Quick Guide to Logging data in Triton SB-Logger™ with the Benthos Chirp III and C3D Sub Bottom Profiler Sonars.

 

Once you have the sonar connected and running, much of the information about controlling the way that the data are displayed can be found in the Quick Guide to playing back data since the functions are exactly the same.

Connecting to the Sonar

 

1. Connect the Sonar to the PC using the Benthos-supplied network (crossover) cable, or use a hub and two patch cables.

 

It is sometimes easier to fault find Ethernet connection problems if a hub is used, but the normal crossover cable should be fine.

 

2. Launch SBL and Click the Record Mode (red) button.

 

If you receive a message regarding license files or sentinels at this point refer to the section License files and Dongles.

 

SB- Logger immediately enters record mode and launches Serial Server minimized, you should see the serial server Icon in the Windows taskbar:

 

 

 

NOTES:

The serial server application must be running to acquire navigation data and record it to your SEGY file, do not close it!

 

3. On the menu bar Click on Configuration>Select>Benthos C3D/SB or Benthos Chirp III

 

 

 

 

SB-Logger launches the Benthos server which attempts to connect to the sonar on the Benthos default IP address of 192.168.0.24. 

  This process can take a few moments, (longer if no connection to the sonar is available), you must configure the local NIC address to be in the same range as the sonar, for example 192.168.0.100. 

 

 

 If no connection is available the following message is displayed after about 1 minute:

 

 

and, after a further delay this message:

 

If this happens you should check that your network address settings (see above) are correct and that the sonar is switched on.

 

When the sonar is connected the server will appear like this with the green data light flashing at the default ping rate:

 

 

To configure the sonar settings hit the configure button in SB-Logger:

 

You will have access to the various settings that are available for the Benthos profiler that you are using:

 

 

Note that in the case of the C3D Sub Bottom Server the "High Freq" section is unavailable.

 

When all settings are correct hit Done.

 

Before starting logging click the connect button in SB-Logger:

 

 

 

If the connection was not successful go to the Trouble Shooting section and the end of this document.

Connecting the Navigation data

 

The other essential data that is needed in the SEGY file is navigation; this information comes to SB-Logger via a conventional 9pin or 25pin serial (COM) port.  The server that handles this interface was launched when SB-Logger first started, you should see the Icon in the Windows taskbar, (see Item 1 above).

 

1. Connect your navigation source to a COM port.

 

You will need to know the COM port number, and the Baud rate.  Note that NMEA0183 standard is 4800, but you should check.

 

2. Click on the Configure Navigation Button (see Record Mode>Sensor Configuration in the Main help menu.)

 

The serial port data acquisition settings dialog box will open.

 

                                         

 

Many of the Tabs and buttons in this dialog box are not valid with the SB-Logger, 

 

The only controls that are used are:

 

• Com Port Number Tab 1 – 12
• Navigation Button
• User Defined Input Button

 

Use the Com port tabs to select the correct port, make sure the Navigation button is pressed and that NMEA0183 is selected.

 

3. Click the Show Server button.

 

The serial server (previously minimized) will return from the taskbar.

 

Click the Setup button to adjust the Baud rate, Data bits, Parity, Stop bits and Flow control.  In almost all cases the defaults will be correct, only the Baud rate may need adjusting to match your GPS receiver.

 

Click on the red button to select the Com Port, then click the On checkbox, finally click the Spy button:

 

                                       

 

If serial navigation data is present on the serial port you will see data scrolling through in the window, note that the Spy button will “unclick” after about 1 minute and the scrolling will stop, this is normal and does not mean that the data has stopped!  However, note that the data is not yet being passed to the SB-Logger application.

 

You may now minimize the serial server if you wish using the “minimize” icon or keep it visible by using the “pin” icon.  Do NOT close the serial server!

 

4. Click the Navigation Status On/Off button:

 

You should see the navigation indicator turn green and the navigation display in SB-Logger should start updating:

                                                        

 

Congratulations!  You now have both Sub Bottom data and navigation streaming to SB-Logger and being correctly decoded!

 

Refer to the Trouble Shooting section if these steps fail for any reason.

 

If your Edgetech tow fish is equipped with a pressure sensor you should see a value next to “Source “that approximates to zero if the tow fish is on deck.  You can go back to the Sonar Acquisition parameters dialog and enter an offset under the Pressure tab to correct this value to read zero if necessary.

 

 

Non - NMEA0183 Navigation data

 

If your navigation data are not in NMEA0183 format, but a custom string generated by a navigation program then you should click the User Defined Input button, then the User Defined tab:

 

                                        

 

To set up a user defined string, click the Modify button.  Refer to the separate document “Using the parser” for detailed information on this feature.

Logging the data

 

1. Click on View>Preferences and select the folder for your logged data.

 

By default SBL logs your SEGY data to a sub folder of the main SBL folder called \SBLLogging and gives each file a prefix of SBL followed by a number representing the year, date and time. There are a number of other options in this dialog box, see the main help menu: Miscellaneous>Preferences for an explanation.  In general, sticking with the defaults will work…

 

2. Click the red Log button.

 

SB-Logger starts writing a file.

 

Things to keep an eye on during acquisition:

• All indicators should be green.
• Check the navigation data is sensible.
• Note the current file size and disc space remaining indicators.
• Look at the data and make sure it is sensible!

 

 

Troubleshooting

 

Connecting to the Sonar

 

The connection to this sonar uses the TCP/IP protocol which must be installed on your system, it also requires that you have an IP address which is in the same range as the Sonar topside, the default Benthos IP address is 192.168.0.24  SB-Logger is setup to try and connect on this address by default.  If the connection fails check the following (if you are not familiar with Network settings enter “IP settings” in Windows Help):

 

• If you are not using a Network hub you must use a “cross-over” Ethernet cable, one is usually supplied by Benthos with the sonar, if all is well you should see a green light on both the network interface card (NIC) in your PC and the one on the Benthos Sonar, this green light indicates that the physical connection between the Sonar and your PC is good.

 

• In your network settings make sure that you have an IP address assigned to your PC that is in the same range as 192.168.0.24 (It can be anything from 192.168.0.1 to 192.168.0.254), but NOT 192.168.0.24

 

• Make sure that DHCP is not enabled for this connection.

 

• Make sure that the IP address on the sonar end is correct.

 

• If you have more than one NIC make sure you are using the correct card.

 

• On some older NICs, when using a crossover cable the connection can fail if both the sonar and your NIC are setup to “Auto Sense” the transmission type, try changing the Connection type to 10mbps.

 

• Check that the Subnet mask is set to 255.255.255.0

 

Connecting to the Navigation

 

• USB serial ports are not supported, you must use a conventional 9 pin or 25pin serial connection.

 

Other problems

 

• It is possible that some SBL configuration data held in the Window registry may become corrupted.  This can cause crashes and unstable behavior.  The Registry settings can be reset by closing SBL and re-starting while holding down the shift key.  

 

• If your navigation source is already connected to your PC, and is sending data when you boot your PC you may find that you have no control over the mouse.  The mouse pointer jumps around the screen in an unpredictable way.  This is a known problem with Windows Plug-and-Play detecting serial port activity as a pointing device. 

 

If this happens do this:

 

1. Disconnect the navigation (pull out the serial connector); the mouse pointer should stop jumping around.

 

2. In Windows, go to Start>Settings>Control Panel>System>Hardware>Device Manager.

 

3. Look under Mice and other pointing devices for “Microsoft Serial Ball Point”

 

4. If this device is present, right click and select Disable.

 

5. Reconnect the navigation serial data and you should be in control again!