Simrad EQ60 User Manual

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Instruction manual

Simrad EQ60 Fishery echo sounder

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M A X I M I Z I N G Y O U R P E R F O R M A N C E A T S E A

857-164342

Simrad EQ60

Fishery echo sounder

Instruction manual

Document revisions

Rev Date Written by Checked by Approved by

Rev.C

1 1.03.04 RBr GM OBG

Updated to described software version 1.5.0.74.

About this document

Simrad AS shall not be liable for errors contained herein, or for incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing, performance, or use of this document.

Simrad AS Strandpromenaden 50 Box 111 N-3191 Horten

Telephone: +47 33 03 40 00 Facsim il e: +47 33 04 29 87

M A X I M I Z I N G Y O U R P E R F O R M A N C E A T S E A

List of sections

1 System description

This section of the manual presents a general description of the echo sounder system. Refer to page 1.

2Displayviews

This chapterexplains the layoutof the echosounder display presentation. Refer to page 15.

3 Getting started

This chapter provides an operational example to get you started with the operation. Refer to page 28.

4 Operational procedures

Instruction manual

This chapter provides specific procedures for common tasks. Refer to page 38.

5 Reference guide

This chapter explains the menus and dialogue boxes in detail. Refer to page 56.

6 Installation

This chapter explains how to perform the installation of the physical system units. Refer to page 119.

7 Cable layout

All cables used by the echo sounder system are listed and explained. Refer to page 129.

8 Transducer installation

This chapter provides general guidelines for transducer installation. Refer to page 173.

9 Drawing file

Technical drawings required for installation and maintenance are included in this chapter. Refer to page 192.

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Simrad EQ60

Table of contents

SYSTEM DESCRIPTION 1......................................

Introduction 1..................................................

System overview 2..............................................

Key facts 2...............................................

Main units 2..............................................

Wave propagation 5..............................................

Bottom echo 7..................................................

Observation range 9..............................................

Technical specifications 10.........................................

Echo sounder system 11......................................

External interfaces 12........................................

General Purpose Transceiver (GPT) 13..........................

Internal PC Transceiver (PCT) 14..............................

DISPLAY VIEWS 15..............................................

Introduction 15..................................................

Display organisation 16............................................

Main view 16..............................................

Moving the boundary lines 17.................................

Direct access to dialogue boxes 18.............................

Menu bar 19.....................................................

Header view 20..................................................

Echo frames 21..................................................

Overview 21...............................................

Echogram and Range 21.....................................

Scope 22..................................................

Status bar 23....................................................

History and printer views 24........................................

Overview 24...............................................

Display example 25.........................................

Printer example 25..........................................

GETTING STARTED 28...........................................

Introduction 28..................................................

Before you start 29...............................................

Start--up 30.....................................................

Overview 30...............................................

Power-up procedure 30......................................

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Instruction manual

The menu system 30........................................

Transceiver inspection 30.....................................

Environmental parameters 30..................................

Navigation interface 31......................................

Additional interfaces 31......................................

Operation 32....................................................

Overview 32...............................................

Selecting operational mode 32.................................

Transceiver settings 32.......................................

Bottom detector settings 33...................................

Colour scale 33.............................................

Echogram and Range view 33.................................

Scope view 35.............................................

Data storage 36..................................................

Overview 36...............................................

Define storage parameters 36..................................

Start and stop data storage 36..................................

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES 38................................

Overview 38....................................................

Power on/off 39..................................................

Power on 39...............................................

Power off 39...............................................

Basic operations 41...............................................

Overview 41...............................................

Changing the echogram settings 41.............................

Changing the range 41.......................................

Changing the vertical resolution 41.............................

Changing the transmit power 42...............................

Setting minimum and maximum depth 42........................

Enabling the depth alarms 43..................................

Adding annotations 43.......................................

Transceiver installation 45..........................................

Overview 45...............................................

To install a channel 45.......................................

To uninstall a channel 45.....................................

To modify an IP address 46...................................

Restart the echo sounder 46...................................

Record and playback 47...........................................

Overview 47...............................................

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III

Simrad EQ60

Record 47.................................................

Playback 48...............................................

History 49.................................................

Software installation and upgrades 52.................................

Overview 52...............................................

Software installation procedure 52..............................

Software upgrade procedure 53................................

Un-installation procedure 53..................................

Software on a third party computer 53...........................

REFERENCE GUIDE 56...........................................

Overview 56....................................................

Menus 57.......................................................

Main menu 57.............................................

File menu 58...............................................

View menu 59.............................................

Options menu 60...........................................

Install menu 62.............................................

Help menu 63..............................................

Status Bar 64....................................................

Dialogue boxes 65................................................

Introduction 65.............................................

Advanced Navigation 66.....................................

Advanced Transceiver 68.....................................

Annotation 70..............................................

BI 500 73.................................................

Bottom Detector 75.........................................

Bottom Range 77...........................................

Colour Scale 78............................................

Depth Output 80............................................

Echogram 81..............................................

Environment 85............................................

Shutdown 86..............................................

Factory settings 87..........................................

Heave Sensor 88............................................

History 90.................................................

IP Address 91..............................................

Language 93...............................................

Layout 94.................................................

Navigation Interface 95......................................

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Instruction manual

Operation 97...............................................

Printer and History 100.......................................

Print Setup 102..............................................

Purse Seine 104.............................................

Replay 105.................................................

RS-232 Setup 107...........................................

Store 108..................................................

Surface Range 110...........................................

Temperature Sensor 111.......................................

Transceiver Installation 112....................................

Transceiver Settings 114......................................

Trawl Interface 116..........................................

Trawl Range 118............................................

INSTALLATION 119...............................................

Introduction 119..................................................

Basic procedure 120...............................................

Purpose 120................................................

Parts configuration 120.......................................

Transducer(s) 120............................................

Display with built-in Processor Unit 120..........................

Stand-alone Processor Unit 120.................................

General Purpose Transceiver 120................................

Interfaces 121...............................................

Parts and configurations 122.........................................

Overview 122...............................................

Transducer 122..............................................

Transceiver 122.............................................

Printer 124.................................................

General Purpose Transceiver (GPT) 125...............................

Overview 125...............................................

Procedure 125...............................................

Printer 126.......................................................

Introduction 126.............................................

Hardware installation 126.....................................

Software installation 126......................................

Software installation of unlisted printer 128.......................

CABLE LAYOUT 129...............................................

Introduction 129..................................................

Cable specifications 132............................................

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Simrad EQ60

Basic configuration 132.......................................

Single GPT configuration 133..................................

External interfaces 134.............................................

Overview 134...............................................

Navigation (GPS) 134........................................

Annotation 135..............................................

Depth output 135............................................

Trawl system 136............................................

Post-processing data 136......................................

Heave sensor 136............................................

Temperature sensor 137.......................................

Purse seine 137..............................................

Colour printer 137...........................................

Ethernet connections 138......................................

External triggering 139.............................................

Overview 139...............................................

Master system 139...........................................

Slave system 140............................................

Cable terminations 141.............................................

Generic RS-232 Serial line 142.................................

EMC ground 143............................................

Standard AC power cable 144..................................

Battery 145.................................................

Ethernet with RJ45 146.......................................

Ethernet with IEEE 802.3 147..................................

Centronics printer cable 148...................................

Keyboard and rollerball 149....................................

Remote on/off 150...........................................

GPT Remote synchronisation 151...............................

Heave and Temperature sensors 152.............................

Transducer(s) 153............................................

PC Transceiver to transducer(s) 161.............................

Basic cabling r equirements 162.......................................

Cable gland assembly procedure 165..................................

Purpose 165................................................

General procedure 165........................................

Securing and terminating the cables 166..........................

Multi-diameter modules 166...................................

Standard type 168............................................

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Instruction manual

Additional type 1 (842-093878) 170.............................

Additional type 2 (541-093642) 171.............................

TRANSDUCER INSTALLATION 173...............................

Transducer location 173............................................

General 173................................................

Go deep 173................................................

Boundary water layer 173.....................................

Propeller noise 174...........................................

Vessel heave 175............................................

Noises from protruding objects on the hull 175.....................

Summary 176...............................................

Ways of mounting the transducer 177..................................

Inclination of the transducer face 177............................

External mount 178..........................................

Transducer blister 180........................................

In a box keel 182............................................

Retractable transducer 183.....................................

Centre board 184............................................

Flush mounting in a steel tank 185..............................

Behind a protective acoustic window 186.........................

Inside the hull 187...........................................

Cable in steel conduit 188...........................................

Handling and maintenance 190.......................................

Approved anti--fouling paints 191.....................................

DRAWING FILE 192...............................................

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VII

Simrad EQ60

VIII

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SYSTEM DESCRIPTION

Introduction

This chapter provides a brief introduction to the Simrad EQ60 fishery echo sounder system.

Related topics

→ Overview, page 2 → EQ60 System drawings, page 3 → Wave propagation, page 5 → Bottom echo, page 7 → Observation range, page 9 → Technical specifications, page 10

System description

Important notice

Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

Echo sounder software version

This manual complies to echo sounder software version

1.5.0.74.

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Simrad EQ60

System overview

Key facts

The Simrad EQ60 echo sounders is designed for the professional fishery community implementing the latest innovations.

• The EQ60 system is flexible and easy to configure due to the modular design.

• Echo sounders ranging from relatively low-cost single beam to large multi-frequency systems can be realised.

• Menus and dialogue boxes are operated by a standard mouse or a roller ball.

• Large colour liquid crystal displays (LCD) are used. A standard computer mouse may be used.

• The EQ60 uses the Microsoft Windows® display interface. Operation is to a large extent self-explanatory. Getting started is easy if you are familiar with standard Microsoft Windows® programs.

• A store/replay function reduces the need for echogram printout on paper. The unprocessed transducer signal is recorded on the internal harddisk. During replay, this signal is injected into the EQ60 processing software as if it arrived directly from the transceiver.

Main units

The standard version of the EQ60 echo sounder consists of the following units:

• a display unit with built-in echo sounder transceiver and processor units

• a transducer

If required, the system can be expanded with additional frequency channels by adding single beam General Purpose Transceiver (GPT) units.

