Sea-Bird Electronics SBE 11 plus V2 User manual

SBE 11plus V2
Deck Unit
For use with SBE 9plus CTD
Note: NEW ADDRESS
as of January 18, 2010
User’s Manual
Sea-Bird Electronics, Inc. Manual Version #012, 09/05/08
13431 NE 20th Street PCB Firmware Versions:
Bellevue, Washington 98005 USA Digital - 5.2 and later
Telephone: [phone] Modem - 2.0c and later
Fax: [phone] Receiver - 2.1 and later
E-mail: [email protected] Remote Output - 1.0 and later
Website: www.seabird.com Software Versions:
SEASAVE V7 version 7.18 and later
SBE Data Processing version 7.18 and later

2
Limited Liability Statement
Extreme care should be exercised when using or servicing this equipment. It should be used or serviced
only by personnel with knowledge of and training in the use and maintenance of oceanographic
electronic equipment.
SEA-BIRD ELECTRONICS, INC. disclaims all product liability risks arising from the use or servicing
of this system. SEA-BIRD ELECTRONICS, INC. has no way of controlling the use of this equipment
or of choosing the personnel to operate it, and therefore cannot take steps to comply with laws
pertaining to product liability, including laws which impose a duty to warn the user of any dangers
involved in operating this equipment. Therefore, acceptance of this system by the customer shall be
conclusively deemed to include a covenant by the customer to defend, indemnify, and hold SEA-BIRD
ELECTRONICS, INC. harmless from all product liability claims arising from the use or servicing of
this system.

Table of Contents
3
Table of Contents
Section 1: Introduction........................................................................ 5
About this Manual .............................................................................................5
How to Contact Sea-Bird...................................................................................5
Unpacking SBE 11plus V2................................................................................6
Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2 ........................................... 7
System Description............................................................................................7
Deck Unit Specifications ...................................................................................8
System Communications ...................................................................................9
Deck Unit Front Panel .....................................................................................10
Deck Unit Back Panel......................................................................................12
Section 3: Mounting and Wiring System......................................... 13
Mounting Deck Unit........................................................................................13
Wiring System .................................................................................................13
Section 4: Installing and Using Sea-Bird Software........................ 16
Installing Software...........................................................................................16
Using SEATERM ............................................................................................17
Using SEASAVE.............................................................................................19
Using SBE Data Processing.............................................................................21
Section 5: Setting Up System ............................................................ 23
Setting Operating Parameters in SEATERM...................................................23
Commands Entered with SEATERM.......................................................24
Setting Up CTD Configuration (.con) File in SEASAVE ...............................26
Section 6: Setting Up NMEA Interface............................................ 28
NMEA Interface Commands ...........................................................................29
Commands Sent by User with SEATERM...............................................29
Commands Sent Automatically by SEASAVE ........................................29
Setting Up NMEA in SEATERM....................................................................30
Setting Up and Testing NMEA in SEASAVE.................................................31
Troubleshooting NMEA Interface...................................................................32
NMEA Message Simulation Program..............................................................32
NMEA Navigation Device Message and Data Formats...................................34
Message Formats......................................................................................34
Data Formats.............................................................................................35
Section 7: Setting Up Surface PAR .................................................. 36
Surface PAR Commands .................................................................................36
Setting Up Surface PAR and Adjusting for Drift in SEATERM.....................36
Setting Up CTD Configuration (.con) File in SEASAVE ...............................37
Surface PAR Data Format ...............................................................................37
Section 8: Setting Up Remote Output.............................................. 38
Pressure Frequency and Pressure Temperature................................................38
Converted Data Output (CDO)........................................................................39
Calibration Coefficients and PROG11V2.................................................39
Configuring CDO .....................................................................................40
CDO Commands Entered with SEATERM..............................................41
Converted Data Output Data Format........................................................45
Section 9: Setting Up Water Sampler .............................................. 46
Setting Deck Unit Modem PCB Dip Switches ................................................46
Setting Up Water Sampler in SEASAVE........................................................47

