HCO SG550 User manual

HCO Outdoor Products
Infrared Digital Scouting Camera
SG550
User’s Manual
www.HCOoutdoors.com
Thank you for choosing HCO digital scouting cameras. To experience the best results of these cameras, please
read this user’s manual carefully before you use the camera and keep it as a handy reference.
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [e-mail]
Web: http://www.HCOoutdoors.com
HCO
6050 Peachtree Pkwy
Suite 240-353
Norcross, GA, 30092
U.S.A.

Content
General Information ...............................................................................................................1
1.1 Features.....................................................................................................................1
1.2 Application................................................................................................................1
1.3 Standard Components................................................................................................1
1.4 Memory ....................................................................................................................3
Quick Start.............................................................................................................................4
2.1 Loading Batteries ......................................................................................................4
2.2 Connecting External Power .......................................................................................5
2.3 Inserting SD-card......................................................................................................5
2.4 Power On and Entering Test Mode.............................................................................5
2.5 Entering Live Mode...................................................................................................6
2.6 Manual Capture.........................................................................................................6
2.7 Default Settings.........................................................................................................6
2.8 Reviewing Picture or Video.......................................................................................7
2.9 Shut Down ................................................................................................................7
Advanced Setting & Operation...............................................................................................8
3.1 Parameter Settings.....................................................................................................8
3.1.1 Camera Mode..................................................................................................8
3.1.2 Formatting SD Card........................................................................................9
3.1.3 Image Resolution ..........................................................................................10
3.1.4 Video Resolution...........................................................................................10
3.1.5 Date and Time...............................................................................................11
3.1.6 Shooting Mode(1, 2, 3 Photos) ......................................................................13
3.1.7 Video Length ................................................................................................14
3.1.8 Trigger Interval Time Between Two Triggering.............................................15
3.1.9 PIR Sensitivity..............................................................................................16
3.1.10 Time Stamp.................................................................................................16
3.1.11 Timer ..........................................................................................................17
3.1.12 Restoring Default Setting.............................................................................19
3.2 Playback and Editing...............................................................................................20
3.2.1 Playback .......................................................................................................20
3.2.2 Editing..........................................................................................................20
3.3 Live Monitor...........................................................................................................21
3.4 SensibleAngle and Distance Test.............................................................................21
3.5 File Format..............................................................................................................21
3.6 File Name................................................................................................................21
3.7 Installing Driver for SD Card...................................................................................22
3.8 Firmware Upgrade...................................................................................................22
3.9 Factory Default Setting............................................................................................22
Mounting Camera.................................................................................................................23
Technical Specifications.......................................................................................................24
Limited Warranty.....................................................................................................back cover

Important Tips
•The working voltage of the camera is 6 V. You can either use 4 or 8 AA batteries, or use an
external 6 V DC power supply (inside + and outside -)
•Please load the batteries according to the indicated polarity on the cover of the battery cabinet
•Please disable the write-protect on the card before inserting SD card
•The camera has no internal memory for images or videos. Please insert a SD card before testing
the camera. Otherwise, the camera will not save images and videos. If no SD-card is inserted or
the write-protect of the card is not disabled, the camera will shut down automatically after a
long beep
•It is recommended to format the SD-card by the camera when used for the first time
•Do not insert or take out the SD-card when the power switch is at the ON position
•Please set the TV in theAV IN mode when connecting a TV
•The camera will be in the USB mode when connected to a USB port of computer. In this case
the SD card functions as a removable disk no matter the power switch of the device is ON or
OFF
•When the remote control is connected to the camera, turning the power ON will force the
camera into the test mode. Otherwise the camera enters the live mode automatically
•In the test mode, the camera will shut down automatically after 3.5 minutes if no key is pressed.
Please turn on the power again if you want to continue to work with the remote control
• Please be sure that no power interruption occurs during firmware upgrade. Otherwise the
upgrade process may be interrupted or finished incorrectly. This may cause the camera to stop
functioning properly.