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System description

Basic system diagram:

(A) = Echo sounder unit (B) = Mouse

(CD10201)

(1:1)

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Simrad EQ60

(CD10201B)

System diagram with additional transceiver:

(A) = Echo sounder unit (B) = Mouse (C) = Keyboard (optional) (D) = General Purpose Transceiver

(GPT) (E) = Transducers

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Wave propagation

The velocity of sound wave propagation in the sea varies slightly with temperature, salinity and pressure. The velocity varies between 1440 and 1520 m/s in shallow sea water, while a velocity around 1480 m/s can be expected at 1000 m depth. In shallow fresh water the velocity is approximately 1430 m/s.

A good average value to be used in the Environment dialogue box is 1470 m/s.

Figure 1 The wave propagation principles

System description

The EQ60 transmits high energy sound wave pulses into the sea. A flat bottom reflects the transmitted wave as if it were a mirror. The propagating energy is spread over a larger and larger area as it travels down to the bottom and up again. The energy is spread over a four times larger area every time the travel distance doubles.

A large school of fish reflects sound waves similarly. This type of spreading is referred to as square-law or 20 log TVG (Time Varying Gain) spreading.

The situation is slightly different when observing the echoes from individual fish. The transmitted wave undergoes square-law spreading when travelling from the surface and down to the fish. The swim bladder of the fish scatters a small fraction of the arriving energy in all directions. Travelling from the fish and back towards the surface the scattered wave undergoes another square-law spreading. The combined effect is referred to as quad-law or 40 log TVG spreading.

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Simrad EQ60

Propagation losses due to absorption are much higher in sea water than in fresh water. Absorption also increases with frequency. At 38 kHz the absorption is 0.5 dB/km in fresh water and 10 dB/km in sea water. At 200 kHz the absorption is 10 dB/km in fresh water and 50 dB/km in salt water. The echo sounder must know which water type is present in order to compensate for these losses correctly.

(The dB (decibel) unit has long traditions in underwater acoustics and other fields in physics. It is a logarithmic measure for the ratio between two quantities).

Related topics

→ Environment, page 85 → Echogram, page 81

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Bottom echo

Figure 2 Bottom echo

System description

A hard flat bottom reflects the transmitted signal as i f it were a mirror. T he transmitted pulse hits the illuminated bottom area at nearly the same instant, and the echo from different parts of this area arrive back at the surface also at nearly the same instant.

The received echo signal is basically an attenuated copy of the short transmit pulse. The echo signal from a sloped bottom is characterised by having a longer duration and a slower rise and fall time. The transmitted pulse first hits the slope at point A, and as time elapses the reflection point travels along the slope towards point B. Many locations do not have a solid hard bottom. Frequently, the bottom is composed of layers of mud, clay and sand which can be observed as coloured bands on the echo sounder display.

The bottom detection algorithm is implemented solely in software, and separate algorithms are run for each frequency channel. The algorithm is designed with emphasis on reliability in the sense that erroneous depth detections are never output. Whenever the quality of a detection is questionable the algorithm outputs a depth of 0.00 to indicate that no reliable detection was obtained. The EQ60 algorithm is designed to handle a number of difficult situations. The algorithm maintains bottom lock for a discontinuous jump in bottom depth. It avoids false bottom detections on a dense school of fish. The algorithm chooses the upper boundary of the first layer when the bottom consists of layers.

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Simrad EQ60

The bottom detection algorithm locks to the first good bottom return. The depth at point A rather than the depth along the transducer axis will be output for a sloped bottom. The detected depth value is always smaller than the depth along the transducer axis implying that a safety margin is automatically included.

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Observation range

Absorption increases dramatically with frequency in salt water. For maximum observation range you should select a low operating frequency, a large transducer and the maximum transmit power.

System description

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Figure 3 Observation range

Typical observation ranges are shown in the figure. Using the Simrad 27-26/21 transducer (27 kHz, 10x13 degrees, 3000 W) you can observe a 60 centimeter cod down to 800 meters, and bottom detection works down to 3800 meters. However, with the Simrad 200-7F transducer (200 kHz, 7x7 degrees, 1000 W) you can only observe that same cod down to 260 meters, and bottom detection becomes unreliable below 500 meters.

These range calculations assume a normal sea water salinity (3.5%) and temperature (+10 degC), an average bottom (surface backscattering strength = -20 dB) and a noise level typical for a moving vessel.

Simrad EQ60

Technical specifications

The following is a summary of the technical specifications for the EQ60 echo sounder. Note that the specifications may be changed without prior warning.

Related topics

→ Echo sounder system, page 11 → Interfaces, page 12 → General Purpose Transceiver (GPT), page 13 → PC Transceiver (PCT), page 14

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System description

Echo sounder system

• Frequency channels: 1, 2, 3 or 4 channels

• Operating frequencies

- Basic configuration: 38/200 kHz or 50/200 kHz

- With additional GPT: 12, 18, 27, 38, 50, 70, 120, 200

kHz

• Echogram types

- Surface echogram

- Bottom expansion

- Trawl echogram

• Gain function

- 20 log TVG (= bottom gain)

- 20 log TVG (=school gain)

- 40logTVG(=fishgain)

• Ping rate: Adjustable, maximum 10 pings per second

• Start depth and range: 5 to 15,000 meters in Manual, Auto

range or Auto start modes.

• Scope presentation: Displays the echo strength of the most recent ping.

• Colour scale: 12 colours (3 dB pr colour)

• Bottom detector: Software tracking algorithm, adjustable

minimum and maximum depth

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Simrad EQ60

External interfaces

Numerous external interfaces are provided for the EQ60 echo sounder system.

Outputs

• Echogram printer (Centronics parallel)

• Bottom depth (NMEA)

• Depth data (NMEA, Simrad or Atlas)

Inputs

• Navigation receiver (NMEA)

• Motion sensor (Heave, roll and pitch)

• Analogue heave, roll and pitch (+/- 10 V)

• Annotation

• Transmit synchronization

• Temperature sensor

Remote control toggle switches

• Survey Line

• Remote power

• Transmit synchronization

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System description

General Purpose Transceiver (GPT)

The General Purpose Transceiver (GPT) is an optional unit.

• Transmit power:

- Max 2 kW (Dual frequency GPT)

- Max 4 kW (Single frequency GPT)

• Receiver noise figure: 3dB

• Transducer impedance: 60 ohms

• Output protection: Short circuit and open circuit protection

• Receiver input range: Instantaneous dynamic amplitude

range -160 dBW to -20 dBW (dB relative to 1W)

• Connectors

- Transducer: 12-pin female Amphenol, Shell

MS3102A-24, Insert 24-19S

- AUI: 15-pin female Delta

- Network: 8-pin RJ-45 socket

- Auxiliary: 25-pin female Delta

• Physical dimensions

- Width: 284 mm

- Height: 112 mm

- Depth: 246 mm

• Weights

- With one TX board: 2.7 kg

- With two TX boards: 3.3 kg

- With three TX boards: 4.5 kg

• Supply power and fuses

- AC: 95 to 265 Vac, 50-60 Hz, 50-100 W

- DC: 11 to 15 Vdc, 50-100 W

• Fuses

- AC fuse: Ø5x20 mm, 2 A slow

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- DC fuse: Ø5x20 mm, 10 A slow or fast

• Operational temperature: 0to+55degC

• Storage temperature: -40to+70degC

• Humidity: 5 to 95% relative non-condensing

Simrad EQ60

Internal PC Transceiver (PCT)

• Transmit power: Max 1 kW RMS for each channel

• Transducer impedance: 60 ohms

• Output protection: Short circuit and open circuit protection

• Receiver noise figure: 4dB

• Receiver input range: Instantanous dynamic amplitude

range -140 dBW to -20 dBW (dB relative to 1 W)

• Connectors

- Transducer: 9-pin female Delta

- Auxiliary: 25-pin female Delta

• Supply power: 95 to 265 Vac, 50-60 Hz, 50-100 W (common with the display)

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DISPLAY VIEWS

Introduction

This chapter provides a brief overview of the information displayed by the EQ60, and how it is organised.

Related topics

→ Display layout and main view, page 16 → Menu bar, page 19 → Header view, page 20 → Echo frames, page 21 → Status bar, page 23 → History and printer views, page 24

Display views

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Simrad EQ60

Display organisation

Main view

The EQ60 display is organised as follows (from top):

• Menu bar

• For each transceiver channel:

- One header view

- Two echo frames

• Status bar

A single channel display is shown below as an example.

(CD10203)

(A) Main menu (B) Header view (C) Echogram and range view (D) Scope view (E) Status bar

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Display views

The Menu bar contains the echo sounder’s main menu. A single click on one of the menu names will provide a new drop-down menu where additional choices can be made.

Header

For each channel, the Header view contains the current operational mode and frequency, the current depth, and the colour scale.

Echo frames

The Echo frame takes up the largest part of the echo sounder window. Each Echo f rame contains (from left) the Echogram and Range view and the Scope view.

The Echo frame view is are also described in more detail in the Getting started chapter.

Status bar

The Status bar presents the current event and line numbers, current time, and other information provided by the echo sounder.

Moving the boundary lines

You can modify the vertical size of the echograms by moving the horizontal boundary line between the two echograms.

To do this:

1 Position the cursor at the boundary line. 2 Press the left mouse button. 3 Drag the cursor up or down vertically while keeping the

left mouse button pressed.

4 Release the left mouse button. Using the same operation, you can modify other boundary lines

on the display;

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• The horizontal line between the upper Echo frame and the Header view

• The vertical line between the Echogram and Range view and the Scope view

Simrad EQ60

Direct access to dialogue boxes

Several dialogue boxes are directly accessed from the various views on the display.

Position the cursor, and right-click on the...

• Mode and frequency information in the Header view to open the Transceiver Settings dialogue box.

• Depth value in the Header view to open the Bottom Detector dialogue box.

• Colour scale in the Header view to open the Colour Scale dialogue box.

• Range fieldintheEchogram and Range view to open one of the Range dialogue boxes, depending of the current echogram type.

• Echogram field in the Echogram and Range view to open the Echogram dialogue box.

Related topics

→ Menu bar, page 19 → Header view, page 20 → Echo frames, page 21 → Getting started; Operation, page 32 → Status bar, page 23 → Transceiver Settings, page 114 → Bottom Detector, page 75 → Colour Scale, page 78 → Echogram, page 81 → Surface Range, page 110

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Menu bar

Display views

The EQ60 Menu bar contains the Main menu.

