The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) recently issued a Revised Approval Modification Program (RAMP) for Tunnel Radio of America’s Model TR-MX-332, MineAx RFID tracking system. The company says that “while underground coal and hard rock mines with UHF leaky feeder networks throughout the country have already been relying on MineAx tracking to ensure miner safety, increased efficiency and MSHA compliance, the issuance of this new RAMP substantially means that now mines with VHF leaky feeder communications will be able to enjoy the same ‘peace of mine’ that comes from having a MineAx tracking system. The MineAx tracking system will work in conjunction with not only a Tunnel Radio installed cable network; but it will also work in conjunction with cable networks installed by other providers. So, if a mine that is currently using a Leaky Feeder network, either UHF or VHF, either installed by Tunnel Radio or by someone else, the MineAx Tracking System will provide tracking for your underground miners.
The UHF/VHF Tracking system which works alongside the company’s MSHA Approved UltraComm leaky feeder communication system uses wireless readers and high power RFID tag units to provide personnel and/or asset location information on the surface of an underground mine or other facility. Tunnel Radio’s design allows for both voice communication and tracking to operate on a single cable. The ‘triple reader’ monitors three zones concurrently providing the continuous coverage as required by the MSHA PPL P09-V-01. The system’s capture software provides for secure tag to server communications, personnel location viewable overlaid on a mine map, and detailed history reports. Through an association with HSC Industrial and its distribution network, the UHF system has already been successfully installed in at least 25 coal mines in West Virginia and Pennsylvania. According to Tom Hughes, President of HSC Industrial, the systems are receiving rave reviews from mine managers, safety personnel and miners alike. Recently, the VHF version of MineAx Tracking was successfully installed in a western US mine.
The MineAx Wireless RFID system provides personnel and/or asset location information to the surface from an underground mine or other facility. Through its integrated network, the MineAx system determines the location of personnel by using receiver nodes in underground mine applications. All this is accomplished via the existing leaky feeder network, no additional cables are required.
The wireless reader/radio unit collects RFID information as the tag passes within range of the reader antenna system; attaches a time stamp and stores said tag data; and, when polled via the two-way radio network, wirelessly transfers the tag ID and location data to a capture computer on the surface for decoding and display. Three zones may be reported via a single three-port reader unit.
Tag information/location data are shown based on actual tag read time, not computer time. Reader units may be located up to more than 60 m from the radio network and still provide data connectivity. All collected data are secure. The capture software is extensive and incorporates tabular and map import capabilities. In the mapping mode, personnel and equipment locations may be displayed through the use of a variety of user selected icons.
