Marport Trawl Explorer User manual

Trawl Explorer
User Guide

Contents | ii
Contents
Legal.................................................................................................4
History...........................................................................................................................................................................4
Copyright......................................................................................................................................................................4
Disclaimer....................................................................................................................................................................4
Introduction and Presentation..........................................................5
Introduction................................................................................................................................................................5
Applications................................................................................................................................................................ 6
Safety Guidelines...................................................................................................................................................... 7
Description.................................................................................................................................................................. 8
Firmware..........................................................................................................................................................8
Technical Specifications............................................................................................................................8
Main Parts.......................................................................................................................................................9
Operational Mode Indicator................................................................................................................... 10
Installation Steps.....................................................................................................................................................11
Sensor Configuration...................................................................... 12
Installing Mosa........................................................................................................................................................ 12
Connecting the Sensor to Mosa........................................................................................................................ 13
Sounding Modes......................................................................................................................................................15
Configuring the Uplink, Up and Down Settings.........................................................................................16
Uplink.............................................................................................................................................................. 16
Up/Down Soundings..................................................................................................................................16
Target Strength........................................................................................................................................... 18
About Time Variable Gain.................................................................................................................................. 20
Configuring Measurement Sending Sequence and True Mode............................................................ 20
Selecting A1 Board Orientation..........................................................................................................................21
Canceling the Ringing.......................................................................................................................................... 22
Configuring the Uplink Power.......................................................................................................................... 24
Testing Measures................................................................................................................................................... 25
Exporting Configuration Settings for Record Keeping............................................................................26
Exporting Sensor Configuration for Receiver.............................................................................................26
System Configuration and Display..................................................28
Adding the Sensor to the Receiver................................................................................................................. 28
Adding the Sensor with a Configuration File................................................................................. 28
Adding the Sensor Manually................................................................................................................. 30
Adding the Sensor to the Receiver......................................................................................... 30
Configuring the Sensor Settings..............................................................................................32
Configuring the Sensor Display on Scala......................................................................................................33

Contents | iii
Installation..................................................................................... 36
Installing a Trawl Explorer on the Trawl.................................................................................................... 36
Servicing and Maintenance.............................................................39
Interference Check.................................................................................................................................................39
Spectrum Analyzer Display....................................................................................................................39
Checking Noise Interference................................................................................................................. 39
Charging the Sensor.............................................................................................................................................. 41
Maintenance.............................................................................................................................................................42
Cleaning the Sensor..................................................................................................................................43
Maintenance Checklist.............................................................................................................................43
Troubleshooting......................................................................................................................................................44
Mosa does not start due to error message......................................................................................44
Sensor has difficulty connecting to Mosa....................................................................................... 44
Data in Scala is wrong............................................................................................................................ 44
Echogram is fixed and blue...................................................................................................................45
Pitch and Roll are wrong........................................................................................................................45
Support Contact......................................................................................................................................................46
Appendix.........................................................................................47
Appendix A: Frequency Plan............................................................................................................................. 47
Index.................................................................................................................52

Trawl Explorer | V2 | Legal
Legal
History
V1 05/09/17 First release
V2 03/09/18
New topic:
•About Time Variable Gain on page 20
•Canceling the Ringing on page 22
•Appendix A: Frequency Plan on page 47
Copyright
© 2016-2017 Marport. All Rights reserved.
No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form by any means; electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the express
written permission from Marport. “Marport ”, the Marport logo and Software Defined Sonar are
registered trademarks of Marport. All other brands, products and company names mentioned
are the trademark and property of its respective owners only. Marport is a division of Airmar
Technology Corporation.
Disclaimer
Marport endeavors to ensure that all information in this document is correct and fairly stated, but
does not accept liability for any errors or omissions.
