JOSEPH MONDAY

ECHO SOUNDER

Echo sounder

OBJECTIVE

1. What is echo sounder

2. Working of echo sounder
3. Components errors

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. What is echo sounder

2. working of echo sounder
3. Components
4. Transducer and placement
5. Recorder
6. Echo sounder Error

WHAT IS AN ECHO SOUNDER?

Echo Sounder is a type of SONAR (originally an acronym for

Sound Navigation And Ranging) used to determine the depth of
water by transmitting sound pulses into water. The time interval
between emission and return of a pulse is recorded, which is used
to determine the depth of water along with the speed of sound in
water at the time.

Who invented echo-sounding devices?

German inventor Alexander Behm was granted German patent
No. 282009 for the invention of echo sounding (device for
measuring depths of the sea and distances and headings of ships
or obstacles by means of reflected sound waves) on 22 July 1913.

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ECHO SOUNDER EQUIPMENT.

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WHAT IS PRINCIPLE OF ECHO SOUNDER?

Echo Sounder is a type of SONAR (originally an acronym for

Sound Navigation and Ranging) used to determine the depth of
water by transmitting sound pulses into water. The time interval
between emission and return of a pulse is recorded, which is used
to determine the depth of water along with the speed of sound in
water at the time

1. Device used to measure depth of water

2. short pulse sound energy transmitted vertically down
3. Travel time (t) taken for its return, depends upon the depth of
water (d), and on the velocity of sound (v) through the water.
4. Time taken (t) = (2 x d) / v or d =(v x t)/2.
5. Performance of a sonar system depends on the accuracy with
which the velocity of source propagation is measured.
6. The velocity of propagation is a function of temperature of
water, pressure and salinity. The velocity is usually taken as
1500 meters/second for sea water at 13◦c and atmospheric
pressure.

HOW DID ECHO SOUNDER WORK IN WORLD WAR 2?

Application of echo-sounding principles to submarine detection

during World War II resulted in the development of equipment to
sound all ocean depths. In the 1970’s, the dual-beam technique
was invented, permitting direct estimation of fish size in-situ via
its target strength.

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HOW IS THE DEPTH OF WATER CHECKED IN ECHO SOUNDER?

The depth of water is checked from the echo sounder just as a

matter of routine to see that the depth obtained matches with
that show on the chart.

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WORKING OF ECHO SOUNDER

Recorder sends a signal to the pulse generator which triggers a
pulse and simultaneously starts the recorder trace.

The rate may be between 5-600 pulse a minute depending upon

the depth to be measured.

1. Lesser the depth scale, faster the pulse repetition frequency.

2. The pulse from the pulse generator activated the transmitter
which sends a powerful electric to the transducer.
3. The transducer converts the electric energy into sound
energy producing a pulse.
4. The sound energy travels to the bottom, hits the bottom and
gets reflected back to the transducer.
5. The transducer converts the received sound energy of the
echo into an electric pulse and sends it to the receiver.
6. In the receiver the received pulse is processed and then
amplified and sent to the recorder.
7. At the recorder, the stylus which has been at a speed
proportional to the speed of sound, create a physical mark
on a paper or a visual blip or a digital signal for the recorder.

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WHAT IS THE TRANDUCER OF ECHO SOUNDER?

1. Magneto-striction is an effect which occurs in all

ferromagnetic material, but particularly pronounced in iron,
nickel and cobalt.
2. These items placed in a magnetic field change their length.
3. Conversely, when subjected to physical stress they generate
an emf.
4. When alternating current is used to create a magnetic flux,
the transducer will vibrate producing a sound pulse.

PLACEMENT OF TRANSDUCER

 Must be away from noises and area of turbulence like the

propeller and discharges.
 Away from aeration which is caused due to bubbles generated
by the bow wave or irregularities on the hull, log tubes and
discharge orifices.

WHAT IS RECORDER OF ECHO-SOUNGER

 This is the component of the ES a mariner would be using on

the bridge.
 Earlier, the echo of the bottom used to be recorded as a
mark on paper.
 Currently the old style paper recorder has been replaced by
electronic displays showing the bottom echo as blip.
 However, IMO regulations require that a ship must have
hard copies of past depth sounding which can only be done
on paper.
 A paper recorder consists of a stylus which is made to move
across electro-sensitive paper.
 When the transmitter fires its pulse, the stylus marks the
paper at the zero of a graduated scale.
 While the pulse travels to the bottom the stylus moves in
tandem across the paper but at a speed proportional to half
the speed of sound.
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 On detection of an echo, the stylus again marks the paper

which shows depth of water.
 the speed of the stylus will move depending upon the
chosen range scale.

WHAT ARE THE SETTINGS ON THE ECHO SOUNDER?

