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VR28 Software Manual

1. 84 GLOSSARY mirror e Bee eee ee Re ae EEE a eee ae Se 96 Part 1 INTRODUCTION About VEMCO VEMCO a division of AMIRIX Systems Incorporated is a leader in the design and manufacture of oceanographic research tools and systems since 1979 Now located in Halifax Nova Scotia VEMCO s product line ranges from miniature acoustic transmitters and data loggers to large tracking positioning and monitoring systems Please contact us at VEMCO Division AMIRIX Systems Inc 211 Horseshoe Lake Drive Halifax Nova Scotia Canada B3S 9 Phone 1 902 450 1700 Fax 1 902 450 1704 Web www vemco com System Overview The VR28 system was developed by VEMCO Limited to locate and track tagged marine wildlife Once the tag is located information such as temperature pressure and possibly swim speed depending on the type of tag can be gathered The system consists of a VR28 receiver a four element VH4x Hydrophone and the appropriate cabling A VFIN Depressor is often used for deploying the hydrophone but is optional The system is controlled by the TRACK28 software program running under Windows 98 or Windows XP on an IBM compatible computer The VR28 system has been designed to be operated from a ship and has a simple method of displaying and storing data The tracking screen in the TRACK28 software allows easy identification that a signal has been received as well as the bearing to the tag Data is displaye
2. Freg 69 0kHz 256 Pinger l B 4k Pinger 256 Sensi E256 Fino 64k Pinger Freq 71 0kHz Sync 401 2 Bin 223 Chat Tags Delete Coded Frequency Frequency information setup for coded transmitters can be deleted by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered 3 Use the mouse to select the desired frequency from the list on the left side of the window see View Coded Frequency The information pertaining to that frequency is shown on the top right side of the window 4 Click the Delete Tag button in the top left corner of the window with a picture of a transmitter and a red negative symbol A warning window will appear to confirm that this frequency and it s code map should be deleted from the list After the Yes button has been selected the tag will be removed deleted from the list of frequencies VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 33 Coded Channel Setup View Coded Channel Frequency and channel information setup for coded transmitters can be viewed by following the steps listed below 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered Click t
3. asswweno v SNOISIA3M HSVM 4084 ONY 017134084 WONj AVMV Sd33 NIZA 3M SN3 01 117213310 3YOW SI 831 30 LNO NI NIJ A 9NILJI1 S33I0033 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 89 22 200 318 31 831138 YO 318 2 30 WNWININ 38 1SnW 2018 30 Y3L3WVIQ Onamo v 7 x em U U U 3lVld SNIMOVE HUM 1 319 0 01 1 38 LSNW LSIOH 01 LIAVO 5 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 90 IMPULSE XSK 12BCL MALE BULKHEAD PIN VIEW HYDROPHONE FUNCTION IMPULSE XSK 128CL PINE EE AFT GND XPD GND em o i 4 HOLES 5 16 THREAD 7 8 DEEP EQUISPACED 1 85 Rad VEMCO LIMITED TITLE QUAD 50KHZ HYDROPHONE PRODUCT VH41 HYDROPHONE FILE NSKETCHNVH41XPDNVH41XMAN DATE 03 07 97 CHECKED MATERIAL PVC VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 91 ______ 36 1 va CALAMI ONAA ANI 8844 9019 31VW dW 2L W3 35101491 318 39 GSYIVH 35 134205 FWW34 S4 c1 W ISINAN 92 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL
4. 48 Initialize transponder 49 Global rivo ye esky aw oes 50 Cycle search ed aa Redes se were ES 51 Real time track dn itk eR IA BERE 52 pus teh sete Et TS RS 52 R n transmitters de eed 54 Run Continuous transmitters 54 Run Coded 200 Transmitters 55 Tracking WindOw ed 56 Gyro Compass data window 58 Profile WAMdOW tig ees nns Me Re Id ere ard 59 Features T RES 60 HBEP MENUS Sy RE EIL ERU 60 ICID ODIO S 60 CODIGHIS 60 Index yee hare EN 61 Kindi Nip ang ad lg ee Ae 61 How to Use ix Ve BN A 61 AH DUE ae 61 Patios OUTPUT FILES Ge Be I cdd naues ede iA 62 TRANSMITTER DATA E REO eed PERRO DR 62 Continuous transmitter data files
5. Cees 34 Coded Telemetry Setup 35 CHAT Tag Setup TR 39 Add CHAT Tag Fg 39 Tag ha a eae aie ek 41 42 Delete CHAT oy i wks 43 IDE COMING sad dcos quove OA 43 AGC aw 44 BELLE e daro Qs A 44 Use moving 44 Samples to hold Samples to average 44 SISMALOPUONS dene ewe E pe 45 No signal redraw delay 45 Gain danger 1 1 45 sound Renee Diet eade eee E E 45 COMPASS ss Saw saa ase ay Sead a REE 46 Prone Sep qu EHS 46 VIEW MENU ben pina RM EA REN GE REA quU sues 47 WINDOW MENU ete 47 ETRAS RA e VES EV Perles 48 Testing SVSte od 48 Run transponders ceded
6. EG RENS 11 Connection of Cable 28 Receiver 12 VFIN DEPLOYMENT METHOD 13 VEIN eua Ps 13 Hydrophone Connection to VFIN 13 Care of Underwater Connections 15 VEIN Deployment Methods 15 Suggested Deployment 16 Alternative Deployment Method 1 16 Alternative Deployment Methods for Small Ships 16 VEIN Spee ol TOW S Cra hh ex P ated 17 Part4 SOFTWARE AGG RY Ree 18 USING THE SOFTWARE eee 18 iA sa al 18 Getting Started d ue Re ace x Ios DH DE Ga es epee 18 System Requirements DARREN GER 19 Software Installation 19 FILEMENU Ee o ORE VE bed 20 Directory un a e e DEA 20 Hiesize nepbEzieagRkereci fucks Rp came Gare eds 21 Print PROM er 21 Print Setup b E MESE QeO DUKE NNI eX E SER 22 SETUP MENU 52 cR
7. VR28 SYSTEM TRACK28 SOFTWARE Version 2 0 1 6 12 2011 VEMCO A Division of AMIRIX Systems Inc AMIRIX Systems Inc Warranty and Disclaimer WARRANTY AMIRIX Systems Inc doing business under its trade name VEMCO provides a one 1 year warranty period for the Product from date of shipment VEMCO warrants that on the date of shipment all Products manufactured by VEMCO are free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service This warranty applies to the components necessary for equipment upgrades i e the VR1 VR2 to VR2W upgrade With respect to transmitter products while VEMCO is able to predict battery life with some certainty VEMCO cannot guarantee that these Products will remain functional while submerged for extended periods of time This warranty does not apply to any equipment materials or design supplied by Buyer or a third party re battery services provided by VEMCO Products for which VEMCO has not received payment problems that results from external causes such as accident abuse misuse servicing not authorized by VEMCO usage not in accordance with Product instructions failure to follow the Product instructions or failure to perform preventative maintenance usage of accessories parts or components not supplied by VEMCO This warranty shall survive delivery only on the conditions and subject to the limitations set forth below NOTICE PERIODS To receive a warranty remedy for a Product Buyer
8. 62 Pinger data ee eee wee 63 One Channel Telemetry data file 63 Two Channel Telemetry datafile 64 Coded transmitter data files 65 Files From Transponders 68 file 68 LOO TNS ost hie eate EE 70 Archive ples 525 71 Positioning System Enabled 73 GPS Enabled Files med ee eee e 73 Gyro Compass Enabled 74 APPENDIXES 2 py avr agent SETA 75 Appendix TROUBLE SHOOTING 75 Appendix B HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS 77 VR28 Controller Module Specifications 77 VR21 Receiver Module Specifications 78 Appendix CORTLAND INSTRUCTIONS 79 Cortland Stopper Installation Procedure 79 How Fabricate an Eye Splice Termination 81 Appendix D HARDWARE DIAGRAMS
9. 7 Gain 3948 Vol 2148 11 22 39 0031 1 0 71 RX 11 22 58 2227 Pulses 5 60 50 2003 04 30 11 23 17 0047 1 0 78 z 30 30 n 60 60 E 90 90 1 20 150 150 7 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 50 When Cycle Search is selected the Testing System window will appear verifying that the software and hardware are operating correctly for a study to be run Once the Testing System window is closed the Cycle Search window shown below will appear Cycle Search mode is used to search for the presence of specific CHAT tags also known as transponders TRACK28 will cycle through the list of desired CHAT tag requesting a reply from each individual CHAT tag To include a CHAT tag on the Cycle Search list be sure that the appropriate box is selected for that transponder in Tag Setup To check if a CHAT tag has been included use the Edit Tag feature When a reply is received from a CHAT tag the date time range and bearing will be displayed on the screen and recorded in the log file The most recent CHAT tag detection received will be displayed at the top of the list window left side of Cycle Search window with the earliest detection at the bottom of the list A short tone will also be emitted from your computer when a CHAT tag is identified Note Global positioning data is NOT recorded during the Cycle Search activity Cycle Search Date Time Waiting for response
10. NOTE To use GPS data with the TRACK28 software your GPS instrument must be able to output data in the standard NMEA National Marine Electronics Association format VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 22 The baud rate at which the GPS positioning unit communicates must be entered in the Baud box To select the correct baud rate see the GPS Monitor GPS iv lg TS manual for the correct value click on the down Sound bell on update v GPGSS PDOP pointing arrow next to the box The list of baud Scanning cycle sec 10 GPVTG Speed rate options will appear Click on the desired Compot 2 value which will then be entered in the box It is 4 also possible to enter the value directly with use Baud 4800 21 of the keyboard The baud value options include Data bits 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 57600 None 115200 Bes Even Sound bell on update 8 Space 2 Stop bits The computer will beep each time the position One data is updated if the Sound bell on update option Two is selected This gives an audio indication that an update has occurred Cancel Scanning cycle The Scanning cycle is the time in seconds between updates of the GPS or gyro compass data on the screen Enter the desired cycle time in seconds in the Scanning cycle box Com port The GPS
11. VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 29 Delete Continuous Tag Information setup for continuous transmitters can be deleted by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Click the plus symbol next to Continuous Tags to display the continuous transmitter types that have been setup 3 Click the plus symbol next to the desired continuous transmitter type to display the transmitters that have been setup 4 Use the mouse to select the desired transmitter for viewing from the list on the left side of the window see below The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window see below 5 Click the Delete Tag button in the top left corner of the window with a picture of a transmitter and a red negative symbol A warning window will appear to confirm that this tag should be deleted from the list After the Yes button has been selected the tag will be removed deleted from the list of transmitters Coded Tag Setup Coded transmitters also referred to as coded tags are setup in the TRACK28 software based on their operating frequency Each frequency has four channels allowing four different types of coded transmitters to operate on the same frequency and in the same geographical area Each channel is assigned a code type and sync and bin values The default values are referred to as Coded 200 and are given in Appendix A Each c
12. core wees Gyro Compass Setup Baud eerta 24 Com port LAE Eee 25 Data hac esa sw Rha es 25 Gyro data to save 25 one eb eU ieee aden 25 Scanning 24 Sound bell on update 24 SOP cen bs 25 Hardware sce e reote e Re 6 77 VFIN for deployment 13 VH4x hydrophone 11 28 fig es 6 Help menu Help topics 60 How to use help 61 70 Output 62 97 Comment lines 62 Data lines sco tcc eh 62 From transponders 68 Positioning system enabled 73 Transmitter data files 62 PDOP pai desee ie 97 Positioning System GPS Setup ioe 22 Gyro compass Setup 24 Profile window 59 Wir 60 Real time datafile 68 Run menu Run transmitters 54 Run transponders 48 Testing system 48 Tracking window 56 Run transmitters Run Coded 200 Transmitters 55 Run Continuous transmitters 54 Run transp
13. 427 Tuck the free end of the serving cord through the closed loop While holding tension on the serving cord to keep wraps tight and uniform pull the free ends of the loop to draw the loop FIGURE C9 tight around the end of the serving cord Once snug grab the free ends of the loop with a pair of pliers and yank on them until you see the end of the loop draw down and pop under the serving Carefully trim the excess serving cord to leave about a half inch tail see Figure C9 Another tug with the pliers should pull the trimmed end tucking it out of sight under the serving Pull one leg on the loop allowing the other end to slide out from under the serving VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 80 This completes the mechanical attachment To protect this grip and keep it in place take the rubber tape and wrap it tightly with about a 50 overlap so that each new wrap covers half of the previous wrap leaving the other half exposed Tape as uniformly as possible being sure to stretch the tape as it is wrapped so it conforms to the shape of the cable To secure the end of the rubber tape cover tape beyond the last serving for about one inch and trim off the excess tape Take a short three foot length of serving cord and bury the lead end as done in making the initial stop serving Lay down a loop under the serving as explained above and wind over it Continue the FIGURE 10 serving until the end of the rubber tape had been covered T
14. Controls menu allows access to the Autogain Smart decode and Disable aft options Autogain TRACK28 software will automatically calculate the gain to be applied to received acoustic signals when enabled default setting is enabled If Autogain is disabled then the gain may be manually adjusted Smart decode when enabled input from all hydrophone directions is averaged when calculating the transponder telemetry data If disabled only input from the hydrophone direction corresponding with the selected hydrophone see Audio menu is used to calculate the range CAUTION If Smart decode is disabled and only one hydrophone element is selected data may not be stored to the data file For example if Smart decode has been disabled and the port hydrophone has been selected in the Audio menu then a received signal that was not heard by the port hydrophone will be reported as No signal on selected element This report indicates data is not being received and therefore no data is being stored to the data file The RX and Signal vs Noise indicators both show that the signal is being heard but by hydrophone elements that are not selected for data retrieval Disable aft the aft facing receiver will deactivate and no data will be received through the aft hydrophone The aft receiver module lights on the VR28 receiver will shut off On the Tracking Screen the Aft option in the Audio menu is disabled and the aft section of the Signal vs Noise
15. and decrease the volume with key For a stereo signal use the stereo headphone jack to the right of the receiver modules on the VR28 receiver and control the volume using the knob on the VR28 receiver Bearing compass displays the calculated bearing of the transmitter or CHAT tag in a compass style format The numeric value of the bearing is shown in the center of the compass The compass is labeled according to the selection made in Compass setup If a tag is directly below the hydrophone i e the signal strength is the same from all four directions the white circle of the bearing display becomes green and there is no direction arrow GPS data displays GPS data if it has been enabled in GPS Setup and according to the options selected If the gyro compass is enable instead this section will have no data and the Gyro compass data window will be open Note GPS data is recorded in a Real Time data file or a transmitter output data file but not in an Archive data file Track history displays information such as date time serial number telemetry data etc pertaining to data received from tags This table is not visible when pingers transmitters without telemetry are being tracked or when CHAT tag information is being uploaded Upload track Status line displays information about system activity File information displays the name and size of the data file being created VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 57
16. replacements and corrections described above shall be performed by VEMCO at its plant at Halifax Nova Scotia or at such other place as may be mutually agreeable and with reasonable care and dispatch in order that the Product accessory equipment or part will not be kept out of service longer than necessary Return to BUYER of a repaired replacement or corrected accessory equipment part or Product shall be at VEMCO s expense Title to and risk of loss of the Product accessory equipment or part returned to VEMCO pursuant hereto shall at all times remain with the BUYER except that title to a returned accessory equipment part or Product shall pass to VEMCO concurrently with shipment to BUYER of any item furnished by VEMCO to BUYER as a replacement therefore VEMCO shall have only such responsibility for any Product accessory equipment or part owned by the BUYER and the possession of VEMCO as is chargeable by law to bailee for hire but shall not be chargeable for loss of use thereof WEAR AND TEAR Normal wear and tear and the need for regular maintenance shall not constitute a defect under this warranty DISCLAIMER AND RELEASE THE WARRANTIES OBLIGATIONS AND LIABILITIES OF VEMCO AND THE REMEDIES OF BUYER SET FORTH HEREIN ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN SUBSTITUTION FOR AND BUYER HEREBY WAIVES AND RENOUNCES ALL OTHER WARRANTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF VEMCO AND ANY ASSIGNEE OF VEMCO AND ALL RIGHTS CLAIMS AND REMEDIES OF BUYER AGAINST VEMCO EXPRESS
17. 88 333 64k Pinger Units meters VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 37 Edit Coded Telemetry Information setup for coded telemetry transmitters 256 Sensor can be edited by following the steps listed below 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered Click the plus symbol next to the desired frequency to display the channels on that frequency Click the plus symbol next to the desired 256 Sensor channel A list of the coded telemetry transmitters setup on that frequency and channel will appear Use the mouse to select the desired transmitter from the list on the left side of the window see below The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window see below Click the Edit Tag button in the top left corner of the window picture of transmitter and hammer The information on the right side of the window is now enabled and can be changed Make the necessary changes to the transmitter information on the right side of the window Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the changes to the transmitter information ox Apply Continuous Tags Coded 5 Freq 69 0kHz ID 1235 SN 5942 256 Pinger 4k Pinger Type Depth 256 Senso
18. 9671290 UYG 223523113 SNOUD3NNOD NEYI TUL ODATA _ 250 319 MOTI34 H TWNOIS iNOd 3 20 S3NOHdONHOAH 038 3 7YNDIS qYNDIS 147 088 3 0131 5 7 53 WSIS 198 WHOIS MYOHMYiS N3389 Y 5 OL 03123 09 Sfild S3JIM AN9 5 HOIO3NNOO AGISNI Q313OHS SMA SNId MBIA 133205 AWAJ 250 31 9 OG Gl4 S421 OWY 3S1 nadWil 144205 31v4 5 8 901 6 lON3HdMY cdA 3003 40102 4330 40 Saan 81 901 lt 46 54 21 9 NOWONNA 3NOHdOMOAH 318959 230 NG VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 93 03 93H9 96 12 90 3 IWd48ZYA GdX8ZYA HOLIMS 3114 JAOGV SV YV SZYA LONGONd NOLLISOd 1 10 02 AHL 21 SLNdLNO AOE LAV 5 3905 AXVW 824 3111 4044 824A AHL OL SATACOW 4 142 4 2 04 AHL 12 02 OL SATAVI INA ASN OOWGA NGA 5 ik Ee F LAV 5 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAG
19. Help Topics select How to Use Help in the Help menu The following precaution terms are used throughout the manual and are defined below DANGER could lead to serious injury loss of life if readers do not know what they are doing WARNING could result in damage to the product if the procedures are not followed accurately CAUTION could result in faulty results if the reader does not follow the procedure correctly NOTE used to alert readers to potential problems ADVICE suggestions that would make the reader s work easier What s new This version of TRACK28 for Windows is based on the previous version The major changes are the addition of Coded 200 compatibility and sizable tracking windows Because the coded portion of the software has changed to accommodate Coded 200 the output files for coded transmitters have also changed in their format VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 2 Part 2 USING THE VR28 SYSTEM The list below gives the correct steps and order needed to correctly use the VR28 system Each step includes the name of the section in this manual which contains more details about that step 1 Set up hardware equipment a b Select a suitable location for the receiver and computer see Placement on Ship in the VR28 Receiver section of the Hardware part of the manual Connect the four VR21 inputs marked IN to the corresponding connectors on the VR28 HYDROPHONE INPUT MODULE with the supp