(CD10204)

(A) Main menu (B) Menu bar

The main menu has the following options:

• File

• View

• Options

• Install

• Step!

• Help

To operate, click on the menu name and observe the drop-down menu. Select a new item on the drop-down menu by clicking on the command. Commands shown with light grey colour are unavailable in the present configuration or operational mode.

The menus are all explained in the Reference Guide.

Related topics

→ Main menu, page 57 → Reference guide, page 56

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Simrad EQ60

Header view

The EQ60 Header view is shown directly above the two Echo frames. The top Header view is thus located just below the Menu bar. The Header view contains the following information.

(A) Transceiver settings: Current mode and frequency (B) Bottom detection: Current depth (C) Colour Scale

The Header view is a part of the channel. If more than one channel is displayed, the Header view is duplicated as well.

The Header view provides direct access to the following dialogue boxes:

• Right-click in the Transceiver settings field (on the Mode and frequency information) to open the Transceiver Settings dialogue box.

• Right-click in the Bottom detection field (on the Depth value) to open the Bottom Detector dialogue box.

• Right-click on the Colour scale to open the dialogue box.

Related topics

→ Transceiver Settings, page 114

Colour Scale

(CD10205)

→ Bottom Detector, page 75 → Colour Scale, page 78

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Echo frames

Display views

Overview

The EQ60 Echo frames are the main information bearer on the echo sounder display. The Echo frames are usually presented in pairs with two echo frames for each channel.

The Echo frame contains the following views:

(A) Echogram and Range view (B) Scope view

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(CD10207)

Echogram and Range

The Echogram and Range view consists of an Echogram field to the left and a Range field to the right. These are separated by the vertical range axis. The Echogram field contains information about the acoustical values, while the Range field is used for specifying the range used in the Echogram field. The settings in the Colour Scale is used to present the information.

When you place the cursor in the Echogram field, you can use the mouse wheel to modify the gain setting, and hence the display colour sensitivity. Each click of the wheel corresponds to a 1 dB change. The same gain setting is available from the

Colour Scale dialogue box.

Simrad EQ60

Whenever the cursor is located within the Echogram field, a small yellow label is visible. The label provides the following information:

• Left: Depth at the cursor position

• Middle: Diameter coverage from the transducer beam

• Right: Current gain setting

To change the range, you can also use the mouse wheel. Place the cursor inside the Range fieldtodothis:

• In a surface related echogram you will modify the range, while for a bottom related echogram, you will change the start range.

• If you press the left mouse button while you use the mouse wheel, the surface echogram will change its start value, while the bottom related echogram will change its range.

Related topics

→ Getting started, page 33 → Colour Scale, page 78

Scope

The Scope view is the rightmost view and shows a oscilloscope view of the last ping corresponding to the settings in the Echogram view.

This view draws a range of horizontal symmetrical colour lines. The distance from the vertical centre axis and the line colour reflects the received echo amplitude. A black horizontal line across the view indicates the current bottom view.

If you press the right positioned in the Scope view, the graphic presentation will be replaced by a text based presentation of the data. The following information is provided:

Channel: Background Noise: yyy.y dBW Receiver Amplitude: xxx.x dBW Alongship angle: z.zz deg Athwarthship Angle: z.zz deg The background noise shown is the median of 20 equidistance

power samples in the total range of the current ping. The receiver and the two angles (alongship and athwarthship) are sampled at 100 m depth. During replay, you may find that this depth setting is not availbale because the depth is less than 100 m. The receiver amplitude is then set to a minimum (235 dBW), and the angles are set to zero.

mouse button with the mouse pointer

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Status bar

Display views

The EQ60 Status bar is located at the bottom of the display. It contains the following information:

(CD10209)

(A) Information applicable for the current operation (B) Event number (C) Printer logo (when printer is active) (D) Current temperature (E) Storage line number (F) Navigational information (latitude and longitude) (G) Time

Note that the water temperature read-out will only be available if a sensor is connected to the echo sounder. Also, navigational information requires that the applicable position information is connected to the echo sounder.

Related topics

→ Status bar, page 64

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Simrad EQ60

History and printer views

Overview

The echogram information provided on the display will differ slightly from the information provided on the printer and in the History files. This is because the annotation settings differ between the two media.

The annotations provided for display output are controlled by the Annotations dialogue box. When enabled in the Prister and History dialogue box, the annotations will also be sent to the printer and to the History files.

The Printer and History dialogue box also enables additional annotations to be printed.

The most important difference is that the annotations added to the echogram will only show in full on the printer and in the

History dialogue box. To demonstrate this difference, refer to

the two illustrations.

Related topics

→ History, page 90 → Annotations, page 70 → Printer and History, page 100

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Figure 4 Display presentation

Display views

Display example

The first illustration shows an excerpt of the display view as it appears during normal operation when several annotations have been added.

The annotations are not displayed with all the information they contain, they are merely added as vertical red lines.

The next illustration shows how the History window presents the same echogram.

Printer example

A printout from the echo sounder is shown below.

From the top left corner, you can see the following annotations. (1) A depth annotation. This information will automatically

appear at regular intervals, and whenever you change the echo sounder’s depth range.

(2) An external annotation with the text “This is an ATS annotation”. This annotation has been imported on the serial line from the navigation system.

(3) Two annotations with navigational information. This information appears with regular intervals when enabled from the Printer and History dialogue box.

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Simrad EQ60

(CD10210)

Figure 5 History and printer presentation

(4) One Event annotation with both navigational and time information added. This annotation is controlled by the parameters in the on the printer output and in the History when you press the Event number in the Status bar.

(5) One annotation with navigational information. This is identical to item 3.

(6) One Text annotation with the text “Test in Horten”. This text is entered in the Annotation dialogue box. You will need a keyboard connected to your echo sounder to do this.

(7) Two annotations with navigational information. This is identical to item 3.

Annotation dialogue box. It will only appear

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Display views

(8) One Event annotation with no additional information added. The number shown (”0006”) is the event number. The annotation appears on the printer output and in the History when you press the Event number in the Status bar .

(9) One depth annotation. This is similar to item (1). (Others) Several other annotations to provide examples. To add Text, Time and Event annotation, you must open the

Annotation dialogue box. This box is accessed from the File menu.

Additional text to the printer and History window is controlled by the parameters in the

Printer and History dialogue box. This

box is accessed from the File menu.

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Simrad EQ60

GETTING STARTED

Introduction

This chapter will guide you through the main operations of the EQ60 by the use of an operational example. The intention with this chapter is to provide you with an overview of the main functions in the echo sounder, and to demonstrate how the EQ60 may be used in a realistic operational situation.

Related topics

→ Before you start, page 29 → Start-up, page 30 → Operation, page 32 → Data storage, page 36 → Operational procedures, page 38

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Before you start

Before you start the EQ60, make sure that the necessary hardware items are correctly installed and connected. The transducer(s) must also be defined in the EQ60 software on the computer.

Related topics

→ Physical installation of units, page 119.

Getting started

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Simrad EQ60

Start-up

Overview

This chapter provides the basic procedure required to power up the echo sounder and start the pinging.

Power-up procedure

After these initial preparations you can open the EQ60 program on the computer. The detail in the Operational procedures chapter.

“power on” procedure is described in

The menu system

The menu system is based on the Microsoft Windows® commercial standard interface. An overall explanation of the menu system with a description of the various views are presented in the Display views chapter.

Transceiver inspection

First, we need to check that the transceiver (or transceivers) are connected.

Open the Install menu, choose the Transceiver command to open the Transceiver Installation Mode dialogue box. In this dialogue, press the Inspect button to open the Transceiver Settings dialogue box.

You may now check that the transceivers are installed correctly. Active transceivers appear in green text in the Frequency Channel Selection box.

Click the Cancel button to finish. If none of the transceivers listed appear in green text, check the

connections and re-install the transceiver(s).

Environmental parameters

To obtain correct values for the various acoustical parameters calculated by the EQ60 program, it is important that you provide the EQ60 program with accurate parameters describing the environment; sea temperature, salinity and sound velocity.

These values are defined in the Environment dialogue box.

Open the Install menu, choose the Environment command to open the Environment dialogue box.

Unless the default values are acceptable, you must select Fresh or Salt water, and enter the current sound velocity. This information is used to calculate depth and absorption coefficient.

Click OK when you have finished.

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Getting started

Navigation interface

To link acoustical data with navigational data the EQ60 must be able to receive data provided by a GPS or another positioning system. The Navigation Interface dialogue box is used to define the parameters to achieve this.

Open the Install menu, choose the Navigation command to open the Navigation Interface dialogue box.

Specify how the EQ60 will receive navigational data. Since the NMEA standard has been implemented, you only need to choose between NMEA or ASCII.

Click OK when you have made the s etting.

Additional interfaces

Additional interfaces have been provided for other peripheral systems.

• If you need to link recorded acoustical data with trawl position data, choose the Trawl command on the Install menu to specify the trawl position interface.

• If you need to connect your EQ60 to a purse seine system, choose the Purse seine command on the Install menu to specify the purse seine system interface.

If you want to use a heave or a temperature sensor, choose the Heave and Temperature commands on the Install menu to specify these interfaces.

Related topics

→ Power on/off procedure, page 39 → Display views, introduction, page 15 → Frequency channels installation procedure, page 45 → Transceiver Installation, page 11 2 → Transceiver Settings, page 114 → Environment, page 85 → Navigation Interface, page 95

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→ Heave Sensor, page 88 → Temperature Sensor, page 111 → Trawl Interface, page 116 → Purse Seine, page 104

Simrad EQ60

Operation

Overview

This chapter describes a few of the most common functions used during normal operation.

Selecting operational mode

You are now ready to start the actual operation of the EQ60 echo sounder. The first thing to do is to c hoose operational mode.

Open the File menu, choose Operation to open the Operation dialogue box. In the Mode group, click Normal for normal mode.

(You may alternatively click Replay for replay mode, but you must then also click Files to choose a replay file. Note that operating in replay mode will restrict you from changing certain parameters during operation.)

Next, you need to define the ping rate. To do this, locate the Ping Rate group box, and set the ping rate to Interval for manual setting of the ping interval. For this exercise, set the ping interval time to 1 second, and click OK to finish.

The echo sounder will now start pinging, and after a few moments the echogram field on the display will present a new echo line. The various fields on the display are explained in detail in the

Display views chapter.