Table of Contents
4
Section 10: Setting Up RS-232 Serial Data Uplink ......................... 49
Serial Data Output Instrument Requirements ..................................................49
SBE 9plus CTD Requirements ........................................................................50
SBE 11plus V2 Deck Unit Requirements........................................................50
System Limitations..........................................................................................50
Theory of Operation.........................................................................................51
Section 11: Operating System........................................................... 52
Acquiring Real-Time Data and Firing Bottles from SEASAVE......................52
Firing Bottles from Deck Unit Front Panel......................................................54
Processing Data................................................................................................55
Section 12: Data Formats.................................................................. 56
Deck Unit LED Display Format ......................................................................57
Raw Output Data Format.................................................................................58
IEEE-488 Output......................................................................................58
RS-232 Output..........................................................................................59
Calculation of Engineering Units in SEASAVE..............................................60
Calculation of Engineering Units in SBE Data Processing..............................60
Section 13: Troubleshooting.............................................................. 61
Problem 1: SEASAVE Does Not Collect Any Data........................................61
Problem 2: Deck Unit Completely Inoperable.................................................61
Problem 3: Deck Unit Overflow Light on........................................................62
Problem 4: CTD Does Not Respond................................................................63
Problem 5: Data LED Does Not Turn On........................................................63
Problem 6: RS-232 Interface Not Working .....................................................64
Problem 7: IEEE-488 Interface Not Working..................................................64
Problem 8: Tape Recorder Interface Not Working..........................................65
Problem 9: Modem Channel Not Working......................................................65
Glossary .............................................................................................. 67
Appendix I: Command Summary.................................................... 68
Appendix II: Commands Sent Automatically by SEASAVE......... 70
Appendix III: Functional Description and Circuitry .................... 72
Deck Unit Data Interfaces................................................................................72
Data Telemetry Receiver .................................................................................72
Deck Unit Modem ...........................................................................................72
Deck Unit Power..............................................................................................74
Sea Cable Supply.............................................................................................74
Deck Unit Cooling...........................................................................................74
Tape Recorder/VCR Interface .........................................................................74
Circuitry...........................................................................................................74
Appendix IV: Replacement Parts..................................................... 77
Index.................................................................................................... 78

Section 1: Introduction
5
Section 1: Introduction
This section includes contact information and photos of a standard
SBE 11plus V2 shipment.
About this Manual
This manual is to be used with the SBE 11plus V2 Deck Unit.
It is organized to guide the user from installation through operation. We’ve
included detailed specifications, setup and operation descriptions, and helpful
notes throughout the manual.
Sea-Bird welcomes suggestions for new features and enhancements of our
products and/or documentation. Please e-mail any comments or suggestions to
[email protected].
How to Contact Sea-Bird
Sea-Bird Electronics, Inc.
1808 136th Place Northeast
Bellevue, Washington 98005 USA
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [e-mail]
Website: http://www.seabird.com
Business hours:
Monday-Friday, 0800 to 1700 Pacific Standard Time
(1600 to 0100 Universal Time)
Except from April to October, when we are on summer time
(1500 to 0000 Universal Time)

Section 1: Introduction
6
Unpacking SBE 11plus V2
Shown below is a typical SBE 11plus V2 shipment. Inclusion of test cables,
cables for optional interfaces, etc. is dependent on the order.
Deck Unit power cable
Deck Unit to 9plus test cable
SBE 11plus V2 Deck Unit
Deck Unit Manual
SBE 11plus V2
Deck Unit
Computer to Deck Unit cable for
SBE 11 Interface (RS-232) and Modem
Channel connectors (2 cables / Deck Unit)
Software, and Electronic Copies of
Software Manuals and User Manual
25-pin to 9-pin adapter
(for use with computer with
DB-25 connector;
4 adapters/Deck Unit)
Rack mount kit
(screws not shown)
NMEA Interface test cable CDO Remote Out
Interface test cable 9600 Baud Uplink
Interface cable
Spare connector & hardware kit
(Sea Cable, NMEA, &
Surface PAR connectors)
(1 connector & hardware shown)

Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2
7
Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2
This section describes the functions and features of the SBE 11plus V2
Deck Unit, as well as system communications.
System Description
The SBE 9plus CTD is used with the SBE 11plus V2 Deck Unit for real-time
data acquisition, or with the SBE 17plus V2 SEARAM for in-situ recording.
This manual covers the use of the 11plus V2 Deck Unit with the 9plus.
The rack-mountable Deck Unit supplies DC power to the CTD, decodes the
serial data stream, and passes the data to a computer (in IEEE-488 or RS-232
format). The Deck Unit’s back-panel switch permits operation from 120 or
240 VAC 50/60 Hz input power. The front panel provides numeric display of
frequency and voltage data via a thumbwheel switch and 8-digit LED readout.
Other features include:
•300 baud modem interface - provides power and real-time control for a
water sampler (SBE 32 Carousel, or G.O. 1015 or 1016 Rosette) or
remote serial output device. The modem permits water sampler control
through the Deck Unit or via SEASAVE software. Bottles may be fired
sequentially or (SBE 32 and G.O. 1016 only) in any order.
The interface must be installed in the Deck Unit and CTD.
Additional information:
¾SBE 32 Carousel - 911plus is compatible with full size
(SBE 32) and compact (SBE 32C) Carousel sizes.
¾G.O. 1015 - Deck Unit must also have optional 1015 control module.
•NMEA Interface that merges position data with the CTD data. The
NMEA Interface decodes messages that are output from navigation
devices supporting NMEA 0183 protocol. Decoded Latitude and
Longitude are appended to the CTD data stream in the Deck Unit, and are
passed to the computer for storage and display with the CTD data.
•A/D converter for a Surface PAR light sensor. The Deck Unit supplies
12 volts to power the sensor, and merges the PAR data with the CTD data.
•Tape recorder interface for recording the digital data stream on an
audiocassette recorder or VCR.
•Remote output. The Deck Unit provides two remote outputs -
¾Pressure frequency and pressure temperature, transmitted 24 times
per second, can be used to control a towed vehicle.
¾Any combination of temperature, conductivity, pressure, depth,
salinity, sound velocity, and altimeter height, in engineering units.
A limited set of these parameters can be displayed on an SBE 14
Remote Depth Readout or SBE 46 LCD Display Box.
•Audible alarm, which sounds based on data from the CTD pressure
sensor, data from a bottom contact switch connected to the CTD,
and/or data from an altimeter connected to the CTD.
•RS-232 Serial Data Uplink interface - provides RS-232 output from the
Deck Unit for data from a remote serial output device connected to the
CTD. The interface must also be installed in the CTD, and is included
in the CTD only if ordered with the option.
Note:
The RS-232 Serial Data Uplink
interface is standard on all Deck Units
with serial number 637 and higher;
however, the 300 baud modem
interface must also be installed in
the Deck Unit for the serial data
uplink to be operational. For older
units, the interface was included only if
the user ordered the Deck Unit with
the option.
Notes:
•When the 9plus CTD is used with
the 11plus V2 Deck Unit, the system
is often referred to as the 911plus.
•It is possible to use the SEARAM to
record 9plus data in memory at the
same time as 9plus data is
transmitted real-time through the
Deck Unit. This provides a data
back-up in case there are data
transmission problems over the sea
cable. See the 9plus manual for
wiring and deployment details.
Note:
The 300 baud modem interface, now
standard in both the Deck Unit and
CTD, was optional in Deck Units with
serial number 700 and lower and in
9plus CTDs with serial number 785
and lower.

Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2
8
The Deck Unit is supplied with a powerful Windows 2000/XP software
package, SEASOFT-Win32, which includes:
•SEATERM – terminal program for easy setup.
•SEASAVE V7 – program for acquiring, converting, and displaying real-
time or archived raw data.
•SBE Data Processing – program for calculation and plotting of
conductivity, temperature, pressure, auxiliary sensor data, and derived
variables such as salinity and sound velocity..
Deck Unit Specifications
Power
Requirements 120 VAC or 240 VAC 50/60 Hz (selectable)
Sea Cable
Compatibility
Single or multi-core armored cable up to
10,000 meters (32,800 feet) long with inner core
resistance of up to 350 ohms
Deck Unit
Dimensions
132 x 432 x 432 mm (5.2 x 17 x 17 inch) cabinet with
standard 19-inch (distance between centers of
mounting holes) rack mounting brackets
Notes:
•Help files provide detailed
information on SEATERM,
SEASAVE V7, and SBE Data
Processing.
•NMEATest, a NMEA navigation
device simulation program, is part
of the SBE Data Processing
installation.
•Separate software manuals on CD-
ROM contain detailed information on
the setup and use of the software.
•Sea-Bird also supplies an older
version of SEASAVE, SEASAVE-
Win32. However, all SEASAVE
instructions in this manual are
written for SEASAVE V7. See
SEASAVE-Win32’s manual and/or
Help files if you prefer to use the
older software.
Notes:
•Computer, slip ring-equipped winch,
conductive cable, and NMEA 0183
navigation device are not supplied by
Sea-Bird.
•When used without a water sampler, the
SBE 9plus is deployed in a vertical
orientation.
•Standard and optional auxiliary sensors
on the 9plus CTD are not shown.
•SEASAVE 7.17 or later also supports
acquisition of data from a NMEA device
connected directly to the computer
(instead of the deck unit).

Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2
9
System Communications
System communications are summarized below:
Note: A NMEA navigation device can be connected directly to the computer instead of to the Deck Unit. This feature is
supported in SEASAVE V7 version 7.17 and later. The output from SEASAVE is the same, regardless of whether the NMEA
data was appended in the Deck Unit or in the computer.

Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2
10
Deck Unit Front Panel
1Power button - turns power to the Deck Unit on/off. When turned on,
voltage is applied to back panel Sea Cable connector immediately.
2Word Select thumbwheel switch - used to select any sensor channel, data
buffer status, or other diagnostic indicators for LED display.
3Word Display LED - used to view individual data words (uncorrected
frequencies, A/D voltages, etc.) and data buffer status.
4NMEA LED - flashes each time a NMEA message is successfully decoded.
5Overflow LED - turns on when output buffer has overflowed because
computer did not take data from Deck Unit (through IEEE-488 or RS-232
interface) quickly enough. When this occurs, some data has been irretrievably
lost. LED stays on until Reset button is pushed or a reset command is received.
6Receive LED - flashes when Deck Unit receives characters from computer
over IEEE-488 or RS-232C interface.
7Transmit LED - flashes when Deck Unit sends data to computer over
IEEE-488 or RS-232C interface.
8and 9Error and Data LEDs - Data LED comes on and stays on to indicate
Deck Unit is successfully receiving data from CTD at expected rate and
format. Error LED flashes when data from the CTD is incorrect (that is,
modulo count indicates a skipped scan). In general, if Data LED is on and
Error LED is off, CTD and telemetry link are working properly.
10 Alarm buzzer - sounds based on alarm logic for bottom contact switch,
altimeter, and/or pressure.
11 SBE or G.O. LED - Water sampler type is controlled by SW1 on the Deck
Unit Modem PCB. If SW1 is set to SBE 32 Carousel, SBE LED comes on and
stays on. If SW1 is set to General Oceanics 1015 or 1016 Rosette, G.O. LED
comes on and stays on.
12 and 13 Home/Arm and Fire pushbuttons and LEDs - operation varies,
depending on water sampler type:
•SBE 32 Carousel -
¾Home/Arm button resets Carousel, so it will close bottle at position
#1 next time Fire button is pushed. When confirmation is received
from Carousel, Home/Arm LED comes on and stays on until you fire
first bottle.
¾Fire button causes Carousel to fire, closing next position bottle. When
confirmation is received from Carousel, Fire LED comes on and stays
on until the next time you push Fire or Home/Arm button.
¾When Carousel is fired via software, Fire LED comes on for
5 seconds when confirmation is received.
Note:
Water sampler bottles can also
be fired from the computer
using SEASAVE real-time data
acquisition software or user-
developed software.

Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2
11
•G.O. 1015 Rosette -
¾Home/Arm button powers Rosette. Home/Arm LED comes on
15 seconds later, when confirmation is received from Rosette,
indicating pylon is powered and ready to fire. Home/Arm LED stays
on until you push Fire button. You must power Rosette each time
you fire a bottle.
¾Fire button causes Rosette to fire, closing next bottle. Fire LED
comes on when confirmation is received from Rosette, and remains lit
until Home/Arm is pushed again. Fire button is active only when
Home/Arm LED is lit.
¾When Rosette is fired via software, Fire LED comes on for 5 seconds
when confirmation is received.
•G.O. 1016 Rosette -
¾Home/Arm button resets Rosette, causing arm to move to Home
position (ready to fire bottle #1) with an offset specified by SW1
on Deck Unit Modem PCB. When confirmation is received from
Rosette, Home/Arm LED comes on and stays on until you fire
first bottle.
¾Fire button causes Rosette to fire, closing next position bottle. When
confirmation is received from Rosette, Fire LED lights comes on and
stays on until the next time you push Fire or Home/Arm button.
¾When Rosette is fired via software, Fire LED comes on for 5 seconds
when confirmation is received.
14 Carrier LED - turns on and stays on when Deck Unit modem (for
communications with water sampler or remote serial instrument) detects signal
from modem in CTD (i.e., CTD has modem interface and is connected to
Deck Unit).
15 Reset button - resets system. Empties output buffers and halts input until
instructions are received from computer. Always Reset before beginning a
CTD cast; otherwise, first data sent to computer may be old data left over from
end of a previous cast. SEASAVE performs this reset function automatically
before beginning a cast.
16 Signal Source switch - place in Fish position when data is to be acquired
from CTD. Place in Tape position when previously recorded data is to be
played back from an audio recorder.