20. Hydrophone must be used for two way communication A VFIN Depressor is usually used for deploying the hydrophone but is not mandatory VR28 RECEIVER The VEMCO VR28 receiver accepts and analyses electronic input from the VH41 hydrophone and serially transfers the results to the TRACK28 software program The VR28 receiver also accepts serial commands from the TRACK28 program to manage its data reception analysis configuration and acoustic output information VR28 receiver The VR28 receiver is composed of from left to right a controller module four receiver modules bow starboard aft port a stereo audio module and a hydrophone input module Placement on Ship The VR28 receiver is not water resistant and must be kept away from moisture For this reason the receiver is usually placed in the wheelhouse or cabin of the ship during deployment The computer running the TRACK28 software program is also usually placed in the wheelhouse of the ship during deployment but the computer screen must be at least one meter 1m from the VR28 receiver Computer screens may emit electromagnetic noise that can interfere with acoustic reception and reduce the detection range To further reduce electromagnetic noise avoid coiling the VR28 serial cable or power cable if installed near noise generating equipment The VR28 receiver can be installed in a separate area from the computer since the receiver is controlled by the TRACK28 software T
21. OR IMPLIED ARISING BY LAW OR OTHERWISE WITH RESPECT TO ANY NON PERFORMANCE OR DEFECT IN THE PRODUCT OR IN ANY OTHER THING DELIVERED UNDER THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO A ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE B ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY ARISING OUT OF COURSE OF PERFORMANCE COURSE OF DEALING OR USAGE OF TRADE C ANY OBLIGATION LIABILITY CLAIM OR REMEDY IN TORT WHETHER OR NOT ARISING FROM THE NEGLIGENCE OF VEMCO OR ANY ASSIGNEE OF VEMCO ACTUAL OR IMPUTED D OBLIGATION LIABILITY RIGHT CLAIM OR REMEDY FOR LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO THE PRODUCT FOR LOSS OF USE REVENUE OR PROFIT WITH RESPECT TO THE PRODUCT OR FOR ANY OTHER DIRECT INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES AND MAKES NO REPRESENTATION THAT THE PRODUCT WILL NOT INFRINGE ANY PATENT OR OTHER RIGHTS OF ANY PERSON AND BUYER AGREES INDEMNIFY VEMCO AND HOLD VEMCO HARMLESS FROM ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND LIABILITIES WITH RESPECT TO SAME TOGETHER WITH ANY CLAIMS AND LIABILITIES WITH RESPECT TO ANY INFRINGEMENT OF ANY PATENT OR OTHER RIGHTS OF ANY PERSON ARISING AS A RESULT OF BUYER S PRODUCTS TECHNOLOGY ACTIVITIES OR OTHERWISE LICENSE AGREEMENT VEMCO grants to the Buyer a limited personal license with no right to sub license to use the Intellectual Property IP and Embedded Software in the manner set out in the Documentation The Embedded Software and IP are not sold to Buyer All property rights includ
22. PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots 100 EOH gt 37 2003 04 04 14 46 48 1 000 134 0 0 0 0 31 15 32 14 51 431 48 N 347 17 W 50 00 8 37 2003 04 04 14 46 50 1 000 146 0 0 30 14 33 15 35 15 54 431 48 347 17 50 00 8 gt 37 2003 04 04 14 46 50 1 000 154 0 0 35 15 36 15 38 15 54 431 48 347 17 50 00 8 237 2003 04 04 14 46 51 1 000 158 0 0 35 15 36 15 38 15 54 431 48 N 347 17 W 50 00 8 237 2003 04 04 14 46 52 0 999 166 0 0 35 15 36 15 38 15 54 431 48 N 347 17 W 50 00 8 237 2003 04 04 14 46 53 1 000 174 0 0 35 15 36 15 38 15 54 431 48 N 347 17 W 50 00 8 237 2003 04 04 14 46 54 1 000 175 0 0 35 15 36 15 38 15 54 431 48 N 347 17 W 50 00 8 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 63 One Channel Telemetry data The continuous one channel telemetry data file contains telemetry data based on the type of telemetry sensor contained in the transmitter either temperature or pressure depth This is an example of a one channel continuous transmitter data file containing both comment lines and data lines 01 Dataformat gt 01 1 00 02 gt 02 C VEMCOV Track28 new data V030404 000 04 User Study Parameters 504 Vemco test study gt 04 Shad Bay NS Canada gt 04 Conducted by Lysia Taylor 06 Blanking interval gt 06 300 10 Frequency gt 10 50 0 12 Serial Number gt 12 5294 16 Tag Type gt 16 One Channel Telemetry 30 Slopel Intercept1 sensor type units 1 gt 30 1 1 11 0 Temperature
23. a VX32TP CHAT tag which is the more commonly used type The VX32TPS has a Channel 3 for the swim speed information Apply x Cancel 2 Continuous Tags Coded S N 1111 Sync 1000 0 hat Tags zu 328 Bin 40 0 S N 1111 Freq 32 8kHz ID 31 ID 0 Blank 550 5 N 1111 Freq 32 8kHz ID 47 iion TurnAround 1000 Cycle Search Channel 1 Channel 2 Type Temperature Temp Range 4020 Profile Min 10 0 Profile Max 30 0 5 Enter the serial number the transmit frequency in kilohertz the ID number the Turn Around value in milliseconds the Sync in milliseconds the Bin in milliseconds and the blanking interval in milliseconds This information is all found in the back of the manual that was shipped with the CHAT tag Enable or disable this CHAT tag for Cycle search by clicking the box to the left of the words Cycle Search Cycle search will only search for this CHAT tag if it is enabled a check mark appears next to Cycle Search Verify that the sensor type is correct for the channel Channel 1 is always temperature Channel 2 is always depth pressure and Channel 3 when applicable is always swim speed Move from channel to channel by clicking the channel name Enter the slope and intercept in the correct boxes The depth and swim speed channels h
24. away from any computer screens 4 Verify that the CHAT tag and hydrophone are 0 5 meters away from each other with no obstructions between them VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 75 POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TRACK28 can t communicate with a 1 Verify the CHAT tag specifications are correctly deployed CHAT tag even though I know entered by viewing the specifications one is in the area 2 If performing a Cycle Search ensure that the CHAT tag has been enabled by using Edit CHAT tag in the Tag setup option of the Setup menu 3 Ensure that the hydrophone is securely connected to the VR28 receiver 4 Check the hydrophone fuse on the left side of the VR28 receiver see VR28 hardware manual 5 Verify that the power LEDs are lit for all four VR21 receiver modules on the VR28 receiver If any are off power down the VR28 receiver and reseat the appropriate VR21 receiver module The bearing direction indicated on the 1 Check the orientation of the hydrophone The screen during Real time track or Upload hydrophone element stamped with must be aligned track is incorrect with the bow of the ship 2 Verify that the BNC connectors from the Hydrophone Input module are attached to their identically labeled counterparts on the VR21 receiver modules VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 76 Appendix HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS VR28 Controller Module Specifications MICROPROCESSOR Data Buffer Cry
25. cord hang Trim excess length of tails Reverse direction again and wrap the third tail parallel to the first aligning it alongside the first one to keep the splice from getting bigger than it needs to be Secure the end with a VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 82 clothespin Wrap the last bundle alongside the second tail and hold with another clothespin Finish the whipping by wrapping over the last two bundles Use a closed loop of serving cord to draw the free end of the whipping line back under the wraps of the serving Cover splice area by wrapping with Mylar tape being sure to wrap in the opposite direction from the last splice tail Secure with black electrical tape and proceed to cover entire length of Mylar wrapped splice with electrical tape Le gt lt gt I AS VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 83 Appendix D HARDWARE DIAGRAMS Diagram titles Hydrophone Mounting Assembly V42 VFIN Hydrophone Position on Ship Hydrophone Mount amp Cable System Hydrophone Mount amp Cable System VR28 V41 Tracking Receiver Alternate Mounting Hydrophone Mount amp Cable System VR28 V41 Tracking Receiver Option 1 Hydrophone Mount amp Cable System VR28 V41 Tracking Receiver Option 2 Quad 50 kHz Hydrophone VH4x Underwater Cable VH4x Cable Connections VR28 with VH4x Hydrophone VR28 Power Cable VEMCO VR28 SY
26. data directory is not desired 1 Select the drive in the Drive box The Drive box located at the bottom of the data directory window is used to specify the drive local or network where the data directory is to be located To change the specified drive click on the down arrow to the right of the currently selected drive A list of all available drives will appear from which the desired drive may be selected The Folder list box will now update the selected drive 2 Select the folder using the Folder list box Note If you want a new directory you can use the New Folder speed button or the Folder menu The Folder list box located in the center of the window displays the folders on the currently selected drive To navigate the folder list box use the tab key until the desired folder is outlined and press Enter on the keyboard or use the mouse and click on the desired folder 3 Click OK The specified directory will now be used VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 20 File size The File Size option specifies how large a data file may become before it is automatically closed and a new file is opened The maximum file size must be entered in the box shown as number of bytes If DOS Edit or Windows Notepad will be used to view or edit the data then the advised maximum file size is 64000 bytes Data File Size Maximum size of track file bytes 54000 X conce 7 Print profile The Print profile menu option is use
27. date time transponder data gyro compass data 2 date time transponder data gyro compass data missing If data is missing then empty data fields will be indicated by commas with nothing between them It is possible that the data being collected from the transmitter or transponder will be collected at a faster rate then the gyro compass data is collected When this happens the gyro compass data is included when updated Combination 1 and missing when not updated Combination 2 Sample data lines from a Real time data file with gyro compass enabled illustrate this point gt 40 2003 03 28 14 31 31 20 6 11 0 52 2 9 39 14 34 14 35 15 29 14 45 28 03 03 00 08 65 1014 43 2 22 9 05 0 07 6 140 9 35 64 139 77 11 1 40 2003 03 28 14 31 51 20 6 11 0 51 1 0 42 14 38 14 38 15 33 14 48 240 2003 03 28 14 32 12 20 6 22 0 4 1 0 39 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 gt 40 2003 03 28 14 32 32 20 6 20 0 85 1 0 34 14 36 14 32 14 0 0 45 28 03 03 00 08 65 1014 43 2 22 9 05 0 076 140 9 35 64 E139 77 11 1 The first and last data lines are examples of Combination 1 and the middle two data lines are examples of Combination 2 In this sample data file the data was arriving at a faster rate than the gyro compass data was being updated This caused the middle two data lines to be without gyro compass data VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 74 Part 6 APPENDIXES Appendix A TROUBLE SHOOTING SYMPTOM POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS TRACK28 dis
28. ey Reid ween eM 22 GS VSEC IR D 22 sans NUN SE WN e CI IIR 22 23 Sound bell on update 23 Scanningovele 7 eee ee RO ST 23 Comporta med 23 Data bits Stop bits and Parity 23 GPS Data to 24 Compass eo ascen feu 24 oe 24 Sound bell on update 24 Tm 24 25 25 Data bits Stop bits and Parity 25 Gyro data 10 SAVE tev Poke dale ad s 25 fais v Mte Le AE ede whe 26 Tas Deu aee s Rede Viet 26 Continuous Tag Setup osses Granens Uy Rees ow QURE saute S 26 Add Continuous Tag 26 View Continuous Tag 28 Edit Continuous Tag 29 Delete Continuous Tag 30 Coded Tae Setup cian RS VENE 30 Coded Frequency Setup 31 Coded Channel Setup
29. for GPS input optional The files on the TRACK28 program diskette include TRACK28 HLP On line help file TRACK28 CNT Help file contents TRACK28 INI System defaults configuration TRACK28 EXE Executable program The default setup file TRACK28 INI is updated with the current system configuration every time you exit TRACK28 and is located in the application directory Software Installation TRACK28 is a Windows 98 Windows XPO application VEMCO assumes customer familiarity with Windows 98 Windows XPO terminology To install TRACK28 Step 1 Insert the diskette marked Install 1 into the diskette drive Step 2 From the Start menu in Windows950 select Run Step 3 Type A setup exe Type B setup exe if using drive B Step 4 Follow on screen instructions VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 19 FILE MENU Data Directory The Data Directory window shown below is used to specify the location for the data directory on the computer or network The data directory will contain the output files When the TRACK28 software was installed a directory named Data was created as a sub directory of the install directory By default this directory is assigned to store data received by the VR28 receiver bata Dwectory o Folder 2 E gt g Track28 new If a different location from the default is desired for the data storage then follow the steps listed below This must only be performed if the default
30. left ear VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 8 VR28 STEREO AUDIO a A LEFT EAR DETECTION RIGHT EAR DETECTION YOLUME STEREO HEADPHONES VR28 Stereo Audio Output Module Each ear detection rotary switch actually has 12 positions allowing each hydrophone direction three possible switch positions per ear These positions are illustrated in the switch positions sketch below and are given in the table below in clock format where 12 O clock is straight up BOARD AFT Stereo rotary switch positions SWITCH POSITION HYDROPHONE DIRECTION 11 O clock 12 O clock BOW 1 O clock 2 O clock 3 O clock 4 O clock 5 O clock 6 O clock AFT 7 O clock STARBOARD 8 O clock 9 O clock PORT 10 O clock VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 9 Computer Connection The VR28 receiver connects to an RS232C serial port on the computer Serial ports on most computers 9 DB 9 or 25 DB 25 male connectors and are known as COMI 2 Connect the supplied DB 9 male to DB 9 female RS232 cable to the nine pin female DB 9 connector on the VR28 Controller Module indicated by the blue arrow in the sketch below Connect the other end of the serial cable to your computer s serial port and note the port number this must be entered in the TRACK28 software for proper communication Use the supplied DB 9 to DB 25 pin ad
31. must contact VEMCO s Customer Support Department during the warranty period to receive the Return Material Authorization instructions Each defective Product returned for warranty remedy must be shipped at the Buyer s expense according to the RMA instructions and must include reasonable proof that the claimed defect is due to a matter embraced within the warranty set forth above and that such defect did not result from any act or omission of Buyer including but not limited to any failure to operate and maintain the Product in accordance with VEMCO s applicable written instructions REMEDY 5 liability and the Buyer s exclusive remedy under this warranty as to a defect in material or workmanship is limited to the repair of such defect in the accessory equipment or part in which the defect appears or at VEMCO s option to the replacement of such accessory equipment or part with a similar item free from defect As to any item repaired by or furnished as a replacement by VEMCO 5 liability and the exclusive remedy to the repair or replacement of such item for any further defect in material or workmanship provided VEMCO receives written notice at Halifax Nova Scotia of such further defect from BUYER within ninety 90 days after the repaired or replaced item is shipped to BUYER and provided that BUYER returns same to VEMCO as provided under Notice Periods RETURNED ITEMS All repairs
32. on that day beginning with 000 For example the first log file created a given day would be Logfile 000 while the fifth created that same day would be Logfile 004 A sample log file is shown below Study parameters Vemco test study Location Shad Bay NS Canada Conducted by Lysia Taylor Date Time ID Range Bearing 2003 03 28 14 45 13 0031 43 0 300 2003 03 28 14 45 25 0047 326 0 60 2003 03 28 14 45 53 0031 43 5 297 2003 03 28 14 46 05 2222 DataPulses 4 2003 03 28 14 46 33 0031 43 0 293 2003 03 28 14 46 44 0047 327 0 53 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 70 Archive file new Archive data file is created every time Upload Track is entered Archive data files are stored in the directory designated by the Data Directory option and follow the Archive data file naming convention see below An entry is made in the data file when a complete acoustic transmission is received from the specified CHAT tag Within an Archive data file a line beginning with an asterisk is a comment line and is used to increase the readability of the file The comment lines include such information as the Archive file name the serial number ID number operating frequency of the CHAT tag the computer time at start of upload the time the study started the starting block the sample time and averaging interval and the study parameters The study parameters are lines of text entered into the file through the Testing System window Th
33. or cord to the cable a foot or more beyond the splice area and use this cord to pull the cable and secure it horizontally from the hook Beginning at the base of the thimble mark the cable at intervals equal to the following multiples of the cable diameter sa FIGURE C12 9D 9D 6D 6D 6D 6D 4D 4D 4D Take a six to eight foot length of serving cord and at the last mark wrap the stopper whipping This should start at the mark and extend for two cable diameters heading away from the thimble end Secure by tucking the end to form an overhand knot around the standing cable Leave the remaining cord uncut Separate the strength member yarns into four equal bundles splice tails Take the first splice tail and wrap it around the standing rope so that it crosses the rope at the next mark with each wrap The angle to the cable should be about 30 for the first couple of wraps about 45 for the middle wraps and 60 for the last wraps Continue beyond the shipping and secure tail to the standing rope with a clothespin Take the second tail bundle and wrap it in the opposite direction to create a uniform diamond pattern along the standing rope with the two tails crossing at the marks Wrap past the whipping again and secure with another clothespin Take the end of the serving cord and ship these two tails tightly to the cable for two cable diameters Tuck another overhand knot to keep the cord tight and let the rest of the
34. out click and hold the left mouse button anywhere on the graph Drag the pointer to the left and up move the mouse to the left and away from you release the mouse button The graph will return to its original size To pan the graph grab the graph by clicking and holding the right mouse button on any point of the graph The graph will move according to the mouse movements as long as the mouse button is not released Drag the graph around as desired Panning moving the graph can be done whether the graph has been zoomed in or not HELP MENU Help topics Selecting Help Topics under the Help menu will open the help window The window offers the options Contents To select a general topic for overall help use the Contents feature Open a topic by double clicking on the book symbol next to the name or on the name itself A list of sub topics will appear to choose from Double clicking on one of these sub topics will open the help topics related to that general topic VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 60 Index To select a specific topic use the ndex feature which will display the complete list of topics in the help file To select a topic either move through the list using the arrow keys or the scroll bar until the desired topic is highlighted or type the name in the box at the top of the window As the name is entered the list will reflect the letter being entered For example if the letter is entered the list wi
35. right side of the window The Tracking Form window will open to display the bearing and distance to the transmitter and telemetry data if applicable Run Coded 200 Transmitters Before a coded transmitter can be tracked the VR28 receiver must know what frequency to receive This is accomplished by selecting the desired frequency from the list in the Select coded 200 frequency for tracking window as described in the steps below 1 Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been setup 2 Use the mouse to select the desired frequency the left side of the window It will be highlighted as shown in the window below and the OK button will become enabled Note Ifa channel or transmitter is selected instead of a frequency the OK button will not be enabled grayed out and unusable Select coded 200 frequency for tracking Coded Jf OK 256 Pinger 4k Pinger x Cancel 256 Sensor Pinger 7 Help Freq 71 2 VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 55 3 Click the OK button in the top right corner of the window The Testing System window will appear to verify that the software and hardware are ready to begin receiving on that frequency channel 4 Make any alterations desired to the Study parameters section of the Testing System window and click the OK button on the right side of the window The