Transceiver settings

The operational mode and the transceiver frequency are displayed to the far left in the Header view. A dedicated dialogue box - Transceiver Settings -isusedtodefinevarious parameters associated with the transceiver. These settings include transceiver mode, the depth of the transducer surface, the transmit power, and the pulse length.

Note that if you operate in Replay mode, the transceiver settings can not be changed.

Additional information about the transceiver settings are available if you press the Advanced buttonintheTransceiver Settings dialogue box.

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Getting started

Bottom detector settings

The Header view on the display is also used to present the current depth. The Bottom Detector dialogue box is used to define various parameters associated with the bottom detection. These include the depth range, where the EQ60 searches for the bottom.

To open the Bottom Detector dialogue box, position the cursor over the displayed depth in the Header view, and click the right mouse button.

In our example we will assume that the depth will vary between 30 and 200 meters. Therefore, set Minimum Depth to 30 m and Maximum Depth to 200 m. Click OK to accept the settings.

Note Setting both Minimum Depth and Maximum Depth to 0 m will

turn off bottom detection.

Colour scale

The Colour Scale field is used to display the colour scale for mapping acoustical values. These colours are used in the

Echogram And Range view. Each colour always represents a

3 dB value range. Using all 12 colours in the colour scale thus enables mapping of a 36 dB value range to colours.

Position the cursor over the colour scale, click the right mouse button to open the Colour Scale dialogue box. Accept the default settings and click OK.

Echogram and Range view

The Echogram and Range view consists of an Echogram field to the left and a Range field to the right. These are separated by the range axis. The Echogram field contains information about the acoustical values, while the Range fieldisusedfor specifying the range used in the Echogram field.

Echogram field

The Echogram field is used to display acoustical values for each ping. The settings in the determine the colour sensitivity in the echogram.

Colour Scale are used to

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Position the cursor in the Echogram field, and click the right mouse button to open the Echogram dialogue box.

Simrad EQ60

The Echogram dialogue box allows you to define the area of interest for the echogram. Your choice will affect the meaning and the options in the Range fieldintheEchogram view. You can also choose the TVG function used to calculate the acoustical values.

In this example, choose Surface – Manual to enable a surface related echogram. Then, choose the School gain TVG function for calculating sV-values. Finally, click OK to accept the settings.

Range field

The Range field allows you to read and specify the range used in the Echogram field. The current range is displayed on the range axis. In the Range dialogue box you can define the area of interest for the echogram.

Position the cursor in the Range field, click the right mouse button. Observe a dialogue box referring to either Surface, Bottom,orTrawl depending on your choice in the Echogram dialogue box.

In this case, check that you have the Surface Range dialogue open.

Set Range to 200 m and Start Relative Surface to0m,then click OK to accept the settings.

Comments to the Echogram and Range view

Two echograms are shown for each Channel. The second echogram for the present Channel maybeusedinthecurrent example to show the distribution of fish close to the bottom.

• Use the Echogram dialogue in the second Echogram view to set the Echogram to Bottom and choose the School gain TVG function for calculating SV-values.

• Use the corresponding Bottom Range dialogue to set Range to 20 m and Stop Relative Bottom to 5 m for the echogram to show values calculated from 15 m above the detected bottom to 5 m below the bottom.

When you place the cursor in the Echogram field, you can use the mouse wheel to modify the receiver gain level, and hence the display colour sensitivity. Each click of the wheel corresponds to a 1 dB change. The same colour sensitivity setting is available from the

Color Scale dialogue box.

Whenever the cursor is located within the Echogram field, a small yellow label is visible. The label provides the following information:

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Getting started

• Left: Depth at the cursor position

• Middle: Diameter coverage at the transducer beam at the

current cursor position

• Right: Current gain setting

To change the range, you can also use the mouse wheel. Place the cursor inside the Range fieldtodothis:

• In a surface related echogram you will modify the range, while for a bottom related echogram, you will change the start range.

• If you press the left mouse button while using the mouse wheel, the surface echogram will change its start value, while the bottom related echogram will change its range.

Scope view

The Scope view is the rightmost view and shows a scope view of the last ping corresponding to the settings in the Echogram view.

This view draws a range of horizontal symmetrical colour lines. The distance from the vertical center axis and the line colour reflects the received echo amplitude. A black horizontal line across the view indicates the current bottom view.

Related topics

→ Display views, introduction, page 15 → Transceiver Settings, page 114 → Advanced Transceiver, page 68 → Bottom Detector, page 75 → Colour Scale, page 78 → Echogram, page 81 → Surface Range, page 110

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Simrad EQ60

Data storage

Overview

This chapter presents a brief description of t he data storage functionality.

Note that you can not perform all the operations described here if your echo sounder does not have a keyboard.

Define storage p arameters

It will often be beneficial to store some of the echo information recorded during an operation. This allows you to change certain parameter settings when operating in replay mode at a later time.

Open the File menu, choose Store to open the Store dialogue box.

Note that Store is not available when operating in Replay mode. The Store dialogue box allows you to set various parameters

associated with data storage. You can define a specific directory, and limit the file sizes.

Click Browse in the Survey box. Browse to the desired directory for file storage, or enter the directory name directly into the text box. If the directory does not exists it will be created.

Click the Save Raw Data check box to save raw data. Define maximum file sizes by entering the desired value in the Max File Size box, and click OK to accept the settings.

When Save Raw Data is checked, the raw unprocessed transceiver data containing amplitude and angle information f or the split beam transducers will be recorded.

Start and stop data storage

To start and stop data storing, use the Line field in the Status bar.TheLine field is marked LXXXX and shows the current

survey line number. Position the cursor over the Line field in the Status bar and

click the left mouse button. Observe that the survey line number increments, and that the line colour changes from black to red.

To stop data recording click the Line field again. The red colour indicates that data recording is active. When the

recording stops, the colour is changed back to black. The file names used for the stored data are determined by the survey line number and the date and time when recording started. A new file is created for each new survey line number.

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Related topics

→ Store, page 108.

Getting started

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Simrad EQ60

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

Overview

This chapter contains a number of specific procedures to be used with your EQ60 echo sounder.

Related topics

→ Power on/off, page 39 → Basic operations, page 41 → Transceiver installation, page 45 → Record and playback, page 47 → Software installation and upgrade, page 52

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Power on/off

Operational procedures

Use the following procedures to switch the EQ60 echo sounder on and off.

Power on

It is assumed that the echo sounder’s hardware and software are properly installed and configured.

1 Switch power on. 2 Observe the hardware test messages and operating system

start-up messages.

- It takes a couple of minutes before the echo sounder window appears on the display.

The echo sounder memorises all its settings when power is switched off. Hence, pinging will start immediately if t he echo sounder was pinging when you switched power off.

If pinging does not start you must check the settings in the following dialogue boxes:

• Operation

• Layout

• Transceiver Settings

• Transceiver Installation

If you are not successful you should use this procedure:

1 Check the Transceiver Installation dialogue box. 2 All frequency channels must be properly installed. 3 Select Factory settings in the Options menu.

Power off

To switch off the EQ60 echo sounder, observe the following procedure.

1 Select Shutdown on the 2 Allow the computer to close all the echo sounder software

applications.

File menu.

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3 Switch off power. 4 Switch off the power on the General Purpose Transceiver

and other peripherals (if any).

Related topics

→ Operation, page 97

Simrad EQ60

→ Layout, page 94 → Transceiver Settings, page 114 → Transceiver Installation, page 112 → Options menu, page 60

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Basic operations

Overview

This chapter presents a number of common procedures frequently carried out on the EQ60 echo sounder.

Changing the echogram settings

To change the echogram settings: 1 Position the cursor in the Echogram field.

Operational procedures

2 Click the right 3 Observe the

mouse button.

Echogram dialogue box.

4 Make the required changes.

Related topics

→ Echogram, page 81

Changing the range

To change the range:

1 Position the cursor in the Range field. 2 Click the right mouse button. 3 Observe the Bottom Range or Surface Range dialogue

box.

4 Make the required changes or:

1 Place the cursor in the Range field. 2 Use the mouse wheel to change the range.

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Related topics

→ Bottom Range, page 77 → Surface Range, page 110

Changing the vertical resolution

The vertical resolution of the echogram increases with a shorter pulse length.

For example, a pulse length of 1.024 millisecond gives a vertical resolution of 19.2 cm, whereas a pulse length of 0.256 millisecond gives a vertical resolution of 4.8 cm. If the vertical distance between two echoes is less than this, the two echoes will be shown as one

Simrad EQ60

To change the pulse length: 1 Position the cursor over the frequency information in the

Header view, and click the right mouse button.

-TheTransceiver Settings dialogue box opens.

2 Move the pulse length slider to the desired pulse length

value.

3 Click Ok. A small value gives the best resolution, while larger values are

mostly used for navigation and fishing in deep waters.

Related topics

→ Header view, page 20 → Transceiver Settings, page 114

Changing the transmit power

To change the transmit power: 1 Position the cursor over the frequency information in the

Header view, and click the right mouse button.

-TheTransceiver Settings dialogue box opens.

2 Move the transmit power slider to the desired value. 3 Click Ok.

Related topics

→ Header view, page 20 → Transceiver Settings, page 114

Setting minimum and maximum depth

Setting the minimum and maximum depth controls where the echo sounder will search for bottom lock.

Note Setting both Minimum Depth and Maximum Depth to 0 m will

turn off bottom detection.

1 Position the cursor over the depth information in the

Header view, and click the right

mouse button.

-TheBottom detector dialogue box opens.

2 Set minimum and maximum depth to the desired values. 3 Click Ok.

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Operational procedures

Related topics

→ Header view, page 20 → Bottom Detector, page 75

Enabling the depth alarms

You can set individual alarms for minimum and maximum depth. Y ou can also enable an alarm to sound off if the bottom track is lost.

1 Position the cursor over the depth field in the Header

view, and click the right mouse button.

-TheBottom detector dialogue box opens.

2 Set the values for minimum and maximum depth alarm. 3 Enable the alarms by ticking the appropriate boxes. 4 Enable the BottomLostWarningif required. 5 Click Ok.

Related topics

→ Header view, page 20 → Bottom Detector, page 75

Adding annotations

You can add several different annotations to the displayed and printed information. All annotations are automatically displayed, while you need to enable the annotations to be printed.