HCO 1-General Information SG550/SG530
Page 1
General Information
1.1 Features
The ScoutGuard SG550/SG530 digital scouting cameras are automatic working surveillance devices.
The cameras can be trigged by any movement of human (or animals) in a certain region of interest
(ROI) monitored by a highly sensitive Passive Infra-Red (PIR) motion sensor，even in the total
darkness thanks to the build-in infrared LED flash. High quality pictures (up to 5 mega pixels) or video
clips are taken consequently upon the triggering. Comparing with other similar cameras on the market,
SG550/SG530 feature:
•Real 5/3 Mega Pixels CMOS sensor, NO interpolation, high quality picture
•Auto LED IR-Cut-Remove
•Compact size, well designed digital scouting camera (5-1/2x3-1/4x2 inches)
•Ultra low stand-by power consumption (< 0.2 Ah/month), extreme durable and convenient with
AA batteries (> 80 days)
•Quick trigger time (< 1.3 s)
•Lockable with mounting strap, nail/screw and cable lock
•Innovative remote control, easy to operate
•Suitable for both hunting and security use
1.2 Application
•Game camera, for hunting and animal observation
•Motion-triggered security camera, for home, office and community
•All other indoor and outdoor surveillance where invasion evidence needed
1.3 Standard Components
The camera has the following ports/jacks: USB port, SD card slot, TV out jack, external DC power
input jack and remote control jack.
•Fig. 1 shows the front view of the camera
•Fig. 2 shows the remote control
•Fig. 3 shows how the remote control connects to the camera.
The remote control is an input device of the camera and is primarily used for setting. As shown in Fig.
2, there are five keys: UP, DOWN, RIGHT, MENU (in place of LEFT) and OK.
•MENU key: enter and exit menu
•UP key: up/video mode
•DOWN key: down/camera mode
•RIGHT key: shutter
•OK key: playback mode

HCO 1-General Information SG550/SG530
Page 2
Figure 1: Front view of the camera
Figure 2: Buttons on the remote control and icons on the screen

HCO 1-General Information SG550/SG530
Page 3
Figure 3: Connecting camera with remote control
1.4 Memory
The camera uses a SD card to save images (in .jpg format) and videos (in .avi format). Before inserting
the SD card into the card, please make sure that the write-protect on the card is disabled so that it is
writable. The supported card capacity is between 8 MB and 2 GB. Some card may not be compatible
with this camera.
The camera doesn’t have an internal memory, so a SD card must be installed before use.
To install a SD card, please open the bottom cover by pushing it to the indicated direction on the cover,
and then slide the SD card into the card slot with unmarked side upwards. A slight snapping sound
indicates that the card is connected successfully. To take out the SD card, just push the card in gently.
The card will be released from the slot when you hear a slight snapping sound.
!!! Warning !!!
Please switch the camera to OFF mode
before you insert/move away the batteries
or the SD card. Otherwise the SD card
may suffer irreversible damages .

HCO 2-Quick Start SG550/SG530
Page 4
Quick Start
If you are not familiar with the operation of this camera, the following instructions will help you get a
quick overview. Before doing any operation, please make sure you have loaded batteries and plugged
the SD card correctly. If the SD card is not inserted correctly or its write-protect is enabled, the device
will give you a long beep and turn off automatically.
2.1 Loading Batteries
The first thing to do is to load the batteries. There are two ways to supply the power:
•4 or 8 AA batteries
•External DC power supply
When you use 8 AA batteries, they are divided into two paralleled groups. Each group contains 4
batteries and can supply power to the camera alone (8 batteries will provide longer battery life time).
The power unit has four battery slots, as shown in Fig. 4(a). The bottom-cover of the battery cabinet is
shown in Fig. 4(b). Slot 1 and 2 makes one group and slot 3 and 4 makes the other group.
123 4
(a) Battery slots
(b) Battery bottom-cover
Figure 4: Loading the batteries
Please make sure that the battery polarity matches the mark on the battery cover. Ni-MH rechargeable
batteries can also be used, but they might have shorter life time. So it is recommended to use high
performance alkaline AA batteries or lead-acid secondary cell with 6V output.
To load the batteries please do the following:
1. Open the bottom cover by pushing it along the indicated direction
2. Open the battery cover by sliding the protruded locker towards the inner direction
3. Load batteries (4 or 8 batteries of the same capacity) according to the polarity mark on the