36. rope The rings support the electrical cable while allowing the cable to move along the rope as the VFIN is pulled to the surface The electrical cable must be adjusted so it does not bear any weight but still is not slack enough to trail behind A piece of electrical tape should be used to form a strain relief below the bottom ring so the connector on the electrical cable will not pull out from the VFIN during handling This will also ensure that the electrical cable does not form a loop immediately above the connector A loop would vibrate from side to side while the VFIN is pulled through the water and break the internal conductors in the cable When attaching the electrical tape to the rope or wire leave enough cable between the tape and the VFIN to allow the nose of the VFIN to move vertically without putting stain on the cable or the connector but not enough cable to create a loop Care of the electrical cable is of paramount importance Unreliable performance will occur after the internal conductors within the electrical cable begin to break and eventually the total failure of hydrophone communication VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 16 Alternative Deployment Methods for Small Ships When deploying a VFIN with a haired fairing cable from a small ship use one of the methods shown in Drawing number VFIN AMD 002 at the back of the manual shown two pages VFIN Speed of Tow The downward force on the VFIN is determined by the
37. signal vs noise graph for the four hydrophone inputs bow starboard aft port The larger blue bars in the center represent the acoustic signal strength while the smaller red bars on either side represent the acoustic noise The numeric values for the signal and noise of each hydrophone measured in dB are stored in the output data file created for that study Gain level shows the current gain level in dB being used to receive incoming signals The numeric gain value is shown above the bar graph The gain may be manually adjusted by dragging the grey pointer up or down the scale with the mouse The largest gain possible is 60dB The bar level is shown in dark green when the value is below the Gain Danger Level If the level increases above the Gain Danger Level the bar will be shown in red Volume level displays the volume level shown in dark blue applied to a signal heard through a set of headphones connected to the audio jack on the left side of the VR28 receiver This is the mono audio jack so the signal heard is mono i e in one side of the headset only This feature allows audio verification of received signals The mono volume level can be manually changed by dragging the grey pointer up or down the scale Another method is to click the bar above the present volume level to increase the volume one level or below the present level to lower it one level It is also possible to increase the volume by using the J key on the keyboard
38. slope and intercept values have been manually converted 9 Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the new transmitter View Continuous Tag Information setup for continuous transmitters can be viewed by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Click the plus symbol next to Continuous Tags to display the continuous transmitter types that have been setup 3 Click the plus symbol next to the desired continuous transmitter type to display the transmitters that have been setup 4 Use the mouse to select the desired transmitter for viewing from the list on the left side of the window see below The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window see below This information is disabled and can not be edited Close Continuous Freq 59 0 Blank 300 Pinger 1528 One Channel Telemetry 5 N 5234 50 0 2 Channel 1 37 N 5 6284 2 Two Channel Telemetry SensorType Depth Coded Chat Tags Slope E 4 Intercept 18 Profile 122 Profile 133 Units deters VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 28 Edit Continuous Information setup for continuous transmitters can be edited
39. speed through the water listed in the table below The working strength of the Kevlar cable is 1000 kilograms In practice background noise increases with an increased speed through the water Higher speeds will mean reduced detection distance It is unlikely that you will track an animal at speeds over eight knots but be aware of the load on the cable should the V FIN be in the water while moving faster than normal tracking speeds Additional loads will be placed on the cable when the ship rolls in rough water These loads can be significantly larger than the load indicated below The effect of the ships roll may be reduced by adding a rubber shock absorbing section to the cable on a stopper splice before deployment SPEED knots 2 4 6 10 15 20 LOAD ONCABLE kg 13 16 30 55 80 125 275 550 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 17 Part 4 SOFTWARE USING THE SOFTWARE Introduction The TRACK28 software is Windows 95 or Windows menu driven beginning with the Main menu The Main menu consists of the following sub menus File define data directory set file size use print option and exit program Setup define default levels assign serial port numbers for equipment View access previously stored output files Window control opened windows open Gyro compass data window Run initialize and run tags Help help options provided in TRACK28 software Gett
40. the data file will be automatically saved and a new Real Time data file created to continue data collection Real time data files are named using the convention Rtdxxxx yyy where XXXX serial number of the transponder sending data and yyy number of real time data files created for this transponder beginning with 000 An example of a Real time file name is Rtd2748 000 second Real time data file for the same CHAT tag would be Rtd2748 001 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 66 A sample of a Real Time data file with positioning data disabled 01 Dataformat gt 01 1 00 02 gt 02 C VEMCOV Track28 new data RTD1111 000 04 User Study Parameters 204 Vemco test study gt 04 Location Shad Bay NS Canada gt 04 Conducted by Vemco development team 06 Blanking interval gt 06 650 10 Frequency gt 10 32 8 12 Serial Number gt 12 1111 14 ID gt 14 47 16 Tag Type gt 16 VX32TP 17 Sync Bin gt 17 1000 0 40 0 18 Temperature Range gt 18 4 C 20 C 30 Slope2 intercept2 units2 gt 30 1 61 14 5 meters 40 V X32TP Format gt 40 Date yyyy mm dd Time hh mm ss Temperature C meters Bearing Range m Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Aft Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain GPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots 100 EOH 240 2003 03 28 14 31 31 20 6 11 0 52 2 9 39 14 34 14 35 15 29 14 45 240 2003 03 28 14 31 51 20 6 1
41. the notch on the VR28 receiver bulkhead connector 4 Press the connection together and tighten the locking sleeve clockwise taking care to avoid cross threading 5 Press the connection together again when you feel resistance and tighten the locking sleeve some more 6 Repeat step 5 until the connection is secure The connection must remain solid if the hydrophone cable is shaken WARNING The VR28 receiver must be powered down when connecting any of the hydrophone cables VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 12 VFIN DEPLOYMENT METHOD The VFIN Vehicle for Instrumentation is a wing shaped foil designed to provide a stable high speed lightweight platform for the deploying a VH4x or VH4x XPD hydrophone from a moving vehicle such as a ship The VFIN has a length of 24 inches and a wing span of 28 5 inches allowing the hydrophone to be bolted in the underside of the wing When the hydrophone is attached to the VFIN use caution that the VFIN is not placed on a hard surface such as the deck of a ship in such a way VFIN wing shaped foil that the hydophone may be damaged VFIN Hydrophone Cable The hydrophone cable has electrical conductors with an underwater connector at each end The electrical cable is surrounded by Kevlar yellow strands which takes the weight of the towed hydrophone mount The strain on the Kevlar strength fibres must be placed on the metal thimbles which are spliced on each end of the cable If strai
42. the top left corner of the window picture of transmitter and hammer The information on the right side of the window is now enabled text changes from gray to black Make the necessary changes to the CHAT tag information Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the changes to the transmitter information Close Continuous Tags Coded Tags S N 1111 Sync 1000 0 nm e Freq 328 Bin 40 0 S N 1111 Freq 32 8kH2 1D 31 ID 7 Blank 550 32 8 S N 1111 Freq 32 8kH2ID 47 TurnAround 1000 Cycle Search Channel 1 Channel 2 Type Temperature Temp Range 400 3 Profile Min 10 0 Profile Max 30 0 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 42 Delete CHAT Information setup for a CHAT tag can be viewed by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Click the plus symbol next to CHAT Tags in the list on the left side of the window 3 Click the plus symbol next to the desired CHAT tag type either TP or TPS to display the tags that have already been setup 4 Use the mouse to select the desired CHAT tag for viewing from the list on the left side of the window see View CHAT tag The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window 5 Click the Delete Tag butto
43. 01 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 39 1 0 39 14 32 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 14 06 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 40 1 0 39 14 32 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 14 11 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 39 1 0 39 14 31 14 30 14 39 14 48 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 72 Positioning System Enabled When a positioning system is enabled additional fields of data are added to the data lines The positioning data is inserted at time intervals set within the Positioning system option found in the Setup menu If the positioning data is not received empty data fields separated by commas are shown to indicate No Data This is similar to the NMEA standard that GPS and other marine instruments follow The types of positioning systems available for use with the TRACK28 software are GPS enabled Gyro compass enabled GPS Enabled Files If Monitor GPS has been enabled in the GPS setup window Setup menu the GPS data will be included in the data file after the gain The number of GPS items present corresponds to the number of GPS strings selected in the GPS data to save section of the GPS setup window Data lines after the header will contain these two possible combinations while the GPS is being monitored 1 date time transponder data GPS data 2 date time transponder data GPS data missing If data is missing then empty data fields will be indicated by commas with nothing between them It is possible that the data being collect
44. 03 25 14 47 03 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 47 28 235 0 0 0 0 31 15 45 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 47 40 236 0 0 0 0 32 15 45 15 30 244 A 4 2003 03 25 14 47 52 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 42 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 48 17 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 48 29 2320 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 48 42 227 0 0 0 0 28 15 40 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 48 54 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 42 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 49 06 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 42 15 30 44 4 2003 03 25 14 49 19 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 42 15 30 44 4 2003 03 25 14 49 31 234 0 0 0 0 28 15 42 15 30 244 A 4 2003 03 25 14 49 43 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 42 15 30 245 D 60000 2003 03 25 14 50 06 315 36 15 0 0 0 0 36 14 39 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 50 08 234 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 67 Files From Transponders There are three types of output files created when a CHAT tag is communicated with during a study The type of file created depends on the type of communication performed The file types are listed below with a brief explanation of when they are created More detailed descriptions follow Real time data file created when Real time track is used Log file created when Global search or Cycle search are used Archive file created when Upload track is used Real time data file A new Real Tim
45. 1 0 51 1 0 42 14 38 14 38 15 33 14 48 40 2003 03 28 14 32 12 20 6 22 0 4 1 0 39 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 240 2003 03 28 14 32 32 20 6 20 0 85 1 0 34 14 36 14 32 14 0 0 45 240 2003 03 28 14 32 52 20 6 20 0 76 1 0 37 14 41 14 36 15 32 14 45 240 2003 03 28 14 33 12 20 6 11 0 59 1 0 39 14 30 14 30 14 0 0 45 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 69 log records CHAT tag communication received by the VR28 receiver while 28 is in either Global Search or Cycle Search mode When the log file has grown to fifty kilobytes it will be saved according to the folder selected in Data Directory File menu and a new log file will be created to continue data storage In the log file a line beginning with an asterisk is a comment line used to increase the readability of the file The comment lines contain the study parameters which are lines of text entered into the file through the Testing System window Each log file contains four columns of information as identified in the last comment line These columns are date time ID number of the transponder range in meters and bearing in degrees If the received data is incomplete and the transponder cannot be identified four question marks 2222 are displayed in the place of the ID number and the number of data pulses received in place of range and bearing see sample log file Log files are named Logfile yyy where yyy number of log files created
46. 498 06 TABLE OF CONTENTS Part T S INTRODUCTION on i E 1 About id wag wie be E wie RESTE 1 System OVERVICW bana 1 Using this Manual res 2 2 P rt 2 USINGATHE VR28 SYSTEM ee e 3 Set up hardware equipment 3 Set psoftW rept grani ob rut ie a aa Le 3 Use the svstem vend SRE E 4 View data 4 ore tiea a Sora Ein Baa Rare a Neen aa 5 Patt 3 2 HARDWARE doy Heh oo Cui at WR qe VISs NU A reto qued 6 VR28 RECEIVER OE 6 Placemeut um ShP ove eae rs ne Ek eU UE iS 6 BNC Coax Cable Installation 7 Audio Connection durs de A ed 8 Mono Audio 8 Stereo Audio OUEDULD Meee DI re 8 Computer Connection os ew Rr E 10 Power Supply Connection 10 VHAx HYDROPHOND Li ER EE
47. 650 10 Frequency gt 10 32 8 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 71 13 5 gt 13 111 14 ID gt 14 31 16 Tag Type gt 16 VX32TP 17 Sync Bin gt 17 1000 0 40 0 18 Temperature Range gt 18 4 C 20 C 30 Slope2 intercept2 units2 gt 30 1 0 0 0 meters 26 Computer time at upload gt 26 2003 04 01 14 17 32 27 Study start gt 27 2003 04 01 13 16 57 28 Starting Block gt 28 0 29 SampleTime Average interval gt 29 10 secs 5 min 50 Date yyyy mm dd Time hh mm ss Max Depth meters Temp C at Max Depth Min Depth meters Temp C at Min Depth Ave Depth meters Temp C at Ave Depth Bearing Range m Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Aft Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain 250 2003 04 01 13 21 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 38 1 0 39 14 32 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 13 26 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 41 1 0 39 14 31 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 13 31 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 39 1 0 39 14 31 14 30 14 38 14 48 250 2003 04 01 13 36 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 39 1 0 39 14 32 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 13 41 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 41 1 0 39 14 32 14 31 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 13 46 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 39 1 0 39 14 32 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 13 51 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 37 1 0 39 14 32 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 13 56 57 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 9 0 20 6 39 1 0 39 14 32 14 30 14 39 14 48 250 2003 04 01 14
48. B hours 1 min 1 4 years C 2 hours 1 min 170 days C 1 hour 1 min 85 days 30 min 10 42 days C 15min 10sec 21 days 10 min 10sec 14 days 5 min l sec 7 days When Initialize is selected the Testing System window will appear verifying that the software and hardware are operating correctly for a study to be run Once the Testing System window is closed the Transponder initialization window shown below will appear A CHAT tag must be selected from the list of available transponders before it can be initialized This list is found on the left in the Transponder initialization window If a desired CHAT tag is not on the list then it must be added using the Add Tag option of Tag Setup found in the Setup menu Once the desired tag has been selected the averaging and sampling intervals can be chosen by clicking on the circle to the left of the desired combination Choose Send to transmit the averaging and sampling intervals to the transponder and to initialize it for use Other CHAT tags may be initialized before the Transponder initialization window is closed by clicking the X in the top right corner VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 49 Global search When Global Search 15 selected the Testing System window will appear verifying that the software and hardware are operating correctly for a study to be run Once the Testing System window is closed the Global Search window shown below will appear Global Sea
49. C 38 One Channel Telemetry Format 238 Date yyyy mm dd Time hh mm ss Temperature C Bearing Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Aft Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain GPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots 100 EOH gt 38 2003 04 04 14 44 51 11 8 136 0 0 0 0 32 15 32 14 51 238 2003 04 04 14 44 52 12 2 148 0 0 31 14 34 15 35 15 54 38 2003 04 04 14 44 53 12 3 151 28 15 35 15 36 15 38 15 54 238 2003 04 04 14 44 54 11 8 156 0 0 35 15 36 15 38 15 54 238 2003 04 04 14 44 55 12 2 164 0 0 35 15 37 15 38 15 54 Two Channel Telemetry data file The continuous two channel telemetry data file contains both temperature and pressure depth telemetry data This is an example of a two channel continuous transmitter data file containing both comment lines and data lines VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 64 01 Dataformat gt 01 1 00 02 gt 02 C VEMCOV Track28 new data V030328 002 04 User Study Parameters 204 Vemco test study gt 04 Shad Bay NS Canada gt 04 Conducted by Lysia Taylor 06 Blanking interval gt 06 300 10 Frequency gt 10 50 0 12 Serial Number gt 12 2222 16 Tag Type gt 16 Two Channel Telemetry 30 Slope1 Intercept1 sensor type units 1 gt 30 88 5 87 7 31 Slope2 intercept2 sensortype2 units2 gt 31 113 6 120 2 Depth Meters 39 two Channel Telemetry Fo
50. CHAT tag also referred to as a transponder must have its serial number frequency ID number blanking interval slope and intercept values sync and bin values and Turn Around value entered in the TRACK28 software before it can be tracked by the VR28 receiver All of this information is included in the manual shipped with the CHAT tag There are two types of CHAT tags the VX32TP and the VX32TPS The VX32TP is a CHAT tag transponder that records temperature and depth and the VX32TPS records temperature depth and swim speed Information pertaining to a CHAT tag can be Added Viewed Edited Deleted Add CHAT Tag CHAT tags can not be selected for detection by the TRACK28 system unless the information pertaining to that CHAT tag serial number frequency etc has been entered into the software This is done by following the steps listed beginning on the next page VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 39 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Use the mouse to select CHAT Tags in the list on the left side of the window CHAT Tags should now be highlighted Click the Add Tag button in the top left corner with the picture of a transmitter and a green plus sign A list of the CHAT tag types VX32TP and VX32TPS will appear on the right side of the window Click the gray square to the left to the desired CHAT tag type to open the necessary information boxes The window shown below is for setting up
