User Manual for AML Oceanographic Base
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8
Configuring Sampling Parameters Using SeaCast
SeaCast is free software provided for use with AML Oceanographic instruments. It can be used to
set up an instrument for profiling or monitoring data, as well as downloading, graphing, and exporting
the collected data.
Full details on the instrument configuration process
and the software’s capabilities
can be found in
the SeaCast manual.
Configuring Sampling Parameters through the Terminal
Instruments can also be configured for deployment using a terminal emulation program like
HyperTerminal
,
RealTerm
, or
Tera Term
. Communications with the instrument must be established
using the correct communications port and settings. The communications settings are 8 data bits, 1
stop bit, no parity, no flow control, and the desired baud rate.
The following steps must be completed by issuing text commands.
Step
Possible Commands
Initialize Memory (erases instrument memory) INIT
Set Log File Name
SET LOG filename.txt
Set Instrument Time & Date
SET TIME hh:mm:ss
SET DATE mm/dd/yy
Set Sampling Parameters
SET SAMPLE RATE CONTINUOUS
SET SAMPLE RATE 5/s
SET P INC 1
SET SOUND INC 2
The above table provides example commands only; many additional sampling regimes can be established using
available commands. Please consult the Commands section of the Appendix for full syntax details on the commands
you wish to use.
Accounting for Atmospheric Pressure Variations at the Surface
Climate and altitude changes can create fluctuations in atmospheric (barometric) pressure. AML's
pressure sensors are sensitive enough to detect these variations. When this happens, the
instrument's pressure channel may not read exactly zero when data is taken prior to submersion in
the water. Nearly all absolute pressure sensors experience atmospheric pressure offsets if they are
sufficiently sensitive.
To compensate for this atmospheric pressure offset, AML instruments have the ability to reset the
pressure sensor's zero point. This can be initiated using AML Oceanographic SeaCast software or
a Terminal emulator command. The compensation does not affect the calibration of the pressure
sensor, and can be turned off or recalculated at any time. The compensation factor is applied through
the entire calibrated pressure range. Note that this compensation cannot be applied to a built-in
Paroscientific Digiqua
rtz sensor, as found in bathyMetrec•X.
Once the atmospheric pressure compensation is applied, it will be applied to all pressure sensor data
until it is turned off or recalculated. The setting is written to memory, so it remains set when the
instrument is powered down.