Range switch of echo sounder

 could be between 0-10M, 0-20M, 0-50M, 0-100M, 0-200M,

0-1000M etc.
 check the approximate depth in the vicinity of your fix.
 Start at a range which is just little more than this depth. (if
the depth is 98M, choose o- 100m).
 Look out for an echo blip or a marking.
 To coax out the echo, you may have to manipulate other
controls.
 Once observed, shift to one range scale higher.
 Observed the echo against the enhanced range scale
marking.
 It should be the same as the earlier readings.

DRAUGHT SETTING OF ECHO SOUNDER.

 The E/S Transducer is fitted at the keel of the ship.

 It means that the depth will be measured below the keel.
 To obtain the depth of water, the draft of the ship will have
to be added to the measured reading. This can be achieved
by setting this control which is known as setting the zero
line to the ships draught.
 It is safest to keep the switch to 0 setting because there
have been instances when the watch keeper presumed that
he was reading below the keel reading whereas the zero line
was set to the draft of ship. The watch keeper thus over
read the depth and ship ran aground.

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FEET/FATHOM/METER SELECTOR SWITCH OF ECHO SOUNDER

 In modern echo sounders, the display automatically adjusts

to the chosen scale.
 If you are on Meter scale and the depth shown is 10M.
 It will show 33ft if the feet scale is selected.
 Or 3.5 fathoms if the fathom scale is shown.
 But in order models, the marking depth will have to be
manually read off against the scale and here caution has to
be exercised. There have cases, when watch keeper
presumed that the fathom scale was in use, where the echo
sounder was set to Meter scale.
 The watch keeper presumed higher depth which in reality
was lower and hence the ship ran aground.

FIX MARKER OF ECHO SOUNDER

 When pressed, it marks the paper. This done for creating a

record as an evidence of an action like a fix or a happening
like a light coming on the beam.

PAPER SPEED CONTROL (FAST/SLOW) OF ECHO SOUNDER

 Faster the paper clear the record trace which is essential to

appreciate the shape of the sea bottom. This visual display
is a great when sounding is used to fix a ship.

GAIN & SENSITIVITY OF ECHO SOUNDER

 To make echoes darker on the paper. Best set to when the

echoes become just about discernible.

DIMMER OF ECHO SOUNDER

Keep to optimum settings or else it will affect your night vision.

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VELOCITY ERRORS

 Velocity increases as the salinity, pressure and atmosphere

increases.
 Of these three, salinity setting is the most important
followed by temperature.
 If the velocity reading is less than what it should be, the E/S
will under read which though not desirable is not dangerous.
 If you forget to correct the settings when the ship enters the
red sea from the Gulf of Aden, the E/S will under read the
depth.
 But when you enter Mediterrannean later and forget to
correct the settings, E/S will over read the depth and that
could be dangerous.

AERATION

 Bubbles are created under the keel and the sea bottom due
to hard use of rudder, heavy pitching when lightly loaded,
breaking water over shoals or rough weather.
 The bubble will absorb the sound energy and no marking will
be seen on the E/S or there will be under reading of depth.
 No remedy available, except that these is a temporary
condition and will get corrected quickly.

STYLUS SPEED ERROR

 The stylus rotates at such a speed the time taken for the
stylus to travel from top to bottom is twice the distance of
the range selected.
 If the stylus rotates at a different speed (due to voltage
fluctuation or sticky tape), the depth recorded will be
different.
 Adjustment is made as per instructions given in the manual.
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MULTIPLE ECHOES

 In the shallow water, the sound energy received at the ship

after is reflected from the sea bottom, may get re-reflected
from, reach the sea bottom and get re-reflected and mark
an echo second time over at twice the depth.
 Or may even an echo third time over at thrice the depth.
 The first echo shows the correct depth. The second and third
echoes can be clearly discerned as they grow progressively
weaker.
 Something akin to the echoes in the radar.
 Remedy operate at a scale close to the prevalent depth.

 FALSE BOTTOM ECHOES

 This error happens when the range setting is lesser than the
prevalent depth.
 The echo arrives at the E/S after the stylus has completed
its one trace run and has begun the next trace.
 This will result in considerable under reading.

PYTHAGORAS ERROR.

 This occurs when a ship uses separate transmitters for

transmission of the sound pulse and reception of the echo.
 The transmitters are physically separated on either side of
either side of the keel or separated along the length of the
keel.
 The depth measured at the E/S will be slanted depth and not
the direct below the keel depth.
 In deep waters, this error will not matter much but in
shallow waters there will be considerable over reading which
is dangerous.

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WHY IS SOUND PROPAGATION USED IN ECHO SOUNDER?

 Sound propagation in water is used in marine navigation, as

it is the only form of propagation, which could be,
considered as efficient.
 Other forms, e.g. electromagnetic or light radiation
attenuates rapidly and is of no use underwater.
 Echo sounder, an aid to measure depth of water.

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