51. E 94 OM 86 11 2370 BRA NOE 318 2 2 JUU GALIATI 134205 3 VW34 5 501 901 6 TONSHdNY UNA 92 oMd JWI 57 501 301 46 0745 3002 40102 JAYI Gr 6 N3036 30 5 3AMISOd NOUDNN4 318 2 H3MO0d VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 95 GLOSSARY Blanking interval the length of time after an acoustic signal has been received in which the VR28 system will ignore any subsequent signals This is to eliminate the reception of echoes by the system The blanking interval can vary from 150 ms to 3000 ms Separate interval values must be entered for continuous transmitters coded transmitters and transponders Default blanking interval values are setup for each tag based on the type of tag setup These values should be used unless the environmental conditions are highly reverberant In which case the blanking interval can be increased as long as it does not exceed the sync value for coded transmitters or the period for continuous transmitters For coded transmitters it is important that the blanking interval value used be smaller than the lowest sync value on a frequency Typically the value is 60 to 75 of the lowest sync value If a higher value is used it will interfere with the reception of data For continuous transmitt
52. GPVTG SPEED item for speed in knots Gyro Compass setup When Gyro compass has been selected within the Positioning system sub menu the Gyro compass setup window shown below will open Information pertaining to the gyro compass unit must be entered in the appropriate boxes in the Gyro compass setup window for the TRACK28 program to correctly interpret the data from the gyro compass NOTE If the Monitor gyro compass box is not selected then the gyro compass information WILL NOT be updated to either the screen or the data file Baud Gyro compass setup The baud rate at which the gyro compass unit communicates must be entered the Baud box Monitor gyro compass To select the correct baud rate see the gyro Sound bell on update gt Date of data compass manual for the correct value click on Scanning cycle o 7 Atmospheric temp the down pointing arrow next to the box The list Com port EE Atmospheric pressure of baud rate options will appear Click on the Humidity desired value which will then be entered in the Baud 9600 2 Seawater temp box It is also possible to enter the value directly Data bits Parity Relative wind speed with use of the keyboard The baud value options 5 Ade Relative wind direction include 1200 2400 4800 9600 19200 38400 5 Even Ship s course 57600 115200 C Ship s latitude 8 Space ES longitu
53. If the desired channel information is not shown click the channel name A B C or D on the right side of the window to show that channel s information In the window below Channel A information is shown Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the changes to the channel information aio x 42114 Apply Cancel 2 H Continuous 9 Coded Tags Freq 69 0 Blank 300 Freq 68 0kHz 256 Pinger B 4k Pinger 256 Sensor 256 Pinger 64k Pinger Freq 71 0kHz Sync 401 2 Bin 223 Chat Tags Coded Telemetry Setup Add Coded Telemetry Information from coded telemetry transmitters 256 Sensor can not be detected by the TRACK28 system unless the slope and intercept pertaining to that transmitter has been entered into the software This is done by following the steps listed below 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have been setup If the desired frequency is not listed then it must be added Click the plus symbol next to the desired frequency to display the channels on the frequency At least one channel must be 256 sensor with sync and bin values that match the transmitter s If there isn t a coded channel must be edited to be S256 with th
54. N Deployment Methods The VFIN is shipped without the top stabilizer fin attached Unpack the black fin from the carton and attach the fin to the VFIN with the four screws provided The angled side of the fin faces the front of the VFIN see the diagram entitled Hydrophone Mount and Cable System at the back of the TRACK28 manual When setting up the VFIN for the first time the trim tabs and top fin may need to be adjusted to make the VFIN fly straight in the water rather than pull to port or starboard Adjustment can be made to the VFIN by bending the stainless steel tabs attached to the back of the VFIN WARNING The VFIN should be held in a cradle when not deployed to firmly hold it on the deck and prevent damage from occurring to the hydrophone element on the bottom of the VFIN The tow cable attachment to the VFIN is made with a shackle Make sure that the shackle is tight and the pin secured from rotation with a wire tie ADVICE Place as much distance as possible between the hydrophone on the VFIN and the propellers This reduces the effect the propeller noise has on the received acoustic signals and therefore improves the performance of the system This can be accomplished by deploying the hydrophone as far forward on the vessel as possible VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 15 Suggested Deployment Method The VFIN is deployed from a single sheave attached to a davit or hydraulic arm mounted near the bow of the ship see drawi
55. STEM MANUAL PAGE 84 PSN ww ara VLOO VSV NIJA WALSAS SNINOVHIXPA SZHA LONGOYd NI3A 18 1355 ONLLNNOW 3NOHdOHQAH 2271111 ONTA NIZA 30 WOLLOS avi YIS 1 0 5 MOS 832 45 13315 5531 15 1413 28 Q3TwWiSNI 008 030 38 97 8 5 832445 ONO 5 0317 58 OON 030 38 91 315 NIJA 40 2 5 1120 335 V CDe 1014 91 um 1745 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 85 VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 86 5 gt mol QXLINTI NIFA 1 4 ONVILYOO 5 101 IONS 349015 09 Y JIVO IHL 40 AWM Lud 38 LSNW QAYOT VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 87 N SNOISIA3N VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 88 VOVNYO VLLOOS VAON AVE OYHS TIVWS S 031539905 311 15 3438 43440165 GNVILYOD 31 19 SNIMOVE 0 0 39471 38 150 43880nNS ININOOW 1 319 1 031539905 40 314 3 318 2 LON 01 0350 3904 W3LSAS 808 0311 15 0123 02 1VO8 30 3QISNI 031102 38 OL 318 2 QN3
56. These categories are Data files Real Time data files Log files and Archive files When one of these are selected the Open window appears listing the files of that type found in the Data directory To change the type of files listed or to display all file types click the down arrow next to Files of type at the bottom of the screen A complete list of file types will be displayed to choose from To view a file either click on the desired file with the mouse and select Open or type the file name in the box at the bottom of the screen entitled File name Another option is to double click the file name to directly open the file When a file has been opened it can be edited using cut copy paste and delete commands in the Edit menu The Character menu allows for justification and font changes including text size The printing option including printer setup is found in the File menu along with open close save save as and exit WINDOW MENU The Window menu allows opened windows to be cascaded on the screen with the exception of output file windows If the gyro compass is enabled the Gyro compass data window can be opened from the Window menu VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 47 RUN MENU Information pertaining to tags must be entered into the TRACK28 program using Tag Setup in the Setup menu before they can be used in a study Testing System The Testing System window shown below has two purposes 1 to displ
57. Tracking Form window will open to display the bearing and distance to the transmitter and telemetry data if applicable Tracking window The Tracking window also referred to as the Tracking Form window displays information while a transmitter or CHAT tag is being tracked followed This information is useful in determining the direction and distance of the tag from the hydrophone The elements of the Tracking window are labelled in the picture below and are explained below the picture Signal vs Noise indicator Controls T MIL Receive indicator Transmit indicator menu Controls Audio Audio Vol 3048 menu E Bearing Compass Gain level Volume GPS level Date Time SN 0 Beating Tem C 2003 03 28 14 3515 1111 47 10 76 206 110 2003 03 28 14 34 55 1111 47 10 54 206 2003 03 28 14 34 34 1111 47 10 2 206 20 Requesting data from transponder ID 47 SN 1111 Wai RRTO1111 000 1 5k Status line File information Transmit indicator flashes during the broadcast of a signal to CHAT tags It represents a red light and is marked TX VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 56 Receive indicator flashes during reception of a signal from transmitter or CHAT tag represents a green light and is marked RX When transmitters are being used in a study only the receive indicator RX will appear on the screen Signal vs Noise indicator represents a
58. With a stereo headphone set in the mono jack both headphone speakers will receive the same signal Mono headphones can not be used or the output will be shorted and the receiver damaged When using the mono output the operator of the TRACK28 can control the hydrophone channel and volume directly by manipulating the settings on the tracking screen or from the spring loaded toggle switches on the left side of the VR28 receiver The audio output can also drive a small speaker that can be mounted near the computer Stereo Audio Output The Stereo Audio Output Module can be used to track tags that are outside electronic detection range but can be audibly heard This is not uncommon since the electronic detection threshold is higher than the audible detection threshold By selecting opposing directions for the right and left ears of the headphone set for example port and starboard an operator wearing stereo headphones can determine the transmission direction of the signal Travelling in that direction while continuing to use the audio signal to refine the directional information will eventually place the tag within electronic detection range To operate the stereo feature plug the stereo headphone jack into the plug on the Stereo Audio Output Module marked with a red arrow in the stereo module sketch and use the rotary switches to select the signal to be heard in each ear Be sure the headphone is correctly oriented with the side marked L on the
59. ag for viewing from the list on the left side of the window see below The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window see below This information is disabled grayed out and can not be edited Close Continuous Tags Coded Tags 111 1000 0 Chat Tags HEUS 32 8 Bin 10 0 3 TP ID 7 Blank 1650 Turn amp round 1000 Cycle Search Channel 1 Channel 2 Temperature Temp Range Profile 10 0 Profile 500 UE S N 1111 Freq 32 8kHz ID 31 S N 1111 Freq 32 8kHz ID 47 TPS VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 41 Edit CHAT Tag Information setup for a CHAT tag can be viewed by following the steps listed below 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to CHAT Tags in the list on the left side of the window Click the plus symbol next to the desired CHAT tag type either TP or TPS to display the tags that have already been entered Use the mouse to select the desired CHAT tag for viewing from the list on the left side of the window see below The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window see below The information is still disabled and gray in colour Click the Edit Tag button in
60. and enable the positioning system in the software if applicable See Position System in the Setup menu of the Software part of this manual Enter the information pertaining to the tags in Tag Setup see Setup menu in the Software part of this manual Setup the decoding information in Decoding Setup see Setup menu in the Software part of this manual VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 3 3 Use the system These functions are only available if the VR28 hardware Step 1 and TRACK28 software Step 2 are properly setup NOTE It is strongly suggested to test the transmitters and CHAT tags being used with the VR28 system on dry land before deploying the tags This will verify the tag information is correctly entered in the TRACK28 software see Setup in the Setup menu in the Software part of this manual a Select the desired function and the corresponding Run menu selection from the list below b Perform the function by following the instructions in the appropriate section in the Run menu part of this manual HINT To search for deployed CHAT tags use Global search to verify that CHAT tags are in the area then use Cycle search to identify the CHAT tags present by their ID number s c Close the Tracking Form window when the desired function is completed This will end the study Desired Function to Perform Initialize a CHAT tag to collect and store data to memory Run Menu Selection Transp
61. apter if your computer has a 25 pin connector WARNING The VR28 receiver should be powered down when connecting the serial cable or the hydrophone HYDRO FUSE HYDROPHONE SIGNAL OLIT VR28 receiver s controller module Power Supply Connection The VR28 receiver is powered with 12 Volts DC which can be supplied in one of three possible ways depending on your situation and the acoustic noise levels These supply methods are listed below 1 Using the ship s 12 VDC power supply 2 Using alaboratory 12 VDC power supply 1 Amp minimum that plugs into the ship s AC mains 3 Using an isolated 12 VDC battery with 1 Amp minimum VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 10 connect the supplied power to the VR28 receiver follow the steps listed below The receiver should only be powered up turned on if all other hardware connections have already been made 1 Connect the red wire positive on the supplied power cable to 12 volts DC and the black wire negative to ground 2 Plug the Amphenol female connector on the other end of the cable to the connector marked 12 VDC POWER on the VR28 Controller Module indicated by the green arrow in the previous sketch Be sure the notch in the female connector is pointing up so the connector will line up correctly 3 Press the connection together and tighten the locking sleeve clockwise taking care to avoid cross threading 4 Press the connection together again when you feel resis
62. ave a different slope and intercept from each other so be sure to enter the correct values in the proper channel The temperature channel requires a selection between the two possible temperature VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 40 ranges This information is all found in the back of the manual that was shipped with the CHAT tag The Profile Min and Profile Max values are automatically calculated for this channel based on the slope and intercept values These values are specific to this channel of this tag and control the vertical scale in the Profile window Global profile settings are also available in Profile setup but will not be used unless selected in the Profile window Verify that the correct unit is displayed in the Units box This should be degrees Celsius C for temperature and meters for depth Other units can only be used if the slope and intercept values have been manually converted 10 Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the new transmitter View CHAT Tag Information setup for a CHAT tag can be viewed by following the steps listed below 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to CHAT Tags in the list on the left side of the window Click the plus symbol next to the desired CHAT tag type either TP or TPS to display the tags that have already been entered Use the mouse to select the desired CHAT t
63. ay results of necessary equipment checks and 2 to allow study parameter information to be entered Before each study is begun the system verifies that a valid data directory and unique com ports are being used that either the GPS or gyro compass only one of the two may be used at a time the other is grayed on the check list is setup on a valid port that the VR28 receiver is connected to a valid port and is responding If any of these conditions is not met a message window will appear to identify the possible problem The Study parameters section of the Testing System window allows text to be saved to the output file for that study This is helpful in identifying a study when the output file is read Testing System r Required checks gt Study parameters Valid data directory test study Unique com ports Location Shad Bay NS Canada vox Valid GPS port Conducted Lysia Taylor Valid Gpotompass Pa x Cancel Valid VR28 port Iv LX Conca Help VR28 Responding Run transponders After the setup information pertaining to a CHAT tag transponder has been entered into the TRACK28 software the CHAT tag can be initialized and used in a study The CHAT tag doesn t need to be initialized to be used with Global search Cycle search or Real time track but data will not be recorded to the internal memory of the CHAT tag until after it is initialized IMPORTANT Data will
64. begin the Upload Track When the Tracking Form window is opened which automatically happens when the OK button in the Testing System window is clicked the VR28 receiver will send out an acoustic signal instructing the desired CHAT tag to begin broadcasting its stored data Select CHAT tag to track B El Chat Tags E TP 5 N 1111 Freq 32 8kHz ID 31 S N 1111 Freq 32 BkHz 10 47 X Cancel TPS VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 53 Examples of the time required to perform a complete data upload to TRACK28 are given in the table below based on various VX32TP averaging and sampling intervals selected when the CHAT tag was initialized VX32TP Memory Fill Upload Time for 1 Week Data Upload Time for 1 Year Data Sampling Interval Averaging Interval 1 minute Time 39 years Recording 31 seconds Recording 27 minutes 12 hours 1 minute 1 minute 5 6 years 3 6 minutes 7 3 minutes 3 1 hours 6 3 hours 6 hours 2 hours 1 minute 1 minute 170 days 15 minutes 44 minutes 13 hours 1 hours 30 minutes 1 minute 10 seconds 85 days 1 5 hours 2 9 hours 15 minutes 10 minutes 10 seconds 10 seconds 5 8 hours 8 7 hours 5 minutes 10 seconds Run transmitters 17 hours Before a transmitter can be tracked the VR28 receiver must know what frequency channel to receive How this is done is slight
65. ble around the thimble and then measure this length allowing TETE an extra inch at each side for the serving that secured the rope to the thimble Multiply the cable diameter by 60 to 68 diam m SECTION get the length of the cable segment over which the splice is wrapped Measuring from one end of the cable mark FIGURE C11 off the tail lengths the eye section and the portion of the standing rope where the splice is wrapped see Figure C11 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 81 Remove the cable jacket If the cable has an extruding plastic cover carefully score the cable around its circumference at mark for the tail length Then slit along the cable from there to the end being careful not to cut all the way through the sheath Open the plastic and split it off along the scored line If the cable has a braided fiber cover tape tightly just beyond the tail length mark from the end Slide the jacket from the end towards this tape so that it balloons away from the core Insert scissors and trim through the slackened braided sleeve being careful not to nick or cut the strength member fibers beneath Slide off the sleeve Attach thimble suspend and mark cable Form the eye section onto the thimble and tape tightly together at the base of the thimble The thimble can be slipped over a hook in the wall at a comfortable working height four to five feet Tie a small rope
66. by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Click the plus symbol next to Continuous Tags to display the continuous transmitter types that have been setup 3 Click the plus symbol next to the desired continuous transmitter type to display the transmitters that have been setup 4 Use the mouse to select the desired transmitter for viewing from the list on the left side of the window see below The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window The information is still disabled and gray in colour 5 Click the Edit Tag button in the top left corner of the window picture of transmitter and hammer The information on the right side of the window is now enabled text changes from gray to black 6 Make the necessary changes to the transmitter information 7 Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the changes to the transmitter information Apply 7 Help Continuous Tags Pinger S N 5284 Freq 69 0 Blank 300 Channel Telemetry S N 5294 Freq 50 0kHz Pats S N 6284 Freq 53 0kHz Two Channel Telemetry Sensor ype Depth Coded Slope 4 Intercept fi 1 8 Profile Min 12 2 Profile Max 13 3 Units
