LATEST GAMMA RADIATION READINGS from Argus 2000 gamma radiation monitoring stations
Argus Stations and the Y2K Upgrade:
The stations
All Argus monitoring stations must be running in Y2K mode to provide data from 1st Jan 2000. Most Argus stations across the UK were set into Y2K mode in December 1999 automatically by the central Argus Network Host. Any stations not communicating regularly with the Argus Network Host through December 1999 will not now be operating in Y2K mode. To work correctly these stations can still be configured remotely into Y2K mode by the Argus Project team; this service is available by telephone arrangement free of charge.
Data collection and station configuration
As an Argus station operator/owner you must have the Argus Y2K upgrade software installed on your local PC to be able to configure parameters and collect data from your station once it is in Y2K mode. If you have not already purchased an upgrade package please contact the Argus Project for details: y2kupgrade@environment.org.uk. Before installing the upgrade we ask station operators to contact the Argus project to arrange a convenient time so their station can be checked over remotely and any upgrade issues can be discussed to ensure a smooth installation.
February 29th 2000
WARNING: Station operators who have already installed the Argus Y2K upgrade will need to download from below the latest relevant release of the Argus communications program files. These handle a problem encountered over the leap year extra day. For more details and support on this matter please email: feb29@environment.org.uk or better still telephone the Argus Project.
Data Viewing and reporting
Each station sold has a standard DOS based data display and graphing package provided with it: "DataView" (DV.EXE) which resides in the "\Argus" directory/folder where the Argus Station Manager software system is installed.
Additionally the Argus Project has provided with most later Argus stations a third party shareware package: "Advent for Windows", featured in these web pages. Advent is not the standard Argus data viewing tool and has been supplied with new stations as a free tool for evaluation and as such is not supported by the Argus Project; however, Argus will provide advice (without commitment) as to its installation and operation.
Prior to the Y2K transition most station operators have been successfully using Advent on both Windows 3.1, Windows for Workgroups, Windows 95 and Windows 98 (Advent is not designed to run on Windows NT). As very few people have been using DataView we provided no Y2K upgrade for this tool. However, many operators moved their Argus PC software from earlier PCs to new and faster Y2K compliant PCs with more recent versions of Windows. This has revealed in a very few instances a mysterious incompatibility issue with Advent and certain combinations of Disk Filing System and Windows Operating System versions. When this occurs Advent appears to install correctly but on trying to run Advent it throws up a "File not found" error message and subsequently shuts down. So far we have not seen this problem with Windows 98 and as yet do not know what file is not being found on the few Windows 95 systems where the issue arises! If you encounter this problem we suggest you try running Advent under Windows 98 or try changing the Disk format to FAT16. If these options are not possible then we have provided below, for download, a recent release of DataView (DV.EXE) which is Y2K compliant and will directly replace the existing version in your "\Argus" directory/folder.
29th Feb 2000 - BUG FIX
The following files are for use following the installation of the Argus Y2K upgrade on your local PC.
If you run an earlier Argus station with an ID number btween 1 to 99
you will need the latest version of COMSMAN from
HERE
- comsman.exe
or as a zip file (needs WinZip to unpack it)
HERE
- comsman.zip
OR
If you run an Argus station with an ID number above 100 you will need
the following HYDRACOM & STOREDAT from
HERE
- hydracom.exe
and
HERE
- storedat.exe
or both in a zip file (needs WinZip to unpack it)
HERE
- hydracom32andStoredatLeapFix.zip
Please download either the .exe(s) or the .zip file which you must unpack on arrival. You will need to copy the files to your "\ARGUS" directory/folder overwriting the existing copies. You will then be able to use the Station Manager software in the normal way to collect all data existing on your station usually going back 55 days or more.
If you have reason to use a 16bit version of Hydracom.exe you should download and unzip it from
HERE - hydracom16LeapFix.zip
DataView (Y2K compliant DV.EXE)
Download the latest version of DataView from
HERE
- dv.exe
Once downloaded save DV.EXE to your "\ARGUS" directory/folder overwiting the existing version. DataView is acessible via the Argus Data Manager's opening page using the F6 function key.
Return to Argus front page or ADVENT.
Notes:
YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DOWNLOAD DATA OK WITH INTERNET EXPLORER, but some browsers may open data files and display them as text. Don't worry - once it has finished doing this you can use the "Save As" command from the file menu to complete the download. Please make sure you use the correct file name (jan_99.arg etc.) when you "Save As"
The ADVENT program is required to read the data (*.arg) files. The data (*.arg) files downloaded should be placed in your argus inbound folder so that ADVENT can find them.
Good luck.
For further information, e-mail Graham Denman, Argus Project Coordinator