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Interphase PC/View Operation Manual

Forward scanning sonar, for windows
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INTERPHASE
INTERPHASE
™
PC/VIEW
for Windows
O
PERATION
M
ANUAL

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Summary of Contents for Interphase PC/View

  • Page 1 INTERPHASE INTERPHASE ™ PC/VIEW for Windows PERATION ANUAL...
  • Page 2 Selection of features, ease of use, superior performance and outstanding reliability were the benchmarks upon which all important design decisions were made. We are proud of the PC/View Forward Scanning Sonar and your satisfaction is very important to us. We welcome any comments or suggestions that you might have about this equipment.

  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    Contents 1 Introduction General Information Warranty Information Unpacking and Inspection 2 Installing PC/View Transducer Installation General Considerations Transom Transducer Installation Selecting a Location Attaching the Bracket Mounting the Transducer Thru-Hull Transducer Installation Selecting a Location Using a Fairing Block Thru-Hull Mounting...
  • Page 4 Adjusting the Depth Tracker Surface Masking Threshold Saving Data with Screen Capture 5 Advanced Operation Working with NMEA Navigation Logging Depth Using PC/View Diagnostics 6 Interpreting Displays Principles Interpreting the Vertical Display Forward Imaging Capabilities Transducer Sidelobe Effects Interpreting the Horizontal Display...
  • Page 5 7 Reference Theory of Operation Sonar Basics Phased Array Technology Maintenance Troubleshooting Guide Interference Problems Specifications How To Obtain Service Index Warranty...

  • Page 6: Introduction

    If you al- ready have an Interphase scanning transducer in- stalled on your vessel, you can order a PC/View without a transducer (see page 50). To insure that you receive the maximum benefits...

  • Page 7: Unpacking And Inspection

    The enclosed warranty registration card must be com- pleted and returned to Interphase within 15 days of purchase so that your unit may be protected under the warranty. Failure to return the warranty card may cause unnecessary delays in processing your unit for warranty repair.

  • Page 8: Installing Pc/View

    Installation of the Acoustic Interface Module Installation of the PC/View Software. Transducer Installation The PC/View can be ordered with one of several transducer configurations; two transom mount trans- ducers, two bronze thru-hull transducers, a special single bronze thru-hull transducer, or with no trans- ducer (if you already have an Interphase scanning transducer installed).

  • Page 9: General Considerations

    General Considerations The orientation of the mounted transducer(s) is criti- cal to the performance of the PC/View. The lower diagram at right shows the proper orientation for both the transom-mount and thru-hull transducer(s). For all three types of transducers, the broader, rounded or blunt side must point forward.

  • Page 10: Transom Transducer Installation

    **WARNING** Do not cut or splice your phased-array transducer cables or remove the 9-pin connectors. Doing so will seriously degrade the performance of your PC/View and VOID YOUR WARRANTY. Tools Required for Transducer Installation: Variable speed electric drill with a chuck capacity of 10 mm (3/8”) or larger.

  • Page 11: Mounting The Transducer

    Mounting the Transducer After you have selected a mounting location and at- tached the mounting brackets to the transducers, po- sition each transducer-bracket assembly so it is level in both the fore-aft and port-starboard directions. Check the orientation of your boat’s waterline and position the flat top surface of the transducer so that it is parallel to the waterline as shown on the follow- ing page.
  • Page 12 After mounting the transducer and actually Waterline using the PC/View on the water, you may need to readjust the transducers' mounting for optimum performance. Refer to the discussion of Transducer Mount Cor- rections on page 24.

  • Page 13: Thru-Hull Transducer Installation

    Water near the bow and near the keel can be quite aerated. Since the PC/View’s transducer can not see through aer- ated water, it is best to mount the transducer midway between these two areas.

  • Page 14: Using A Fairing Block

    WARNING DO NOT install a bronze transducer housing directly into an aluminum or steel hull because electrolytic corrosion will occur. Fairing Block Before Cutting KEY - matches hole transducer’s body (keeps transducer properly positioned) On inboards always mount the transducer well ahead of the propeller(s).

  • Page 15: Thru-Hull Mounting

    transducer’s face, to minimize possible turbulence (see below). After cutting the fairing block, trial-fit the block to the hull. It is very important that the flat top surface of the transducer be parallel to the water. Thru-hull Mounting Take the following steps to mount the thru-hull transducer: Drill a 1/8”...
  • Page 16 WARNING Wood hulls and fairing blocks will expand after the boat is put back into the water, so it is important that the transducer be only hand- tightened until the wood fully expands. Otherwise the wood fairing block may crack. Bronze Nut Wood or Plastic...

  • Page 17: Acoustic Interface Module Installation

    Acoustic Interface Module Installation The black box that came with your PC/View is called the Acoustic Interface Module. It houses the trans- mitters and receivers that communicate with the transducers. The Acoustic Interface Module must be connected to the parallel port of the on-board com- puter, to the transducers and to a source of 12 VDC power.

