HYPACK has recently upgraded the hardware drivers used by the CEE ECHO and CEESCOPE echo sounders. The proprietary CEE output format that is available on these sounders applies a precise millisecond time stamp to all of the data packets – including the water column echo envelope. The method used by the HYPACK driver to handle these time stamps has been modified, resulting in even tighter precision for CEE single beam surveys. Unusually, the setup calls for a modification to the most commonly used driver of all, GPS-NMEA0183 so it is not included in the standard HYPACK 2018 release. The new drivers are only available directly from CEE HydroSystems.
HYPACK users routing data through a LAN cable will be hard-pressed to notice much difference in the data file when using the new driver but users operating a CEESCOPE or CEE ECHO on a USV with telemetered data may find some benefits in conditions where the radio link is weak. These conditions may include surveys where the dedicated CEE shore radio unit is not being used, bandwidth requirement is high – for example if a camera is in use simultaneously, or the USV is operating at long range.
We tested the new driver on our own USV and it works great. CONTACT US to obtain the new HYPACK .DLLs.