HCO 2-Quick Start SG550/SG530
Page 5
cover
4. Close the battery cover and lock it. The battery cover is designed to prevent wrong polarity
installation of the batteries
The following batteries can be used:
•High-density alkaline batteries
•Rechargeable alkaline batteries with 1.5 V output
•Rechargeable Ni-MH batteries with 1.2 V output
•AAsized Li-ion batteries with 1.5 V output
2.2 Connecting External Power
Alternatively you can connect an external 6 V DC power source to the camera if no batteries are
aavailable. It is recommended to use a power source with a current capability bigger than 1000 mA.
However, under sufficient daylight, the camera can work under much less current (> 400 mA). Please
use the power cable (supplied with the camera) to connect the external DC power. If external power
and batteries are both connected, the camera will be powered by the external power. The low-battery
indicator (blue LED) will light up when the power is low. This is the time to change the batteries.
2.3 Inserting SD card
The camera will not work without a SD card. Please insert the SD card into the card slot by referring to
1.4 for detailed instructions.
2.4 Power On and Entering Test Mode
The camera has three basic operation modes:
•OFF mode: the Power switch at the OFF position
•LIVE mode: the Power switch at the ON position and the remote control is NOT connected
•TEST mode: the Power switch at the ON position and the remote control is connected
The OFF mode is the safe mode when you put in or take out the SD card, change the batteries and
transport the camera.
Turn on (Power switch at the ON position) the camera while the remote control is connected, the Test
mode will be activated. Under the Test mode, you can take over the control of the camera and make all
the settings.

HCO 2-Quick Start SG550/SG530
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2.5 Entering Live Mode
After turning on the camera (Power switch at the ON position) while the remote control is not
connected, the camera will enter the Live mode. The indicator LED (red) will blink for about 10 s.
This period is for you to make the camera ready for the working condition: close the bottom cover and
lock it, mount the camera on a tree and walk away. After entering the Live mode, the camera will
begin to take picture or video according to the previous programmed setting when human or animal
enters monitor area.
If the device is previously in the Test mode, you just need to disconnect the remote control to let the
camera enter the Live mode.
Before entering the Live mode please pay attention to the following:
•The polarity of the power is correct and the power is sufficient
•The SD card has sufficient space and its write-protection is disabled
•The Power switch is at the ON position
•The remote control is disconnected
•Avoiding temperature and motion disturbances in front of the device such as big leaf, curtain,
air-conditioner, air outlet of the chimney and other heat sources to prevent false trigger.
2.6 Manual Capture
Under the Test mode, you can use camera to take pictures as a regular digital camera by
pressing SHOT button.
2.7 Default Settings
When the camera leaves the factory, most parameters are set as default. Please refer to Table 1.
Parameter name Default Other sets
Camera Mode Camera Video
Image Size 3M pixel 5M pixel
Video Size 640x480 320x240
Capture Number 1 photo 2 photos, 3 photos
Video Length Avi 10 Second 1-60 seconds
Interval 1 minute 0-59 seconds, 1-60 minutes
Sense Level Normal High, Low
Time Stamp On Off
Timer Switch Off On (00:00 – 23:59)
Table 1: Default settings of the camera

HCO 2-Quick Start SG550/SG530
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2.8 Reviewing Picture or Video
There are two ways to review captured picture or video:
•TV monitor (or a SD-card viewer with a TV-in jack)
Connect the camera to a TV monitor with the supplied cable. Then enter the TEST mode. The last
picture will be shown on the TV monitor after pressing the OK key. Press the UP key to the
previous picture and the DOWN key to the next one. The index of the picture and the total number
are shown on the monitor. At any time pressing the OK key again will return to the TEST mode.
•Computer (or a SD-card viewer with a USB port)
Connect the camera to a PC with the supplied USB cable. Then use any image/video viewing
program or image/video browser to view the pictures or videos.
2.9 Shut Down
Just put the power switch at OFF position to turn off the camera. Please note that even in the OFF
mode, the camera still consumes certain power at μA level. Therefore, be sure to take the battery out of
the battery cabinet if the camera will not be used for a long time.

