Interphase PC/View, Operation Manual

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40
Principles
The PC/View system provides a display of acoustic
echoes from the underwater area beneath and ahead
of your vessel. The Phased Array Transducer steers
an acoustic beam over a sector which can be adjusted
from approximately 6 to 90 degrees in width. As the
PC/View steers the beam to different positions, it
transmits a pulse of energy and then waits a defined
period of time (depending on the range selected) to
receive any returning echoes. As the energy from
this acoustic beam strikes underwater objects or the
bottom, a portion of the energy is reflected as an
echo back to the transducer. When the echo is
received at the transducer, it’s converted into a small
electrical signal and processed for display.
Since the PC/View knows the direction in which it
sent the transmit pulse and the time it took to receive
the return echo, it can determine the location of the
object or bottom that created the return echo. As the
PC/View sequentially steps through the scan sector,
the computer’s display shows a continuously updated
image of the returning echoes in their approximate
positions relative to the vessel.
Interpreting the Vertical
Display
In the vertical mode, PC/View scans forward from
horizontal down to vertical beneath the vessel. Since
the resulting display shows only the acoustic echoes
that are returned to the transducer, it cannot show
forward bottom conditions that are hidden from its
field of view or are hidden due to obstructions in the
acoustic beam’s path through the water.
Forward Imaging Capabilities
The distance ahead of the vessel over which the PC/
View is capable of imaging features is dependent
upon water depth, bottom structure and water
6 Interpreting Displays
Strong Return from
Up-sloping Bottom
Weak Return From Far-Forward