc nose of the blimp, is lashed to one of the depending lines of the tethering structure. Conveniently, the antenna is a coaxial dipole type and is maintained at least approximately vertical. Free swinging is prevented by its being lashed to the tether gear line attached to the nose of the blimp. The antenna is connected to the electronics package via an appropriate antenna lead 22.
In operation~ the blimp is tethered with a line 1~ that is approximately 200-500 feet long and the instrument room itself is located normally on a high rise of qround with about a 75-foot clearing thereabout for convenience and safety of installation. Although the blimp is free to seek its own position with respect to its n~oo~ q l~oint o~ pOi according tO the wind currents, generally the tether line therefrom will never be less than 40 degrees to the ground and more normally the angle i9 75-80 degrees. A steady and brisk wind actually causes the blimp to rise so that the line is nearly vertical because of the aerodynamic properties imparted to the blimp by the fins.

1~L31~3~
Instrumentation 16 include, typically radio frequency receivers corresponding to the detector transmitters in use, a digital recordinq system (such as a Texas Instruments DFS
V), a shooting communications system for operating with one or more sources, a control switcll for ~ranslllittillg ancl receiving appropriate signals to the blimp-mounted elect~onics (as more fully explained below), a drywrite camera for developing a visual chart record, a communications radio transceiver, and a power supply.
In addition, the instrument room is configured to be readily heliportable and will include appropriate bottlc, or canisters of helium for inflating the blimp, winclles for raising and lowering the blimp, electronic spares and a covering net or tarpaulin, which is used for covering and securing the blimp to the instrument room when the helico~ter is transporting the combination from one location to the next. The entire assembly is readily transportable from one location to another by a medium sized helicopter.
As shown in Fig. 2, the electronic components in the instrument room include a power supply 30 for operating the recorder and other electronic ground station equipment 32 in the instrument room, the power supply also having a variable dc voltage output 34 connected to control switch 36. Typically the variable voltage output range is between 0 volts and 40 volts for providing gain control to thc pre~mpll~i~r.
communication transceiver 38 is also includecl in the instrument room and is optionally operable through control switcll 36, as hereinafter described, although it can bo operated i.ndepend-ently of the control switch and, hence, inde}~)endently of the blimp-carried electronics to be discussed. In addition, a shooting encoder 39 can be connected to audio transceiver 3R
for the purpose of transmitt;.ng througll the audio con~nulli.cation . ` 1~3~33~
system a tone or series of tones appropriate for activating a shooting box connectcd for eontrolling the seismic source or sources operating with the overall seismic system. For purposes hereof, referenee to the audio communication svstem ineludes such tone networ~ ~or operatillg a sllootilly ~o~.
Operation of the control switch in the instrUnlent room can best be understood in connection with the discussion of the electronics paekage carried by the blimp.
Direet eurrent voltage from blimp eontrol switch 3G in the instrument room is coupled to deeoupling circuit 40 (Fig. 3) through radio frequeney coaxial eable 18 (18~ in Fig. 2). The deeoupling eireuit passes direct eurrent voltage on line 42, passes audio frequeney energy on line 4~
and deeouples or suppresses radio frequeney energy altogether.
Direet eurrent voltage 42 is eoupled to voltage regulator control circuit 46. Control eireuit 46 is set so that it will not pass any voltage below a predetermined level, for example, 16 volts. A voltage eclual to or greatc?r than the predetermined level is applied to voltage requlator 4~.
Voltage regulator 48 is set to be eurrent limited, sueh as at 250 milliamperes, and to be voltacJe regulated, sueh as at 16.8 volts. The output from voltage regulator is eonnected through eleetronic switch 50 to trickle charge battery 52, typically a 14-volt battery. The output fronl the regul2tor is either zero or eonstant. lr prosellt at all, i~ i. in(i~
of applied surcJe eurrents applied to the voltage re~ulator eontrol.
The output from voltage regulator 48 is also eonneeted to radio frequeney preamplifier 5~ as ~lle refcrence voltac~e.