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
Page 8
Advanced Settings
After you are familiar with the basic operations of the camera, you are now ready for advanced
operations. The advanced operations in this section are very similar to the basic operations, only the
options and parameters of the camera are explained in more details.
3.1 Parameter Settings
In order to change the parameter settings, you must enter into the TEST mode at first. Setting a
parameter can be done by pressing the MENU key in the TEST mode.
After you enter the Test mode, some suggestive information will be shown on the LCD. The effective
value will be shown on the LCD after setting except for the date and time. Press the UP or DOWN key
to enter the previous or next parameter (the UP key for the previous parameter and DOWN key for the
next parameter). Press the RIGHT key to change the value of specific parameter. Press OK key to save
the value shown on the LCD and then press the UP or DOWN key to set the next parameter, or just
press the MENU key to exit the MENU state without saving any changes. PLEASE note, anytime you
press the MENU key without first pressing the OK key, you will leave the MENU state without any
saving and no parameters are changed.
3.1.1 Camera Mode
This camera has two values: camera and video. The default value is “camera”. Two ways are
available for setting this parameter: one is to use the shortcut key and the other is through the
MENU. By using the shortcut key, you can set the camera to the video mode by pressing the
UP key and setting the Camera Mode to camera mode by pressing the DOWN key in the TEST
mode. You can change it to video mode by the following procedure:
1. In MENU, the default setting of the Camera Mode, “camera”, is highlighted as shown in
Fig. 5(a) and 5(1).
2. This parameter has two options: “camera” and “video”. Pressing the RIGHT key can
switch between these two options as shown in Fig. 5(b) and 5(2).. The selected option will be
highlighted,
3. Press the OK key to save the current setting or the MENU key to cancel the setting
process and exit. You will quit setting process without saving and no parameter will be changed
if you press the MENU key at any time before pressing the OK key. After pressing the OK key,
the information in Fig. 5(c) and 5(3) will be shown.
(a) (1)

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
Page 9
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
Figure 5: Setting Camera Mode
3.1.2 Formatting SD Card
The system will delete all files stored in the SD card after formatting. You should make sure
that you have made a backup of important data.
1In MENU, press the UP or DOWN key until the system enters into the format menu, as
shown in Fig. 6(a) and 6(1).
2Press the OK key. The system will ask you to confirm, as shown in Fig. 6(b) and 6(2).
3If you want to proceed the formatting process, press the RIGHT key to change the value
to 『YES』. 『YES』will be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 6(c) and 6(3).
Press the OK key to start formatting the SD card. During formatting, the guide information will
be changed, as shown in Fig. 6(d) and 6(4).
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
Page 10
(d) (4)
Figure 6: Formatting SD card
3.1.3 Image Resolution
This parameter has two optional values: 5 mega pixels (5M Pixel or 5MP) and 3 mega pixels
(3M Pixel or 3MP). The default value is 3 mega pixels.
1In MENU, Press the UP or DOWN key until the parameter “Image Size” appears, as
shown in Fig. 7(a) and 7(1).
2Press the RIGHT key, the value of the parameter will be changed between “5M Pixel”
and “3M Pixel”, as shown in Fig. 7(b) and 7(2). The value will be highlighted.
3Press the OK key to save or press the MENU key to cancel and exit. After pressing the
OK key, the selected value will no longer be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 7(c) and 7(3).
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
Figure 7: Setting image resolution
3.1.4 Video Resolution
This parameter has two values: VGA (640x480) and QVGA (320x240). The default value is
640x480 (VGA). The following demonstrates how to switch the video size, i.e. video
resolution, from 640x480 to 320x240:
1In MENU, Press the UP or DOWN key until the parameter “Video Size” appears, as
shown in Fig. 8(a) and 8(1).