67. d on the tracking screen and stored to an output file for later analysis The VR28 system can be used with CHAT tags by using the VH4x XPD Transponding Hydrophone with the VR28 receiver CHAT tags are capable of storing data to an internal memory to be acoustically retrieved at a later time The data includes temperature and depth with an option of swim speed see the CHAT tag section of Appendix A for more details VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 1 Using this manual This manual is a user s guide for the VR28 system both the VR28 hardware and the TRACK28 software This manual was designed for both new and experienced users Begin with Part 2 Using the VR28 System which is a list of necessary tasks to perform given in step form Each of these tasks is described in greater detail later in the manual and the related section is named in the list If you re new to the TRACK28 system read the Using the VR28 System section and each related section mentioned there This will give you a good foundation If you re familiar with the VR28 system the Using the VR28 System section can act as a review or check list All of the information contained in Part 4 Software and Part 5 Output Files of this manual is also contained in the help file for the TRACK28 software This can be very useful when the manual is not available and is accessed by selecting Help Topics in the Help menu For assistance with using
68. d to print a copy of the profile window graph to a configured printer If a printer has not been configured using Print setup then the computer s default printer will be used It is also possible to select the desired printer using the Printer setup button in the TeeChart Print Preview window Print Profile is available only if a Profile window is open i e when real time telemetry data is being received When Print profile is selected the TeeChart Print Preview window appears The graph shown in the Print preview window is the same as seen in the Profile window The TeeChart Print Preview graph 18 updated as the Profile window is updated Paper Orientation The Paper Orientation box in the TeeChart Print Preview window allows the orientation of the graph on the paper to be selected The choices are Portrait 8 5x11 inches or Landscape 11x8 5 inches Margins The margins in the TeeChart Print Preview window can be adjusted by selecting the desired percentage from the appropriate boxes in the Margin box The margins can be reset by selecting Reset Margins Selecting View Margins will show the location of the margins with gray doted lines Chart Detail The graph text ratio can be adjusted to enlarge the graph and decrease the size of the text shown in the TeeChart Print Preview window Do this by moving the Chart Detail bar to the left The closer to More the bar is the larger the graph becomes and the smaller the text size To print t
69. dB Bearing The Bearing section in the Decoding setup window includes the selections Use moving average Samples to hold and Sample to average Use moving average The compass display in the Tracking window is normally updated with every received acoustic signal If the Use moving average box is selected the compass display will be based on an average of received signals This will smooth the displayed data and discourage large bearing changes on the screen caused by echoes and reflections Samples to hold Samples to average The TRACK28 software will hold the bearing data for the number of most recent samples listed in the Samples to hold box and an average bearing is calculated from these samples The number in the Samples to average box determines which samples from Samples to hold will be used in the actual bearing average In the sample Decoding setup window shown on the preceding page the last seven bearings received are held and averaged together The five values of the seven that are closest to this average are again averaged This second average is used to plot the bearing on the compass display The reception of new bearing data will release the oldest bearing data from the Sample to hold group and make a new group The averaging process will then repeat SUGGESTED BEARING VALUES Number of Number of Samples to average Samples to hold coded transmitters 7 5 two channel continuous 4 3 tele
70. de Sound bell on update eR K One The computer will beep each time the position f Two data is updated if the Sound bell on update option is selected This gives an audio indication that an update has occurred X Cancel VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 24 Scanning cycle The Scanning cycle is the time in seconds between updates of the gyro compass data on the screen Enter the desired cycle time in seconds in the Scanning cycle box Com port The gyro compass unit is connected to the computer through a serial port In order to communicate with the positioning equipment the number of the serial port also referred to as a com port being used must be entered into the TRACK28 software Ensure the positioning system and receiver are assigned unique com ports Note The GPS and gyro compass cannot be used at the same time Data bits Stop bits and Parity In order for proper communication to occur between the positioning system and the TRACK28 program the data bits stop bits and parity must be correctly entered This information is found in the users manual for the positioning equipment Gyro data to save After the information described Baud Sound bell on update etc has been entered into the appropriate boxes in the Gyro Compass Setup window information unique to Gyro compass found in the Gyro data to save section must be selected The information received from the gyro compass is listed
71. display is shaded grey to indicate that the aft receiver has been disabled The Disable aft option is useful in situations where acoustic noise from the ship s propeller seems to be overwhelming acoustic signals from the tag Audio menu controls which hydrophone direction bow aft port or starboard or all four at once All will be heard through a set of headphones connected to the mono audio jack see the Audio Connection section of the VR28 Receiver section of the hardware manual If Disable aft has been selected in the Controls menu then the Aft option is disabled in the list as there is no audio output from the aft receiver If the audio output from the aft receiver is the only audio signal activated when Disable aft is selected the feature will automatically be selected and all VR21 receivers will be heard through the headphones Gyro Compass data window The Gyro compass data window see below is used with the Tracking Form window It opens when the gyro compass has been enabled and either Run press transmitter Real time track or Upload track are being used Humidity 432 Seatemp 229 The Gyro compass data window is closed by clicking on the x inthe top _ Belwindspd 050 right corner of that window The data window can be re opened within the Window menu Ship lat N35 64 Ship long 13877 Ship speed VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 58 Pro
72. e correct sync and bin values VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 35 4 Use the mouse to select the desired 258 Sensor channel in the list on the left side of the window as shown below New Tag Setup E Continuous Tags E Coded Tags Er Freg 69 0kHz v 256 Pinger La Bk Pinger E Freg 7 1 0kHz Sync 350 0 20 0 Chat Tags DETAILS 5 Click the Add Tag button in the top left corner with the picture of a transmitter and a green plus sign The necessary information boxes will appear on the right side of the window as shown below New Tag Setup 6 Enter the ID number and the serial number of the transmitter in the appropriate boxes on the right side of the window 7 Verify that the sensor type is correct for the channel either temperature or depth depending on the sensor type 8 Enter the slope and intercept in the correct boxes The slope and intercepts are found in the Transmitter Specification manual that accompanied the transmitters during shipping The Min and Max values are automatically calculated based on the slope and intercept values These values are specific to this transmitter and control the vertical scale in the Profile window Global profile settings are also available in Profile setup but will not be used unless selected in the Profile window VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 36 9 Verify that the correct unit is displa
73. e data file is automatically created every time Real Time Track mode is entered This file is stored in the data directory as designated in the Data Directory option of the File menu Data will only be written to the Real Time data file when a complete acoustic signal is received and verified although incomplete positioning data may be recorded with that information In Real Time data files a line beginning with an asterisk is a comment line and is used to increase the readability of the file see the sample Real time data file The comment lines are found in the header of the file and include information such as the data file name the serial number ID number operating frequency and data type of the transponder the study parameters etc The study parameters are lines of text entered by the user in the Testing System window to identify the study The last comment line 100 EOH indicates the end of the header section Data lines begin with the greater than sign gt and contain data as identified in the preceding comment line The last comment line and data line combination in the header identifies what each field contains in the data lines following the header fields in the data lines are separated by commas If a positioning system is enabled the information will be included after the gain see Positioning System Enabled If a Real Time data file reaches the limit specified by the File Size option found in the File menu
74. e last comment line indicates what each field in the following data lines represents see sample Archive file Data lines begin with the greater than sign gt and contain data as identified in the last comment line This information includes Date time of data averaging maximum depth units specified in Tag Setup during averaging period temperature at maximum depth during averaging period minimum depth units specified in Tag Setup during averaging period temperature C at minimum depth during averaging period average depth units specified in Tag Setup during averaging period average temperature C during averaging period bearing in degrees range in meters Signal and Noise levels separately listed for Bow Starboard Aft and Port and given in dB and gain in dB Archive data files are named using the convention where XXXX serial number of CHAT tag sending data and yyy number of uploaded data files created for this CHAT tag beginning with 000 An example of an Archive data file name is Arc4007 000 The second Archive data file for this CHAT tag would be Arc4007 001 A sample Archive file is shown below 01 Dataformat gt 01 1 00 02 202 2 8 111 001 04 User Study Parameters gt 04 Vemco test study gt 04 Location Shad Bay NS Canada gt 04 Conducted by Lysia Taylor 06 Blanking interval gt 06
75. ed from the transmitter or CHAT tag will be collected at a faster rate then the GPS data is collected When this occurs the GPS data is included when updated Combination 1 and is missing when not updated Combination 2 Sample data lines from a Real time data file with GPS enabled illustrate this point gt 40 2003 03 28 14 31 31 20 6 11 0 52 2 9 39 14 34 14 35 15 29 14 45 4431 450 6347 170 50 0 0 5 gt 40 2003 03 28 14 31 51 20 6 11 0 51 1 0 42 14 38 14 38 15 33 14 48 gt 40 2003 03 28 14 32 12 20 6 22 0 4 1 0 39 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 gt 40 2003 03 28 14 32 32 20 6 20 0 85 1 0 34 14 36 14 32 14 0 0 45 4431 400 6347 170 50 0 0 8 The first and last data lines are examples of Combination 1 and the middle two data lines are examples of Combination 2 In this sample the data was arriving at a faster rate than the GPS data was being updated This caused the middle two data lines to be without GPS data VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 73 Gyro Compass Enabled Files If Monitor gyro compass has been enabled in the Gyro compass setup window Setup menu the gyro compass data will be included in the data file after the gain The number of gyro compass items present corresponds to the number of gyro compass strings selected in the Gyro data to save section of the Gyro compass setup window Data lines after the header will contain these two possible combinations while the gyro compass is being monitored 1
76. ed on the back of the hydrophone and the shorter spacers on the front closer to the nose of the VFIN d Slide the large 3 8 flat washer on the rod e Push the threaded rod up through the corresponding hole in the VFIN The wider section of the hydrophone mounting plate should face the front nose of the VFIN f Slide the PVC spacer on the rod so the angled side of the spacer is against the VFIN Slide the small 5 16 flat washer on the rod followed by the slit lock washer VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 14 h Hand tighten the nut and repeat this processes for the other corners of the hydrophone mounting plate i Tighten the four nuts 4 Tighten the nuts and repeat for the other corners of the hydrophone 5 Push the connector on the hydrophone wire through the hole in the VFIN Align the marks for pin large bump and thickest pin and push the connector into place 6 Slide the strain relief sleeve down the cable and tighten onto the connector 7 Hook one end of the stainless steel tow cable to the closest thimble on the hydrophone cable The other end of the tow cable must be connected to the hook on the VFIN see the diagram entitled Hydrophone Mount and Cable System at the back of the TRACK28 manual Care of Underwater Connections Before each deployment always inspect and clean all O Rings and mating surfaces Coat the O Rings and mating surfaces with silicone grease or Dow Corning 55 O Ring lubricant VFI
77. eiver module Connect BNC cable from the Hydrophone Input Module connector STARBOARD labelled STARBOARD to the IN connector on the STARBOARD VR21 receiver module Connect BNC cable from the Hydrophone Input Module connector AFT labelled AFT to the IN connector on the AFT VR21 receiver module Connect BNC cable from the Hydrophone Input Module connector PORT labelled PORT to the IN connector on the PORT VR21 receiver module VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 7 Audio Connection The VR28 receiver has both a mono audio output and a stereo audio output for use with standard stereo headphones A set of stereo headphones has been included with the VR28 receiver for user convenience At the user s discretion a different stereo headphone set may be purchased from any stereo equipment vendor to replace the one supplied WARNING Mono headphones can not be used or the output will be shorted and the receiver damaged Mono Audio Output The Mono Audio Output is the headphone jack found on the VR28 Controller Module labelled VR28C The jack is labeled Audio and is indicated with a red arrow in the VR28 receiver s controller module sketch in the PC Connection section Do not use a mono headset as it will short the output The jack is actually a stereo jack with a mono signal although referred to as the mono audio jack This feature provides the convenience of being able to use the same headphones with both audio jacks
78. el required for adequate signal reception is displayed above the bar graph The maximum gain level possible is 60 dB Gain danger level In the example shown here the Gain danger level is set at 30dB which is the point at which the bar graph turns from green to red while the actual gain level is 45dB The yellow text in the example is for explanation purposes only and will not appear in the Tracking window Sound travel The speed of sound in water is a function of the environmental conditions in the water such as salinity and temperature The speed of sound through water value being used in the study should be entered in the bottom right corner of the Decoding setup window in the box labelled Speed of sound m s The speed of sound is used to calculate the range to a tag and must be entered in the units meters per second m s VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 45 Compass setup The Compass Settings window allows the format of the bearing compass in the Tracking window to be set as either 0 to 360 degrees or 180 to 180 degrees Compass Settings oj xj Compass Labels Oto 360 degrees A sample of each compass setting is shown below with the 0 to 360 degrees on the left and the 180 to 180 degrees on the right 0 330 30 300 60 270 90 240 20 210 150 180 160 Compass label 0 to 360 degrees Compass label 180 to 180 degrees Profile setup The Profile setup window allows the gl
79. ency map for the selected frequency The frequency map includes the channel name A B C or D the sync the bin and the code type The sample coded transmitter data file contains the following lines to describe the frequency map 21 Channel Sync Bin Type gt 21 A 401 2 22 3 Coded256 22 Channel Sync Bin Type gt 22 B 380 0 20 0 Coded4K 23 Channel Sync Bin Type gt 23 C 360 0 20 0 Sensor256 24 Channel Sync Bin Type gt 24 D 340 0 20 0 Coded64K To identify the transmitters stored in a data file each data line after the header contains the channel name A B C or D and the transmitter ID number as shown in the sample coded transmitter data file The following is a sample coded transmitter data file containing both comment lines and data lines 01 Dataformat gt 01 1 00 02 gt 02 C VEMCOV Track28 new data V030325 000 04 User Study Parameters 204 Vemco test study gt 04 Location Shad Bay NS Canada gt 04 Conducted by Vemco development team 06 Blanking interval gt 06 300 10 Frequency gt 10 69 0 16 Tag Type gt 16 Coded200 21 Channel Sync Bin Type gt 21 A 401 2 22 3 Coded256 22 Channel Sync Bin Type gt 22 B 380 0 20 0 Coded4K 23 Channel Sync Bin Type 223 C 360 0 20 0 Sensor256 24 Channel Sync Bin Type gt 24 D 340 0 20 0 Coded64K gt 44 ChannelA Code Date Time Bearing Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port N
80. ers it is important that a value smaller than the period of the transmitter be used preferably fifty percent 50 of the lowest possible period or the blanking interval will interfere with the reception of data For example if a pinger with a period of 800ms is used the blanking interval should be approximately 400ms For telemetry transmitters the value of 300ms is suggested Converting units method used to convert the calibration data supplied with each tag from Metric units to other units The conversion factors are listed in the table below with examples following that UNIT CONVERSION FACTORS PRESSURE 1 bar 14 50377 psi psi 703 1 kg m DEPTH l psi 2 307 feet of fresh water at 4 C psi 2 244 feet of sea water at 0 C 1 foot 0 3048 meters 1 meter 3 281 feet 1 fathom 6 feet TEMPERATURE N C 1 8 x N 32 F EXAMPLES DEPTH Slope 250 m s x 3 281 820 ft s 6 137 fath s Intercept 240 m x 3 281 787 ft 6 131 fath TEMPERATURE Slope 15 5 C s 1 8 32 60 F s Intercept 15 0 C x 1 8 32 5 F GPS Global Positioning System is a device which can calculate geographic parameters such as latitude and longitude based on communications received from certain satellites above the VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 96 earth A GPS usually includes a serial port through which the geographic parameters can transmitted to a computer Outp
81. ess the Override tag min max with global settings box at the top of the Profile window is selected has a check mark in the box Use Print profile in the File menu to print the graph while it is open A spreadsheet program must be used to view or print the data in a graphical form after the study has been ended Profile Last update 2003 04 16 09 07 15 B Override tag min max with global settings sanyea4aduia 08 07 15 08 17 15 08 27 15 08 37 15 08 47 15 08 57 15 09 07 15 Temperature Depth VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 59 The example of a Profile window shown above is for two channel continuous transmitter The legend at the bottom of the window identifies the data in the graph by colour and line thickness The depth scale is shown on the left vertical axis and the temperature is on the right vertical axis The ticks on the vertical axis identifies which grid lines solid or dashed apply to which axis For example a closer look at the depth axis is shown below The ticks shown in gray line up with the dashed grid lines indicating that the dashed lines refer to the depth A look at the temperature axis shows the ticks lining up with the solid lines Features To zoom in on an area place the mouse pointer on the upper left hand corner of the desired area Click the left mouse button and drag to the lower right corner of the desired area Release the mouse button To zoom
82. file window The Profile window displays received telemetry data in graphical form while a study is being run The graph will be displayed only when real time telemetry data is being received This occurs during Real time track or when tracking a telemetry transmitter If a coded telemetry transmitter has been setup on a frequency then the Profile window will appear when that frequency is being studied regardless of if data has been received from the coded telemetry transmitter The Profile window is only visible while telemetry data is being received and the Profile window permanently closes when the Tracking Form window is closed The Profile window can be minimized by clicking either the minimize or close buttons in the top right corner of the window When the window is minimized it can be returned to its previous size by selecting Profile in the Window menu or by clicking the appropriate button in the minimized Profile window title bar at the bottom of the screen The Profile window automatically appears behind the Tracking window The Profile window can be brought to the front for easier viewing by either clicking on the Profile window itself or by selecting Profile in the Window menu The graph s vertical scale s are automatically calculated based on the slope and intercept entered for that particular telemetry sensor in Tag setup Global profile settings are also available in Profile setup see Setup menu but will not be used unl