For the above example, the referenee voltage setting for preamplifier 54 would be established at 16.8 volts. Variable de voltage output 42 determines the amount of ~ain tor ~10--
3~
preamplifier 54 by the amoun-t tllat the voltage exceeds the reference voltage. The preamplifier achieves maximum c!ain when the voltage coupled through the cable is at its ~reatest level. For example, for a maximum level of 28.8 volts at line 34 typically results in a ~ain for a ty~ical preamplifier of 27 db. At the minimum level of 18.8 volts for voltage 42 to establish a reference level of 16.~ volts, the typical preamplifier will have approximately a -10 db attenuation "gain". The preamplifier has the variable gain control feature to allow it to minimize third order intermodulation.
In operation of the blimp-carried ~lectronics just described in conjunction with a received seismic data signal from a field detector on antenna 20, the circuit couples the received rf signal via P-I-N diode switch 56 to radio frequency preamplifier 54. P-I-N diode switch 56 is a well-known solid state receive/transmit switch. Following prcamplification, the seismic data signal is coupled to the instrument room via rf coaxial cable 18 (l8s in Fig. 2).
A transmit mode for the electronics carried by the blimp is achieved by supplying a ground potential from control switch 36 through coaxial cable 18. Althou~)l is it convenient to use a ground potential Eor this purpose, a ~c potential not exceeding a low amplitude could be employed as well, if desired. The ground potential is co~pled through decoupling nc~twork 40 to trallslllit control n~twork 58, which connects the output potential of thc battery through network 58 to modulator 60, transmitter 62 and P-I-N diode switch 56. When modulator 60 receives the 14-volt potential, it provides a suitable signal, such as a 1000 IIZ signal, to transmitter 62. Transmitter 62 is a lo~ power, narrow band, high frequency, frequency modulated transmitter. An example of operation would be at 1-watt power transmitting at 72.~0 ~13133~3 '`he fm rf ener~3y from the transmitter i.s coupl~d throu(3h P-:'-N di.ode switch 5G to antenna 20, the 1~ :I N diod~-~ switch being placed in the transmi~ mode by the application of the 14-volt potential via transmit control network 58. This frn radio frequency energy from antenna 20 commands the field detectors, as more fully explained in Canadian patent application Serial. No. 352,215. The detector transmissions are received by the antenna and are then coupled to the instrument room, as previously described.
When the ground or other low dc potential is removed from transmit control network 58 via contrc)l switch 36, ~
trickle ch~rge can be supp~ied to battery 52, provided that there is an output from voltage regulator 48.
Although the operation of voice communications whi_}l is required to keep the opera-tion of the central data stat:ion in contact with the per~onnel attendin~ sources and detectors can be completely independent of the data gathering system described above, an audio channel or channels can be provided, if desired. In this event, an audio or intermedia~e frequency transceiver 38 would be provided in the ground equipment (Fig. 2) and would have its output coupled through control switch 36. Outgoing signals from transceiver 38 would be pas~ed through control switch 36 and up cable 18A to be decoupled in decoupler 40 and provided on line 44 to band pass filter network 64. Thi.s voice channel would then be connected to modulator 60, as shown in ~k.~. 3.
Incoming voice colr~unications would be received by ~
N diode switch 56 and applied through preamplifier 54 to be applied on line 18B by filtering or o-therwi.se after being passed by control switch 36.
The system just descxibed advantageou~-;ly permits the recording equipment and the visual drywrite camera that i.s relatively bulky, hig}l-energy consumptive and the like to be placed in the ground station part of the central station, while the relatively lightweigh-t antenna, transmitter, modulator, battery and preamplifier portion is located in the blimp station part of the central station. This relatively low-powered apparatus is powered by the blimp-carried battery, there being no cable losses in conjunction therewith. Were only the antenna located with the blimp and all other components located on the ground, there would be cable losses, re~uiring larger capacity electronics as well as batteries. As described, the following approximate weights a~ply: G pounds for thu electronics, 2 pounds for the tethering gear, 1 pound for the rf coaxial cable. I~ the blimp carries 11 pounds with ease, there is a 2 pound safety factor.
Although particularly advantageous in operations where there are ground swells and rugged terrain, the system can be used to advantage on flat ground where a tall (e.g., lnO
feet) telescoping, jack-up antenna would normally be employed from a central-station, land-based installation. Also, for a system ncrmally employing an airplane as a central station, the use of blimp-carried electronics just described can be used as an alternate to replace an airplane-installed central station, or at least as a backup to be used when such an equipped airplane is down for repairs. The electronics carried by the blimp can be conveniently cllpped on and off through simplified ~ounting connections, which makes it convenient to move the electronics package to another blimp in case the first one is damaged.
The instrument room is conveniently mounted on a base suitable for helicopter pickup and t~an~porting. In normal weather, the blimp i5 merely winched downward and covered by a net or tarpaulin and secured to the ground station room.

1~31~
A long line can be used to lift and carry the assembly even without deflating the blimp first.
An active central gathering station has been descrihed above, wherein at least some of the active components are included advantageously in the blimp apparatus. Alternatively, or supplementarily, it is possible to use a blimp as a passive reflector, when the blimp is appropriately painted or otherwise covered with a suitable reflective coatina.
While a particular embodiment of the invention has bcen shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tllereto, since many modi~ications may ~)e m.l~le and will become apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, a blimp can be inflated and left in position for many days a-t a time, if desired. However, since seismic exploration is usually suspended overnight, it is preferable to winch in the blimp overnight to check it for normalcy, add helium if needed and relaunch the blimp the following day, even when the location is not to be changed.

