Forge Echo Introduction

Base Package Getting to know the device G – Sensor Calibration F4 Key Assignment Application F4 Distance Application F4 Height Application Forge Echo Overview

Base Package Transponder -1 Charger - 2 Ultrasound Cone -3 USB Download Cable - 4 Stylus - 5 Transponder Pole - 6 Handheld

Getting to Know the Device Battery Indicator Lights Camera Button Power Button Backspace Key Windows Button Numbers Lock Key Alpha Numeric Key Pad Forward Space Key 4 Way Directional Keys and Enter Key in Center Programmable Function Keys

Getting to Know the Device Stylus Holder Battery Door Camera and Flash Speaker Hand Strap Attachment Points

Getting to Know the Device Power Port Serial Port USB Mini Hand Strap Location

Getting to Know the Device External GPS Antenna Port

Getting to Know the Device Ultrasound Port with Rubber Plug Stylus Holder

G-Sensor Calibration To Use the Height application or to use the slope correction functionality in the distance program you will want to calibrate the device about once a week.

To Calibrate touch the Windows key on the screen or on the keypad. Then go into file explorer G-Sensor Calibration

Select Up and Go into Program Files G-Sensor Calibration

Select F4 Height and then BAPSensors Utility G-Sensor Calibration

Start Application and hold handheld on flat service G-Sensor Calibration

The bottom of the device has a 90 degree angle than can be put on the square edge of a desk. Once on a square surface, select “calibration” and hold still until blue status bar is complete. Then turn off and close until next calibration. G-Sensor Calibration

F4 Assignment Key Application Function Keys 3 – 7 are programmable. The height and distance applications utilize the 3 – 5 buttons, if loaded. If not those and the 6 and 7 are programmable. To program the keys select the F4 Assign Key application. Select the key to program, browse to the applications.exe file. Hit the assign button

F4 Assignment Key Application Windows will use the F1 and F2 keys to control menu selections on the bottom of the screen. The F3 key is used in the height and distance program. The F4 pulls up the distance program and the F5 the height program. It may be helpful to set the F6 and F7 for your mapping and inventory apps.

F4 Assignment Key Application If you don’t know what application has been assigned to a key you can select the number in the function key box and then select “show.” To unassign a key then select the function key, and select “unassign” on screen. Select “exit” when you are through with the application.

F4 Distance Program The program can be opened by pressing F4 or selection the application from the Windows screen

F4 Distance Program In its simplest use, the program will give only distance in either feet or meters depending on the units chosen in the Setup Window.

F4 Distance Program The first thing to do is to turn on the ultrasound device. Go into Power and select open or use the F1 key. To power on the transponder hold it up to the port on the handheld and press F3.

F4 Distance Program A 9 volt battery is used to power transponder. Make sure rubber stopper is removed from port before trying to power on transponder. Once powered on press F2 to close window. To power down the transponder hold it up to handheld and press F3 then F1 to shut down the sound portion of the handheld. Again F2 Will Close this Window. Any 9 volt battery can be used. Rechargeable 9volts will work as well as other types of 9 volt batteries.

F4 Distance Program From the Distance main screen, the application can be setup. A user can specify the distance units (feet or meters) and if BAF cruising the unit of diameter a tree has to be in (inches or centimeters). BAF of English or Metric can be chosen. Square feet per acre or square meters per hectare. The common units are included or a custom BAF factor can be entered. The unit of measure for temperature can also be selected as well as whether slope correction is turned on.

F4 Distance Program Once the setup is completed you will want to calibrate the device. You will want to do this 3 or 4 times per day as atmospheric conditions change. Select the calibrate from main screen. The calibration units will be what has been selected for distance in setup, (feet or meters). You can select several distance to calibrate at in the drop down box beside “Set Distance.” Use a steel tape and pull back the known distance and calibrate the device.

F4 Distance Program To calibrate prop pole and transponder up beside tree and place nail in tree at center of transponder or have a fried hold the tape at center of transponder. Pull back the selected distance in the calibration screen. Line the front of the housing of the handheld up with the distance on the tape and then press F1 key to calibrate.

F4 Distance Program Once the unit is successfully calibrated. The date, time, temperature, and calibration distance will appear in the dialog box at the top of the calibration screen. The unit has a temperature sensor that measures outside temperature and adjust for that. If a unit has been inside of a building or vehicle and is taken outside it will take about 20 minutes or so for it to come to equilibrium temperature with the outside. You may want to calibrate a couple of times during the first hour. After that about every two hours or so is recommended. Press F2 or the “Close” button on the screen to close the unit to start using the application.

F4 Distance Program Now that you are ready to use, hold the hand held at the center of the tree to get the distance from the transponder at plot center to the center of the tree. If you have chosen critical diameter “Yes” in Setup, the application will calculate limiting diameter for a tree at that distance and BAF factor. The math in the application is for the center of the tree and not the face of the tree. If you choose slope correction the interface will look like the screen on the right.

F4 Distance Program If you are in hilly terrain you may want to select slope correction in the setup screen. Once this is selected, press the start angle button on the screen. You will want to hold the handheld at the same height off of the ground as the height of the transponder is off the ground. Then hold the handheld parallel with the ground. Walk up to tree to measure like you would normally do. Once the Angle in the slope screen is stable, press F1 and the horizontal distance and limiting diameter at that distance will be displayed. Slope correction is not usually used unless the slope you are working on is greater than 10 percent.

F4 Height Program The program can be opened by pressing F5 or selection the application from the Windows screen

F4 Height Program You will want to have the distance program opened before opening the height program if you intend on using the transponder for the distance. You can also use a steel tape and enter the distance you are away from the tree. You can enter the distance you hold the handheld away from you face as the offset. Each user will want to try this but somewhere between 1.5 and 2.0 seems to be good values for this. If you are in dark timber stands you will want to set the camera to night mode and adjust the brightness. Once ready to measure heights “start Camera”

F4 Height Program If you are going to use the transponder to enter the distance away from the tree, use the nail on the top of the transponder to place on tree. Point sound port on handheld and press F1 to get a distance. Then center the green cross hairs at base of tree. Press F3 once the angle stabilizes. Then go up the tree at points you want a height and press F3 up to 8 times for multiple heights

F4 Height Program The angle that you are holding the device appears on the screen. The heights appear in these fields. Once you have finished measuring a tree select “Clear All” You can copy and paste or send a height to your inventory program or excel if that application allows copy and paste functionality. When not using the height program turn the camera off with the “Stop Cam” button. If you want to take a photo make sure the camera is not on in the height application

Forge Echo Overview Again it is easy to toggle back and forth between the height, distance programs and mapping programs such as ArcPad or Solo and inventory programs such as T-Cruise by using the function keys. The unit comes with a GPS receiver that is tuned to work under canopy and should be all most users will need to either navigate to inventory sample points and or map stand boundaries and other forestry features. The internal GPS patch antenna which is quite large for a device like this is located at the top left of the handheld.