The present user guide is applicable for the following versions:
•Scala: 01.06.06-01.06.14
•Mosa: 01.01.01-01.02.00
Patents apply to products. U.S. Patents 9,772,416; 9,772,417
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Introduction and Presentation
Introduction and Presentation
Read this section to get a basic knowledge of your Trawl Explorer sensor.
Tip: Click Marport logo at the bottom of pages to come back to the table of contents.
Introduction
Marport’s Trawl Explorer is your eye on the fishing gear. This sounder can be placed on your trawl
headrope or tunnel in order to send useful information to the wheelhouse.
Thanks to the sounder you will see:
• On the echogram, the trawl opening and fish entering the net.
• Also on the echogram, the distance between the footrope and seabed to see if the gear touches
the bottom.
• Depth data
• Temperature data
• Pitch and roll data
• Distance from the sensor to the seabed or footrope
The Trawl Explorer can adapt to different types of fishing methods. For example, you can fully
configure the sounding modes in accordance with your fishing method to have optimum results.
On the latest version of Trawl Explorer, the echogram displays target stength values that helps you
to identify fish.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Introduction and Presentation
Applications
This is an example of data received from a Trawl Explorer sensor and displayed in Scala.
Trawl Explorer display from the trawl headrope
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Introduction and Presentation
Safety Guidelines
Important: To ensure proper and safe use of this equipment, carefully read and follow the
instructions in this manual.
Basic good practices
When using the product, be careful: mechanical shocks can cause damage to the electronic
components inside.
Never place the product in a hazardous and/or flammable atmosphere.
Product installation and use
Install and use this product in accordance with this user manual. Incorrect use of the product may
cause damage to the components or void the warranty.
Only qualified Marport dealers can do internal sensor maintenance and repairs.
Precautions
Warning: In case of water ingress in the product, do not charge it: battery may vent or
rupture, causing product or physical damage.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Introduction and Presentation
Description
Firmware
There are three versions of the Trawl Explorer. Each version has a different firmware (called NBTE)
and different features.
NBTE V1 NBTE V2 NBTE V3
Name of firmware FIRM121 FIRM126 FIRM128
Autorange feature no yes yes
Target strength on echograms no no yes
Technical Specifications
Uplink frequency 30 to 60 kHz
Range to vessel up to 2500 m*
Sounder broadband frequency Configurable between 120-210 kHz
Sounder range V1/V2 5 to 80 m - V3 5 to 160 m
Data update rate Depth: 1-8 sec. - Temp/Battery/Height/Pitch&Roll:
every 6 sec.
Echogram update rate V1 up to 1 image/second - V2/V3 up to 3 images/second
Pitch angle ±90°
Roll angle V1 ±90°; V2, V3 ±180°
Pitch & roll accuracy ±0.1°
Depth resolution 0.1m with 0.1% accuracy
Temp measurement range -5° C to +25° C
Temp accuracy ±0.1° C
Battery type Lithium-Ion
Typical battery life: 30-75 hours †
Standard: 8-12 hours ‡
Charging time Fast Charge: 4 hours
Weight in air (with housing) 16 kg
Weight In water (with housing) 4.1 kg
Warranty 2 years (Sensor & Battery)**
*Reference only. Depends on functions enabled. / † Depends on sensor uplink power. / ‡ Based on
average charging time. / **Marport Standard Marine Limited Warranty
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Introduction and Presentation
Beamwidth
Beamwidths for uplink pings:
Beamwidth @ 35 kHz @ 50 kHz @ 60 kHz
-3dB 46° 40° 30°
Beamwidths for up and down pings:
Beamwidth @ 125 kHz @ 160 kHz @ 200 kHz
-3dB 26° 24° 22°
Outline dimensions
146 mm
500 mm
400 mm
Main Parts
External View
Retainer
screw
Model/serial
number
Stabilizer
board
Metal strap
Transducer
Positive charge
Negative charge
Water switch
Pressure sensor
Temperature
sensor
Shoulder bolts
The serial number may also be written on a plate on the side of the housing.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Introduction and Presentation
CAUTION:
• Do not put foreign objects into depth sensor opening or try to open it.
