Svantek UK have recently supplied the University of Salford 10 SV 971A Class 1 sound level meters, for students on the Environmental Noise Measurement and Modelling Module. This module is delivered to level 6 and 7 acoustic students with the new addition, this year, of level 7 sustainable aviation students.
Many of the students on this course have already had or currently have jobs. For example some students work for aviation companies based abroad. Others are in their final year of studying acoustics, after completing a year out working in an acoustic consultancy.
The module leader is Dr David Waddington who is a professor in Environmental Acoustics in the Acoustics Research Centre at the University of Salford. David is an internationally recognised researcher in the areas of outdoor sound propagation, and the human response to vibration and noise. With over 25 years of experience in acoustics research and consultancy.
The SV 971A is trusted and used by primarily acoustic consultants throughout the UK, making it an ideal choice for the University of Salford to expose their students to. The SV 971A is a Class 1 sound level meter in accordance with IEC 61672-1. It is the smallest Class 1 instrument in the World.
We were approached by the University of Salford as a high-profile acoustic consultancy, had recommended the 971A as a potential instrument to use on this module. A combination of having IEC61672-3 and type approval on the meter and advanced acoustic parameter collection ability, means it was a perfect choice for the students.
The module is filled with practical and class room learning activities, the 971A was used for measurements at Manchester International Airport. The 971A was used to collect and display LMAX, LAeq and L10 -L90 statistical percentiles. The meter also has a live spectrum analyser, and 1/3 octave spectra was collected alongside the other noise parameters. The data was then downloaded, and key data was manually put into the University of Salford’s data set sheet for marking.
Students have visited Manchester International Airport with their SV 971A Class 1 Sound Level meters to make the measurements. The premise of the assignment is based on there is a café on site which is going to be demolished and replaced with an aparthotel.
To support with introducing the meters to the students, members of the Svantek UK team visited the university where they ran a two hour session covering topics such as what to look out for when selecting a selecting a sound level meter, examples of key projects that Svantek equipment has been utilised such as noise monitoring on the Thames Tideway Tunnel and how the technology has changed over the years.
The team then went onto discuss the features of the SV 971A and the fundamentals of using the meter. This included, how to set up the meter, how to calibrate the device using any class 1 94dB or 114dB acoustic calibrator and how to use the key functionality of the meter.
In order to prepare the students for their practical project, the Svantek UK team gave their students their top tips for using a sound level meter, which are as follows:
- Use a tripod
- Point the microphone at the source you are trying to measure
- If in handheld mode, hold it away from your body
- If you have Bluetooth, use it! Stand away from the meter (you will not affect the measurement)
- Pre and post calibration check
- Look for obvious issues in the measurement
To conclude the session, students then took part in a practical to get themselves familiar with the SV 971A ready for their project. They took LAeq and LAFmax measurements. The Svantek team then provided training on how to use the brand new Assistant Pro App and SVANPC++ to access their data.
