LOCATING EQUIPMENT FOR AND METHODS OF SIMULATING LOCATE OPERATIONS FOR TRAINING AND/OR SKILLS EVALUATION

摘要

Training systems for and methods of simulating locate operations are provided for training and/or skills evaluation. Facility locating equipment, such as on-site computers and/or locate receivers, may include modules for electronically simulating locate operations. Locating equipment including simulation modules may be used, for example, in locate technician training processes and/or for updating and/or evaluating the skills of locate technicians, hi particular, a simulation module is provided for electronically generating "virtual" facilities, the presence and/or absence of which may be indicated to a locate technician during, for example, a training exercise. The actions of the locate technicians with respect to dispensing marking material that corresponds to the presence and/or absence of the virtual facilities are electronically captured, stored, and evaluated.