• Do not remove the shoulder bolts from the outside of the sensor
It may damage the components.
On the transducer, up and down sounders are written with the letters
A (down) and B (up). On older sensors, down sounder is marked by a
circle.
Operational Mode Indicator
Indicators from the transducer
State Situation Operation LED
Charging Charger plug is
connected.
Batteries are charging. No light.
Running Sensor is in water or
activated with jumper.
After an initialization phase,
echo sounder is operating.
Flashing red
Configuring Sensor is out of water. Configuration via Bluetooth.
Turns off after 10 minutes
without user action.
Flashing green
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Introduction and Presentation
Installation Steps
Tip: Click an installation step to jump directly to the corresponding section.
Note: You can customize the display of data on Scala at any time.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
Sensor Configuration
Learn how to configure Trawl Explorer sensor settings.
Note: This guide refers to the following versions of Mosa: 01.01.01-01.02.00. If you use
another version, the visual interface and options may vary.
Note: Mosa is now available on tablet computers:
• Download Mosa app on the Play Store.
• The range of the bluetooth connection depends on the model of tablet. Refer to your local
Marport office for guidance.
Installing Mosa
If Mosa is not already installed on your computer, you need to install it to configure the sensor.
About this task
Note: On desktop and laptop computers, Mosa can only be installed on a macOS operating
system.
Note: To install Mosa on a tablet computer, download the app from the Play Store.
Procedure
1. Double-click the *.dmg file received from Marport.
2. From the installation window that appears, drag the Mosa icon to the Applications icon.
Mosa is added to the Launchpad .
3. From the Launchpad , click and drag Mosa icon to the Dock at the bottom of the screen.
To open Mosa, click its icon on the Dock.
4. If you have an error message when trying to open Mosa, change the Security & Privacy settings:
a) From the upper left corner of the screen, click Apple menu> System Preferences> Security
& Privacy .
b) From the lower left corner of the Security & Privacy dialog box, click the lock icon and enter
the password, if applicable.
c) At Allow apps downloaded from, select Anywhere, then close the dialog box.
d) If you are under macOS Sierra, Anywhere option may not be displayed by default. To display
Anywhere:
• Click the magnifying glass from the top right corner of your screen and type Terminal.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
•Select Terminal from the results.
• From the terminal, enter sudo spctl --master-disable.
• Press enter.
Anywhere option is now displayed in Security & Privacy preferences.
Connecting the Sensor to Mosa
To configure the sensor, you need to connect it via Bluetooth to Mosa.
Procedure
1. Open Mosa.
2. Connect the water-switch.
The LED flashes red.
3. Disconnect the water-switch.
After a few seconds, the LED flashes green.
4. From Mosa, wait a few seconds for the sensor to be recognized. The sensor appears from A1
Sensors on the left side of the window.
5. Click the sensor name.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
Sensor configuration page is displayed.
What to do next
You can now configure the sensor settings.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
Sounding Modes
The sensor can send pings according to three different sounding modes.
Down 1
Sensor sends pings towards down direction only.
You can see fish going into the trawl.
Pings are sent quicker than with the other modes, so more
data is received, which enables a better horizontal resolution.
This mode is recommended for better quality echogram
images.
Down 1 + Up
Sensor sends pings towards down and up directions.
With the down sounding, you can see fish going into the
trawl. With the up sounding you can see if fish are missing
the trawl and passing above the headline. This way, you can
correct the trawl position.
Fewer pings are sent because they are distributed between the
2 directions. As a result, data arrives slower to the receiver
and echograms are of lesser quality.
Down 1 + Down 2
Sensor sends 2 consecutive pings towards down direction.
This mode is useful if you need to test two different pings
towards the down direction. For example, sending one short
and one long ping, or sending one low frequency and one
higher frequency ping.
