Simrad EQ60 User Manual

Instruction manual

Simrad EQ60
Fishery echo sounder

www.simrad.com

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

© 2004 Simrad AS.
ISBN 82-8066-027-5
The information contained in this document is subject to change without prior notice.

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.

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be
reproduced or otherwise copied without prior permission from Simrad AS.

Simrad AS
Strandpromenaden 50
Box 111
N-3191 Horten

Telephone: [phone]
Facsim il e: [phone]

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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V

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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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.

857-164342 / Rev.C

1

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.

2

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System description

A

Basic system diagram:

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

(CD10201)

(C) = Keyboard (optional)
(D) = Junction box (only if required)
(E) = Transducer

(1:1)

B

C

D

E

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3

Simrad EQ60

A

(CD10201B)

System diagram with
additional transceiver:

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

(GPT)
(E) = Transducers

B

C

D

E

4

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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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5

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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7

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

857-164342 / Rev.C

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.

9

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

12

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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

857-164342 / Rev.C

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

• Operational temperature: 0to+55degC

• Storage temperature: -40to+70degC

• Humidity: 5 to 95% relative non-condensing

13

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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15

Simrad EQ60

A

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.

B

C

DE

16

(CD10203)

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

857-164342 / Rev.C

Display views

Menu

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;

857-164342 / Rev.C

• 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

17

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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