Claims (10)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. In combination with a seismic gathering system employing a plurality of field unit seismic detectors, each of the detectors including a receiver and a controllable rf transmitter, a predetermined received signal activating the transmitter at each of the detectors, and a central data gathering station for transmitting predetermined signals to selectively controllably activate the transmitters at the field detector and for receiving and recording the transmissions from the field detectors, the improvement in a central gathering station comprising ground station apparatus including recording means for recording seismic data, a power supply for supplying operating power to said recording means and including a variable dc voltage output, switching means connected to the variable dc voltage output from said power supply and to said recording means, an rf coaxial cable connected to said switching means, and blimp station apparatus including a tethered aerodynamically stabilized blimp, rf radio receiver means carried by said blimp and including decoupling means connected to said rf coaxial cable for separating rf signals from said variable dc voltage, a preamplifier having a gain control connected to said decoupled variable dc output and having an rf output connected to said rf coaxial cable, and antenna means for receiving field detector trans-missions, said antenna means being coupled to said preamplifier for producing rf seismic data transmissions on said rf coaxial cable to said recording means.
2. The improvement in accordance with claim 1, and including transmitter means carried by said blimp connected to said antenna means, and transmit control means connected to said transmitter means and activated by a predetermined dc voltage from said ground station power supply, activation of said transmit control means causing said transmitter means to produce a predetermined signal transmission from said antenna for activating the transmitters at the detectors.
3. The improvement in accordance with claim 2, and including a modulator connected to said transmitter means and activated by said transmit control means, thereby producing a modulated predetermined signal transmission from said antenna.
4. The improvement in accordance with claim 3, wherein said ground station apparatus includes an audio transmitter having an output coupled through said switching means to said decoupling means, and said blimp station apparatus includes an audio band pass filter connected to decoupled the audio frequency signal from said decoupling means and to apply it to said modulator connected to said transmitter means.
5. The imporvement in accordance with claim 4, wherein said audio transmitter in said ground station apparatus includes a tone encoder for controlling shooting apparatus.
6. The improvement in accordance with claim 2, and including a battery carried by said blimp connected to sai.d transmit control means, said transmit control means being activated by a ground potential from said ground station power supply to connect said battery to said transmission means for producing said predetermined signal transmission therefrom.
7. The improvement in accordance with claim 1, wherein said blimp station apparatus includes a voltage regulator connected to the decoupled dc voltage output from said decoupling means for establishing a regulated dc voltage reference output when the decoupled dc voltage thereto exceeds a predetermined level, and wherein said preamplifier is connected to said dc voltage reference output, the gain control of said preamplifier being determined by the amount the variable dc voltage exceeds the dc voltage reference.
8. The improvement in accordance with claim 7, and including transmitter means carried by said blimp connected to said antenna means, transmit control means connected to said transmitter means and activated by a predetermined dc voltage from said ground station power supply, activation of said transmit control means causing said transmitter means to produce a predetermined signal transmission from said antenna for activating the transmitters at the detectors, a battery carried by said blimp connected to said transmit control means, said transmit control means being activated by a ground potential from said ground station power supply to connect said battery to said transmission means for producing said predetermined signal transmission therefrom, and wherein said voltage regulator is connectable to trickle charge said battery.
9. The improvement in accordance with claim 8, and including switch means connected between said voltage regulator and said battery, said switch means opening in the absence of a voltage output from said voltage regulator.
10. In combination with a seismic gathering system employing a plurality of field unit seismic detectors, each of the detectors including a receiver and a controllable rf transmitter, a predetermined received signal activating the transmitter at each of the detectors, and a central data gathering station for transmitting predeter-mined signals to selectively controllably activate the transmitter at the field detectors and for receiving and recording the transmissions from the field detectors, the improvement in a central gathering station comprising ground station apparatus including recording means for recording seismic data, a power supply for supplying operating power to said recording means and including a variable dc voltage output, switching means connected to the variable dc voltage output from said power supply and to said recording means, blimp station apparatus including a tethered aerodynamically stabilized blimp having a reflective surface, rf radio receiver means including decoupling means connected to the output of said switching means for separating rf signals from said variable dc voltage, a preamplifier having a gain control connected to said decoupled variable dc output and having an rf output connected as an input to said switching means, and antenna means for receiving field detectors trans-missions following reflection from the reflective surface of said blimp station apparatus, said antenna means being coupled to said preamplifier for producing rf seismic data transmissions to said recording means.
CA345,724A 1979-07-25 1980-02-15 Radio frequency seismic gathering system employing an airborne blimp Expired CA1131338A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/060,625 US4236234A (en) 1979-07-25 1979-07-25 Radio frequency seismic gathering system employing an airborne blimp
US060,625 1979-07-25

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1131338A true CA1131338A (en) 1982-09-07

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US (1) US4236234A (en)
BR (1) BR8004454A (en)
CA (1) CA1131338A (en)
GB (1) GB2056224B (en)
MX (1) MX147549A (en)
OA (1) OA06589A (en)

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MX147549A (en) 1982-12-13
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US4236234A (en) 1980-11-25
GB2056224A (en) 1981-03-11
BR8004454A (en) 1981-01-27

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