Section 2: Description of SBE 11plus V2
12
Deck Unit Back Panel
1Fuse - 2 amp (for 120 V) or 1 amp (for 240 V).
2and 3AC Voltage Switch Selector and AC Input - select 120 VAC or
240 VAC 50/60 Hz.
4SBE 11 Interface - Channel (IEEE-488 or RS-232) between Deck Unit and
computer sends commands to and receives replies from CTD. Note that
Sea-Bird’s terminal program for setting up the system, SEATERM, works
only with RS-232.
5Tape Recorder - connects to an audio tape recorder or VCR. Connect tape
recorder’s Line In to Deck Unit Record. Connect tape recorder’s Line Out to
Deck Unit Play. Note that while Deck Unit has two Record and two Play
jacks, these are internally connected in parallel. This permits a redundant
connection to a typical recorder’s stereo channels. Stereo connection is not
mandatory; error-free recording can be expected even when using recorder’s
second channels for voice annotation or other purposes.
69600 Baud Uplink (currently standard, optional on 11plus V2 with serial
number 636 and lower) - provides RS-232 output from Deck Unit for an
RS-232 instrument connected to CTD. Requires modem channel and jumper
changes for operation.
7Modem Channel (currently standard, optional on 11plus V2 with serial
number 700 and lower) - Channel (RS-232) between Deck Unit and computer
sends commands to and receives replies from water sampler.
8Sea Cable - connects to CTD.
9Remote Out - has two outputs:
A. Pressure frequency and pressure temperature, transmitted 24 times
per second, intended to be used to control a towed vehicle.
B. Any combination of temperature, conductivity, pressure, depth,
salinity, sound velocity, and altimeter height, in engineering units.
A limited set of these parameters can be displayed on an SBE 14
Remote Depth Readout or SBE 46 LCD Display Box.
10 NMEA - connects to a NMEA 0183 navigation device.
11 Surface PAR - connects to a Surface PAR sensor.
Note:
An 11plus V2 with jumpers set for
serial data uplink (#6) cannot output
data through Tape Recorder (#5).
See Section 10: Setting Up RS-232
Serial Data Uplink.
Note:
A NMEA navigation device can be
connected directly to the computer
instead of to the Deck Unit. This
feature is supported by SEASAVE V7
version 7.17 and later; see Setting Up
CTD Configuration (.con) File in
SEASAVE in Section 5: Setting Up
System. The output from SEASAVE is
the same, regardless of whether the
NMEA data was appended in the Deck
Unit or in the computer.

Section 3: Mounting and Wiring System
13
Section 3: Mounting and Wiring System
This section covers:
•Mounting the Deck Unit
•Wiring the system
Mounting Deck Unit
Detachable rack mount ears are provided for mounting the Deck Unit to
standard 19-inch electronics bays.
Wiring System
Sea Cable from Deck Unit to CTD
Terminate the sea cable leads from the winch slip rings with the supplied MS
connector (MS3106A12S-3P). Connect positive power (+, cable inner
conductor) to pin B and negative power (-, cable armor) to Pin A. Connect to
the Sea Cable connector on the Deck Unit back panel.
See the SBE 9plus CTD manual for connection of the sea cable to JT1 on
the CTD.
Computer to Deck Unit
Deck Unit communication with the computer is provided in two channels. The
SBE 11 Interface channel (RS-232 or IEEE-488) sends commands to and
receives replies from the CTD. The Modem channel (RS-232) sends
commands to and receives replies from the water sampler and/or remote serial
instrument (through the CTD). Connect the computer to SBE 11 Interface and
Modem Channel on the Deck Unit back panel using the supplied cables.
NMEA Navigation Device to Deck Unit
Connect the NMEA navigation device to the NMEA connector on the Deck
Unit back panel with the supplied 2-pin MS connector (MS3106A12S-3S).
The connector pin designations are:
Deck Unit Function
Pin A NMEA A(signal)
Pin B NMEA B(signal return)
WARNING!
Life threatening voltage
(+250 VDC) is present on the sea
cable when the Deck Unit is
powered. This voltage persists
for up to 1 minute after removing
power. Verify that the Deck Unit
is disconnected from the AC
power source before connecting
the sea cable to the Deck Unit.
Unplug the AC power cord and
wait 1 minute after power is
removed before working on the
Deck Unit sea cable connector or
sea cable circuits.
Note:
A NMEA navigation device can be
connected directly to the computer
instead of to the Deck Unit. This
feature is supported by SEASAVE
V7 version 7.17 and later; see
Setting Up CTD Configuration
(.con) File in SEASAVE in
Section 5: Setting Up System. The
output from SEASAVE is the same,
regardless of whether the NMEA
data was appended in the Deck
Unit or in the computer.