83. from transponder ID 31 1111 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 51 Real time track Real time track 18 used to track a CHAT tag once it has been located using Global search or Cycle search Real time temperature and depth readings are received by the VR28 receiver and stored to the computer in a Real time data file If an initialized Chat tag is being used the Chat tag will continue to store temperature and depth readings to its memory according to its internal sampling schedule The stored data can be retrieved using Upload Track When Real time track is chosen the Select CHAT tag to track window appears shown below A CHAT tag must be selected from the list highlight the desired CHAT tag and select OK or double click on the desired transponder The Testing System window will then appear to verify that the software and hardware are ready to begin the Real time track When the Tracking window is opened which automatically happens when the OK button in the Testing System window is clicked the VR28 receiver will send out an acoustic signal instructing the desired CHAT tag to begin broadcasting live data Select CHAT tag to track Bl El Chat Tags E TP 5 N 1111 Freq 32 8kHz ID 31 S N 1111 Freq 32 BkHz 10 47 X Cancel TPS The CHAT tag unlike a transmitter will only transmit real time data when instructed to do so by the VR28 receiver This extends the battery life of the CHAT tag when c
84. g interval in milliseconds in the box marked Blank The coded frequency is now setup with the default channels 5 If custom coded channels must be setup use the mouse to click the desired channel name A B C or D The current settings are shown in the Type Sync and Bin boxes Make the necessary changes The code type is selected from the pull down list the sync and bin values must be entered in milliseconds To return the channel setup to the default settings click the Defaults button in the bottom right corner 6 Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the new frequency VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 31 View Coded Frequency Frequency information setup for coded transmitters can be viewed by following the steps listed below 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window shown below by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered Use the mouse to select the desired frequency from the list on the left side of the window see below The information pertaining to that frequency is shown on the top right side of the window The information is disabled and can not be edited 815 Close 2 Help 1 Freq 0 Blank 300 m B C D Chat Tags So
85. he graph with the same graph text ratio as seen in the Profile window the Chart Detail bar would need to be at Normal as shown in the window below VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 21 Print setup This menu option is used to setup the printer for printing the Profile window graph This menu feature is enabled only when a Profile window is open Exit Use Exit to leave the program or click on the small in the top right corner SETUP MENU Positioning system The Positioning system sub menu of the Setup menu lists the positioning systems available for use with the TRACK28 software Currently the GPS Global Positioning System and Gyro compass systems are available Information pertaining to the GPS and gyro compass units must be entered in the appropriate setup windows to enable the positioning hardware to function with the TRACK28 software If this information is omitted or incorrectly entered then the TRACK28 program will not be able to communicate with the positioning equipment GPS setup When GPS has been selected within the Positioning system sub menu of the Setup menu the GPS setup window shown below will open Information pertaining to the GPS unit must be entered in the appropriate boxes in the GPS setup window for the TRACK28 program to correctly interpret the data from the GPS unit NOTE If the Monitor GPS box is not selected then the GPS information WILL NOT be updated to either the screen or the data file
86. he plus symbol next to the desired frequency to display the channels on that frequency Use the mouse to select the desired channel from the list on the left side of the window see below The information pertaining to that channel is then shown on the right side of the window The information is disabled and can not be edited Close Continuous Tags Coded Tags Freq 69 0 Blank 200 E Freq 69 0kH2 256 Pinger EI 256 Sensor Type 4 Pinger 71 64k Pinger Freq 71 0kHz Sone 380 0 Bin 20 0 Chat Tags Defaults Edit Coded Channel Coded channel information setup for coded transmitters can be edited by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered 3 Use the mouse to select the desired frequency from the list on the left side of the window see below The information pertaining to that channel is shown on the right side of the window 4 Click the Edit Tag button in the top left corner of the window picture of transmitter and VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 34 hammer The information the right side of the window is now enabled and can be changed Make the necessary changes to the frequency channel s
87. hed to a marine creature for the purpose of tracking that creature Transmitters are available in different transmitting types and sizes The two transmitting types are continuous transmitters and coded transmitters The different transmitter sizes are explained on our web site www vemco com including specifications VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 97 INDEX Archive Bin Value Blanking interval CHAT Tag Setup Phd ia Edit ii etre nr ee uc Coded Tag Setup Coded Coded Frequency Coded Telemetry Coded Telemetry Setup os re ud eee eres REM Converting 0 5 Decoding setup AGC sensitivity is avanti Signal options Sound travel File menu Data directory Exit as Rute hans Sis wate Prnt profile bo test Print Setup ioter GPS i e ER t REOS GPS Setup Baud 4 2 48822225 bea eee port ows Nie Data Bits bed GPS data to save Scanning Sound bell on update
88. his would require the use of a longer serial cable than the one supplied The mono audio output can be used with a headphone extension cable and the volume controlled from the Tracking screen in the TRACK28 software Using the stereo audio module requires the VR28 receiver to be within reach of the computer since the stereo volume and ear direction controls are on the receiver itself VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 6 BNC Coax Cable Installation The hydrophone cable connects to the jack labelled V41 Quad Hydrophone indicated with the pink arrow in the sketch below on the VR28 Hydophone Input Module Four signals can be received simultaneously by the hydrophone the signals received from the bow starboard aft and port hydrophone elements Each of the four signals is sent to the corresponding individual receiver module through short pieces of BNC coaxial cable The BNC coaxial cables must run between the BNC connectors on the Hydrophone Input Module to the identically labelled BNC connectors on the individual receiver modules as illustrated in the sketch below These connections are also described in the table below WARNING The VR28 receiver should be powered down when connecting the BNC cables The four VR21 receiver modules bow starboard aft port and the Hydrophone Input Module SIGNAL BNC CABLE PLACEMENT Connect BNC cable from the Hydrophone Input Module connector BOW labelled BOW to the IN connector on the BOW VR21 rec
89. ick the tail end through the loop as before and draw it under with the loop to bury the free end see Figure C10 How to Fabricate an Eye Splice Termination Many high modulus synthetic fiber cables have served or stranded strength member elements which cannot be easily secured with a hollow braid or tick splice Cables that have a central electrical optical or tube component also require a different approach for fabricating a reliable termination The method described below is known by a variety of names Chinese finger counterhelix diamond wrap or stopper splice to name a few Credit is generally given to Alec Hood of Wall Rope Company for adapting this concept to advanced fiber ropes and those who remember Alec often pay him credit by calling this a Hood splice or a Wall splice Suggested equipment Tools Materials Scissors Electrical tape Clothes pins Braided Nylon serving cord Ink marker Galvanized steel thimble Utility knife or razor blade Scotch tape Small spool for serving cord Mylar tape polyester film w no adhesive PREPARING THE END OF THE CABLE Select the size thimble appropriate for the cable The grove of the thimble should support the cable and keep it from flattening The thimble should be no less than five times the cable diameter Determine the required lengths for each segment of 90 diam TAIL SECTION the splice Multiply the cable diameter by 90 to get the length of the strength member tails Form the ca
90. in the Gyro data to save portion of the Gyro compass Setup window shown here To select which information from the list will be saved verify that a check mark is in the square to the left of the desired information If a check mark is not present click on the box using the mouse arrow This is a toggle action meaning that if a check mark is present clicking on the box will remove the check mark and the data will not be saved during a study In the previous example the atmospheric pressure humidity relative wind speed and direction will not be shown in the Gyro compass data window or saved to the appropriate file VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 25 Receiver The number of the serial port to which the VR28 receiver is connected must be entered in the VR28 Port Settings window shown below to allow communication between the TRACK28 program and the receiver VR28 Port Settings VR28 port T vR28onpot i x Cancel Tag Setup The Tag setup option allows information pertaining to tags used with the VR28 receiver to stored in the software Without this information the receiver will not be able to detect any of the transmitters There are three types of tags that need information entered into the software continuous tags coded tags and CHAT tags Continuous Tag Setup Each continuous transmitter also referred to as a continuous tag must have its serial number frequency and blanking i
91. indicator Status Ime pesos Pa Track History 0 Transmit indicator Volume level Transmitter 2e Transmitter data files Coded tags ree REX Continuous tags Trouble shooting VFIN Deployment methods Hydrophone cable Hydrophone connection Speed of Tow Underwater connections VH4x Hydrophone Cable connection to receiver VFIN deployment system VH41 XPD transponding VR28 receiver AUO te cr BNC Coax Cable installation Computer connection Placement ship Power supply VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 99
92. ing Intellectual Property Rights remain with VEMCO All rights related to the Embedded Software not expressly licensed to the Buyer are reserved to VEMCO BUYER shall not permit any person other than BUYER and its employees to use or make use of the Embedded Software and or IP BUYER shall not and shall not permit any third party to modify adapt translate reverse engineer decompile disassemble or create derivative works based on the Embedded Software and or IP This license is assigned to the Product with which you have acquired the Embedded Software and or IP If the Product purchased is a Transmitter product be advised that the license life is equal to the operational life EXPORT Products and associated materials supplied or licensed hereunder may be subject to various export laws and regulations It is the responsibility or BUYER to comply with such laws and regulations NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT It is fully understood by the parties that the price of the Product and other mutual agreements of the parties set forth in this agreement were arrived at in consideration of this warranty SPECIFICALLY INCLUDING THE WAIVER RELEASE AND RENUNCIATION BY BUYER SET FORTH ABOVE DISCLAIMER AND RELEASE 2011 AMIRIX Systems Inc rights reserved The information contained herein includes information which is confidential and proprietary to AMIRIX Systems Inc and may not be used or disclosed without prior written consent of AMIRIX Systems Inc DOC 4
93. ing Started Follow the steps listed below to setup the software so it s ready to use with the hardware equipment After the software is setup read the Tracking Tags section of the manual 1 Check that the computer you plan to use passes the system requirements The system requirements are listed below in System Requirements 2 Install the Track28 software on the computer Instructions are given below in Software Installation 3 Enter the computer serial port number to which the VR28 receiver is connected Instructions are given in Receiver in the Setup menu section 4 Setup and enable the positioning system in the software if applicable Instructions are given in Positioning System in the Setup menu section 5 Enter the information pertaining to the tags in Tag Setup Instructions are given in Tag Setup in the Setup menu section 6 Setup the decoding information in Decoding Setup Instructions are given in Decoding Setup in the Setup menu section VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 18 System Requirements 28 is a Windows 98 Windows based software application that can be executed on any IBM compatible personal or mobile computer with the following configuration Minimum Pentium II Processor 5 00MHz Minimum 512 kilobytes Video RAM Minimum VGA Monitor 16 Colour 600 x 800 pixel 3 5 inch diskette drive for program installation One serial port for VR28 receiver input required One serial port and RS232 cable
94. l The holes in the corners of the hydrophone plate correspond PY VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 13 with holes in the VFIN The hardware must be mounted in the following order a Leave the Nylock nut on the end of the threaded rod b Put the threaded rod through the hole in the hydrophone mounting plate so the nut is on the same side of the plate as the hydrophone NOTE the 3 long rods are used at the back stern of the VFIN and the 3 5 8 rods are used at the front bow c Slide the stainless steel spacer on the rod so the flat side of the spacer is against the hydrophone mounting plate The longer spacers are used on the back of the hydrophone and the shorter spacers on the front closer to the nose of the VFIN Slide the large 3 8 flat washer on the rod e Push the threaded rod up through the corresponding hole in the VFIN The wider section of the hydrophone mounting plate should face the front nose of the VFIN f Slide the PVC spacer on the rod so the angled side of the spacer is against the VFIN g Slide the small 5 16 flat washer on the rod followed by the slit lock washer h Hand tighten the nut and repeat this processes for the other corners of the hydrophone mounting plate i Tighten the four nuts Align the raised dot on the hydrophone cable with the large pin on the hydrophone connector and push the connector into place Slide the strain relief sleeve down the cable and tighten
95. lied BNC cables see BNC Coax Cable Installation in the VR28 Receiver section of the Hardware part of the manual Be sure the bow VR21 receiver modular is connected to the bow hydrophone connector starboard to starboard aft to aft port to port Connect the VH4x hydrophone to the connector marked QUAD HYDROPHONE on the VR28 receiver bottom right corner See Connection of Hydrophone Cable to VR28 Receiver in the VH4x Hydrophone section of the Hardware part of the manual Connect the serial port of the computer with TRACK28 installed on it to the DB 9 connector marked RS232 SERIAL I O on the VR28 receiver with a RS232 cable see Computer Connection in the VR28 Receiver section of the Hardware part of the manual Connect a 12 VDC power supply to the connector on the VR28 receiver marked 12VDC POWER see Power Supply Connection in the VR26 Receiver section of the Hardware part of the manual Connect the positioning system to the computer if applicable g Deploy the hydrophone if not doing in air tests see Deployment Method in the Hardware part of this manual 2 Set up software program a b Install the Track28 software on an appropriate computer see Using the Software in the Software part of this manual Enter the computer serial port number to which the VR28 receiver is connected into the software see Receiver in the Setup menu of the Software part of this manual Setup
96. ll alter so the section is shown Once the topic is highlighted either select Display at the bottom of the window or double click on the topic name Find To search for a specific topic use the Find feature and follow the on screen instructions How to Use Help The How to Use Help feature opens the Windows Help file providing step by step directions on using a help file About About provides information about the 28 software such as the version number VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 61 Part 5 OUTPUT FILES Output files are created each time communication is received from a tag and contain the received data These files are stored in the assigned data directory Because there are many types of tags and types of communication there are a number of different types of output files The principle division in the file types occurs based on the type of tag either a transmitter or a transponder CHAT tag TRANSMITTER DATA FILES Data files are created when the VR28 receiver is in transmitter mode 1 6 tracking a transmitter The data received from the transmitter is automatically stored to a data file for later viewing and or editing This data file is located in the data directory assigned in the File menu Data files from continuous transmitters are setup slightly differently than data files from coded transmitters The different data files all have their naming convention method in common They also ha
97. ly different for continuous transmitters and Coded 200 transmitters Run Continuous transmitters Before a continuous transmitter can be tracked in the Run menu the VR28 receiver must know what frequency to receive This is accomplished by selecting the desired transmitter from the list in the Select continuous tag to track window as described in the steps below 1 Click the plus symbol next to Continuous Tags to display the continuous transmitter types 2 Click the plus symbol next to the desired continuous transmitter type to display the transmitters that have been setup In the sample window below the plus symbol next to the One Channel Telemetry type was clicked to reveal the two transmitters that have been setup serial numbers 5294 and 6284 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 54 3 Use the mouse to select the desired transmitter by clicking on the serial number frequency will then be highlighted as shown in the window below Continuous T ags Pinger One Channel Telemetry S N 5294 Freq 50 0kHz2 S N 6284 Freg 69 0kHz Two Channel Telemetry 4 Click the OK button in the top right corner of the window The Testing System window will appear to verify that the software and hardware are ready to begin receiving acoustic pings on that frequency 5 Make any alterations desired to the Study parameters section of the Testing System window and click the OK button on the
98. metry transmitters VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 44 When coded transmitters or CHAT tags used the bearing information held in the Samples to hold is cleared when a tag is correctly identified ID number received or when the check sum fails This reduces the mixing of bearing data from different coded tags Signal options The Signal options section in the Decoding setup window include No signal redraw delay The No signal redraw delay is the length of time in seconds a signal will be displayed in the Tracking window after it has been received or until new data is Gain 4598 received and displayed If a new signal is not received during the No signal redraw delay time period the TRACK28 program will remove the last data received from the Tracking window This is to prevent old data from being mistaken as new data when new data has not been received Gain danger level The Gain danger level is designed to give a visual warning that the gain level required for a received acoustic signal is above a selected value Signals received that require a gain level above this value will be displayed on the Tracking window s bar graph in red while those below the level are shown in green This feature is particularly advantageous when tracking a moving tag The higher gain level means the received signal is growing weaker usually indicating the distance between the tag and receiver is increasing The numeric gain lev
