Simple, low-cost sound level meters are available from a number of suppliers. Most of those used in our mapping work have been purchased from Maplin (product code N05CC). Their current offering is pictured – this is usually priced at about £55 but is promoted periodically at around £30.
It conforms to the IEC651 type 2 and ANSI S1.4 type 2 standards.
The Airport Environment Office has been very co-operative in enabling us to check the results produced by our meters against those from their higher-specification meters and we very much appreciate their co-operation.
Settings
To avoid spurious readings, it is important to measure noise at some distance from hard surfaces such as walls. The meter can be mounted on a tripod but operation hand-held is acceptable. It should, where possible, be about 1.2 metres above the ground. We always recommend that a wind shield be used when available.
The following settings must be used:
- Speed: Fast (most professionals still use the Slow setting as this provides data which is backwards-compatible with analogue meters which required the maximum reading to be captured by eye. The Fast setting more accurately captures the maximum noise level)
- Frequency weighting: A
Most modern digital meters will capture the maximum sound level (maximum hold) so this setting should be used to allow you to leave the meter while waiting for an aircraft to pass over.
Most meters can automatically switch sound ranges as the sound level increases. We are concerned that this can lead to inaccuracies in the measurement of aircraft noise so we strongly recommend that you fix the range so that the maximum level you expect will not exceed the top of the range.
Data required
- Time and date of each measurement
- Location (grid reference or address including postcode)
- Aircraft type and/or airline
- Departing, arriving or other (eg go-around, reverse thrust on runway, etc.)
- Maximum sound level recorded with above settings
Please contact us for guidance on how to submit your data.
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Luton & District Association for the Control of Aircraft Noise - site updated 29 November, 2008