Enable annotations to be printed

1 Select Print on the File menu.

-The

2 Under Text to printer, click Annotation. 3 Click OK to exit.

The annotations will be printed until this procedure is repeated.

Printer and History dialogue box opens.

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Enter annotations

Three different annotations may be controlled from the

Annotations dialogue box.

1 Select Annotation on the

File menu.

-TheAnnotation dialogue box opens.

2 To enter a single text annotation to the display:

Simrad EQ60

a Enter the desired annotation text into the Text box. A

keyboard must be connected to the echo sounder to allow this.

b Click OK. c The text you entered is displayed immediately, but it

will not be repeated.

3 To add the current time as an annotation:

a Under Time, click Active. b Enter the desired interval (in seconds) between the

annotations.

c Click OK. d The annotation will be repeated at the chosen interval

until it is switched off.

4 To add an event annotation:

a Under Event, select a start number. b Click Increase or Decrease to count the Event number

up or down.

c Click Add Time if you wish the event annotation to

include the current time.

d Click Add Navigation if you wish the event annotation

to include the current position.

e Click the Event buttonontheStatus bar every time

you wish the annotation to be added to the display and/or print.

Enable external annotations

The echo sounder will accept external text annotations when these are input on the serial line. This function is permanently enabled.

Related topics

→ Annotation, page 70 → Printer and History, page 100

→ Annotation format, page 71

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Transceiver installation

Overview

Use the following procedures to install, modify or delete frequency channels from the echo sounder set-up.

The ISA bus in the built-in transceiver is searched for available channels, and these are displayed in a list.

General Purpose Transceivers (GPT) physically connected to the echo sounder’s ethernet interface are identified automatically by the system. When you open the dialogue box from the Install menu, a list will be provided.

A single frequency transceiver occupies one entry in the list, and a dual frequency transceiver occupies two. Each entry is identified as a frequency channel, and the line displays the parameters for the channel. Entries in the frequency channel list are shown in black, green or red colour identifying its current status.

Operational procedures

Transceiver Installation

To install a channel

1 Select Transceiver on the Install menu. 2 Select Modify in the Transceiver Installation Mode

dialogue box.

-TheTransceiver Installation dialogue box opens, and you are allowed to make changes.

3 Click the desired entry (one of the black colour line

alternatives) in the Frequency Channel Selection list.

4 Assign a transducer by selecting a transducer name in the

Transducer Selection list. 5 Click OK to accept the choice and exit the dialogue box. 6 Restart the echo sounder as described below.

Related topics

→ Transceiver Installation, page 112

To uninstall a channel

1 Select Transceiver on the Install menu.

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2 Select Modify in the Transceiver Installation Mode

dialogue box.

-TheTransceiver Installation dialogue box opens, and

you are allowed to make changes.

Simrad EQ60

3 Click the desired entry in the Frequency Channel

Selection list. 4 Select the alternative NONE in the Transducer Selection

list.

5 Click OK to accept the choice and exit the dialogue box. 6 Restart the echo sounder as described below.

Related topics

→ Transceiver Installation, page 112

To modify an IP address

This procedure allows you to modify the IP address of the currently selected General Purpose Transceiver (GPT).

1 Select Transceiver on the Install menu. 2 Select Modify in the Transceiver Installation Mode

dialogue box.

-TheTransceiver Installation dialogue box opens, and

you are allowed to make changes.

3 Select the General Purpose Transceiver (GPT) you wish to

modify. 4 Click the Set New GPT IP Address button.

-TheIP Address dialogue box opens.

5 Enter the new IP address.

- The significance of the address numbers is described with the IP Address dialogue box.

6 Click OK to accept the choice and exit the dialogue box. 7 Click OK to exit the Transceiver Installation dialogue

box.

8 Restart the echo sounder as described below.

Related topics

→ Transceiver Installation, page 112 → IP Address, page 91

Restart the echo sounder

Whenever a change has been made to any of the frequency channels, you must restart the echo sounder.

1 Select Operation on the File menu.

-TheOperation dialogue box opens.

2 Select Normal operation, and click OK.

Related topics

→ Operation, page 97

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Record and playback

Overview

You can set up the echo sounder to record the unprocessed transducer signals on the internal harddisk or other recordable media. This recorded signal may later be injected into the echo sounder’s processing software as if it arrived directly from the transceiver.

During this replay, you may experiment with some of the echo sounder settings.

This feature is useful during training and demonstration. It is also useful for memorising a particularly interesting observation at the fishing grounds.

You can also use the built-in History functiontorecord echogram data.

Operational procedures

Record

Preparations

The recording is prepared as follows. 1 Select Store on the File menu.

- Observe the Store dialogue box appear.

2 Select the complete path of the survey directory.

- The directory is selected when you click the OK button. Click the Browse button if you wish to navigate through the disk directories. A new directory is created if the requested does not exist.

3 Select if you wish to save raw and/or output data.

- Raw data: The unprocessed transceiver data are stored in standard computer files. These f iles contain all the necessary data for reconstruction of the situation during the real survey. Thus the data include amplitude, phase, navigation data, annotation input etc. The echo sounder program reads these files during replay.

- Output data: This is the processed output data; navigational data, bottom detections, annotations etc

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4 Select the initial line number. 5 Enter the maximum size of each replay file. 6 Click Ok.

Start recording

Use the Line fieldintheStatus bar to start the recording.

Simrad EQ60

1 Position the cursor over the Line field. 2 Press the left mouse button.

The line number increments, and the Line field is presented with a red colour.

Stop recording

To stop the recording: 1 Click the Line field once again.

- The original colour is restored.

Size of stored raw data

The total size of raw data files stored on disk during operation depends on several user selections. From these selections you may estimate approximately the total amount of raw data stored in a given time period for each installed channel using the following equation:

X =(B bytes per sample) S ((8 S R) / (c S tau samples per ping)) S (M ping per sec) S 24 S (3600 sec per day) S (K days)

Where:

X = Total amount of stored raw data in bytes for one channel B = 4 (Given by the echo sounder) R = Maximum range in meters (User set) c = Sound speed in water in meters per sec (User set) tau = Pulse duration in seconds (User set) M = Ping rate in ping per seconds (User set) K = Number of operating/storage days (User set)

Thus, you can affect the amount of stored raw data by changing e.g. the range, pulse duration, and ping rate settings.

Example: With range = 10 m, pulse length = 256 µS, 15 pings per second

and sound velocity = 1500 m/s, the storage requirement will be 45 Mb per hour. If you increase the range to 80 m, and reduce the ping rate to 7 pings per second, the storage requirement will be 60 Mb per hour.

Related topics

→ Store, page 108 → Status bar and Line field, page 64

Playback

When replaying the recorded signal, the ping r ate is not limited by the speed of sound in water. Hence, a higher ping rate is possible during replay than during normal operation.

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Operational procedures

The playback is started as follows: 1 Select Operation on the File menu.

- Observe the Operation dialogue box appear.

2 Click Replay. 3 Click Files...

- Observe the Replay dialogue box appear.

4 Select survey with the standard file selection dialogue. 5 Click on the file(s) you wish to replay.

- Observe that the currently selected file(s) appear in the

Selected files list box.

6 Click Loop if you wish the replay to loop through the

selected file(s) endlessly.

7 Click Save Output Data if you wish to record the file(s)

in processed format during playback.

- The files are stored with the same name and in the same location as the raw data files, but with the file extension *.OUT

8 Click OK to return to the Operation dialogue box. 9 In the Operation dialogue box, click OK to start the

playback.

If you do not select Loop, the replay is stopped when the last recorded ping has been processed.

Related topics

→ Operation, page 97. → Replay, page 105.

History

The History function is used to store echograms on bitmap format. The echo sounder may continuously save echogram pictures to the internal harddisk or an other recordable media. These can later be recalled on the display. The information in the History window is the same as on the printer.

The horizontal width of each echogram picture roughly corresponds to the the half width of the display. The number of history files is limited. After reaching the maximum number of files, the newest echogram picture overwrites the oldest one. The history function allows you to quickly look through echogram pictures covering several hours.

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Record

To start History recording:

Simrad EQ60

1 Select Operation on the File menu.

- Observe the Operation dialogue box appear.

2 Click Save in the History field. 3 Click Browse to select disk directory. 4 Click Ok to start the recording. To stop History recording: 1 Select Operation on the File menu.

- Observe the Operation dialogue box appear.

2 De-select Save. 3 Click Ok.

Playback

To view the information recorded by the History function: 1 Select History on the View menu. 2 Browse the information in the History dialogue box.

The infor mation provided by the History view is presented in a separate window. The echo sounder will operate normally in the background. However, you will not have access to any of the menues as long as the History window is open. When you wish to focus on the echo sounder operation, close or minimize the History window.

Print the current History information

To print the current view in the History window: 1 Select History on the View menu. 2 Press the printer symbol in the bottom right corner to print

a single history file.

- Note that only the file presented on the display is printed.

(CD5639A)

(A) Press to print current view ( B) Press to print multiple views

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Operational procedures

Print multiple History files

To print several images recorded by the History function, follow this procedure.

Note that a keyboard is required.

1 Select History on the View menu. 2 Browse the information in the History dialogue box until

you find the images you wish to print.

3 Press the left printer icon (with the + sign) in the lower

right corner of the History window.

4 Press the Ctrl key on the keyboard and the left mouse

button simultanously to select the images to be printed.

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5 Press the right mouse button, observe the shortcut menu. 6 On the shortcut menu, select Print. 7 Press Cancel to close the dialogue box.

Related topics

→ History window, page 24 → History, page 90 → Status bar; page 64 → Operation; page 97

Simrad EQ60

Software installation and upgrades

Overview

The echo sounder is initially delivered with all necessary software installed and configured. Software upgrades are useful if your echo sounder fails, and you suspect a software error. An upgrade is also required whenever the echo sounder software is modified.

The computer should automatically detect the insertion of the CD-ROM and open the Installation program dialogue box. If this is not the case, you must manually run the Setup.exe program on the CD-ROM’s root directory.

When the echo sounder software is upgraded, the software will automatically detect the presence of General Purpose Transceiver(s), but you will need to check that the correct transducer(s) are enabled.

Whenever new echo sounder software is installed, you will need to define all serial lines, transducer(s) and transceiver(s).

