Built Boat Echo Sounder with Arduino and Nasa Clipper Transducer

[paulhoepner]

Hello,

I have an old, damaged NASA Clipper Echo Sounder [(Gerät Und Zubehör; Einbau Des Displays - NASA CLIPPER LOT Bedienerhinweise [Seite 2] | ManualsLib)]. The transducer works, only the "board" or "control unit" of the echo sounder is broken.

Background Info:

• The Transducer has only an "antenna"-cable: one core, and the "protecting" aluminium hull.
• I guess the trigger pulse is transmitted though the core, and the echo signal also (alternating)
• the protecting hull was connected to ground.
• The device is 12 volt, and when measuring on another device, I can see the trigger puls is 12 volt

I would like to try something like the following:

• connect the sensor to the Arduino
• send trigger signals to the sensor
• receive the echo signal
• measure the duration and calculate the depth.

Before getting into it too deep I wanted to ask, if anyone can point me into a direction to follow, or give an estimation, if it seems a rather easy, or rather complicated project?

Thanks a lot,

Paul

[awneil]

@paulhoepner

• The Transducer has only an "antenna"-cable: one core, and the "protecting" aluminium hull.

You mean a coaxial (or "coax") cable?

Everything You Need To Know About Coaxial Cable | RS

@paulhoepner

I guess the trigger pulse is transmitted though the core, and the echo signal also (alternating)

Seems likely

@paulhoepner

• when measuring on another device, I can see the trigger pulse is 12 volt

How did you "see" that?

You'll need an oscilloscope to see exactly the nature of the trigger being sent, and the echo being returned.

@paulhoepner

only (sic) the "board" or "control unit" of the echo sounder is broken.

That's likely to be the most difficult bit!
Forming the drive pulse & receiving the echo are likely to be quite specialised analogue circuits...

[paulhoepner]

Hello awneil,

thank you very o the much for your quick answer. Yes, it is a coax cable, thanks also for the clarification.

@awneil

How did you "see" that?

You'll need an oscilloscope to see exactly the nature of the trigger being sent, and the echo being returned.

Yes, an ocilloscope would be perfect, but I don't have one. have used a Multimeter, wich showed very fluctuating 12 or 0 volts. So I guess this was the Puls.

@awneil

Forming the drive pulse & receiving the echo are likely to be quite specialised analogue circuits...

Ok, I understand. In my rather "greenhorn" understanding, I thought, the input to the Transducer would be a simple "HIGH" with 12 volts, wich would then be changed to a sonic frequency in the transducer. If this "ultrasonic frequency" (something like 20.000 kHz) has to be produced by the Arduino, then I guess this project is ended here

If there is any more advice, I would love to hear it, but if everyone agrees to the complexity of this project, this will be a very short thread

[paulhoepner]

Does anyone maybe have a recommendation for a transducer that can be connected to Arduino? I guess it should be driven by more than 5 volts, since in my understanding underwater echo sounders need more power to have sufficient range.

I have tried with this one: Jsn-sr04t, but it is only for application in air, and I did not manage to make it work underwater.

Thanks,

Paul

[awneil]

@paulhoepner

Does anyone maybe have a recommendation for a transducer

To do what, exactly?
Would need some specifications to make any recommendation...

Underwater Ultrasonic Sensor

For ultrasonic communication or echo ranging to work under water, you need transducers designed to couple the acoustic signal to water, rather than air. They tend to be quite expensive and require several hundred volts AC at typically 150 kHz to drive. The transducers in the cheap "Lucky Fish Finder" work well and give up to 100 m range, but the circuit used to drive them is not easy to modify or build. Lucky Fish Finder New | eBay There have been some attempts to make an inexpensive underwat…

@paulhoepner

that can be connected to Arduino?

Anything can be connected to an Arduino - with suitable interfaces...

How to know its compatible

You know the old saying: "assume" make an ass of U and me The things themselves neither know nor care anything about Arduino; they just care that they get driven with the correct signals - with respect to voltage, current, timing, etc. So you need to look at the specifications of those things, and see if those specification are compatible with the specifications of the Arduino you have in mind. Voltage: Some Arduinos are 5V; some are 3V. Current: Arduinos do not directly provide large amoun…