Aquacoustics amigo-crew User manual

amigo-crew
a Rescue Device for
In-water Crew
Figure 1. The amigo-crew transmitter and receiver
(shown approximatel actual size )
Home of the
amigo

ii
Version 1.2 December 2013
Index
1. Warnings .................................................................................. 1
2. Warrant .................................................................................. 1
3. Inventor .................................................................................. 2
4. Environmental Issues..................................................................... 2
5. Care ............................................................................................. 3
6. Transportation................................................................................ 3
7. Operation .................................................................................. 3
7.1 Receiver ....................................................................... 3
7.2 Transmitter ....................................................................... 6
8. Batter Charging ....................................................................... 8
9. Emergenc Response Application ....................................... 9
9.1 Boat Crew ....................................................................... 9
9.2 Rescue Divers ................................................................... 10
9.3 Multiple Crew In-water .................................................. 10
10. Maintenance ....................................................................... 11
11. About Your amigo-crew ............................................................. 12
Tables
1. Inventor .................................................................................. 2
2. Lamp Test, Batter Condition and Receive Displa ................. 5
4. Receiver Displa Modes ............................................................. 6
5. Transmitter Displa Modes .................................................. 7
6. Technical Data Summar ............................................................. 11
Figures
1. The amigo-crew ................................................................ Cover
2. Receiver Ke Features ................................................................ 4
3. Transmitter Ke Features ................................................................ 6
4. 180 Scan .................................................................................. 9

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Version 1.2 December 2013
1. Warnings
Your amigo-crew is a life-safet device designed specificall for the location of
in-water crew. Effective operation in an emergenc situation requires
qualified and experienced rescue divers operating to a coordinated search
plan and trained in the use of the amigo-crew.
The amigo-crew should be tested in the anticipated search environment prior
to use. Effectiveness ma be impaired in shallow confined-water
environments or b strong interfering signals from sonar or marine noise.
This manual should be read in its entiret to obtain full utilit from our
amigo-crew. A suggested emergenc response application is contained in
Section 9 starting on page 9.
2. Warrant
Your amigo-crew transmitter and receiver are hermeticall sealed, pressure-
tested to a depth of 20 m (65’) and full operationall tested before dispatch.
Your amigo-crew is warranted for hardware or software malfunction for a
period of one ear from the date of purchase. The extent of this warrant is
limited to replacement or return-to-base repair at the discretion of the
manufacturer.
Due to the ph sical challenges of competitive achting and power-boat racing
this warrant specificall excludes ph sical damage, water ingress caused b
ph sical damage, unauthorised modifications and/or unauthorized attempts at
servicing.
There is an inherent but unquantified risk to personnel and equipment in
extreme sports. Use of the amigo-crew waivers an claim for consequential
damages including loss or damage to equipment or other propert , personal
injur or death.
In the unlikel event that our amigo-crew malfunctions, if ou are dissatisfied
with an aspect of performance, or ou have an comments or suggestions
then please contact http://www.aquacoustics.biz. We are here to provide
support and we value our feedback.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
3. Inventor
Your amigo-crew package is provided with the inventor listed in Table 2.
Table 1. Inventor
Quantit Description
* amigo-crew transmitter
* amigo-crew receiver
* USB Charger
* Universal AC Charger
* Quick Reference Card
* Instruction Manual (this manual)
* Warrant Card
*Quantities subject to order
4. Environmental Issues
The low power transmissions from our amigo-crew transmitter are
comparable to man naturall occurring underwater ultrasonic sound sources
and are significantl less than man boat mounted sonar and fish-finders.
Your amigo-crew has no known adverse effects on marine flora or fauna.
Your amigo-crew is made from RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances)
components to minimise environmental impact. However the batter , case
and other components are not readil biodegradable. Rec cling or disposal at
the end of service life should be in accordance with sound environmental
practice and an legal requirements that appl in our jurisdiction.