99. n in the top left corner of the window with a picture of a transmitter and a red negative symbol A warning window will appear to confirm that this CHAT tag should be deleted from the list After the Yes button has been selected the tag will be removed deleted from the list of CHAT tags Decoding setup The Decoding Setup window contains four sections for selecting and entering the desired settings These sections are clockwise from the top left corner AGC sensitivity Bearing Signal options and Sound travel Each are described below the picture of the Decoding Setup window AGC sensitivity Bearing Use moving average Medium Samples to average 7 High Samples to hold 5 options Sound travel No signal redraw delay 25 Speed of sound m s a50 Gain danger level 40 Cancel VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 43 AGC sensitivity The Automatic Gain Control AGC is used to maintain a constant signal strength by increasing or decreasing the VR28 receiver gain setting as the distance between ship and tag changes The AGC is selected from one of three levels see below found in the top left corner of the Decoding setup window There are three AGC Sensitivity settings Low Keeps signal strength between 33dB to 40dB Medium Keeps signal strength between 36dB to 43dB factory default High Keeps signal strength between 39dB to 46
100. n must be placed on the cable at a mid section a special Stopper splice must be installed to provide a new attachment point One of these stoppers is included with your cable Part number Cortland 624015 The cable must be protected from acute bends Any pulley winch drum or rotating block must have a diameter at least twenty times the diameter of the cable preferably thirty times The cable should not be tied in knots or bent around a cleat with diameter less than ten times the cable diameter The Kevlar strength fibres are surrounded by a black outer jacket which has Haired Fairing strands to reduce cable drag and vibration and thereby reduce acoustic noise Hydrophone Connection to VFIN The cable end to attach to the hydrophone is an Impulse type with twelve 12 female contacts NOTE The hydrophone element stamped with MUST be aligned with the bow of the ship and therefore must be aligned with the front nose of the VFIN To attach the VH4x hydrophone to the VFIN and hydrophone cable Inspect and clean all dirt and debris from all connection surfaces Lubricate the connection surfaces with 3M silicone spray or equivalent DO NOT grease Remove the orange fibreglass dome and rubber gasket from the hydrophone plate Mount the hydrophone and plate to the VFIN using the supplied hardware This is illustrated in Drawing VFIN ASA 001A entitled Hydrophone Mounting Assembly V41 VFIN at the back of the TRACK28 manua
101. ne 2 Bim 22 3 Defaults Edit Coded Frequency Frequency information setup for coded transmitters can be edited by following the steps listed below If the coded map the setup for Channels A B C and D does not match the transmitter s setup then the receiver will not be able to identify the transmitter Pings will be received by the VR28 receiver but the software will not be able to recognize the code type or the ID number of the transmitter 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered Use the mouse to select the desired frequency for editing from the list on the left side of the window see below The information pertaining to that frequency is shown on the top right side of the window Click the Edit Tag button in the top left corner of the window picture of transmitter and hammer The information on the right side of the window is now enabled and able to be changed VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 32 5 Make the necessary changes to the frequency information at the top of the right side of the window 6 Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the changes to the EX 2 Apply Help Continuous Coded Tags Freq 69 0 Blank 300
102. ng entitled Hydrophone Position on Ship at back of manual The haired fairing cable should be lowered and raised by hand when the ship is stationary and the strain is taken by a rope or wire shackled into the thimble In most cases the cable is handled by people and not by a winch to protect the cable The depth at which the VFIN is deployed should be a minimum of two meters below the ship s keel If the length of Kevlar cable is too long for attachment on the end thimble then use the stopper provided to hold the cable strain so that the VFIN is at the right depth see drawing entitled Hydrophone Mount amp Cable System at back of manual A rubber shock cord may also be placed between two stoppers or between a stopper and the end thimble to reduce the ship rolling effects on the VFIN see drawing entitled Hydrophone Position on Ship at back of manual Alternative Deployment Method 1 An alternative deployment method may be used to deploy the VFIN for applications where a haired fairing cable is not available It is best to use the standard deployment method with a haired fairing cable if possible The alternate method is shown in Drawing VFIN AMD 001 entitled Hydrophone Mount amp Cable System VR28 V41 Tracking Receiver Alternate Mounting at the back of this manual A separate rope or wire is used to take the mechanical strain of the VFIN from the electrical cable The electrical cable is attached to rings or loops which encircle the
103. ng the tail end with a piece of tape FIGURE C6 Take the serving cord still attached to the stop and lash these two strands tightly to the cable just to the right of the stop Make a uniform series of parallel windings for the two cable 7 diameters tucking the last wrap and cinching it tight to hold 270 tension in the serving Leave the remainder of the serving cord intact see Figure C7 Untape the ends of the strands 1 amp 2 and trim them off where they exit the serving FIGURE C7 Wrap the strand adjacent to strand 1 in the same direction as strand parallel to it and alongside it This will preserve the smooth low profile of the grip As before wrap beyond the stop and the first strand serving and tape to hold in place The last remaining strand follows the same helix as strand 2 INITIAL STOPPER SERVING 1 running parallel and just to the right of it Secure beyond the whippings see Figure C8 WHIPPING TO SECURE STRANDS 1 2 3 FIGURE C8 Take the serving cord once again and continue the tight lashing over strands 3 amp 4 this time Take a short section of serving cord and lay down a loop parallel to the subject cable with the free ends to the left and the loop extending two inches to the right Wrap the serving cord tightly to lock strands 3 amp 4 to the subject cable with a series of wraps two cable diameters wide see Figure lt gt 52 IS 4
104. nge Bandwidth Image Rejection Minimum Pulse Duration HYDROPHONE Hydrophone BNC INDICATORS Receiver on LED Audio Active LED Receive Pulse LED POWER SUPPLY Voltage Current with LED Uses MC68HC811E2 with 2k EEPROM program storage 4 915200 MHz 400 Hz typical Heterodyne 455 kHz Phase lock loop synthesizer 10 to 100 kHz 100Hz increments 500 Hz Crystal filter 3 dB points 50 dB 5 milliseconds Uses Vemco standard hydrophone with preamp connected to the VR28 Controller module or VH4x hydrophone connected to VH4x Hydrophone module The Hydrophone BNC connectors are used to connect receiver modules to hydrophone s by patching receiver modules using short coaxial cables On when receiver module is set to active by the VR28 Controller On when receiver module s audio output is connected to the headphone output The VR28 Controller can connect one or more receiver modules to the headphone output Flashes when an acoustic pulse is detected Supplied through the VR28 Controller and back plane 12 VDC 8 15 VC 70 mA typical VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 78 Appendix CORTLAND INSTRUCTIONS Cortland Stopper Installation Procedure The rubber tape provided in the Stopper Kit allows the user to attach the Stopper so that it can be removed and relocated on the cable Secure the tape to the subject cable by wrapping it over itself and making two full wraps around the cable
105. not be stored to the CHAT tag memory until it is initialized Initialization will also erase any data stored in memory from previous studies Four mutually exclusive modes exist to run a CHAT tag with TRACK28 These Global search used to verify any CHAT tags are in the area Cycle search used to identify and locate individual Chat tags Real time track used to track a CHAT tag and receive real time data Upload track used to track CHAT tag and upload stored data CHAT tag must have been initialized first VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 48 Initialize transponder A CHAT tag must be initialized before it can begin to store data to memory The rate of data collection must be specified during initialization The optimum data sampling rate choices are listed in the Transponder initialization window will be determined by the nature and length of the study The Memory Fill Time column can be used as a guide in selecting a data collection rate that will not cause memory to be filled before the study is completed Initialization will also erase any data stored in memory from previous studies 15 Send Transponder initialization Chat Tags Averaging Sampling Memory Interval Interval Fill Time S N 1111 Freq 32 8 i S N 1111 Freq 32 BkHz 10 47 1 week Tmin 39 years TPS C 1 day 1 min 5 B years Z 12 hours 1 min 2 8 years C
106. nterval entered in the TRACK28 software before it can be tracked by the VR28 receiver Continuous telemetry transmitters must also have their slope and intercept values individually entered into the software Information pertaining to a continuous telemetry transmitter can be added viewed edited and deleted Add Continuous Tag Continuous transmitters can not be detected by the TRACK28 system unless the information pertaining to that transmitter serial number frequency etc has been entered into the software This is done by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Use the mouse to select Continuous Tags in the list on the left side of the window Continuous Tags should now be highlighted 3 Click the Add Tag button in the top left corner with the picture of a transmitter and a green plus sign A list of three continuous transmitter types will then appear on the right side of the window as shown on the next page VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 26 New Tag Setup 4 Click the gray square to the left of the desired transmitter type to open the necessary information boxes The window shown below is for setting up a two channel telemetry transmitter This is the most complicated transmitter type of the three and contains all the elements of the other two transmitter types New Tag Setup 5 Enter the
107. nth day and 727 number of real time data files created on that day beginning with 000 VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 62 An example of a transmitter output data file name is V030412 000 which was the first transmitter data file created on April 12 2003 The second output data file created on the same day would be V030412 001 and so forth The extension increases by one for each new data file of the day if all the data files are stored in the same directory NOTE If a transmitter data file reaches the limit specified by the File Size option in the File menu the data file will be automatically saved and a new data file created Pinger data file The continuous pinger data file contains no telemetry data since the pinger does not have a telemetry sensor The following is an example of a pinger continuous transmitter data file containing both comment lines and data lines 01 Dataformat gt 01 1 00 02 gt 02 C VEMCOV Track28 new data V030404 001 04 User Study Parameters 204 Vemco test study gt 04 Location Shad Bay NS Canada gt 04 Conducted by Lysia Taylor 06 Blanking interval gt 06 300 10 Frequency gt 10 50 0 12 Serial Number gt 12 4382 16 Tag Type gt 16 Pinger 37 Pinger Format gt 37 Date yyyy mm dd Time hh mm ss Per mS Bearing Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Aft Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain sGPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS
108. obal range to be selected for the horizontal and vertical axis of the graph in the Profile window and the number of data points displayed per channel temperature and pressure The vertical axis displays the data being received through Channel 1 and Channel 2 Both channels are only displayed if the data being displayed pertains to a two channel tag such as a two channel telemetry transmitter or a CHAT tag The global minimum and global maximum of the range are entered in the appropriate boxes for Channel 1 and Channel 2 These values will only be used if selected in the Profile window The horizontal axis displays time and is set as a range of time in the format of hours minutes seconds The desired range should be entered in the Time axis box at the bottom of the window VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 46 Points channel allows the number of data points displayed on the graph to selected When the number of data points displayed reaches the number in the Points per channel box each new data point will be displayed and the oldest data point will be deleted from the graph Channel 1 Channel 2 vox 45 Max 100 Min 5 Min 0 x Cancel Points per channel 5000 T Help Time axis 55 01 00 00 VIEW MENU The View menu provides access to previously saved output files for viewing editing and printing The files are divided into four categories in the menu for easy access
109. oded frequency can be added viewed edited or deleted Coded channels can not be added or deleted but information pertaining to a channel such as the sync and bin values can be viewed or edited Coded telemetry transmitters are referred to as 256 Sensor or S256 and must have their slope and intercept values individually entered into the software Information pertaining to a coded telemetry transmitter can be added viewed edited or deleted VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 30 Coded Frequency Setup Add Coded Frequency Coded transmitters can not be detected by the TRACK28 system unless the operating frequency of the transmitters has been entered in the software This is done by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Use the mouse to select Coded Tags in the list on the left side of the window Coded Tags should now be highlighted 3 Click the Add Tag button in the top left corner with the picture of a transmitter and a green plus sign The window will then appear as the one shown below with spaces on the right to enter the information pertaining to the frequency and channels zu 2 Apply Continuous Tags Coded Freq 69 0 Blank 300 Chat Tags 1 256 Pinger Sync 4012 Bin 223 Defaults 4 Enter the frequency kilohertz in the box marked Freq and the blankin
110. oise Gain GPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 66 gt 46 ChannelB Code Date Time Bearing Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain GPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots gt 43 ChannelC Code Date Time data units Bearing Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Aft Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain GPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots gt 45 ChannelD Code Date Time Bearing Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain GPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots 100 EOH gt 44 A 4 2003 03 25 14 44 35 236 0 0 0 0 32 15 44 15 30 gt 44 A 4 2003 03 25 14 44 47 234 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 45 12 232 0 0 0 0 38 15 45 17 36 245 D 60000 2003 03 25 14 45 18 315 36 15 0 0 0 0 35 14 39 244 A 4 2003 03 25 14 45 24 234 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 243 C 236 2003 03 25 14 45 34 11 0 meters 104 30 15 37 14 44 15 36 15 42 44 4 2003 03 25 14 45 37 232 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 44 4 2003 03 25 14 45 49 235 0 0 0 0 28 15 42 15 30 244 A 4 2003 03 25 14 46 14 229 0 0 0 0 38 15 45 17 36 44 4 2003 03 25 14 46 26 232 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 gt 44 4 2003 03 25 14 46 38 234 0 0 0 0 28 15 41 15 30 gt 44 4 2003
111. ompared to the continually broadcasting transmitter The global positioning information of the ship s location may be displayed on the computer screen if desired This is set in the Positioning System option of the Setup menu according to the positioning system being used If the Real time data file reaches the limit specified by the File Size option the data file will automatically be saved and a new Real Time data file will be created Upload track Stored data from an initialized CHAT tag is collected using the Upload track command The CHAT tag is first identified using Cycle search or Global search if there are very few CHAT tags in the area Upload track will locate the bearing and distance to the CHAT tag so the CHAT tag may be followed while the stored data is collected The CHAT tag continues to store new temperature and depth readings to its memory while transmitting the previously recorded data to the VR28 receiver VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 52 complete data upload may take a number of hours depending on the amount of data stored in the CHAT tag and the level of acoustic noise in the area All uploaded data is stored on the computer in Archive files Only unread data is loaded from the CHAT tag When an Upload track is started the VR28 receiver sends a message to the CHAT tag requesting the time the study began Start Time When this is received a request is sent out for the last memory block read the averaging in
112. onders Cycle Search gern 51 Global search 50 Initialize transponder 49 Real time track 52 Upload 52 Setup menu Compass setup 46 Decoding setup 43 Positioning system 22 Profile 46 26 VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL 98 setup eRe Ae Software Ele men Help Menu Installation Run menu Setup menu System requirements Using the software View Window menu Study parameters Sync and bin values Syne value Eine engen pc Tag Setup CHAT tags hou eae Coded tags Continuous tags Tracking window Audio menu Bearing compass Controls menu File information sve GPS data edi pa Gyro Compass data window Profile 4 Receive indicator Signal vs Noise
113. onders gt Initialize Search for the presence of any CHAT tags in the area Transponders gt Global search Identify which CHAT tags are in the area Transponders gt Cycle search 2 gt Track a CHAT tag and collect data in real time Track a CHAT tag and collect data stored in memory Track one selected continuous transmitter Track all coded transmitters on one selected frequency Transponders gt Real time track Transponders gt Upload track Transmitters gt Continuous Transmitters gt Coded 200 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 4 4 View data a Select the desired output file type from the list in the View menu based on table below The Open window will appear with the file names located in the Data directory b Select the desired output file from the files listed A sample file name for each file type is also listed below coded TRACK TYPE OUTPUT FILE TYPE SAMPLE FILE NAME Global search Log file Log 001 Cycle search Log file Log 001 Real time track Real time data file Rtd2748 001 Upload track Archive file 2748 001 Transmitter continuous or Data file V030415 001 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 5 Part 3 HARDWARE The hardware section of the VR28 system consists of the VR28 receiver and the four element hydrophone If CHAT tags to be used with the VR28 system a four element VH41 XPD Transponding
114. onto the connector clockwise This must be performed by reaching between the hydrophone and the VFIN Replace the orange fibreglass dome and its rubber gasket Hook one end of the stainless steel tow cable to the closest thimble on the hydrophone cable The other end of the tow cable must be connected to the hook on the VFIN see the diagram entitled Hydrophone Mount and Cable System at the back of the TRACK28 manual To attach the VH4x XPD transponding hydrophone to the VFIN and hydrophone cable 1 Inspect and clean all dirt and debris from all connection surfaces 2 Lubricate the connection surfaces with 3M silicone spray or equivalent DO NOT grease 3 Mount the hydrophone and plate to the VFIN using the supplied hardware This is illustrated in Drawing VFIN ASA 001A entitled Hydrophone Mounting Assembly V41 VFIN at the back of the TRACK28 manual The holes in the corners of the hydrophone plate correspond with holes in the VFIN The hardware must be mounted in the following order a Leave the Nylock nut on the end of the threaded rod b Put the threaded rod through the hole in the hydrophone mounting plate so the nut is on the same side of the plate as the hydrophone NOTE the 3 long rods are used at the back stern of the VFIN and the 3 5 8 rods are used at the front bow c Slide the stainless steel spacer on the rod so the flat side of the spacer is against the hydrophone mounting plate The longer spacers are us