Section 3: Mounting and Wiring System
14
Surface PAR Sensor to Deck Unit
Connect the Surface PAR sensor to the Surface PAR connector on the Deck
Unit back panel. A 4-pin MS-style connector (MS3106A14S-2P) was supplied
if a cable was not provided. The connector pin designations are:
Deck
Unit Function Biospherical Surface
PAR Sensor with
Switchcraft Connector
Pin A Signal (ground) Pin 3
Pin B Power (+12 volts) Pin 4
Pin C
Power (ground) - Deck Units with
Digital PCB Assembly 40937C or
greater use pin C. All previous versions
do not use pin C.
Pin 1
Pin D Signal Pin 2
- - Pin 5
Note: Biospherical sold the Surface PAR sensor with other connector types in
the past. See the appropriate drawing for pinout details if your sensor does not
have a Switchcraft connector.
Deck Unit to Remote Output
Connect to the Remote Out connector on the Deck Unit back panel, which has
two real-time outputs:
•Raw Pressure - Pressure frequency and pressure temperature, transmitted
24 times per second, intended to be used to control a towed vehicle.
•Converted Data Out (CDO) - Any combination of temperature,
conductivity, pressure, depth, salinity, sound velocity, and altimeter
height, in engineering units. A limited set of these parameters can
be displayed on an SBE 14 Remote Depth Readout or SBE 46 LCD
Display Box.
A 5-pin MS-style connector (MS3106A14S-5P) was supplied if a cable was
not provided. The connector pin designations are:
Deck Unit Function
Pin A Ground
Pin B CDO RS-232 receive
Pin C CDO RS-232 transmit
Pin D Raw pressure RS-232 transmit
Pin E Power (+12 VDC)
Deck Unit to RS-232 Uplink
Connect a computer to the 9600 Baud Uplink DB-9S connector on the Deck
Unit back panel, using the supplied cable. The connector pin designations are:
Deck Unit Function
Pin 3 Transmit to PC
Pin 5 Common

Section 3: Mounting and Wiring System
15
CTD to Auxiliary Sensors and Water Sampler
See the SBE 9plus CTD manual for details on wiring of the CTD to
auxiliary sensors.
For wiring of the CTD to the water sampler:
•SBE 32 Carousel - Connect the CTD’s 6-pin top center JT7 connector to
the 6-pin bulkhead connector at the bottom of the Carousel electronics
housing with the 6-pin to 6-pin jumper cable (17198).
•G.O. 1015 Rosette - Connect the CTD’s 3-pin JT4 connector to the
Rosette. The G.O. 1015 has 2 polarity settings, normal and reverse, which
refer to the sea cable polarity. Most commonly, it is set to reverse,
especially when used with a MK III CTD. The 9plus CTD can be used
with the G.O. 1015 in either setting by choosing the appropriate interface
cable: 17196 for reverse or 17533 for normal. If you have only one
interface cable, the polarity setting of the G.O. 1015 can be changed to
correspond with your cable. Application Note 35 gives detailed
instructions.
•G.O. 1016 Rosette - Connect the CTD’s 6-pin top center JT7 connector
to the Rosette.
Power to Deck Unit
Verify that the Deck Unit back panel power selector switch is in the correct
position (120 or 240 VAC) for your mains power source. Connect power to the
AC Input connector on the Deck Unit back panel using the supplied cable.
WARNING!
Some oceanographic vessels
isolate (un-ground) the AC power
ground circuit. If the Deck Unit
is being installed on a vessel
with an isolated AC power
ground, a secure separate
ground connection must be
made between the Deck Unit
chassis and the ship’s hull for
SAFETY REASONS.
CAUTION:
Connecting a Deck Unit set for
120 volts to a 240 volt power supply
will cause severe damage to the
Deck Unit.