Related topics

→ Transceiver installation procedure, page 45.

Software installation procedure

Use this procedure if you need to install the software on a new computer. Note that minimum hardware and software requirements must be met by the computer.

1 Connect a keyboard to the echo sounder., or start the

On-screen keyboard application (normally located under Accessories and Accessibility).

2 Connect a CD ROM unit to the parallel port. 3 Switch on the echo sounder. 4 Insert the software CD. 5 Observe the Installation program dialogue box open. 6 Enter the correct values for I/O, DMA and IRQ. These

values are given on the CD cover.

7 Press Complete installation. 8 Allow the echo sounder installation to run. Follow the

instructions provided.

9 When requested, enter the license number.

- This number is located on the CD cover. This number is unique for each individual echo sounder.

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Operational procedures

10 Click OK when prompted to reboot the system.

Software upgrade procedure

Use this procedure if you wish to reinstall the software, or receive a new CD-ROM with a software upgrade.

1 Connect a keyboard to the echo sounder., or start the

On-screen keyboard application (normally located under Accessories and Accessibility).

2 Connect a CD ROM unit to the parallel port. 3 Switch on the echo sounder. 4 Insert the software CD. 5 Observe the Installation program dialogue box open. 6 Press Update installation. 7 Allow the echo sounder installation to run. Follow the

instructions provided.

8 When requested, enter the license number.

- This number is located on the CD cover. This number is unique for each individual echo sounder.

Un-installation procedure

Use this procedure if you need to remove all the echo sounder software from the computer. Note that all data in the EQ60 directory will be erased.

1 Power up the computer. 2 Insert the EQ60 CD-ROM. 3 Observe the Installation program dialogue box open. 4 Press Uninstall. 5 Allow the echo sounder un-installation program to run.

Follow the instructions provided.

Software on a third party computer

The EQ60 may operate with a locally purchased computer, provided that this computer meets the minuimum requirements defined by Simrad. If in doubt, consult your dealer.

To install the software and operate the echo sounder from a third party computer, you will need to set up the computer correctly, and you will need a separate licence number.

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How to set up the computer

This procedure assumes that you are familiar to the operating system. DO NOT attempt to set up the computer if you are unfamiliar with the settings described here, but consult your dealer.

Simrad EQ60

1 Open the Control Panel to access the Network

connections. 2 Open the Local area connection. 3 Press Properties.

- Observe the Local Area Connection Properties

dialogue box appear.

4 Select the General tab, and click on Internet Protocol

(TCP/IP) 5 Press Properties.

- Observe the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties

dialogue box appear.

6 Click Use the following IP address, and enter the

following IP address: 157.237.14.12

- The Subnet mask will automatically be set to

255.255.0.0.

7 Click OK to accept the choice and to close the Internet

Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties dialogue box. 8 Click OK in the remaining dialogue boxes until all are

closed. 9 Restart the computer.

How to obtain a licence number

Each individual computer used to run EQ60 software will require a dedicated licence code. When a third party computer is used, this code must be obtained from the manufacturer.

Observe the following procedure:

1 Observe the My computer icon on the computer desktop. 2 Right-click once on the icon, then left-click to open the

short-cut menu.

3 Select Properties. 4 Select the General tab.

5 Observe the information provided under Registered to: 6 Write down the number provided 7 Press Cancel to close the dialogue box. 8 Send the registration number and the serial number on

your GPT(s) to your local dealer to obtain a licence code.

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Operational procedures

Note It is very important that the computer’s registration number is

recorded correctly. Make sure that there are no misprints or misunderstandings. The licence code is generated from the registration number, and with even a single digit wrong the code will not work.

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REFERENCE GUIDE

Overview

This chapter describes the menus and dialogue boxes in detail.

Related topics

→ Echo sounder menus, page 57 → Dialogue boxes, page 65 → Status bar, page 64

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Menus

Reference guide

Main menu

The Main menu contains the following options:

→ File, page 58 → View, page 59 → Options, page 60 → Install, page 62 → Step, described below. → Help, page 63

Note that a number of dialogue boxes are accessed directly using right-click on certain display fields.

Step!

In single-step mode you command the echo sounder to perform one ping at a time by left-clicking the Step command. This command does not activate any separate menus or dialogue boxes.

See the Operation dialogue box for further details.

Related topics

→ Direct access to dialogue boxes, page 18 → Operation, page 97

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Simrad EQ60

File menu

The following commands are available on the File menu:

→ Operation, page 97 → Store, page 108 → Annotation, page 70 → Print, page 100 → Shutdown, page 86.

Operation

This command option opens the Operation dialogue box. Use these parameters to set echo sounder ping mode parameters; normal/replay, ping interval etc.

Store

This command option opens the Store dialogue box. Use this dialogue box to record data.

Annotation

This option opens the Annotation dialogue box. In this dialogue box you can enter an annotation text message to be printed on the echogram and/or saved to the current file.

This command option opens the Printer and History dialogue box. Use it to set printer parameters controlling echogram printout on paper.

Shutdown

Select this command to terminate the echo sounder program.

Note You must always use this command before you turn off power!

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Reference guide

View menu

The View menu contains the following options:

→ Layout, page 94 → History, page 90

Layout

This command opens the Layout dialogue box. Use it to modify the layout of frequency channels on the display.

History

This command opens the History dialogue box. This is used to activate a dialogue for viewing previously recorded echograms.

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Simrad EQ60

Options menu

The following commands are available on the Options menu:

→ Language, page 93 → Depth unit, see below → Temperature unit, see below → Palette, see below → Beeper, see below → Save settings, see below → Restore settings, see below → Factory Settings, page 87

Language

This entry opens the Language dialogue box for language selection.

Depth unit

All depth values are expressed in meters, English feet (1 ft =

0.3048 m), nautical fathoms (1 ftm = 1.852 m) or Italian Passi Braccia (1 pb = 1.65 m). The Depth Unit entry activates a submenu to select one of these alternatives.

Temperature unit

Water temperature is shown in degrees Celsius or degrees Fahrenheit on the Status Bar.TheTemperature Unit entry activates a submenu to select one of the two alternatives.

Palette

Different light intensities on the display are provided according to IMO (International Maritime Organisation) recommendations. A bright display is required on a sunny summer day, and a low light intensity is required at night in order not to ruin the night vision of the crew at the bridge of the vessel. The Palette entry activates a submenu to select the display brightness.

Beeper

This entry activates a submenu to control when the audible warning signal is active to alert about status messages and alarms. No dialogues are provided.

Save settings

The echo sounder memorises all its parameter settings between power is turned off until it is turned on again at a later time. The Save Settings entry writes a snapshot of all parameter settings into static memory. No dialogues are provided.

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Restore settings

This entry reads parameter settings from static memory into the echo sounder application. No dialogues are provided.

Factory settings

This entry copies the default factory settings back into the sounder. A proper clean-up of the complete menu system is sometimes required in order to escape from unintentional deadlocks. A dedicated dialogue box is used to acknowledge the function.

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Simrad EQ60

Install menu

The following commands are available on the Install menu:

→ Transceiver, page 112 → Environment, page 85 → Navigation, page 95 → Trawl, page 116 → Purse Seine, page 104 → Heave, page 88 → Temperature, page 111 → BI500, page 73

Transceiver

This command opens the Transceiver Installation dialogue box. Use this to install a new transceiver, and to assign a transducer to each frequency channel.

Environment

Select this command to open the Environment dialogue box. The settings here are used to select salt or fresh water absorption, and to enter the sound velocity value.

Navigation

This command opens the Navigation Interface dialogue box. In this box, you can select communication parameters for the NMEA interface, and select input/output telegrams.

Trawl

This command option opens the Trawl Interface dialogue box. Use these parameters to select trawl instrumentation communication parameters; input/output telegrams.

Purse seine

This command option opens the Purse Seine dialogue box. Use these parameters to select trawl instrumentation communication parameters; input/output telegrams.

Heave

This command opens the Heave Sensor dialogue box. It is used to select heave input source; analogue or RS-232.

Temperature

This command option opens the Temperature Sensor dialogue box.

BI500

This command option opens the BI500 dialogue box.

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Help menu

The Help menu contains the following options:

• Contents

• About the echo sounder

Contents

This command opens the on-line user manual. This user manual is an HTML based document compiled to the CHM format designed by Microsoftt.

The content of the on-line user manual is identical to the first chapters in the printed manual.

The on-line manual is also accessed directly as context sensitive help from the various dialogue boxes used throughout the echo sounder software.

About the echo sounder

This command opens the About box. This box is for information only. It provides the current software version and the copyright information.

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Status Bar

The Status Bar at the bottom of the screen displays status messages, event number, printer active symbol, water temperature, navigational data (latitude and longitude) and time of day.

(CD10209)

The following information is provided on the Status bar: (A) Information - Various messages are displayed in this field;

warnings, status, information text. (B) Event - This field implements a push button for generating

an annotation of the “event” type. The event number is automatically incremented or decremented by one for each new event. The current event number is displayed.

(C) Printer - A printer symbol is displayed whenever echogram printing is active. Printing is delayed until the echogram page has been completed.

(D) Temperature - Water temperature is displayed in degrees Celsius or in degrees Fahrenheit provided a temperature sensor is connected to the system.

(E) Storage line number - This field acts as a toggle button. A left-click starts a recording, and another left-click terminates the recording. The line number is automatically incremented by one every time you start the recording. The current line number is displayed on the button facea, and it is shown with red colour during recording. The recording is controlled by the Store dialogue box.

(F) Navigational data - Geographical latitude and longitude from the navigation receiver is displayed.

(G) Time - Local time of day is displayed. A small popup window showing the current date appears when positioning the cursor inside the time field. During replay, this field is used as a timer.

Related topics

→ Recording procedure, page 47 → Store, page 108 → Print and History, pages 100 → Print Setup, page 102

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Instruction manual

Dialogue boxes

Introduction

The following chapters describe in detail all the dialogue boxes used in the EQ60 echo sounder. The dialogue boxes are presented in alphabetical order.