All marine equipment is a potential source of contamination when moving
between one geographical location and the next. Ensure that our
equipment, including our amigo-crew is thoroughl cleaned with fresh water
between use at different geographical locations.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
5. Care
Thoroughl rinse our amigo-crew transmitter and receiver with fresh water
after use.
Avoid leaving our amigo-crew in direct sunlight or exposed to other sources
of excessive heat for extended periods.
Recharge our amigo-crew before and after extended storage.
Do not appl solvents or lubricants to the case.
Your amigo-crew has been designed to resist impact damage but the case
ma be scratched b contact with hard materials. Light case scratches can
be removed from the case b gentle polishing with a non-solvent based metal
polish or toothpaste and a soft cloth. Avoid appl ing polish to the gold
electrodes.
6. Transportation
Transportation of Lithium batteries are subject to specific IATA regulations.
The Lithium batter in our amigo-crew devices is specified and has been
tested to ensure that it will not result in ignition under dead-short circuit
conditions. However it is the user's responsibilit to compl with an
regulations concerning the transportation of Lithium batteries.
Ultrasonic emissions from our amigo-crew will not interfere with aircraft
navigation s stems. However electronic devices ma be subject to usage
restrictions during flight.
The amigo-crew has been tested to ensure no adverse effect from short-term
exposure to soft X Ra s (t picall found in airport securit ).
7. Operation
Work through the following instructions (in air) to become familiar with the
operation of the amigo-crew.
7.1 Receiver
Refer to Figure 2 to identif the ke features of our amigo-crew receiver.
Each receiver has a Mode Button on the side of the case for changing
operating modes. The Mode Button is designed for either left or right-handed
use.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
7.1.1 Power On
Press and release the Mode Button once to turn our amigo-crew
receiver on. All eight Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) will light for a one
second displa test followed b a one second batter condition displa .
The receiver is now in receive mode (refer to Table 2).
Figure 2. Receiver Ke Features
Transducer
Mode
Button
LED Displa
Strap
A
n
c
h
o
r
Rubber Grip
Electrodes and
Charging Plug
at Rear

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Version 1.2 December 2013
Table 2. Receiver Displa Modes
LED Displa Mode
Lamp test (for 1 second on power-on) followed b batter
condition displa .
Batter condition is good.
Batter condition marginal. Recharge at the earliest
opportunit .
Batter is depleted. Range and functionalit ma be
adversel affected. Recharge before use.
Receive mode (no signal displa ). See Table 3.
Charging (scrolling LEDs).
Batter is full charged.
Star indicates Flashing LED at approximatel 2 second intervals.
7.1.2 Receive Mode
In receive mode the LED displa will indicate received signal strength
as shown in Table 3. The signal strength is indicative of both direction
and range to the closest activated transmitter.
More LEDs lit equates to increasing received signal strength. Each
LED in the bar-graph displa corresponds to approximatel 1/8
th
of the
distance to a transmitter.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
Table 3. Receive Mode Displa
LED Displa Received Signal
No signal.
Ver weak signal.
Weak signal.
Poor signal.
Moderate signal.
Good signal.
Strong signal.
Ver strong signal.
Maximum signal.
Star indicates Flashing LED at approximatel 2 second intervals.
7.1.3 Power Off
Turn our amigo-crew receiver off b depressing the Mode Button
three times at approximatel one second intervals (just like t ping the
same letter three times when text messaging on a cell phone). The
LEDs will go through a C lon displa sequence indicating that our
receiver is shutting down.
Your amigo-crew receiver will automaticall turn off after 30 minutes of
inactivit . This safet feature provides a return to boat signal for
rescue divers. It also ensures that the batter is not depleted if a
receiver is accidentl left on. If ou are still activel searching then
press the mode button once to re-activate receive mode.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
7.2 Transmitter
Figure 3. Transmitter Ke Features
Your amigo-crew transmitter requires no user intervention in normal use. It
will automaticall activate when immersed in salt or fresh water for more than
approximatel 15 seconds. This time dela is associated with splash
suppression. The transmitter will automaticall turn off when out of water.
