Seafloor HydroLite-TM PLUS Echsounder Kit User Manual

Getting Started

Overview

The HydroLite-TM™ Plus Developed to meet requirements for the U.S.ArmyTactical Dive Teams, the rugged, wireless Hydrolite-TM™ looks and feels like your traditional survey instrument. The system also outputs a water temperature measurement with every depth measurement made. Software for the “front end” of the Echologger is available to run on a wide range of devices from Pocket PCs, to the full range of desktop and tablet systems running the Windows operating system. Additionally, the Echologger is directly compatible with most traditional land survey acquisition software.

Table 1: Kit Components

Setup

Connection: EU400

1. Connect the device to a PC via USB port (Plug and pay) Just in case a PC needs a driver to recognize the USB device, it can be downloaded on the link below. USB driver for FTDI
   http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm
   For Windows7
   http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/CDM/CDM%202.08.24%20WHQL%0Certified.zip

2. Connect a power supply (8~75VDC) to the device, then the device to a PC via a “RS232/RS485 to USB” converter Connection: ECT400 / ECS400
   GUI software program

3. Run an up-to-date control software “Echologger Control Program” (Ver. 3.0)
   

4. (2) Find a serial (COM) port where the device is connected

   • Go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Devices and Printers. (Windows 7)
     

5. Select the serial port found and set the port speed. Same procedure applies for GPS. (If no GPS is connected, select “None”)
   

   • Click to select a folder where data is to be saved
   • File name is automatically generated based with date / time .

6. Press “Connect” to get the device connected

   • When successfully connected, data will be shown in the summary window. (If GPS is not connected, “GPS Data” will be empty)
     
     * Note!!
     Default Baud-rate is 115200. If Baud-rate has to be changed, it can be done only on a command line i.e., in a terminal program (Hyper terminal etc.) with a procedure below.

   • a. Connect the device to a PC (& power supply)

   • b. Run a terminal program. (i.e. “Tera term” or “Hyper terminal” etc.)

   • c. Select a correct COM port and set an appropriate baud-rate

   • d. Terminal program will show data as the device started work immediately

   • e. Press the “space bar” to stop

   • f. Type “#info” to check current parameters

   • g. Type the command for change parameters (for 921,600 baud, type #speed 921,600)

   • è. This means the baud rate of the device set at 921,600.

   • h. Match the same baud rate at the terminal program under Serial Port (baud rate of the program). Otherwise communication error will be resulted in with strange font letters as below.
     

   • i. Run Echologger GUI and select the changed Baud-rate to the same baud rate set on #speed.
     
     !!!!When an error message “device not connected” is shown on the GUI program, check both Serial Port Number and Serial Port Speed!!!!

7. Setup parameters

   • Range, m: Range in meters

   • Tx Length, μsec: Set transmitted pulse length in microseconds. (Up to 100 μsec)

   • Interval, sec: Interval (repetition rate) between pulses in seconds. (From 0.1 to 3600 (1 hour))

   • Deadzone, mm: Near field zone where detection is ignored

   • Offset, mm: Offset the position of device in millimeter

   • Altimeter threshold, %: Altimeter threshold in % of Full Scale

   • Gain, dB: Analog gain of amplifier in dB.

   • Sound speed, m/s: Speed of sound in the medium (type in)

   • Output mode: Select output data format (See Output mode section)
     
     * Note:

   • After selecting parameters or changing them, press “Apply” to make them effective.

   • To use a set of pre-recorded parameters on the device, click “Re-read parameters”) Baud Rate: 115200 bps (F/W Rev.2.1, Rev.2.5)
     Altimeter Mode

     Interval (sec)| Maximum Range (m)
     0.1| 10
     0.2| 40
     0.25| 80
     0.3| 100
     Echosounder Mode
     Interval (sec)| Maximum Range (m)
     0.1| —
     0.2| 1
     0.25| 2
     0.5| 8
     1| 20
     2| 80
     2.5| 100

Baud Rate: 921600 bps (F/W Rev.2.5)

Altimeter Mode

Interval (sec)| Maximum Range (m)
0.1| 15
0.2| 40
0.25| 100
0.3| 100
|
Echosounder Mode
Interval (sec)| Maximum Range (m)
0.1| 2
0.2| 10
0.25| 15
0.5| 30
1| 100
8. Main window shows echo signal in time domain

  *  **Data Scale.:** Echo signal can be change dB or linear scale  

  *  **Data Output:** Show max or mean amplitude on the screen  

  *  **Range:** Selectable range to be shown only on the screen (not on the raw data)
  *  **Color Palette:** Select color schemes  

9. Playback saved data
   

   • Select input data file: Select a saved file (.log) to playback.
     

   • STOP: Stop playing

   • PLAY: Play again after paused

   • PAUSE: Play paused

   • STEP: Shows each ping of data when pressing it

   • REPLAY: Replay from start

FAQ

How to set up parameters to avoiding false altitude.

Make the most of the Echogram, where real-time echo signal is shown. The altitude is determined where the threshold meets the first echo-signal. For accurate altitude data appropriate Threshold, Dead zone and Gain have to be chosen.