115. plays an error messages indicating a problem communicating with the VR28 receiver 1 Ensure the VR28 receiver is powered on 2 Ensure that an RS232 serial cable is securely connected between the VR28 receiver and your computer 3 Verify that the correct serial port is selected in the Receiver option of the Setup menu in program 28 I can t seem to receive data my GPS 1 Ensure that an RS232 serial cable is securely connected between the GPS and your computer 2 Verify that the correct serial com port parameters have been selected in the GPS Setup option in 28 TRACK28 displays error message similar to Unable to write data to log file Check the directory path entered in the Data Directory option of the File menu During an Upload Track procedure the status line states that no data has been stored in the CHAT tag 1 Verify that the CHAT tag initialization procedure has been performed 2 Verify that the CHAT tag has been deployed longer than the data averaging rate selected in the nitialize option of the Transponder sub menu found in the Run menu TRACKS can t communicate with a CHAT tag in air during the initialization procedure 1 Verify the CHAT tag specifications entered in the Tag setup option of the Setup menu 2 Ensure that the hydrophone is securely connected to the VR28 receiver 3 Verify that the CHAT tag and hydrophone are at least 5 meters
116. r Slope 2 Int i26 S N 5942 1D 236 5 9191 10 88 Min 27 3333 Units meters 71 0kHz Chat Tags VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 36 Delete Coded Telemetry Information setup for coded telemetry transmitters 256 Sensor can be edited by following the steps listed below 1 Open the New Tag Setup window shown below by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu 2 Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered 3 Click the plus symbol next to the desired frequency to display the channels on that frequency 4 Click the plus symbol next to the desired 256 Sensor channel A list of the coded telemetry transmitters setup on that frequency and channel will appear 5 Use the mouse to select the desired transmitter from the list on the left side of the window see View Coded Telemetry The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window 6 Click the Delete Tag button in the top left corner of the window with a picture of a transmitter and a red negative symbol A warning window will appear to confirm that this transmitter should be deleted from the list After the Yes button has been selected the transmitter will be removed deleted from the list of transmitters CHAT Tag Setup Each
117. rch mode is used to search for the presence of CHAT tags also known as transponders within the broadcast range When in Global Search mode the VR28 receiver will transmit an acoustic command instructing all CHAT tags to respond All CHAT tags that received this command will respond by broadcasting their identification number in an encoded format If a reply from an individual CHAT tag is identified by TRACK28 then the date the time the CHAT tag s identification and the range and bearing to the CHAT tag are displayed on the screen and stored in the log file This will successfully happen if there is only one CHAT tag in the area The most recent transponder detection received will be displayed at the bottom of the list window on the left with the earliest detection at the top of the list If an incomplete reply is received or multiple replies are received simultaneously the date time and number of data pulses are displayed with a series of four question marks 2222 in place of the ID number This indicates that the data was incomplete and therefore it was impossible to identify the transponder If the number of data pulses is large then there are probably more than one transponder in the area The next step is to use Cycle search to identify the transponders involved NOTE Global positioning data is NOT recorded during the Global Search activity Global Search xj Date Time ID Range Bearing 11 22 20 72277 1
118. rmat gt 39 Date yyyy mm dd Time hh mm ss Temperature C Depth Meters Bearing Bow Signal Bow Noise Starboard Signal Starboard Noise Aft Signal Aft Noise Port Signal Port Noise Gain GPGLL LAT N Long W GPGSS PDOP GPVTG Speed Knots 100 EOH 239 2003 03 28 15 16 54 25 8 2 0 281 35 15 0 0 32 15 38 15 42 239 2003 03 28 15 16 57 25 8 1 8 274 34 15 0 0 33 15 37 15 42 239 2003 03 28 15 17 00 25 9 2 0 274 38 15 27 14 0 0 30 15 42 239 2003 03 28 15 17 03 26 0 0 8 343 38 15 0 0 0 0 37 14 42 239 2003 03 28 15 17 06 26 1 0 9 165 0 0 39 15 35 15 34 14 42 239 2003 03 28 15 17 08 26 0 7 6 171 0 0 40 15 34 15 37 15 39 239 2003 03 28 15 17 11 26 0 6 5 171 0 0 39 15 34 15 32 14 39 gt 39 2003 03 28 15 17 14 26 2 6 5 144 0 0 43 15 35 15 0 0 33 239 2003 03 28 15 17 17 26 2 5 3 129 0 0 39 15 32 15 0 0 33 Coded transmitter data files A data file for a coded transmitter will contain data pertaining to one frequency map This is the frequency selected from the Select coded 200 frequency for tracking window The data will probably be received from many different transmitters depending on how many coded transmitters are in the area and operating on the selected frequency VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 65 The header of the coded data file the lines before the 100 EOH line contains the file name the Study Parameters the frequency the blanking interval etc It also contains the frequ
119. see Figure When wrapping tape should be pulled tightly to conform to the cable FIGURE C1 After making the second wrap locate the stopper in line with the cable so that the last inch of jacketed section gets covered and secured by the next wrap of the tape Maintain tension on the tape and wrap two more full turns over the stopper securing it to the subject cable see Figure C2 Clamp temporarily or hold in place with electrical tape and leave the remainder of the rubber tape attached for covering the diamond wrap grip that transfers the load from the stopper to FIGURE C2 the cable Make a series of reference marks on the cable spaced relative to the cable diameter These intervals are 8D 8 6D 6 6 6 6 4 4 4 This length equals a total of 58 cable diameters see Figure 8D 80 6D 6D 6D 6D 60404040 C3 A cable with diameter of 5 8 for example would be FIGURE C3 marked off for a total distance of 36 25 58 x 0 625 Take the pre measured six foot length of serving cord and lash it to the cable at the last mark 58D from the stopper attachment point To do this take the end of the serving cord and pinch it to the cable at the attachment point so that the last inch is pointing to the right Wrap the long end of the cord away from you over the cable and bring it around to cross N LAST MARK 58D FROM STOPPER EYE over itself see Figure C4 Tightly wrap the cord to makea FIGURE C4 uniform
120. serial number of the transmitter in the S N box the frequency in kilohertz in the Freq box and the blanking interval in milliseconds in the Blank box This is all the information needed for a simple pinger 6 Verify that the sensor type is correct for the channel either temperature or depth In a two channel transmitter Channel 1 is always temperature and Channel 2 is depth pressure In a one channel transmitter Channel 1 is either temperature or depth depending on the sensor type ordered and is the only channel available Move from channel to channel by clicking the channel name VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 27 7 Enter the slope and intercept in the correct boxes Each channel has a different slope and intercept so be sure to enter the correct values in the proper channel The slope and intercepts are found in the Transmitter Specification manual that accompanied the transmitters during shipping The Profile Min and Profile Max values are automatically calculated for each channel based on the slope and intercept values These values are specific to this channel of this tag and control the vertical scale in the Profile window Global profile settings are also available in Profile setup but will not be used unless selected in the Profile window 8 Verify that the correct unit is displayed in the Units box This should be degrees Celsius C for temperature and meters for depth Other units can only be used if the
121. series of parallel windings two cable diameters wide This should bury the short one inch tail Now tuck the last wrap of the cord and cinch it tight to hold the tension in the serving see Figure C4 This is called the stopped serving against which the grip will stop and lock LEAD END BURIED Splay the four aramid braid strands so they lay flat against the subject cable Select one of the four strands at the edge of this band of four and wrap it around the subject cable away FIGURE C5 VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 79 from the other three strands so that crossover is created near the junction of the four strength member strands Form a spiral wrap left hand lay similar to a left hand thread direction so that the strand crosses each reference mark in a straight line with the center of the four strand junction see Figure C5 Continue wrapping in this direction crossing the stopper serving and making a few wraps past it to the right Secure the end of the strand temporarily with a piece of tape Take the other outside strand nearest one and wrap it in the opposite helix direction again avoiding any crossover near Z FOUR STRAND JUNCTION the four strand junction Space these wraps equal to the spacing of the first strand so that a series of X s is formed one at each reference mark clocked at the centerline of the four strand junction see Figure C6 Wrap over the stop and a few wraps beyond to the right securi
122. stal Frequency Uses MC68HC11F1 with 32k EPROM program storage and up to 32k RAM battery backed up storage memory 114 688 bytes 8 000000 MHz 600 Hz typical REAL TIME CLOCK Crystal Frequency Real Time Accuracy Battery Backup Backup Battery Life 32768 Hz 4 seconds day typical 1 2 AA lithium Backs up RAM and Real Time Clock 10 years typical EEPROM WRITE CYCLES EEPROM Write Cycles Save parameters with EES command 10 000 minimum POWER SUPPLY Connector Fuse Voltage Current VR21 modules are powered through VR28 Controller 2 pin Amphenol connector 97 3102A 10SL 4P Mates with 2 pin cable connector 97 3106A 10SL 4S Panel 5 x 20 mm metric fuse 1 Amp 12 VDC 12 18 VDC 70mA typical not including VR21 modules TERMINAL PORT Connector Output Voltage Swing Baud Rate Other Parameters RS 232C with MAX242 I O interface Female panel mount DB 9 connector 5 to 8 volts 9600 baud 1 stop bit 8 data bits no parity full duplex HYDROPHONE Hydrophone Connector Hydrophone BNC Uses VEMCO hydrophone with preamps 10 pin Amphenol connector 97 3102A 18S 1P Mates with 10 pin cable connector 97 3106A 18S 1S Hydrophone signal output to VR21 Receiver Modules VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 77 VR21 Receiver Module Specifications MICROPROCESSOR Crystal Frequency ACOUSTIC RECEIVER Receiver Type Synthesizer Frequency Ra
123. tance and tighten the locking sleeve some more 5 Repeat step 4 until the connection is secure The connection must remain solid if the cable is shaken 6 Push the ON OFF toggle switch mounted on the Controller Module section of the receiver highlighted in yellow in the previous sketch up to the ON position An LED indicator lamp will light up NOTE Significant noise can be introduced into the VR28 receiver if the ship s power lines are noisy If this is the case better results can be obtained by using an isolated 12 VDC battery for a power supply VH4x HYDROPHONE The VH4x hydrophone has four elements allowing it to receive four acoustic signals from the same source The TRACK28 software takes the four signals and determines the direction from which the signal came based on the signal strength As a simple example an acoustic ping from the direction of port would be received the strongest by the port hydrophone element not as strongly by the bow and aft elements and the weakest by the starboard element if at all because it s the farthest from the source VH4x hydrophone VH41 XPD transponding hydrophone VEMCO VR28 SYSTEM MANUAL PAGE 11 The VH4x hydrophone is available in three frequency ranges depending on the types of tags ee being used with the receiver The ranges are identified by the number replacing the x in the generic name VH4x The names and frequency ranges are lis
124. ted in the table below HYDROPHONE NAME FREQUENCY RANGE For use between 50kHz and 84kHz For use between 34kHz and 50kHz For use between 28kHz and 33kHz The VH4x hydrophone is only capable of receiving listening to acoustic pings It is used when transmitters are being tracked When CHAT tags are being used a hydrophone capable of two way communication is required Adding the transponding talking unit to the VH4x hydrophone allows two way communication making the VH41 XPD transponding hydrophone The VH41 receives acoustic signals in the 34 50 kHz frequency range The XPD portion of the part number indicates that the hydrophone is equipped with a transmitter module for sending commands to transponders CAUTION Proper installation of the hydrophone is essential for proper communication Connection of Hydrophone Cable to VR28 Receiver Refer to the diagrams at the end of this manual The cable end to attach to the VR28 receiver is an Amphenol type with ten 10 female contacts Follow this procedure to connect the cable 1 Ensure the VR28 receiver is powered down 2 Apply a thin layer of silicone grease to the outside threads of the VR28 receiver hydrophone connector indicated by the pink arrow in the BNC Coax Cable Installation section of the VR28 receiver portion of the manual The silicone will aid in preventing cross threading during hydrophone installation 3 Line up the slot on the cable connector end with
125. terval and the last block in memory The data is then sent acoustically one block at a time to the receiver until the last block of memory is sent TRACK28 then checks if any data has been stored since this Upload track session began If new data has been stored then that data will be acoustically uploaded When all the data has been uploaded to the computer the computer will beep every thirty seconds to indicate that the data has been uploaded If the Tracking Form window is not closed to end the Upload track the TRACK28 program will continue to periodically request data from the CHAT tag If the VR28 receiver cannot receive a signal from the CHAT tag it will continue the same request until an answer is received or the Tracking Form window is closed Upload Track terminated If Upload track is closed before all the data is obtained from the CHAT tag the next Upload track command sent to that CHAT tag will upload any data that had not been read uploaded This means that the data from one deployment of a CHAT tag may actually be stored in a number of Archive files but that the data will not be repeated in more than one file When Upload track is selected from the Run menu the Select CHAT tag to track window appears shown below A CHAT tag must be selected from the list highlight the desired CHAT tag and select OK or double click on the desired tag The Testing System window will appear to verify that the software and hardware are ready to
126. unit is connected to the computer through a serial port In order to communicate with the positioning equipment the number of the serial port also referred to as a com port being used must be entered into the TRACK28 software Ensure the positioning system and receiver are assigned unique com ports NOTE The GPS and gyro compass cannot be used at the same time Data bits Stop bits and Parity In order for proper communication to occur between the positioning system and the TRACK28 program the data bits stop bits and parity must be correctly entered This information is found in the user s manual for the positioning equipment VEMCO VR26 SYSTEM MANUAL 23 GPS Data to Save After the information described Baud Sound bell on update etc has been entered into the appropriate boxes in the GPS Setup window information unique to GPS must be selected The desired NMEA string s can be selected from the list shown in the GPS data to save box To select the desired string verify that a check mark is in the square to the left of the desired information If a check mark is not present click on the box using the mouse arrow This is a toggle action meaning that if a check mark is present clicking on the box will remove the check mark and the data will not be saved during a study The choices are Latitude and Longitude SGPGLL LAT LONG 4 items Lat N S Long E W Precision Dilution of Position SGPGSS PDOP item and Speed
127. ut files created each time communication is received from a tag and contain the received data These files are stored in the assigned data directory Because there are many types of tags and types of communication there are a number of different types of output files The principle division in the file types occurs based on the type of tag either a transmitter or a transponder CHAT tag Precision Dilution of Position PDOP relates the statistical accuracy of the GPS measurements to the statistical accuracy of the solution as a measure of the receiver satellite s geometry Sync and Bin values vital for coded transmitter operation and entered in milliseconds The sync is used to identify the transmitter code type R256 RO4K 64K or S256 used and the bin is used to identify the transmitter ID number A VEMCO receiver that is not setup to receive the same sync and bin as programmed into the transmitter being used can receive the acoustic pings but will not be able to identify the transmitter ID or any telemetry data it may contain Tag the term used by VEMCO Limited to refer to an acoustic device attached to a marine creature for the purpose of tracking that creature A tag can be a transmitter such as a V16 which only sends out an acoustic signal one way communication or a transponder such as a CHAT tag which both transmits and receives acoustic signals two way communication Transmitter an acoustic transmitting device attac
128. ve two types of lines in the file comment lines and data lines Comment lines increase the readability of the file and begin with an asterisk The comment lines are found in the file header and include information such as the data file name the serial number operating frequency data type of the transmitter slope and intercept if applicable and sensor type if applicable etc Comment lines are only found in the header of the file before the line 100 EOH for End of Header Data lines contain the data related to the preceding comment line and begin with the greater than symbol gt If more than one piece of data is given in a data line the individual data fields are separated by commas Data files found after the header may contain positioning information if either the GPS or gyro compass is enabled Continuous transmitter data files A data file for a continuous transmitter will contain data pertaining to one and only one continuous transmitter This is the transmitter selected from the Select continuous transmitter to track window There are three types of continuous transmitter data files each one with a slightly different format to accommodate the types of data received Pinger One Channel Telemetry Two Channel Telemetry These file types are described below with examples Transmitter output data files are named using the convention Vyymmdd zzz where yymmdd date transmitter signal was first received year mo
129. yed in the Units box This should be degrees Celsius C for temperature and meters m for depth Other units can only be used if the slope and intercept values have been manually converted 10 Click the Apply button with the green check mark to accept the new transmitter View Coded Telemetry Information setup for coded telemetry transmitters 256 Sensor can be viewed by following the steps listed below 1 2 Open the New Tag Setup window by selecting Tag Setup in the Setup menu Click the plus symbol next to Coded Tags to display the frequencies that have already been entered Click the plus symbol next to the desired frequency to display the channels on that frequency Click the plus symbol next to the desired 256 Sensor channel A list of the coded telemetry transmitters setup on that frequency and channel will appear Use the mouse to select the desired transmitter from the list on the left side of the window see below The information setup for this transmitter will be displayed on the right side of the window see below This information is disabled and can not be edited 1 Continuous Tags Coded Tags Freg 69 0kHz ID 236 S N 5942 Close Freq 1 0kHz Chat Tags 256 Pinger s 5 4k Pinger Tus 256 Sensor Slope 2 Int 2 6 5 N 5942 1D 2 36 S N 9191 10

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