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
Page 11
2Press the RIGHT key, the value of this parameter will be changed between “640x480”
and “320x240”, as shown in Fig. 8(b) and 8(2).
3Press the OK key to save or press the MENU key to cancel and exit. After pressing the
OK key, the selected value will no longer be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 8(c) and 8(3).
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
Figure 8: Setting video size
3.1.5 Date and Time
You can change the date and time of the device by setting this parameter when necessary, e.g.,
after every battery change. In this setting procedure, the function of some keys is not the same
as the function in other settings: the UP/DOWN keys are used to change the value of date/time
and the RIGHT key is used to jump to the next menu. The format of the date is
Month/Day/Year. The format of time is Hour : Minute : Second. The valid value for year is
between 2006 and 2031.
1Press the UP or DOWN key until “Set Clock” appears, as shown in Fig. 9(a) and 9(1).
2Press the OK key to start setting the month. The current date and time will be displayed
and the month will be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 9(b) and 9(2).
3Press the UP or DOWN key to change the month to the desired value. And then press
the RIGHT key to set the day. The day will be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 9(c) and
9(3).
4Press the UP or DOWN key until the desired day, as shown in Fig. 9(d) and 9(4).
5Press the RIGHT key to set the year. The year will be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 9(e)
and 9(5).
6Press the UP or DOWN key to set the year to the desired year, as shown in Fig. 9(f) and
9(6).
7Press the RIGHT key to set the hour. The hour will be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 9(g)

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
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and 9(7).
8Press the UP or DOWN key to the desired hour, as shown in Fig. 9(h) and 9(8).
9Press the RIGHT key to set the minute. The minute will be highlighted, as shown in Fig.
9(i) and 9(9).
10 Press the UP or DOWN key to the desired minute, as shown in Fig. 9(j) and 9(10).
11 Press the RIGHT key to set the second. The second will be highlighted, as shown in Fig.
9(k) and 9(11).
12 Press the UP or DOWN key to the desired second, as shown in Fig. 9(l) and 9(12).
13 Press the OK key to save or press MENU to cancel and exit.
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
(d) (4)
(e) (5)
(f) (6)

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
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(g) (7)
(h) (8)
(i) (9)
(j) (10)
(k) (11)
(l) (12)
Figure 9: Setting date and time
3.1.6 Shooting Mode (1, 2, 3 Photos)
You can let the camera take 1, 2 or 3 Photos after each trigger by setting the shooting mode.
This setting is effective only in the “camera” mode (refer to 3.1.1) when the camera is in the
LIVE mode. The default value is 1 Photo after each trigger.
1In MENU, press the UP or DOWN key until “Capture Number” appears, as shown in
Fig. 10(a) and 10(1).
2Press the RIGHT key to change the value to the desired number (1, 2 and 3). The
desired number will be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 10(b) and 10(2).

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
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3Press the OK key to save or press the MENU key to cancel and exit. After pressing the
OK key, the selected value will no longer be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 10(c) and
10(3).
（a）(1)
（b）(2)
（c）(3)
Figure 10: Setting shooting numbers
3.1.7 Video Length
This parameter sets the video length that the camera will take after each trigger. This setting is
only effective in the “video” mode when camera is in the LIVE mode. The default value of
video length is 10 seconds after each trigger. It can be adjusted from 1 to 60 seconds in the
increment of one second. Press the RIGHT key to change the value by one second or press the
RIGHT key and hold for a few seconds, the value will be increased by 5 seconds or 10 seconds.
1Enter into the Test mode, press the MENU key, press the UP or DOWN key until
“Video Length” appears, as shown in Fig. 11(a) and 11(1).
2Press the RIGHT key until the desired value appears, as shown in Fig. 11(b) and 11(2).
3Press the OK key to save or press the MENU key to cancel and exit. After pressing the
OK key, the selected value will no longer be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 11(c) and
11(3).
（a）(1)