→ Advanced Navigation, page 66 → Advanced Transceiver, page 68 → Annotation, page 70 → BI500, page 73 → Bottom Detector, page 75 → Bottom Range, page 77 → Colour Scale, page 78 → Depth Output, page 80 → Echogram, page 81 → Environment, page 85 → Exit, page 86 → Factory Settings, page 87 → Heave Sensor, page 88 → History, page 90 → IP Address, page 91 → Language, page 93 → Layout, page 94 → Navigation Interface, page 95 → Operation, page 97 → Printer and History, page 100 → Print Setup, page 102

→ Purse Seine, page 104 → Replay, page 105 → RS-232 Setup, page 107 → Store, page 108 → Surface Range, page 110 → Temperature Sensor, page 111 → Transceiver Installation, page 112 → Transceiver Settings, page 114 → Trawl Interface, page 116 → Trawl Range, page 118

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Simrad EQ60

Advanced Navigation

The Advanced Navigation dialogue box is accessed from the

Navigatiuon Interface dialogue box. The Navigation Interface

dialogue box is in turn available from the Install menu.

NMEA Sentence

These boxes specify which type of NMEA navigation sentence should be automatically interpreted.

All means that any GLL, GGA and GXA sentences are interpreted.

ASCII Setup

Use this protocol if you wish to receive data on ASCII format. Decoding is based on a user specified datagram identification.

The information substring within the datagram may be identified by specifying the position of the start field, the number of fields to be extracted and the field separator.

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Instruction manual

No. of fields - Identify the total number of fields in the ASCII message.

Start field - Identify which of the fields in the message is the start field.

Field separator - Identify which ASCII character is used to separate the fields in the message.

Terminator - Identify which character is used to terminate the message.

Related topics

→ Navigation Interface, page 95

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Simrad EQ60

Advanced Transceiver

This dialogue box is accessed from the Transceiver Settings dialogue box. It displays detailed numeric information characterising the channel. This includes transducer parameters, exact transmit frequency and receiver processing parameters.

Parameters

The parameters shown in this dialogue box are determined during the transceiver installation procedure.

The descriptions are included for information only. You do not need to understand these parameters to operate the echo sounder.

Frequency [Hz] - This is the nominal resonant frequency for the transducer.

Beam type - Three different transducer beam types are available: Single, Split and Triple. If your system is capable of operating a Split- or Triple beam transducer, it will also be able to measure the position of a target in the beam. The echo sounder can then compensate for the known beam pattern to obtain a true target strength.

Gain [dB] - The transducer gain presented by calculating the directivity multiplied with the transducer’s efficiency. The value is obtained during system calibration. If no calibration takes place, the manufacturer’s default setting is used.

Two-way beam angle [dB] - This is a key transducer parameter. The value describes the solid angle at the apex of the ideal conical beam.

Sa Correction [dB] - This parameter is determined during the calibration process. The value represents the correction required to the Sv constant to harmonize the TS and sA measurements.

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Absorption [dB/km] - This value describes the absorption of sound in the water. The default values are computed according to Francois and Garrison, Journal of Acoustic Society, December 1982. The most important environmental variable affecting this parameter is found in the Environment dialogue box.

Bandwidth [Hz] - This is the resulting system bandwidth of the analogue and digital filters in the echo sounder receiver. The bandwidth is a function of the selected pulselength at a given frequency.

Sound velocity [m/s] - The speed of the sound through the water varies with temperature, salinity and pressure. The soundings provided by the EQ60 are compensated for this.

Sample interval [m] - This value is always 1/4 of the current pulse length. In distance, the sample interval will be expressed as (sound velocity multiplied with pulse length) divided by eight.

Angle sensitivity - In order to convert the raw angle samples into mechanical degrees for fore-and-aft and athwartship directions, this parameter is required. It represents the ratio of electrical degrees to mechanical degrees for the current transducer. This ratio is not used with single beam transducers, and the value is set to 0.

3dB beam width [degrees] - This value presents the 3 dB beamwidth of the current transducer in the fore-and-aft and athwartship directions. The value is estimated during calibration. If no calibration takes place, the default value is used.

Angle offset [degrees] - This is the offset angle from the acoustical axis. The value is estimated during calibration. If no calibration takes place, the value 0 is used.

Related topics

→ Transceiver Settings, page 114.

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Simrad EQ60

Annotation

The Annotation dialogue box is opened from the File menu. The EQ60 echo sounder supports these different types of

annotation:

• Text - use this function to enter your own text.

• Time - use this annotation to automatically generate a time

marker at specified intervals.

• Event - use this annotation to generate an event number with

optional addition of time and/or navigation.

• External - this function allows automatic annotation from an

external source.

Note that the Text annotation is only available if you have a keyboard connected to the echo sounder.

An annotation telegram is written into the replay data file and the output data file. The annotation message is only shown inside the history window and on the echogram printout.

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Text

The annotation text is entered here. Note that you need to have a keyboard connected to the echo sounder. The text can be entered freely, for example ”Dangerous wreck”. When you press the OK button the text is written into the echogram. The next time you open the Annotation dialogue box, the text is cleared, and you must enter new information.

Time

Click Active to activate automatic time annotation. Enter the desired time interval between the annotations. When activated, the sounder automatically generates annotations containing the current time at the chosen interval.

Event

Each event annotation is identified with an individual event number. The event annotation is then generated every time an event is generated. The event number is initially chosen here, and thereafter automatically incremented or decremented every time a new event is generated.

To generate an event, click Event in the Status bar. The Event annotation can include current time and/or current

longitude and latitude. Click applicable Add Time or Add Navigation to select. Without time or position data selected, the annotation message will simply contain the event number.

External events

External annotations may be input via the serial port for navigation as an NMEA telegram. The Annotation dialogue box does not support direct control of this function.

The external annotation has the following format: $??ATS,thisisatest<CR><LF> The telegram header consists of:

1 the $ character 2 two letters ?? (disregarded by the echo sounder, identifies

the sender of the telegram) 3 three letters ATS (Annotation Text String - identifies the

type of NMEA telegram).

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4 a comma (NMEA separation character). 5 Text string (The echo sounder handles the string as an

ordinary text. You can not use commas in the text string.)

Simrad EQ60

6 A carriage-return and line-feed pair completes the

telegram. The ASCII telegram with the external annotation must be

connected to the same serial line as the navigation system.

Related topics

→ Status Bar, page 64

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Instruction manual

BI 500

The BI 500 dialogue box is opened from the Install menu. The EQ60 echo sounder may communicate on an ethernet line

with the BI 500 post-processing software. This dialogue box is used to set up the parameters for this communication, and to define which information the BI 500 shall receive.

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Datagram

You can specify which datagrams to be transmitted to the BI 500 computer:

Parameter- Check this box if you want to transmit parameter data. The parameters required by BI 500 are sound velocity, frequency, pulse length and transducer type.

Echogram - Check this box if you want to transmit echogram data (surface and/or bottom related). Note that this data is required by the BI 500.

Echo Trace - Check this box if you want to transmit echo trace data.

Navigation - Check this box if you want to transmit the Navigation datagrams selected in the Navigation Interface dialogue box. Navigational data is required if you intend to use the map function in BI 500.

Simrad EQ60

Vessel Log - Check this box if you want to transmit VesselLog datagrams. This datagram is required by BI 500 and is automatically generated based on the vessel speed.

You will normally transmit all the datagrams when operating EQ60 together with BI 500. If you do not use the BI 500, do not export any datagrams.

The Echogram, Echo trace and Vessel log datagrams are identical to the corresponding datagrams transmitted by the Simrad EK500 echo sounder .

Distance

Use this parameter to (re)set the internal log distance counter. The current value of the log distance counter is shown at the time the BI 500 dialogue box was opened.

Echogram

You can here specify the layout of the echogram datagram. No. of Surface Values - this value defines the number of

surface based echogram values to be filled into the echogram datagram. This number should be 500 (default) when operating with the BI 500 post-processing software.

No.ofBottomValues-this value defines the number of bottom based echogram values to be filled into the echogram datagram. This number should be 150 (default) when operating with the BI 500 post-processing software.

Surface Range - Click this button to enter the Surface Range dialogue box. Here you specify the operating range for the surface echogram.

Bottom Range - click this button to enter the Bottom Range dialogue box. Here you specify the operating range for the bottom echogram.

Ethernet

These parameters are used to define the Ethernet connection with the BI 500 computer.

The Remote UDP Port and the Remote IP Address specified must correspond to the UDP port number and Internet address used by the BI 500 computer.

Related topics

→ Surface Range, page 110 → Bottom Range, page 77 → Navigation Interface, page 95

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Instruction manual

Bottom Detector

The Bottom Detector dialogue box is opened when you right-click on the numeric depth value in the Header view on the display.

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This dialogue box is used to define the upper and lower depth limits most likely to be used during the echo sounder operation. These limits may be used to obtain ”bottom lock” on the depth when the echo sounder is pinging. The sounder needs this lock to locate the correct depth, and to stay on it during the operation, even though the depth changes continuously.

The dialogue box is also used to set alarms to notify you if maximum or minimum depths are exceeded.

Parameters

Minimum Depth - The bottom detector starts the search for the bottom echo at this depth. The detector will fail in shallow water if you select a too large depth value, and the tail of the transmitting pulse may cause problems if a too small value is set.

Simrad EQ60

Maximum Depth - The search for the bottom echo extends down to this depth whenever bottom track is lost. Enter a slightly larger depth value than the deepest spot you expect to visit in order to avoid annoyingly long ping intervals every time bottom track is lost. A depth value of either 0 or less than the minimum depth disables the bottom detector.

Bottom Lost Warning - A warning is activated whenever bottom track is lost. The warning is presented as a message in the Status bar andasanaudiosignal.

Min. Depth Alarm - An alarm is activated whenever the detected bottom depth is smaller than the chosen alarm threshold. The warning is presented as a pop-up message and as an audio signal. When the depth value is set to 0, this function is disabled.

Max. Depth Alarm - An alarm is activated whenever the detected bottom depth exceeds the alarm threshold The warning is presented as a message on the display and as an audio signal. When the depth value is set to 0, this function is disabled.

Backstep Min. Level - After t he estimated depth of the bottom detector, the detected depth is automatically adjusted by stepping back according to the value of the setting you have chosen. This allows the EQ60 to verify that the correct bottom depth has been located. If the value you enter is too large (close to 0 dB) the adjustments will be very small.

The default value is -50 dB. Bottom Smoothing - If bottom track is lost, the detected

bottom depth is repeated for a maximum of three consecutive pings.