  • Page 18: Software Installation

    The total size of the PC/View installation is about 3 megabytes. We recommend that you make sure that there is at least 10 megabytes of free space on your hard drive before you begin the installation.
  • Page 19 Disk 2. The Setup program will prompt you to restart your computer after it has completed the installation. You do not have to restart your computer immedi- ately but you must restart it before you can run PC/View.

  • Page 20: Quick Start

    Bar, select Run... and type in the path and name of the PC/View program (C:\Program Files\Interphase\PCView\PCView.exe). Each time you run PC/View, you will be prompted to agree with the Warranty Terms and acknowledge that you have read the Navigation Warning. After...

  • Page 21: Demo Mode

    If you are running PC/View for the first time, it will start with the default settings as shown at left. Change the settings by selecting the appropriate com- mand from the specified menu.

  • Page 22: Basic Operation

    Getting Started This chapter will help you to learn the modes of op- eration and the basic features of the PC/View sys- tem. For more experienced users, this chapter can be used as a reference. Read Chapter 3 Quick Start to learn how to start the PC/View software.

  • Page 23: The Status Bar

    Real-time. If all components have been installed, all cables are connected and the Acoustic Interface Mod- ule is on when you start the software, PC/View will immediately begin to collect and display data in Real-time Mode. If PC/View does not find the acoustic interface module, Demo Mode will be initi- ated.

  • Page 24: Setting System Parameters

    Parallel Port and Mount commands on the Setup menu. Parallel Port Address PC/View must know the address of the parallel port on your computer to which you will connect the Acoustic Interface Module. The default parallel port address is 0x378.

  • Page 25: Align Adjustment

    Align Adjustment In case the horizontal scanning transducer has been mounted such that it points in a direction other than dead ahead, PC/View can compensate for up to 14 degrees of misalignment in either the port or star- board direction.

  • Page 26: Displays

    Each display fills the current PC/View window. Change the size and/or aspect ratio of the PC/View window by dragging the sides or corners of the win- dow. Setting Color and Units The color scheme and distance units can be changed to suit your operating conditions and preferences.
  • Page 27 Vertical Display Horizontal Display Downlooker Display Vertical Split-Screen Display Horizontal Split-Screen Display...

  • Page 28: Vert: Vertical Scan Display

    The right edge of the display always shows the most recent ping. Since PC/View does not know boat speed, the downlooker display cannot be used to determine horizontal distances. Thus, there is no horizontal scale bar in the downlooker display.

  • Page 29: Vsplit: Vertical Split-Screen Display

    Both portions of the display are equivalent in func- tion to the individual DOWN and VERT displays. However, PC/View will always use the Gain, Range and Alarm settings that are associated with the verti- cal scan.

  • Page 30: Depth Window

    Gain and Range can be set manually or, alterna- tively, PC/View can set and vary the Gain and Range settings automatically. It is important to note that each scanning direction has its own Gain and Range settings.

  • Page 31: Range Adjustment

    In addition, Range changes may also require changes in Gain. In the Auto Gain mode, PC/View will adjust the gain level automatically depending on the strength of the sonar signal returns. Note that it is still pos-...

  • Page 32: Adjusting The Viewing Area

    Zoom feature is available for the DOWN display. Sector Width and Steer PC/View allows you to limit your field of view by adjusting both the width and the steering direction of the scanning sector. This allows for a faster update in a region of specific interest.

  • Page 33: Scan Mode And Method

    To adjust the scanning Mode and Method, select Scan from the Adjust menu. In its Normal scanning mode, PC/View will send out 30 forward beams and give medium resolution. De- tail mode offers the maximum resolution with 90 beams.

  • Page 34: Adjusting The Depth Tracker

    Refer to Chapter 5 for a discussion of this utility. If Auto Range is on, PC/View will use the tracked depth to adjust the range (see p.30 for a description of Auto Range). If the depth tracker cannot find the bottom, Auto Range will step through the available range scales until the bottom is found.

  • Page 35: Saving Data With Screen Capture

    Use the Screen Capture Scheduler accessed from the File Menu to automatically create periodic screen captures. PC/View will not carry out a requested or sched- uled screen capture if there is less than 20 megabytes of space remaining on your hard disk.

  • Page 36: Advanced Operation

    NMEA strings are successfully parsed, PC/View will display the most recent latitude and longitude in the navigation box on the toolbar. If PC/View does not find data or is unable to parse the data coming from the serial port, a series of dashes will be displayed in the navigation box.

  • Page 37: Logging Depth

    Logging Depth PC/View can log the tracked depth in a file and send it out over a serial port. To activate this fea- ture, select Depth Log Schedule… from the File menu and click in the check box labeled Enable Automatic Depth Log.
  • Page 38 Once you have selected the depth log format, select a depth log frequency interval in seconds. If the frequency is set at 5, PC/View will log the depth every 5 seconds. PC/View will always log the depth to a file named with the current local date (year month day) and a file extension of .dep (e.g.