The two LEDs indicate operating status as shown in Table 4.
Table 4. Transmitter Displa Modes
LED Displa Mode
Normal operation – not activated.
Transmitting - activated.
Depleted batter . Recharge at the earliest opportunit .
Recharging.
Full charged.
Star indicates Flashing LED
Transducer
Electrodes and
Charging Plug
Green LED
Red LED
Strap Mount

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Version 1.2 December 2013
7.2.1 Low Power
A flashing red LED on our transmitter indicates that the batter
condition is marginal. The transmitter should be recharged at the
earliest opportunit using the charging procedure at Section 8 below.
The red LED will continue to flash for approximatel 1 week before the
batter is full depleted. The transmitter will still transmit for up to 4
hours from when the marginal batter condition is first displa ed.
7.2.2 Testing
It is recommended that our transmitter is tested prior to use. The
transmitter can be tested b either:
• immersing the transmitter in water.
• appl ing a wet finger across the electrodes.
A flashing green LED after approximatel 15 seconds indicates correct
operation. If the green LED does not flash after 20 seconds then either
the resistance between the electrodes is too high or the batter is
depleted. Recharge the transmitter using the procedure at Section 8
below and/or clean the electrodes using the maintenance procedure at
Section 11.
8. Batter Charging
Do not attempt to charge our amigo-crew while it is wet. Do not use the AC
or USB charger in wet environments. Onl use the equipment provided for
recharging.
Your amigo-crew is provided with a universal AC and/or a USB charger. Slide
the positive-latching plug into the moulded socket on our amigo-crew
transmitter or receiver. Connect the charger to an appropriate mains or 500
mA USB source. Charging will begin automaticall . The LED displa will
indicate charging status as shown in Tables 2 and 4.
A full charge from a depleted batter will take approximatel two hours. Your
transmitter or receiver will indicate when it is full charged.
The charging plug can be removed at an time b withdrawing it along the
axis of the power cord. Your device will automaticall turn off.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
If the batter in our amigo-crew transmitter or receiver should become full
discharged the internal charge management automaticall provides a
recover c cle. The charging displa ma not operate during deep discharge
recover . Normal charging should resume within approximatel 30 minutes.
The internal batter is protected from over-charge, over-discharge and
excessive temperature.
9. Emergenc Response Application
The following procedure is a suggested starting point for developing our
application-specific emergenc response plan. The focus is on speed of
response and keeping responders safe through preparation and training.
9.1 Boat Crew
Crew should be fitted with tested transmitters attached to the exterior of
clothing or equipment.
The transducer should face generall downward and should not be covered
with equipment or clothing. Recommended attachment points are the thigh or
lower leg, or offset from the small of the back.
Effective transmitter mounting should:
• ensure that the transmitter is full immersed and not shrouded b clothing
or equipment when crew are in-water.
• provide for optimal signal transmission.
• protect the transmitter from ph sical damage.
The transmitter has been designed to attach to crew clothing or equipment
with standard 1” Velcro sew-on tape. This provides secure attachment to
clothing or equipment while permitting rapid intentional release.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
9.2 Rescue Divers
Rescue divers should be qualified
professionals familiar with the anticipated
diving conditions. The should be
appropriatel equipped to follow their pre-
planned emergenc response procedures
when responding to an in-water crew
emergenc .
Where in-water crew are not visible at the
surface rescue divers should turn on their
amigo-crew receivers, orientate themselves to
the incident site, complete a 180 scan and
proceed in the direction of the strongest
received signal, or in the direction of the
incident site.
Figure 4. 180 Scan
Notes:
• The best performance of the amigo-crew receiver will be submerged at a
depth of up of up to 3 m (10’).
• Ultrasonic waves can reflect from the seafloor, solid objects and the
surface. Under some conditions this ma cause signal peaks from
apparentl different directions or localised signal fade. If this occurs then
continue to move in the direction of the incident or on our designated
search pattern while completing further 180 Scans.
