Simrad released s.v.24.6 for Kongsberg EK80

Ocean Science specialist Kongsberg Discovery is strengthening its industry-leading SIMRAD EK80 echo-sounder product family with a new software release (version 24.6). The updated Processor Unit software is a 64-bit installation designed for Microsoft® Windows® 10 Pro and for Microsoft® Windows® 11 Pro. It is controlling all functionality, Tx/Rx, interfacing with external peripherals and sensors, plus the user interface. Furthermore, this software update solves a few software bugs that have been reported by our users or detected during our own product testing. Moreover, important new functionalities are introduced while the systems’ end-user documentation has also been updated with this software release. The following specific changes have been made:

ADCP Calibration, new functionalities

  • Some updates have been introduced to the ADCP calibration. The EK80 system now is able to perform ADCP calibration by running lines. This way of performing calibration has been introduced for vessels that do not have full KM Binary attitude data.
  • Both line and circular calibration data collection are supported by a track plot showing the vessel movements.
  • An option to set ADCP calibration values during Replay mode has been introduced. This option allows you to override the values used during the recording.

Diagnostics, new functionalities

  • A new feature makes it possible to select files and gather them in a .zip file to transfer them to customer support.
  • A new feature gives you the option of measuring and storing for reference the impedance of the transducers.
  • It is possible to choose between an EK and an EA bottom detector.
  • The EK80 system can now get SVP input via Ethernet.
  • A new alarm has been introduced for short circuit or broken transducer cabling.
  • The EK80 software now provides full support for the new CP300 ADCP transducer.
  • A new In use column has been added to the Normal Operation dialog box. By selecting the check boxes in this column, you can activate and deactivate the different channels available. An indicator on the top bar shows the number of channels available and activated.

Improvements

  • The EK80 software has been rebranded from Simrad to Kongsberg. As a result, some software folders have been renamed.
  • Nominal gain has been adjusted for ES38-18/200-18, 38 kHz section transducers. This improvement affects users of this transducer if it has not been calibrated.
  • The visualization of the minimum operation depth has been improved.
  • The netCDF data storage has been updated to ICES spec v.2.0.
  • All noise calculations and presentations have been scrutinized. Noise is now presented as dB rel 1uPa/sqrt(Hz)

Bug fixes

  • Some improvements in communication between the EK80 software and the transceivers.
  • There is also a technical note with recommendations on how to reduce the packet loss.

Known issues

  • The EK80 is no longer compatible with the TD50 software.
  • Operating systems older than Microsoft® Windows® 10 are not supported.

Obsolete transducers

The following transducers are no longer supported by the EK80 software:

  • ES70-11
  • ES120-7
  • ES120-7G
  • ES120-2.5×10
  • ES120-4×10
  • ES200-7

This latest software release (v.24.6) is an important update. The introduction of new functionalities and improvement in the existing functionalities will add value to all installations. So, we recommend that all users update their EK80 software.

The EK80 product family is part of Kongsberg Discovery’s portfolio of monitoring and measuring tools and is used for all types of Ocean Research. The product family has historically been used primarily for biomass assessments, but the instruments are seeing increased adoption for other biological, physical and chemical oceanography applications. A vessel-mounted EK80 system typically comprises six transducers operating at different sound frequency spectra, matched with transceivers, software, and planning tools. The transducers are calibrated to give highly accurate, quantitative metric values of application targets.

The EK80 needs one or more software licenses to operate. Each software license code “unlocks” one transceiver for operational use with a set of predefined properties. Users do not need to obtain any new license string(s) when they update from a previous version of a licensed system. In order to obtain a software license, users must contact a Simrad dealer or distributor.

  

For further information you may contact the Official Distributor and Support Center for Greece:

Aegean Electronics SA

4 Zosimadon Str, Piraeus 185 31, Greece

Tel: +30 210 4123000

E-mail: info@aegeanel.com