  • Page 39: Using Pc/View Diagnostics

    Using the Diagnostics The PC/View Diagnostics provide information about your computer system and the PC/View soft- ware. This tool enhances the ability of the Inter- phase Technical Support staff to troubleshoot any problem that you might have with your PC/View.

  • Page 40: Interpreting Displays

    Since the PC/View knows the direction in which it sent the transmit pulse and the time it took to receive the return echo, it can determine the location of the object or bottom that created the return echo.

  • Page 41: Transducer Sidelobe Effects

    As the PC/View sends off its acoustic beam in a specific direction, it assumes that any return echoes are within the main beam. However, if the sidelobe...

  • Page 42: Interpreting The Horizontal Display

    PC/View’s screen as bottom echoes. Refer to the diagram at left. It is important to understand that the PC/View will often see the bottom and will show it on the forward display. This display information can be used to...

  • Page 43: Special Situations

    Forward Imaging Capabilities If the horizontal range setting is greater than the forward distance to the bottom, the PC/View can detect targets at distances beyond where the beam hits the bottom. This is because the acoustic beam can bounce off the bottom and keep going forward until it strikes a solid object and then returns as an echo.

  • Page 44: Reference

    7 Reference Cable Display Transducer Housing Ceramic Element Acoustic Beam Echo Bottom Beam Angle Objects at Same Depth Will Appear as Theory of Operation Sonar Basics Most existing depthsounders and fishfinders in the marine market use a standard “fixed beam” technology which was originally developed during W.W.

  • Page 45: Phased Array Technology

    For the future, Interphase believes that this multiple fixed-beam approach has serious limitations, especially for use in more advan ced products where maximum underwater coverage and resolution are important.
  • Page 46 Depending on the signal phasing to the array, acoustic beams can be directed in an almost unlimited number of directions. For example, using an 8 element phased array, the PC/View is capable of steering the acoustic beam in over 90 different directions. Conventional fixed-beam technology would have required the use of at least 90 transducer elements, each pointed in a different direction.

  • Page 47: Maintenance

    Maintenance The PC/View Forward Scanning Sonar has been designed to provide reliable, trouble-free performance for years. Follow the maintenance tips below to ensure that your PC/View remains problem-free. Keep your PC/View Acoustic Interface Module clean and dry. If the power cord in-line fuse is blown, replace it with a 2 amp fuse. NEVER REPLACE WITH A HIGHER AMP RATING ! If the fuse continues to blow, check the polarity of your 12 VDC power source.

  • Page 48: Troubleshooting Guide

    Troubleshooting Guide If you are experiencing trouble with your PC/View, please refer to the following checklist: PROBLEM Acoustic Interface Module will not turn on. Power cord in-line fuse blows repeat- edly. Will not run in Real-time Mode. Screen remains blank in Demo Mode.

  • Page 49: Interference Problems

    Conducted interference usually occurs when the PC/View shares a 12VDC power lead with other noisy equipment (i.e.; bilge pumps, motors, refrigeration systems, autopilots, etc.) Interference caused by nearby depth sounders operating on or near the same frequency as the PC/ View will typically appear as “rabbit tracks”...

  • Page 50: Specifications

    Specifications PC/View-Win Operating Software Acoustic Interface Module Diskettes (2) Part # 52-1001-002 Part # 06-2000-000 486/66 MHz CPU, minimum, available parallel port, Win95, Win98, or Computer Requirements: WinNT operating system, 3.5” floppy drive, 10 MB available hard disk space. Depth Ranges: Overlapping ranges;...

  • Page 51: How To Obtain Service

    If you feel your set is not operating properly, first refer to the sections of this manual on Troubleshooting and Interference Problems. This information solves the most common problems. If problems persist, please call Interphase Technical Service at (831) 477-4944 or send your unit in with the information below filled out.

  • Page 52: Index

    About PC/View, 22 Acoustic Interface Module, 7, 49, 50 installation, 17 maintenance, 47 Advanced Operation, 36-39 alarm reset, 22, 31 setting parameters, 31 auto gain, 30 auto range, 31, 34 Basic Operation, 22-35 Beam Width, 21 bottom imaging, 42 cables, 7, 8, 48...
  • Page 53 Navigation Warning, 6, 20 NMEA navigation, 36 noise, 11 parallel port address, 24 cable, 7, 17, 50 Phased Array Technology, 45-46 position cursor, 23 vessel, 22, 36 power cable, 7, 17, 49, 50 Quick Start, 20-21 range adjustment, 31 automatic, 31 in Demo Mode, 23 Real-Time Mode, 23 scale bars, 26...
  • Page 54 Warranty, 6-7, 55 Zoom, 33...

  • Page 55: Warranty

    Repair or replacement during the warranty period will not extend the basic warranty period. This warranty does not apply to an Interphase product that has failed due to improper installation, misuse, or accident, nor does it apply to products which have been repaired or altered outside the Interphase factory.

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