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
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（b）(2)
（c）(3)
Figure 11: Setting video length
3.1.8 Trigger Interval Time Between Two Triggering
The trigger interval time means how long the PIR will be disabled after each trigger. When a
trigger occurred, the triggering object, e.g., an animal might stay or move within the scope for a
long time. This might lead to the next trigger within a short time again. The interval time is set
to prevent this. This parameter is only valid for the LIVE mode. It has 120 values, from 0 to 59
seconds (with the increment of 1 second) and from 1 to 60 minutes (with the increment of 1
minute). The default value is 1 minute (60 seconds). Press the RIGHT key to change the value
by one second or press the RIGHT key and hold for a few seconds, the value will be increased
by 5 seconds or 10 seconds.
1In MENU, press the UP or DOWN key until “Interval” appears, as shown in Fig. 12(a)
and 12(1).
2Press the RIGHT key until the desired value appears, as shown in Fig. 12(b) and 12(2).
3Press the OK key to save or press the MENU key to cancel and exit. After pressing the
OK key, the selected value will no longer be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 12(c) and
12(3).
(a) (1)
(b) (2)

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
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(c) (3)
Figure 12: Setting trigger interval time
3.1.9 PIR Sensitivity
The PIR sensitivity has three degrees: High, Normal and Low. The default value is Normal.
High means that the camera is easily to be triggered by motion, taking more pictures or
recording more videos. It is recommended to use high sensitivity degree in room or
environment with less interference. Use Low sensitivity for outdoor or environment where
more interference is involved, like hot wind, smoke, near window etc. The sensitivity of the
PIR is closely related to temperature. Under higher temperature, the PIR has lower sensitivity.
It is suggested to set a higher sensitivity for high temperature environment.
1In Menu, press the UP or DOWN key until “Sensor Level” appears, as shown in Fig.
13(a) and 13(1).
2Press the RIGHT key until the desired value appears, as shown in Fig. 13(b) and 13(2).
3Press the OK key to save or press the MENU key to cancel and exit. After pressing the
OK key, the selected value will no longer be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 13(c) and
13(3).
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
Figure 13: Setting PIR sensitivity
3.1.10 Time Stamp
This parameter defines whether the time should be stamped on the pictures or not. So, the

HCO 3-Advanced Setting SG550/SG530
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parameter only two values: On and Off. The default value is On.
1Press the UP or DOWN key until “Time Stamp” appears, as shown in Fig. 14(a) and
14(1).
2Press the RIGHT key to change the value to the desired value, as shown in Fig. 14(b)
and 14(2).
3Press the OK key to save or MENU key to cancel and exit. After pressing the OK key,
the selected value will no longer be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 14(c) and 14(3).
(a) (1)
(b) (2)
(c) (3)
Figure 14: Setting time stamp
3.1.11 Timer
You can define a certain time period in a day when the camera can be triggered. In the rest of
the time the device is shut off. This function is only effective when the camera is in the LIVE
mode. The value of the hour ranges from 0 to 23 and the minute ranges from 0 to 59. The Start
and Stop time will only be effective when the timer is set to the value “On”.
1In MENU, press the UP or DOWN key until “Timer Switch” appears, as shown in Fig.
15(a) and 15(1).
2Press the RIGHT key to switch between “On” and “Off” of this function, as shown in
Fig. 15(b) and 15(2).
3Choose “On” to proceed further settings. press the OK key, you will see “TIME LAPSE
SET”. The hour of Star time will be highlighted, as shown in Fig. 15(c) and 14(3).
4Press the UP or DOWN key until desired hour appears, as shown in Fig. 15(d) and
15(4).
5Press the RIGHT key to set minute of the Start time. The minute of Start time will be
highlighted, as shown in Fig. 15(e) and 15(5).
6Press the UP or DOWN key until the desired minute appears, as shown in Fig. 15(f) and