Alternative Bottom Detector - T his bottom detector resembles the Simrad ES 380 bottom detector algorithm. This function may be useful in a steep bottom slope situation.

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Bottom Range

The Bottom Range dialogue box opens if you click the right mouse button in the range field in the Echogram and Range view while operating with a Bottom Range echogram.

The different echograms are explained in the Echogram dialogue box.

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Range - This parameter controls the vertical depth range across the echogram.

Stop Relative Bottom - This parameter controls the depth offset at the lower boundary of the echogram relative to the detected bottom; positive values downwards.

Note that you can also change the range using the mouse wheel. This is described in the Echo frames chapter.

Related topics

→ Echogram, page 81

Simrad EQ60

Colour Scale

The Colour Scale dialogue box is opened when you right-click on the colour scale in the Header view.

This dialogue controls the mapping of echo strength into one out of 12 colours, light blue for weak signals and dark brown for strong signals. Each discrete colour represents a 3 dB range of echo signal strength implying that the next colour is selected every time the echo strength doubles.

Parameters

A high numeric value displays weak echo signals properly while the stronger signals saturate into dark brown colour. A low numeric value displays strong echo signals properly. Weak signals below the lower limit of the colour scale are not displayed (the display background colour is used).

School Gain - This parameter controls the display sensitivity of the echo sounder down to the detected bottom depth when School Gain is selected in the Echogram dialogue box. A numeric value of 70 sets the lower limit of the echogram colour scale equal to a volume backscattering strength of -70 dB.

Fish Gain - This parameter controls the display sensitivity of the echo sounder down to the detected bottom depth when Fish Gain is selected in the Echogram dialogue box. A numeric value of 50 sets the lower limit of the echogram colour scale equal to a target strength of -50 dB.

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Limit gain regulation - Due to the high dynamic range in the EQ60 echo sounder, invidious gain settings may result in unwanted noise. T his will also cause the fish size estimates to be erroneous. This gain regulation setting will limit the receiver gain to maximum 100 dB. The limitation will prevent the echo sounder from saturation.

Bottom Gain - This parameter controls the display sensitivity of the echo sounder below the detected bottom depth. A numeric value of 70 sets the lower limit of the echogram colour scale equal to a surface backscattering strength of -70 dB.

No TVG - This parameter controls the display sensitivity of the echo sounder when No TVG is selected in the Echogram dialogue box. A numeric value of 70 sets the lower limit of the echogram colour scale equal to a measured input level of -70 dB.

Removing colours

By left-clicking on the colours in the colour rectangle in the upper right-hand corner of the screen, the selected colour will become the weakest colour shown in the Echogram and Single Echo views.

To restore the colour range, click on the removed colour’s position.

Note that this is a display function only. It does not have any effect on the sounder’s performance. It will however affect the recordings made by the History function.

Related topics

→ Echogram, page 81

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Simrad EQ60

Depth Output

The Depth Output dialogue box is called from the Heave Sensor, Trawl Interface and Navigation Interface dialogue

boxes. These are in turn accessed from the Install menu. It allows you to control the depth data output.

Parameters

Depth output - Check to enable the depth output. Checksum - A checksum may optionally be appended to the

NMEA output telegrams (according to the NMEA standard). Channel - NMEA depth telegrams are only output from one

channel at a time. Select channel from the list of installed frequency channels.

The GPT uses its Ethernet address for unique identification, and the PCT uses its ISA bus parameters; IO address, DMA channel and IRQ number. The channel number identifies individual channels within a multi-channel transceiver.

Telegram - The echo sounder can output three different types of NMEA depth telegrams. However, only one telegram type at a time can be generated. You can select the telegram type here.

• The $SDDBS telegram contains the depth below the surface.

• The $SDDBT telegram contains the depth below the

transducer.

• The $SDDPT telegram contains the depth below the

transducer and the distance between the transducer and the waterline.

The EQ60 can also output the EA 500/EK500 compatible depth telegrams; D1, D2 etc. Output for Atlas echo sounders are also provided.

Related topics

→ Trawl Interface, page 116 → Heace Sensor, page 88 → Navigation Interface, page 95

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Instruction manual

Echogram

The Echogram dialogue box is opened by right-clicking on the echogram in the Echogram and Range view on the display. This dialogue is used to control the type and presentation of the echograms.

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Echogram

Surface - Manual - The echogram is related to the sea surface. Start depth (upper echogram boundary) and vertical range (across echogram) are manually selected in the Surface Range dialogue box.

Surface - Auto Range - The echogram is related to the sea surface. Start depth is manually selected in the Surface Range dialogue box. The EQ60 performs automatic adjustment of the vertical range keeping the bottom echo inside the visible echogram.

Simrad EQ60

Surface - Auto Start - The echogram is related to the sea surface. Vertical range is manually selected in the Surface Range dialogue box. The EQ60 performs automatic adjustment of the start depth keeping the bottom echo inside the visible echogram.

Bottom - The echogram is related to the detected bottom. Stop depth (lower echogram boundary) and vertical range are manually selected in the Bottom Range dialogue box. The echogram is only drawn for pings having a successful bottom detection.

Trawl - Trawl sensor systems communicate headrope depth and headrope-to-footrope distance to the EQ60 at regular intervals. The echogram covers the vertical opening of the trawl including a small margin at each side. The headrope and footrope margins are identical. Their size is selected in the Trawl Range dialogue box. The headrope-to-footrope distance can be manually set in the T rawl Interface dialogue box for trawl sensor systems not measuring the trawl opening, or when the measured headrope-to-footrope distance is unreliable. The echogram is only drawn when trawl position information is available.

Horizontal Depth Lines

Scale - Equidistant horizontal scale lines are drawn inside the echogram in the current foreground colour; black during day and white during night. A maximum of 50 scale lines can be drawn. No scale lines are drawn when the scale line count is set to zero.

Bottom:

• On - The detected bottom depth is shown as a thin line in the

echogram. The line is drawn in the current foreground colour; black during day and white during night.

• Off - The bottom line is switched off.

• White Line - A band in the current background colour is

drawn below the detected bottom depth.

Variable Depth - When enabled a horizontal depth line is placed wherever you click in the Echogram view. The depth of the line is displayed at the left end of it. In the History diagram the depth for each ping is displayed individually.

Trawl - Headrope and footrope depth are indicated by two red lines in the echogram. Continuous lines are drawn when the current depth values are available, and dotted lines are drawn for a period of two minutes when this information is not available. No lines are drawn after two minutes.

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Range other - Two horizontal lines indicate the range presented in the lower echo frame.

Purse Seine - The depth of the purse seine sensor is indicated.

Vertical Markers

Event - A vertical line is drawn when a new event is generated. Minute - A short vertical line is drawn in the upper part of the

echogram once every minute. New Range - A vertical line is drawn when the range is

changed. The old range is written on the screen as an annotation.

Gain

No - No TVG is applied. The echogram displays the input power level at the transducer terminals. This echogram type is used for special purposes when TVG is not applicable or required..

School - The echogram displays volume backscattering strength above the detected bottom, and surface backscattering strength below the detected bottom. Volume backscattering strength is suitable when observing a school of fish, and surface backscattering strength is suitable when studying the properties of the bottom.

Fish - The echogram displays target strength above the detected bottom and surface backscattering strength below the detected bottom. Target strength is suitable when observing individual fish, and surface backscattering strength is suitable when studying the properties of the bottom.

RCG (Reverberation Controlled Gain)

Apply this filter to enhance the detection of single fish on a background of reverberation or noise.

Ping Filter

The ping-to-ping filter ”cleans up” the echogram by removing random noise spikes with no correlation with the previous ping. The function will thus make echoes appear more stable.

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The ping filtering effect may be varied using the three different settings provided, or it may be switched off.

Weak - Only two pings are correlated Medium - Four pings are correlated Strong - Eight pings are correlated.

Simrad EQ60

Related topics

→ Surface Range, page 110 → Bottom Range, page 77 → Trawl Range, page 118 → Trawl Interface, page 116

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Environment

The Environment dialogue box is available from the Install menu.

Many other echo sounders are calibrated to a sound velocity of 1500 m/s. If the EQ60 is used together with other sounders it is advantageous to adjust the sound velocity on the EQ60 as well, in order to have the same depth readings.

Salt W ater / Fresh Water - Propagation losses due to absorption are much higher in sea water than in fresh water. Correct compensation for these losses therefore relies on the echo sounder knowing which water type is present.

Sound Velocity - For accurate measurement of bottom depth the correct sound velocity must be entered. Normally, 1470 m/s is a good average value.

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Simrad EQ60

Shutdown

The Shutdown command is available from the File menu. Select this command to terminate the echo sounder program.

Note You must always use this command before you turn off power!

Related topics

→ File, page 58

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Factory settings

The Factory Settings dialogue box is accessed from the Options menu. It does not provide specific parameters, but

simply allows you to acknowledge the chosen function. Restoring factory settings is normally used only if you need to

restore the echo sounder after long time use, or if you have made a number of incorrect selections in the menus or dialogue boxes and wish to correct these fast.

When selected, this function will first stop the echo sounder operation.

Second, all the personalized settings you have entered will be removed. These include all the parameters you have chosen for the operation, as well as changes you have made with the echo sounder screen layout. The settings made for communication (serial lines) and installation (transceivers and transducers) are not affected. The only way to restore the operational settings is to enter them all one more time.

Third, the echo sounder is restarted using the default settings chosen by Simrad. These are considered generic, and they are the same settings as when you first switched on the echo sounder.

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Simrad EQ60

Heave Sensor

The Heave Sensor dialogue box is accessed from the Install menu.

If you wish your echogram and detected bottom depth to be heave corrected, you need to connect the EQ60 to a heave sensor.

Source Selection

Off - Disregard all heave input. Analog - Heave sensors with analogue outputs are connected

directly to the Auxiliary Connector of the nearest General Purpose Transceiver (GPT). Select the appropriate transceiver from the list of installed transceivers. Each entry in the list contains transceiver type, operating frequency and unique identifier.

The transceiver accepts a ±10V differential input signal. A fixed scaling factor equal to 1 V/m is programmed.

The GPT uses its Ethernet address for unique identification. The PC Transceiver uses its ISA bus parameters; IO address,

DMA channel and IRQ number. The channel number identifies individual channels within a

multi-channel transceiver.

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Simrad EQ60 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual