320 Series Hardware FAQ

Below is list of frequently asked questions about our 320 Series echosounders. The 320M series includes the 320M and 320MP echosounders with built in thermal printers. The 320B series, including the 320B, 320BP, 320BR and 320B Rackmount, are all "black box" echosounders that are fully controlled with the supplied SounderSuite software. The 320M series have an available SCSI option which allows for sounder control and data recording like the 320B Series.

  1. What are the 320B Series Echosounders?
  2. What is provided with the "over-the-side" transducer mount?
  3. Do I have to purchase a transducer with my 320 series echosounder?
  4. Can I add extra frequencies after I have purchased my echosounder?
  5. How do I record data to a PC using my 320M or 320MP echosounder?
  6. Do I need a computer to control a 320B series echosounder?
  7. Can the 320 Series Echosounders be used with GPS or DGPS receivers?
  8. What About the SCSI-2 Port?
  9. Can the 320 series be used with TSS and/or Seatex heave sensors?
  10. How is the heave data recorded?
  11. What about RS232 ports?
  12. Can I use the COM3 serial RS232 output for data logging?
  13. What about event marking?

1. What are the 320B Series Echosounders?

The 320B series are "black box" echosounders, with I/O connectors, but no controls (except for an on/off switch), no displays and no printer. It is based on the same electronic hardware and software as the full-featured 320M survey echosounder. Control of the echosounders is done through a supplied SCSI link to a PC or notebook, using the supplied SounderSuite software. This software provides access to all of the normal echosounder control functions (such as gain, power, range and phase etc.) and also provides a scrolling, real-time echogram image presentation similar to the printed record on conventional echosounders.

Back to Top

2. What is provided with the "over-the-side" transducer mount?

The optional "over-the-side" transducer mount available with most Knudsen transducers is actually an adapter. This adapter allows the transducer to be mated to a customer owned pole for "over-the-side" use. The adapter stem (see picture) is threaded with a standard 1 1/4 inch pipe thread. All the hardware needed to attach the transducer to the adapter is provided.

Back to Top

3. Do I have to purchase a transducer with my 320 series echosounder?

No. Although we sell a wide range of transducers for virtually any application, all Knudsen 320 Series echosounders can be configured to work with most customer-owned transducers provided we have the transducer specifications.

Back to Top

4. Can I add extra frequencies after I have purchased my echosounder?

Yes. By utilizing the 320 series flexible architecture, users can purchase extra frequencies to their system. There can only be two frequencies in the unit at any one time. Adding extra frequencies does require hardware changes as well as firmware changes which can be done at the factory or by the user.

Back to Top

5. How do I record data to a PC using my 320M or 320MP echosounder?

To record full echogram data to a PC using a 320M or 320MP, users can purchase a 320M SCSI upgrade kit. This upgrade, available for new or pre-existing units, includes a SCSI adapter (notebook or PC), updated firmware and a new user manual.

Back to Top

6. Do I need a computer to control a 320B series echosounder?

Yes. The 320B series is intended to be used with a host computer, normally a PC running Windows 98, 2000, or XP. The PC provides the user interface and data logging functions which are missing from the 320B. The 320B comes with a Windows application package called SounderSuite which runs on the host PC, and which communicates with the echosounder through a SCSI-2 interface. The programs included provide access to all of the normal echosounder control functions (such as gain, power, range and phase etc.) through a graphical user interface familiar to Windows users. EchoControl also provides a scrolling, real-time echogram image presentation similar to the printed record on conventional echosounders.

Back to Top

7. Can the 320 Series Echosounders be used with GPS or DGPS receivers?

Yes. Any GPS receiver which puts out a NMEA $GPGLL or $GPGGA string can be connected to the 320 series echosounders. The serial port must be configured appropriately. All GPS latitude and longitude values received by the echosounder are converted to 64-bit double precision floating point values upon receipt, and are stored internally in this form. Binary envelope records include latitude and longitude in this 64-bit format. ASCII data files may also include latitude and longitude fields (if selected by the operator), in the form of ASCII strings denoting degrees, minutes, and fractions of minutes to six decimal places.

Back to Top

8. What about the SCSI-2 port?

The 320B series (and 320M series with the SCSI upgrade) have a SCSI-2 port for high data rate communications with the host PC. An Adaptec SCSI adapter is supplied with each 320B Series echosounder. Because Knudsen echosounders send the entire grayscale echogram (see picture), serial RS232 cannot support the data rate required for the echogram data at high ping rates. The EchoControl program has been written to use this SCSI interface - it is not capable of communicating with the echosounder through a serial port.

Back to Top

9. Can the 320 Series be used with TSS and/or Seatex heave sensors?

Yes. The echosounder's serial port must be configured for the device and baud rate. The echosounder will compute heave corrected depth values.

Back to Top

10. How is the heave data recorded?

Heave (using the TSS sign convention) is one of the parameters included with each ping in the SCSI data record, and recorded to disk as binary envelope data. It is also one of the parameters available for incorporation into the ASCII data records and the COM3 serial output data.

Back to Top

11. What about RS232 (Serial) ports?

The 320 Series has three or four (depending on the model) RS232 serial ports (all DB9M, DTE). Two or three of these (COM1, COM2, and COM4) are individually user-configurable: for input from TSS or Seatex heave sensors, or from GPS or DGPS receivers, or for output to a remote digital depth display. The COM3 serial port is configured for communicating with a computer, such as a Windows PC. COM3 can also be used for download of new firmware into the echosounder, and for other configuration, control and debug functions.

Back to Top

12. Can I use the COM3 serial RS232 output for data logging?

Yes. If you are using the SCSI interface with the Echo Control Windows program, it is probably easier to do the data logging with Echo Control. However, there is no reason why the output from COM3 cannot be recorded by another program or another computer.

Back to Top

13. What about event marking?

The 320 Series can provide self-timed event marks, at intervals chosen by the operator, and it will respond to event mark inputs either from the Echo Control program or from an external contact closure or logic level input (if it is equipped with a BNC connector for this purpose - not all 320B models have this connector). Event marks are shown in the real-time display and recorded in the binary echogram records. When echogram files are printed the event marks are shown. An event flag is also one of the data fields which can be selected for serial output or ASCII record files.

Back to Top