Like down + up mode, fewer pings are sent because they are
distributed between the two different down soundings. As a
result, data arrives slower to the receiver and echograms are
of lesser quality.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
Configuring the Uplink, Up and Down Settings
You can configure different settings for uplink, down and up soundings.
Before you begin
The sensor is connected to Mosa.
About this task
Remember: Always click Apply after you change a setting and make sure there is a green
check mark .
Procedure
Click the tab Trawl Explorer.
Uplink
Procedure
From TE Uplink Frequency, enter a frequency for the signal toward the vessel.
Important: This parameter must be the same in the sensor settings in Scala.
Up/Down Soundings
Procedure
1. From NBTE Setup Options, select the sounding mode (see Sounding Modes on page 15 for more
information).
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
2. From Down and Up Sounding Range, select the range according to how many meters you want
to see under the sensor.
Note: The range influences the display of echogram images. When the range is short,
data can arrive quicker, which gives better quality images. But the bigger the range is, the
lesser the image quality is, because data arrives slower. If you are using Down 1 + Up or
double down sounding, the image quality is even lower, as explained in Sounding Modes
on page 15.
Note: The range of the down sounding can automatically change to 20 meters
if the distance to the bottom becomes lower than 20 meters and if you entered a trawl
opening lower than 20 m. See next step to activate or not this feature.
Important: This parameter must be the same in the sensor settings in Scala.
3. If you want the range of the down sounding to automatically change to 20 m when
the bottom is closer (< 20 m):
•Make sure you only use Down 1 sounding mode.
• Enter the height of the trawl opening. It must be lower than 20 m. This is to make sure the
sensor will search for the bottom beginning from this distance. This way, the sensor will not
confuse the footrope with the bottom of the sea. For example, if the footrope is at 4 meters,
enter a greater distance, such as 5 meters.
Note: With the autorange feature, the echogram displays better quality images when the
distance to the bottom is smaller.
Important: Do not use the autorange feature if using Down 1 + Up or Down 1 + Down 2
sounding mode: you will have wrong data on the echogram.
4. If you do not want the range of the down sounding to automatically change, enter 20 m or
more.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
5. From Down and Up Ping Length, enter a pulse length. Pulse length depends on the distance at
which you need to detect fish (the longer the pulse, the further you can see, but with a lower
resolution):
• Detection between 20 cm and 2 m, enter 0.1 ms
• Detection between 50 cm and 160 m (V2: up to 80 m), enter 0.4 ms .
Important: Do not change ping lengths on a V3 sensor or it will have to be
returned to a Marport sales' office for target strength calibration.
Note: The maximum detection depth depends on ping frequency and type of bottom. The
lower the ping frequency is, the longer the detection depth is.
6. From Ping Up/Down Frequency, enter frequencies for up and down soundings. You can choose
the same frequency for both because they do not transmit at the same time.
Important: Frequency needs to be between 120-210 kHz.
Important: Do not change ping frequency on a V3 sensor or it will have to be
returned to a Marport sales' office for target strength calibration.
Target Strength
Procedure
1. For V3 version of the sensor, Down and Up channel minimum TS helps you detecting
targets on the echogram. You can put -79 dB if you want to detect small targets. Otherwise,
leave the default settings at -73 dB.
Important: This parameter must be the same in the sensor settings in Scala.
2. From Down and Up TVG Mode, select the appropriate TVG (Time Variable Gain) mode. See
About Time Variable Gain on page 20 for more information.
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Trawl Explorer | V2 | Sensor Configuration
For V3 version of sensors:
• 20 log: focus on bottom or school of fish .
• 40 log: focus on individual targets.
• 30 log: compromise between the two above settings.
For V1 and V2 versions of sensors:
•From TVG Coefficient, enter between 0.500 and 0.520 to have approximately the equivalent
of 20 log , 0.75 for 30 log or 1 for 40 log.
•From Attenuator Coefficient, enter 25.
•Leave VCO Coefficient default settings at 3.
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