In order to have a real Altitude at appx. 6.0m (2)

• Increase Deadzone to ~500mm in order to avoid the first peak (1)
• Or increase Altimeter Threshold (yellow dotted line) so that the threshold can meet the real peak (2) first, not peak (1)

The rules of thumb are,

• Set the Deadzone big enough to avoid initial reverberation (1)
• In Altimeter modes (Simple, NMEA, PSA-916) increase the Gain, so that the Echo signal can be big enough (saturated). This will help to keep the Echo signal amplitude minimizing fluctuation. But also watch other unwanted reflections amplified by this Gain.
• The Threshold should be as small as possible. But it should be more than the unwanted signals, otherwise false values will be calculated from these unwanted reflections, not from the bottom of the water. This is when users feel the altitude values from the device are not accurate, but this is a matter of setting optimal parameters using Echogram at Echosounder mode (not at Altimeter mode)
  *Example of settings – Altimeter mode for altitude measurement ECT400, ECS400, EU400 (450kHz):
• Tx Length: 100 µsec
• Deadzone: 300 mm
• Threshold: 10%
• Gain: +10 dB
• Offset: +35 mm (when altitude from the front face of the transducer is required) Speed of sound :1,480 m/s (fresh water at 20degC)

Echologger commands

Control commands are used when managing the device manually through terminal programs (Hyper Terminal, Tera Term Pro etc.) or when custom-made interface is needed.

interval

Input Value: 0.5
ok.| Pulse repetition rate. Set interval between
pulses (pings) in seconds.
From 0.1 to 3600 seconds

threshold| #threshold 10| Set altimeter threshold in %% of Full Scale

(maximum amplitude of echo signal)

offset| #offset 0| Set offset of output altitude in mm

deadzone| #deadzone 200| Set minimal deadzone in mm.

txlength| #txlength 20| Set transmitted pulse length in microseconds.

Max. value 100 uks.

output| #output 1| Set Output mode.

1.  Altimeter Simple
2. Echosounder
3. Altimeter NMEA
4. Echosounder Fixed 200 Samples
5. Echosounder Fixed 500 Samples
6. Echosounder Fixed 1000 Samples

gain| #gain 3| Set analog gain of preampli- fier in dB.

tvgmode| #tvgmode 1| Set TVG mode (Time Variable Gain).

Only for debugging. Default value: 1.

tvgs| #tvgs 1| Set slope TVG curve.

Only for debugging. Default value: 1.

speed| #speed 4800| Set serial port speed in bods. User can set:

• 4800
• – 9600
• – 19200
• – 38400
• – 57600
• – 115200
• – 230400
• – 460800
• – 921600

nmeadbt| #nmeadbt 1| $GPDBT message enable – 1, disable – 0

nmeadpt| #nmeadpt 1| $GPDPT message enable – 1, disable – 0

nmeamtw| #nmeamtw 1| $GPMTW message enable

– 1, disable – 0

nmeaxdr| #nmeaxdr 1| $GPXDR message enable – 1, disable – 0

nmeaema| #nmeaema 1| $GPEMA message enable – 1, disable – 0

sound| #sound 1500| Set sound speed in water.

help or #info| #help Info

Ultrasonic Echo Sounder ECHOLOGGER: EU400 USB Type TVG2
Made by EofE Ultrasonics Co., LTD(C)
Version 1.0 Jan 20 2012 16:14:34
Device ID: 0201 EU400 USB Type TVG2
Specification:
  Tx Frequency 450000 Hz
  Work Max Range 100m

• Tx Length 20~100 uks

• Speed of Sound 1500 mps Water Temperature [Celsius]: 19.02°C
  | Show device state and information about parameters and commands.

  go| #go| Start send pulses and receive echo signal

  default| | Set default values:

  • range: 10000mm
  • interval: 1 sec
  • deadzone: 300 mm
  • offset: 0mm
  • threshold: 10%
  • txlength 20 uks
  • gain 0 dB
  • tvgmode: 1
  • tvg slope 1
  • output mode: NMEA

Synchronization

Change the parameters for synchronization is only available from a terminal program

1. Start a terminal program and set a correct port information (Com No. and baud rate)

2. Switch on Echosounder by supplying power. After initialization, the device will start work and send data strings

3. Press “space bar” to stop sending data, not it is ready to control

4. Type “#info” and find out device ID

5. Command “#syncextern” to select internal sync mode (0), or external sync mode (1): At internal sync mode “#syncextern = 0” (default setting), device will transmit sync pulses
   (Duration~1ms, Amplitude~4.5V)

6. Command “#syncoutpol” to set polarity of transmit pulse: “0”: inverting pulse or “1” (default setting): positive pulse

7. Command “#syncextmod” to define triggering edge for external sync mode: “0”: Falling or “1”; Rising (default setting)
   

8. After selecting all parameters, enter “#go” to start.

Trouble shooting (known issues)

1. Parameters cannot be changed: At RS485 interface, if interval between pings is to small (especially at long range), interruption from a controller (PC) such as changing parameters may not work. RS485 is half duplex so that commands from the controller can be transmitted to the device during the gap between each data transmission. (refer to max range vs interval table) In order to recognize commands coming from the PC, the device should have enough time between pings. First, the device should be stopped. At terminal program, press ‘space bar’ several times VERY FAST so that device stops (means collecting data stops). At the GUI software, press “Apply” several times VERY FAST until device stops receiving data. Once the device stops, now it can receive commands. New parameters with appropriate Range, Interval can be set in both terminal program or in GUI, then start the device with a command ‘#go’ or ‘Apply’.
2. Cannot connect the device to a controller (PC). Checking at terminal program some strange characters are shown (@RS485):
   TX+ / TX- wires connected in opposite

Support

Seafloor Systems, Inc.
info@seafloorsystems.com
+1(530) 677-1019

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