Operation Manual
FarSounder, Inc.
F31552 (Rev. 3.8.0)
Page 45 of 69
5.8. 3D Sonar Processing Options
Like other marine electronics sensors, there are processing control settings for the FarSounder sonars.
FarSounder has developed autonomous processing algorithms that intelligently control various stages of the
processing routines and automatically remove most of the "noise" in the image without user interaction. The
few controls that require user interaction are found in the Processor Settings tool bar (Figure 43, “Processor
Configuration Window”). This tool bar is displayed when the user clicks on the "Processor Settings" button
at the top of the 3D Sonar Display (see Figure 37, “The 3D Sonar Display”). Working from left to right, this
window has the following controls: a processing mode drop-down selector, an "Auto Squelch" check box,
a "Detect Bottom" check box, and a "Squelch" slider.
Note that when changing any of the processor settings (ie. squelch levels, processing ranges, etc.) changes
will not take effect until the next complete processing cycle. This typically means that you will see the change
two pings after adjusting the control, since generally when you see an image that needs adjusting, there is
already another ping processing with those same settings internal to the software. Changes will be applied
to the next "fresh" ping.
Figure 43. Processor Configuration Window
Processing Mode Drop Down Selector
The processing mode selection drop down sets the system's range and field of view while pinging.
• FarSounder-500 and FarSounder-1000 options:
• 90° x 100m (325 ft)
• 90° x 200m (650 ft)
• 90° x 500m (1640 ft)
• 60° x 1000m (3280 ft) (FarSounder-1000 only)
• FS-3DT options:
• 90° x 110m (360 ft)
• 90° x 220m (720 ft)
• 90° x 330m (1080 ft)
• 60° x 440m (1440 ft)
• Alternating between 90° x 330m (1080 ft) and 60° x 440m (1440 ft)
Detect Bottom Check Box
The FarSounder system is typically capable of mapping the seafloor down to 50 meters depth (approximately
165 feet). In deeper water, the processing algorithms may falsely interpret in-water targets as the sea bottom
and create some strange images.
If this check box is checked, then the processor will attempt to detect the bottom so that it may be drawn as
a surface in the 3D Sonar Display. If this check box is not checked, then there will be no surface drawn in
