Start SS-Logger (Isis) and click File>Record Setup>Sonar Setup then select Standard Analog and hit OK:
Choose the Data Acquisition card (only one choice is currently valid, the older interfaces are no longer supported) - hit OK
The default analog setup is for a 2 channel (Port + Stbd) side scan sonar, if this is the type of sonar you are using simply hit OK and skip to the next section.
Many side scan sonar have dual frequency capability, usually the HF channels are Channel 3 and 4, however the interface setup is very flexible - the following is a typical setup.
Select the first <available channel> and hit Edit:
Turn the channel On and select Port Sidescan then enter a name for this channel; the name must be different from any of the existing channels in this case we have used Port HF.
Hit OK and then repeat for the next <available channel> turn on select Starboard sidescan and a name:
When complete the dialog box might look something like this:
If you have the information for the Frequency, Horizontal Beam Angle, Beam Width (3dB) and Tilt down angle, enter the information in the appropriate boxes, however this information NOT critical, although it is logged in the XTF file header. The only value that is actually used and you should attempt to set correctly is the Horizontal Beam Angle, the default 1.0deg is typical for a 100Khz sonar; if you have higher frequencies for Ch3 and Ch4, the Beam Widths fopr those channels will be narrower. For example a 400Khz sonar may have a Horizontal Beam Width of 0.2 deg - its is a good idea to enter something for the HF channels (if in doubt use 0.2).
DO NOT change the "Name of the Primary Server" and DO NOT check "Automatically start secondary Control Program" these options are only used for a couple of special sonar types.
Hit OK when done
Hit OK until you are back at the main waterfall display then Save the Setup:
Hit Configure>Save Setup:
Hit OK
As mentioned earlier the physical connections are handled by a Triton SIU5:
NOTES:
With the PC powered OFF connect all the cables. Restart the PC and launch SS-Logger (Isis)
Assuming the previous section was completed SS-Logger (Isis) will be configured, hit the Red Record button:
At this point very little will happen, the waterfall should remain blank BUT there should be no error messages, the application is waiting for a trigger from the sonar.
If an error message is generated at this point go to the section on Installing and testing the Chico board. and run the Bus Master test.
Press the Test button on the SIU5:
The Red Test lamp indicates that the SIU5 is getting power, and the Green Trigger lamp should start flashing at a regular rate:
Return to the waterfall display - you should see something like this:
This is a 4 channel display with default threshold settings (see the main Isis playback guide for details of this display control) if you have only configured for a 2 channel display there will be only one waterfall window.
Take a look in the parameter display;
Note that the Range Scale value should be stable (+/- 0.1m) and read 90 - 110m (the range will vary for different SIU5s - but the stability is important), check that the Ping number is incrementing.
The SIU5 has a simple ramp generator that is connected to each channel in TEST. To display the ramp bring up the signal window in Isis, hit Window>Signal>Voltage-Across:
The Signal window is now added to the display and should show all 4 channels (if present) and the display should appear like this:
The test verifies the whole of the analog path from the incoming BNC connectors on the SIU5 right through the whole system. Each channel should show a very similar wavform.
DO NOT FORGET TO DISABLE TEST MODE BEFORE CONNECTING THE SONAR AND LOGGING DATA!!
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