• Emergenc responders ma have difficult maintaining visual contact with
in-water crew at the surface in chopp conditions. Boat spotters are
recommended.
• Optimum response ma require approaching the incident site from
opposing directions when two or more rescue divers are deplo ed.
• The search should be aborted in accordance with the pre-planned
emergenc response procedures or on diver-recall.
9.3 Multiple Crew In-Water
Your amigo-crew receiver will indicate the strongest received signal if there
are multiple in-water crew. Head towards the strongest received signal to
locate the closest in-water crew.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
In-water crew that are visible at the surface should be removed from the water
at the earliest opportunit . Once on board their transmitters will automaticall
turn off.
Emergenc response will be simplified with the minimum number of people in
the water. However crew should remove their transmitters before re-entering
the water to aid with a search.
10. Maintenance
There are no user-serviceable parts inside our amigo-crew and the cases
have been factor -sealed and pressure tested to prevent water ingress. Your
amigo-crew devices generate 50 V RMS internal voltages. These potentials
ma present a shock hazard if the case is opened.
Review the operating instructions in Section 7.
Ensure that the electrodes on the transmitter are not obstructed. The
electrodes can be cleaned b gentl wiping with a plain paper tissue or cloth.
Do not use abrasives or solvents on the electrodes.
Confirm that amigo-crew transmitter or receiver is full charged using the
procedure in Section 8.
Contact Aquacoustics Limited directl for service support at
http://www.aquacoustics.biz.
Table 6. Technical Data Summar
Characteristic Measurement
Effective Range: From 1 m to more than 30 m (3’ to 100').
Weight: Receiver:
Transmitter:
65 g (2.3 oz), approximatel neutrall buo ant.
50 g (1.8 oz), approximatel neutrall buo ant.
Dimensions: Receiver:
Transmitter:
105 mm x 40 mm x 22 mm (4.1" x 1.6" x 0.9").
78 mm x 37 mm x 16 mm (3.0” x 1.4” x 0.6”).
Depth: Hermeticall sealed and pressure tested to 20 m (65').
Temperature Range: 0 to 30°C (32 to 86°F).
Environment: Salt water, fresh water and air.
Transmitter Frequenc : 40 kHz Pulse Modulated.
Transmitter Power: 1 Watt (peak).
Mean Time Between Failure: More than 15,000 hours.
Receiver Signal Displa : 8 segment LED bar graph with contrast enhancing filter.
Batter : Lithium Pol mer cell providing 50 hours operational use
between charges and 300 recharge c cles.
Batter Charger: Universal AC and/or USB 500 mA charger.

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Version 1.2 December 2013
11. About Your amigo-crew
The development of our amigo-crew is described at
http://www.aquacoustics.biz
Your amigo-crew comprises a compact low-power ultrasonic transmitter and a
highl -selective temperature-compensated logarithmic-response receiver with
Digital Signal Processing (DSP). Operation, timing, DSP and batter
management are controlled b a microprocessor running optimized
proprietar software.
Ever amigo-crew device contains an individual serial number in the micro-
code and records details such as operating time in non-volatile memor .
These measurements are intended to aid with servicing and warrant claims.
Your amigo-crew contains proprietar hardware and software which is subject
to cop right and patent protection. The software in our amigo-crew is
protected to prevent erasure or attempted reverse-engineering. An attempt
to read or modif the software is likel to render our amigo-crew
unserviceable.
If ou require an aspect of our amigo-crew modified to suit our specific
application please contact Aquacoustics Limited.
We would like to know if ou have found our amigo-crew useful. How we
can improve the amigo-crew for our application? Please contact
http://www.aquacoustics.biz with an comments, suggestions or criticisms that
ou might care to share. We will repl to all correspondence.
Sincerel ours,
Tim O'Brien
Director
Aquacoustics Limited