VEMCO – VR100 Receiver Operating Manual – Page 22
H)
AGC button:
The AGC (Automatic Gain Control) button toggles the gain level between automatic (AGC) and
manual. Use of the button is explained in section 4.2. AGC is explained in the Glossary (section 5.3).
I)
Numeric keypad:
The numeric keypad is used to enter numbers while configuring the receiver (see section 4.3) or to
select specific channels while monitoring tags (see section 4.2).
J)
Power buttons:
The power buttons turn on and off the VR100 receiver. The ON button will turn the VR100 on and
display the welcome screens while the receiver is booting up. The OFF button will begin the VR100’s
shut-down procedure.
K)
Battery charge indicators:
The battery charge indicators show the status of the battery charging process and indicate when the
battery charge is low. More details about charging the battery are found in section 3.3.1.
L)
GPS antenna:
The GPS antenna is contained inside the plastic “puck” for protection and attached to the front panel.
The GPS antenna is able to receive the GPS signals when the VR100 is outdoors, even with the case
lid closed. More information about the GPS is located in section 5.1.1.
3.2 ATTACHMENTS
3.2.1 Hydrophone
The hydrophone can be compared to a human ear where the VR100 is the human brain. Our ear hears the
noises around us and transfers them to the brain where the noises are analyzed and identified. The
hydrophone hears pings from acoustic tags in the water, as well as other noises in the environment such as
current flow, marine animals, and ship engines. It transfers all these noises to the VR100 receiver where
the pings are separated from the other noises using electronic filters. The pings are then identified and
recorded. The VR100 can’t function without a hydrophone.
The VR100 can be used with an omni-directional hydrophone (VH165 or VH180) or a directional
hydrophone (VH110). The hydrophone is connected to the VR100 through the bulkhead connector on the
side of the receiver (see section 3.1.2). Refer to the table on the following page to identify the correct
hydrophone for a particular application.
WARNING:
DO NOT connect a hydrophone to the VR100 while the receiver is powered.
The protective cap attached to the hydrophone cable should be on the cable’s connector when the
hydrophone is not connected to the VR100 to prevent water from entering the hydrophone’s connector.
Water in the connector may enter the cabling and cause damage.
