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1 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Outline of Equipment
The R2Sonic Sonic Multibeam Echosounders (MBES) are based on fifth-generation Sonar
Architecture that networks all of the modules and embeds the processor and controller in the sonar
head’s Receive Module to make for a very simple installation. The Sonic Control Graphical User
Interface (GUI) is a simple program that can be installed on any Windows-based computer and
allows the surveyor to control the operating parameters of the Sonic MBES. Sonic Control
communicates with the Sonar Interface Module (SIM) via Ethernet. The SIM supplies power to the
sonar head, synchronises multiple heads, time tags sensor data, relays commands to the sonar head,
and routes the raw multibeam data to the customer’s Data Collection Computer (DCC).
The Sonic MBES work on a user-selectable frequency range of 170 kHz to 450 kHz (Type 1006
projector; older Type 1004 projectors: 200 kHz to 400 kHz), so it is adaptable to a wide range of
survey depths and conditions. The user can adjust the operating frequency, via the Sonic Control
GUI, on the fly, without having to shut down the sonar system or change hardware or halt recording
data. The Sonic MBES have a user-selectable sector angle, from 10° to 160°, using all 256 beams; the
desired sector angle can be selected on the fly without a halt to data recording. The selected swath
angle can also be rotated port or starboard, while recording, to direct the highly concentrated
beams towards the desired target. Both the opening angle and swath rotation can be controlled via
the mouse cursor.
Figure 1: Sonic MBES Block Diagram
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