
April
2018
Pathfinder DVL Guide
Page 56
EAR-Controlled Technology Subject to Restrictions Contained on the Cover Page.
Install the NGSPFFT Software
Use the install package. Installation of the NGSPFFT software is similar to installing other windows soft-
ware. After successfully installing the NGSPFFT software there will be two folders added to your com-
puter: “C:\Program Files\RD Instruments\NGSPFFT” and “C:\FFT”. Inside the second folder, will be a
file, “C:\FFT\Port.txt” that stores the serial COM port number and the baud rate to be used. Please
open this text file using Notepad® or similar and edit the two lines. The first line is the COM port
number. Change this to number of the COM port your computer will use to talk with the Pathfinder. The
second number is the baud rate. Change this to “115200”. Then save this file with the changes.
Connecting to the Pathfinder DVL
Equipment needed:
•
A computer with at least one serial communication port from the computer to the Path-
finder’s Communication Port 1 (a USB to serial converter works fine).
•
The same computer with TRDI Toolz Software provided or from the TRDI website.
•
The same computer with the NGSPFFT software loaded.
•
A power supply for the Pathfinder (10.7 – 36 volts DC, 1.5A is sufficient).
1. Connect to the Pathfinder using TRDI Toolz and change the baud rate to 115200 baud.
2. Apply power to the Pathfinder 10.7 to 36 Volts DC. Set the current limit to 1.5A for Pathfinder
600.
3. Connect to the computers comport.
4. Start the TRDI Toolz software and establish communication with the Pathfinder. After sending a
“break” you will see something like the following (The firmware version may be different):
Pathfinder
Teledyne RD Instruments (c) 2017
All rights reserved.
Firmware Version: 67.xx
>
5. Type “CB811” <ENTER> then type “CK” <ENTER> you will see something like:
>cb811
>ck
[Parameters saved as USER defaults]
You just changed the baud rate to 115200. This will speed up FFT data transfer when you use the FFT soft-
ware.
6. Close the TRDI Toolz.exe program.
7. Place the transducer into a bucket of water, just deep enough to cover the urethane faces of the
four transducers. This will help to properly match the acoustic impedance of the transducer and to
reduce interference from radio stations or other nearby RF sources. Later when the NGSPFFT
software is running you can remove the transducer from the water and hold it next to a laptop or a
computer terminal and see what effect these devices have on the FFT, and hence the DVL.
8. Open the NGSPFFT.exe program. The program will immediately attempt to establish communica-
tions and send appropriate commands. Within 30 seconds, you should see four plots of the FFT
for each of the Pathfinder’s receive channels.
9. If no plots are generated, there is no communicating with the Pathfinder. You can select by click-
ing on the Comms menu and select the port that Pathfinder is connected to.
10. Click on Comms menu and select the baud rate (115200).