Simrad Ex60 setup for Echolog 500

The following details are a guide to setting up the Simrad Ex60 software for live viewing and logging EK500 compatible telegram from an Ex60 echosounder using Echolog 500. This is not a comprehensive guide and the instructions may not be related to your version of the Ex60 logging software. Please consult your Ex60 manual for further information.

Using the ER60 software

This software allows you to log all EK500-compatible telegrams.

To setup the Ex60 for Echolog 500:

1. Start the ER60 software.

2. On the Output menu, click Ethernet.

3. Select the Output EK500 option.

4. In the Communication settings section, do the following:

5. Click the EK500 Datagram button.

6. On the Datagram page select the telegrams to be logged.
   Note: Echoview Software recommends selecting the Vessel Log option as Echoview uses this telegram to determine the date as most telegrams broadcast by the Ex60 contain time but no date.

7. On the Range page, click the Surface Range and Bottom Range buttons and enter the values that best suit your needs. See Simrad documentation for details.

8. On the Echogram page, in the No. of surface values and No. of bottom values boxes, enter values to best suit the data resolution you require in the water column (main echogram) and near the bottom (bottom echogram). See Simrad documentation for details.

9. In the TVG type section select the required type of time varied gain.

10. Click OK.

Using the EK60 Mk1 software

This software allows you to log Sv and TS (Q) telegrams and single target detection (E) telegrams only.

To setup the Ex60 for Echolog 500:

1. Start the EK60 Mk1 software.

2. Select BI500 from the Install main menu.
   
   Note: This will display a BI500 dialog box. All relevant settings are contained in this one dialog box.

3. In the Datagram group box, select the required telegrams (e.g. echogram, echo trace, navigation, vessel log)

4. Ensure the Vessel Log telegram is turned on.
   Note: Echoview uses this telegram to determine the date as most telegrams broadcast by the Ex60 contain time but no date.

5. The EK60 will default to 500 points in the main echogram and 150 points in the bottom echogram. Echoview does not require the default values.  Select the points for the main and bottom echograms to best suit the data resolution you require in the water column and near the bottom.  A maximum total of the main and bottom points is 714. See Simrad EK500 manual or other Simrad documentation for details. 

6. In the Ethernet group box, in the port setting box, enter the same number as the one displayed in the EK500 remote port setting in the Echolog_500 Settings dialog box.
   Note: Echoview Software recommends using the Ex60 default port of 2020 in both programs.

7. In the IP Address box, select the computer's IP address.
   Note: If the computer has more than one network card, select the IP address that will be used to communicate with the computer that will be running Echolog 500.

8. Enter the value that is displayed in the Local IP address box on the Echolog 500 Network Information dialog box.
   Note: The Ex60 cannot communicate via a router or gateway with Echolog 500. A TCP/IP subnet defines the range of IP addresses that can be used for direct point-to-point communication without requiring a gateway or router. The subnet range is controlled by a subnet mask in TCP/IP properties. The mask number is combined with each IP address as shown in the following examples. If both results are the same then the two IP addresses are on the same subnet.

Example 1

EK60 local IP address is 157.237.15.15

PC local IP address is 157.237.15.20

PC TCP/IP subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

Both IP addresses ARE within the same subnet. Echolog 500 will be able to detect data sent by the EK60.

Example 2

EK60 local IP address is 157.237.15.15

PC local IP address is 157.237.16.20

PC TCP/IP subnet mask is 255.255.255.0

The IP addresses are NOT within the same subnet. Echolog 500 will NOT be able to detect data sent by the EK60.

Example 3

EK60 local IP address is 157.237.15.15

PC local IP address is 157.237.16.20

PC TCP/IP subnet mask is 255.255.0.0

Both IP addresses ARE within the same subnet. Echolog 500 will be able to detect data sent by the EK60.

Notes:

• If you are running Echolog 500 with the EK500 simulator (Echosim 500) then set up the simulator and point it to the file demodata.ek5 or another data file logged from an EK60 with Echolog 500.

• Echolog 500 cannot be run simultaneously with the BI500 on the one PC.  If a broadcast IP address is used in the EK60 IP address setting then multiple instances of Echolog 500 and the BI500 could be run on different computers.

• Echoconfig 500 is currently designed to work with an EK500 or EA500 but not with an Ex60.

• If you choose to store Heave and Temperature sensor data, your echograms in Echoview will appear with many orange marker regions. Heave and temperature sensor data are stored by the EK60 as a comment, which is translated into an Unclassified regions marker region for each ping in Echoview. If you wish to store Heave and Temperature data, you may need to re-classify all of your marker regions in Echoview using the Region Editor and set them to invisible on your echograms on the Regions page of the Variable Properties dialog box. If you do not wish to store heave and temperature sensor data, consult the EK60 manual.

See also

Simrad Ex60 setup for Echolog 60
About Echolog 500
Using Echolog 500