Desert Star Acoustic Release Control System, Manual

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Acoustic Release Control System
The Acoustic Release Control unit (ARC), is designed to make it possible to secure a payload under
a body of water for an extended period of time. The ARC unit is attached to the anchor weight on
one side, and to the payload with a flotation device on the other. Once the ARC station is deployed
underwater in the desired location, it remains there in a sleep mode awaiting commands from the
surface.
Once the payload needs to be retrieved, the command is sent remotely from the surface to release
the ARC unit with the payload from the sea-floor.
The system consists of at least two main components: the submerged ARC unit “holding” the
payload in place under the body of water, and the Surface Transponder Module - or as commonly
referred in this manual - the STM Surface station, functioning as a remote control.
The two-way communication between the ARC unit and the STM Surface station (when deployed to
the sea-floor with the payload), is accomplish via acoustic sonar signals. The submerged ARC
station is designed to respond to the commands sent to it from the surface, and it will report back
various telemetry data such as unique self-ID, batteries status, current state of the operation,
distance.
A logical schematic of the submerged components.
A single ARC submerged station is monitored and controlled by one of the STM surface stations.
Desert Star Systems manufactures multiple STM surface stations specific to the application needed.