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Table of Contents
Summary of Contents for Blueprint Subsea StarFish
- Page 1 StarFish Sidescan Sonar Hull-Mounted System Manual...
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Page 2: Table Of Contents
6. Safety .................................... 18 6.1. Electrical Safety..............................18 6.2. Operational Safety ............................... 18 6.3. Other Precautions ..............................18 7. Care Of Your Starfish ..............................19 7.1. Operational Care ..............................19 7.2. Maintenance & Cleaning ............................19 7.3. Storage ................................. 19 8. -
Page 3: Introduction
With StarFish the seabed is your playground… Simply fix the StarFish side-scan sonar transducer to the hull of a vessel, large or small, to capture real-time digital images of the seafloor below. StarFish is truly 'Plug and Play' connecting to any Microsoft... -
Page 4: Getting Started
To get started straight away, you can use the accompanying “Quick Start” guide to get up-and-scanning, or read on for further detailed operational instructions and tips. For further details on installing and operating the “Scanline” software package, please refer to the “StarFish Scanline Software User Guide” booklet. -
Page 5: Setting Up The System
If you are making your own wiring loom for the StarFish, you should ensure that the centre pin of the StarFish power connector is the positive DC voltage, and the outer connection of the plug is ground (or negative). -
Page 6: Connecting The Components
Having chosen your power source, the next step is to connect the components of the StarFish system. If this is the first time you’re using the StarFish system, it is recommended you install the “Scanline” software and USB hardware drivers on your laptop/PC before connecting the electronics module to it. Refer to the accompanying “Scanline User Guide”... -
Page 7: Choosing A Mounting Location
3.5. Choosing A Mounting Location Before you can start using the hull-mounted Starfish Sonar system in the field, you will need to mount the sonar transducer to the hull of you boat. Correct mounting of the sonar is essential in order to achieve the best image results, and as each hull is different you should consider the following points when deciding on a suitable mounting location…... - Page 8 StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual If using an outboard motor to propel and steer your boat, ensure that the propeller does not touch the transducer when the steering is at its extremities. Try and keep a minimum distance of 400mm between the transducer and propeller to minimise mechanical interference (noise).
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Page 9: Mounting The Sonar Transducer
The cable length on the transducer may be increased up to a maximum of 20 metres using a “twin, screened, twisted pair” cable. Contact StarFish technical support for details of available extension cables. When routing the transducer cable…... -
Page 10: Operating The Sonar
Please be aware that you should not rely on the sonar as a primary navigational aid for your vessel, or for avoiding shallows, submerged or mid-water hazards. When the “Scanline” software is running, the “Activity Indicator” will flash to show that the StarFish is scanning and acquiring data. -
Page 11: Understanding Sidescan Imagery
This gives the StarFish the ability to see almost directly below it, to just above the horizontal. However, despite this field of vision, the StarFish cannot determine where a target lies vertically in its beam (i.e. above or below it), as everything is translated to a planar 2D display. -
Page 12: What Does A Side-Scan Sonar Image Look Like
5.2. What Does A Side-Scan Sonar Image Look Like? The figure below is a real image captured by a StarFish sonar, where each horizontal line is a representation of time versus the intensity of the reflected echoes. The further something is away from the centre line of the display, means the longer it took for the echo to be received. -
Page 13: Calculating The Distance To A Target
StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual 5.4. Calculating The Distance To A Target As mentioned earlier, the sonar display shows the recorded echoes over a period of time, and we have seen how we can work out the depth below the sonar from this. -
Page 14: Reflected Target Intensity
StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual 5.6. Reflected Target Intensity To complete our understanding of the basics of sonar imagery, we need to consider the brightness information (intensity of echo) shown on the sonar display. As with a surface reflecting light, different surface textures and materials of targets have different acoustic reflective properties. -
Page 15: Example Side-Scan Sonar Images
StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual 5.7. Example Side-Scan Sonar Images Lake Bed Scan showing boat moorings at the bottom (concrete blocks in craters of silt). The dark area on the left channel is the shoreline. A boat with wake is visible on the right. -
Page 16: Gain & Contrast Settings
StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual 5.8. Gain & Contrast Settings When operating your sonar, the adjustments you will make to the gain and contrast controls are critical in achieving good side-scan imagery. This section examines the function and purpose of these controls…... -
Page 17: Tips For Good Imagery
Waves, Wake and Surface Chop As your StarFish is operating close to the surface, its imagery may be distorted by the motion of the boat due to waves and surface chop on the water, or it may receive reflections from these at longer ranges. -
Page 18: Safety
The sonar transducer head should be fixed directly to the boat hull. 6.3. Other Precautions For storage and maintenance information, please refer to the section “Maintenance & Cleaning” (see page 19). If you have any other safety or operational queries, please contact StarFish technical support (see page 21). -
Page 19: Care Of Your Starfish
Do not insert extraneous object (metal or other alien substance) into the unit or any of its connector apertures. 7.3. Storage When storing or shipping the StarFish system, please observe the following… • Avoid excessively bending or kinking the cable (below a radius of 30mm), as this could reduce its operational life. -
Page 20: Troubleshooting
StarFish. Image ghosting or mirroring This problem may occur if the StarFish is operating in close proximity to the boat hull. If depth permits, try deploying more cable to distance the sonar transducer head from the boat. -
Page 21: Product Support
We welcome any feedback you may have about the StarFish system, from bug reports to ideas for new features or hardware to support – please use the contact details on the website (or shown below) to get in touch. -
Page 22: Limited Warranty Policy
System Manual 10. Limited Warranty Policy The manufacturer, Blueprint Design Engineering Limited (trading as Blueprint Subsea and hereafter after referred to as Blueprint), warrants that at the time of shipment all products shall be free from defects in material and workmanship and suitable for the purpose specified in the product literature. -
Page 23: Notices
1, 2006, electrical and electronic equipment cannot contain lead ("lead free"), mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE). All components of the StarFish system, sold by Blueprint Design Engineering Ltd, fully comply with this legislation where applicable. -
Page 24: Specifications
StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual 12. Specifications Transducer StarFish 450H (5m) StarFish 450H (20m) Part Number BP00082 BP00092 Frequency 450kHz CHIRP Operating Range 100m (328ft) per channel Horizontal Beam Width 1.7° Vertical Beam Width 60° Transducer Angle Tilted Down 30° from Horizontal Length 195mm (7.68”) - Page 25 StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual...
- Page 26 StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual...
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Page 27: Index
StarFish Hull-Mounted System Manual 13. Index Electrical Safety, 5, 18, 19, 20 Power/Status Indicator, 6 Example Images, 15 AC Power, 5 External Fuse, 5 Activity Indicator, 10 Range, 13 Aeration. See Cavitation Recycling, 23 Altitude, 12 Gain, 16 Ghosting, 7, 16... - Page 28 Distributor… P/N: BP00084-5 UM-103-P00084-05 December 2017...
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