Section 4: Installing and Using Sea-Bird Software
16
Section 4: Installing and Using
Sea-Bird Software
This section briefly covers:
•Installing Sea-Bird software
•Using SEATERM terminal program software for instrument setup
•Using SEASAVE real-time data acquisition software
•Using SBE Data Processing post-processing software
See the software manuals and Help files for detailed information.
Installing Software
Sea-Bird recommends the following minimum system requirements for
SEASOFT-Win32: Windows 2000 or later, 500 MHz processor, 256 MB
RAM, and 90 MB free disk space for installation.
If not already installed, install Sea-Bird software programs on your computer
using the supplied software CD.
Install as follows:
1. With the CD in your CD drive, double click on Seasoft-Win32.exe.
2. Follow the dialog box directions to install the software.
Install all the components, or just install SEATERM (terminal program),
SEASAVE V7 (real-time data acquisition), and SBE Data Processing (data
processing). The default location for the software is c:\Program Files\Sea-Bird.
Within that folder is a sub-directory for each program.
Notes:
•Help files provide detailed
information on SEATERM,
SEASAVE V7, and SBE Data
Processing.
•NMEATest, a NMEA navigation
device simulation program, is part of
the SBE Data Processing
installation.
•Separate software manuals on CD-
ROM contain detailed information on
the setup and use of the software.
•Sea-Bird also supplies an older
version of SEASAVE, SEASAVE-
Win32. However, all SEASAVE
instructions in this manual are
written for SEASAVE V7. See
SEASAVE-Win32’s manual and/or
Help files if you prefer to use the
older software.

Section 4: Installing and Using Sea-Bird Software
17
Using SEATERM 1. Connect the desired Deck Unit connector (SBE 11 Interface RS-232,
Remote Out, 9600 Baud Uplink, or Modem) to the computer using the
supplied cable.
2. Double click on SeaTerm.exe. If this is the first time the program is used,
the setup dialog box may appear:
Select the instrument type (for example, SBE 11 Remote Out if connected
to the Remote Out connector) and the computer COM port for
communication with the instrument. Click OK.
3. The main screen looks like this:
•Menus – For tasks and frequently executed instrument commands.
•Toolbar –Buttons for frequently executed tasks and instrument
commands. All tasks and commands accessed here are also available
in the Menus. To display or hide the Toolbar, select View Toolbar in
the View menu. Grayed out buttons are not applicable.
•Command/Data Echo Area – Echoes (if applicable) a command
executed using a Menu or Toolbar button, as well as the instrument’s
response. Additionally, a command can be manually typed in this
area, from the available commands for the instrument.
•Status bar – Provides status information. To display or hide the Status
bar, select View Status bar in the View menu.
Notes:
•See SEATERM’s Help files for
detailed information.
•The IEE-488 interface does not
work with SEATERM. You must
use the RS-232 interface for
setting up the instrument in
SEATERM.
Status bar
Menus
Command/Data Echo Area Toolbar
Instrument Computer
COM port
Instrument
EPROM version Baud rate, data bits, stop bits, and parity
Capture
to file
status –
grayed
out if not
capturing
Upload
parameter
SBE11Remote
SBE11 Remote Out

Section 4: Installing and Using Sea-Bird Software
18
Following are the Toolbar buttons applicable to the Deck Unit (varies,
depending on which interface is connected):
Toolbar
Buttons Description Equivalent Command
Connect Re-establish communications with instrument.
Computer responds with S> prompt. (press Enter key)
Capture
Capture instrument responses on screen to file;
useful for diagnostics. File has .cap extension.
Press Capture again to turn off capture.
Capture status displays in Status bar.
—
Disconnect Free computer COM port used to communicate
with instrument. COM port can then be used
by another program. —
4. In the Configure menu, select the interface corresponding to the
connection between the computer and the Deck Unit:
•SBE 11 Interface - connection to SBE 11 Interface RS-232 used for
general Deck Unit setup; see Section 5: Setting Up System for details
•SBE 11 Modem
•SBE 11 Remote Out - used to set up Converted Data Output (CDO);
see Section 8: Setting Up Remote Output for details
•SBE 11 9600 Baud Uplink
The Configuration dialog box appears (example shown for
SBE 11 Remote Out).
Make the selections in the Configuration Options dialog box to
correspond to the information on the Deck Unit Configuration Sheet.
Click OK to save the settings.
5. Turn on power to the Deck Unit. Send commands as desired. See
Section 5: Setting Up System, Section 8: Setting Up Remote Output,
Section 9: Setting Up Water Sampler, and Section 10: Setting Up RS-232
Serial Data Uplink for details.
Computer COM port, baud rate,
data bits, and parity for
communication between computer
and Remote Output interface
For communication
between computer and
Remote Output interface

