Computer Sonar Simulator

for SARGAN-K Integrated Fishing System

Sonar simulators are designed for effective training of skippers of fishing vessels to oper ate fish-finding equipment, viz.:

• to acquire skills at discriminating useful signals in noise;
• holding fish density center of the fish school within beam pattern of the sonar trans ducer while manoeuvring the vessel;
• estimating fish abundance commercial value.

Computer fish-finding simulators produce real-time simulation of sonar information on IBM type PC monitor which is presented on the CRT indicators and recorders of SARGAN system with fishing situation and control posi tions taken into account.

Depending on the operation mode and the equipment type chosen, one of the following pictures is presented on the PC monitor screen:

1. CRT indicator screen for the sonar (or echosounder) with the position indicators of the sonar transducer in the horizontal and ver tical planes for the sonar (or digital depth indicator for the echosounder);
2. echo signal presentation on dry paper of the recorder and digital phasing indicator.

When providing hydroacoustic information, the following components of the acoustic sig nal accepted by the transducer are simulated:

• volume reverberation;
• reverberation from subsurface layer;
• bottom reverberation (for the sonar);
• echo signal from a fish school;
• echo signal from seabed;
• vessel's noise;
• side-field reverberation from sea surface (for the sonar);
• bottom reverberation from seabed over side field.

Simulator software includes the following steps:

1. input of the initial data and parameters or the training scenario prepared in advance;
2. observation of the fishing situation with possibility of on-line switching of sonar (or echosounder) operational modes and vessel's motion parameters - that is the training mode itself;
3. possibility to get reference data, i.e. data forms which contain positions of fish-finding equipment controls, vessel's motion parame ters, the environmental and bottom character istics.

The initial data and parameters are entered by means of menu or scenario saved in ad vance with integrated information being pro vided on:

1. hydrometeorological conditions (water volume scattering factor, wind velocity);
2. bottom parameters (underwater features, ground type, height of underfeature inequali ties);
3. fish school parameters (diameter, den sity center depth, coordinates, speed, course, density) and number of schools in the fishing area (the total number is no more than 9 with possible to display simultaneously up to 4 schools within acoustic scanning zone);
4. initial positions of fish-finding equipment controls;
5. vessel's motion parameters. By the sonar simulator, the operation of the following functionally essential controls affect ing the presentation of signal components is simulated: POWER, FREQUENCY, PULSE LENGTH, INDICATION, RANGE, ATTENUATION, MODE, PHASING, SCALE, SCAN, FISHLUPE, SEARCHING, RECORD ZOOM, RECORDING MODE, RECORD POSITION, PAPER ADVANCE, "Choice of Fishlupe Portion, "Gain Adjustment of CRT Indicator", "Gain Adjustment of Recorder", "Setting the Response Level for "contour and white lines". Similar type controls are simulated in echosounder simulator too.

In the mode of the initial data input such parameters of vessel's motion as course, speed, initial coordinates and draft are en tered.

At any moment without interruption of the simulation process a trainee can select the Reference Mode which ensures the presenta tion of the current positions of the fish-finding controls, vessel's motion parameters and co ordinates, wind force, bottom type and location of fish schools.

Faster switching of fish-finding controls as well as manoeuvring the vessel itself is exer cised via PC keyboard.

When operating this simulator, a trainee can switch off the indication of any component of the acoustic signal. Such unique feature enables to become skinful at discrimination of useful signals and noise.

Practical application of the offered simula tors for sonars and echosounders is supported by Operating Manual and a set of 5 laboratory works, namely:

• Study of the Adjustment Procedure of the SARGAN-9M fish-finding echosounder opera tion;
• Study of the Adjustment Procedure of the SARGAN-FM fish-finding sonar operation;
• Study of reverse volume sound scattering;
• Study of tactical characteristics of sonar systems;
• Study of acoustic properties of catch tar gets.

By creating scenarioes with the simulator, one can take any training classes and develop various simulation situations which may occur in real sea conditions.

On special request and in short time our specialists are ready to develop computer simulators similar to aforementioned ones for all type single-beam fish-finding sonars and echosounders including color data presenta tion systems.

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Developed by VECTOR Marine Electronics Ltd.
Russia, 347900, Taganrog, Chekhov str/ 74a

Contact E-mail: sokolov@fishwar.koenig.su (Konstantin Sokolov)

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© Konstantin Sokolov