Section 4: Installing and Using Sea-Bird Software
19
Using SEASAVE
SEASAVE provides real-time data acquisition and display of data, as well as
control of bottle firing for a system with a water sampler. When used with the
SBE 11plus V2 Deck Unit, SEASAVE can save the real-time data to a .hex
file on the computer.
1. Double click on Seasave.exe. SEASAVE’s main window looks like this:
•Title bar – The title bar shows the selected instrument type and the
path and file name for the program setup (.psa) file. The .psa file
contains all the instrument setup information as well as size,
placement, and setup for each display window.
•Menus - The Menus contain options for setting up the instrument and
the displays, as well as for starting data acquisition.
•Status display - This display provides the following information:
¾If SEASAVE is acquiring real-time data or reading archived data
¾If SEASAVE is storing real-time data to a file; output data
file name
¾Instrument configuration (.con) file name
To display or hide the Status, select Status in the Display menu.
•Data display windows – SEASAVE can display as many data
windows as desired (within the limits of your computer’s resources).
The windows can be set up to display real-time data (conductivity,
temperature, pressure, etc.) as well as calculated parameters such as
salinity and sound velocity. There are three windows types:
¾Fixed Display has a vertical list of selected parameters to the left,
and displays their current values to the right.
¾Scrolled Display has a list of selected parameters across the top,
and displays the data in scrolling vertical columns.
¾Plot Display plots 1 parameter on the y-axis and up to 4 on the
x-axis, or 1 parameter on the x-axis and up to 4 on the y-axis.
2. Add displays as desired by selecting Add New . . . Display Window in the
Display menu.
Notes:
•See SEASAVE V7’s help files for
detailed information.
•Older SEASAVE versions (<6.0)
saved CTD data coming from the
Deck Unit as a .dat file instead of a
.hex file.

Section 4: Installing and Using Sea-Bird Software
20
3. In Configure Inputs, set up the following:
•Instrument Configuration – instrument configuration (.con) file,
which defines what sensors are integrated with the CTD and what
channels are used by the sensors, sensor calibration coefficients, and
what other data is integrated with the data stream from the 9plus
•Serial Ports – define communication parameters for SBE 11 Interface
channel (sends commands to and receives replies from 9plus); COM
port for Modem Channel (sends commands to and receives replies
from the water sampler, and sends pump on/off commands to 9plus
with custom pump control); and COM ports for serial data output and
SBE 14 Remote Display
•Water Sampler – enable and set up control of bottle firing for a
water sampler
•TCP/IP Ports – define ports for communication with SEASAVE and
for publishing data to remote clients
•Miscellaneous – define parameters required for output of depth,
average sound velocity, descent rate, acceleration, oxygen, plume
anomaly, and/or potential temperature anomaly
•Pump Control – enable user pump control for a custom 9plus
4. In Configure Outputs, set up the following:
•Serial Data Out – enable and set up output of selected raw data
(frequencies and/or voltages) and/or converted data (engineering
units) to a COM port on your computer
•Serial Ports – define communication parameters for SBE 11 Interface
channel (sends commands to and receives replies from the 9plus);
COM port for Modem Channel (sends commands to and receives
replies from the water sampler, and sends pump on/off commands to
9plus with custom pump control); and COM ports for serial data
output and SBE 14 Remote display
•Shared File Out – enable and set up output of selected raw data
(frequencies and/or voltages) and/or converted data (engineering
units) to a shared file on your computer
•Mark Variables - define variables to be written to a file each time the
user marks a scan in SEASAVE during data acquisition
•TCP/IP Out – enable and set up output of raw and/or converted
(engineering units) data to TCP/IP ports
•TCP/IP Ports – define ports for communication with SEASAVE and
for publishing data to remote clients
•SBE 11plus Alarms – enable and set up Deck Unit’s pressure and/or
altimeter alarm
•SBE 14 Remote Display – enable and set up data output to an SBE 14
Remote Display, and set up SBE 14 pressure, altimeter, and/or
bottom contact switch alarms, for an SBE 14 connected to a
computer COM port
•PC Alarms – enable and set up pressure, altimeter, and/or bottom
contact switch alarms in the computer running SEASAVE
•Header Form – create a customized header written to the data file
•Diagnostics – enable and set up diagnostic outputs, to assist in
troubleshooting if you encounter difficulty running the software
5. When ready to begin data acquisition, select Start in the Real-Time Data
menu. See Section 11: Operating System for details.
Notes:
•The Deck Unit’s alarm does not
require any setup for a bottom
contact switch integrated with
the 9plus.
•SBE 14 Remote Display does not
apply to an SBE 14 connected
directly to the Deck Unit’s Remote
Out connector, which is the typical
usage. See Section 8: Setting Up
Remote Output for setup for the
typical usage.