Schematics of Echopilot 550 Depth Sounder
 

Hi,

I've got a working Echopilot 550, produced by Incastec Associates Ltd.
It features a rotating LED handle, like the old Seafarer models. Depth
range is 0-12/24/120m.
Incastec seems to have supplied Seafarer with Sensors.

I'd like to have the output in another form, e.g. voltage (or pulse
width, or frequency) corresponding to depth, so that I can easily
monitor it remotely, or feed to a PC system.

Does anybody have schematics of that Echopilot 550 (or the old
Seafarers which seem to work similarly), so that I could draw up a
converter - if somebody else hasn't done that already ...

TIA,
Stefan

In article .com,
"stefanhanoi" wrote:

Hi,

I've got a working Echopilot 550, produced by Incastec Associates Ltd.
It features a rotating LED handle, like the old Seafarer models. Depth
range is 0-12/24/120m.
Incastec seems to have supplied Seafarer with Sensors.

I'd like to have the output in another form, e.g. voltage (or pulse
width, or frequency) corresponding to depth, so that I can easily
monitor it remotely, or feed to a PC system.

Does anybody have schematics of that Echopilot 550 (or the old
Seafarers which seem to work similarly), so that I could draw up a
converter - if somebody else hasn't done that already ...

TIA,
Stefan


You can look at the output of that sounder as if it were an A-Scope
with any osciliscope. You get the Main Bang of the Transmitter and then
the amplified echo of the bottom, fish, whatever, coming at some time
(milliseconds) later. That could be feed into a Schmitt Trigger and
then presented to a digital input port and timed for depth.


Me who used to do that many years ago............

What do you mean with "output of that sounder"? The signal to/from the
transducer? This wouldn't contain the *amplified* echo ..., no? Sure, I
could take that signal but then I have to take precautions that the
amplifier (for the echo) can handle high power hat the input (from the
main bang). I was hoping to find a way to let the original box do the
amplifying part and then work only with pre-shaped signals.

On reading your post a second time: Do you mean I should look for the
signal that is sent to the LED on the rotating handle?

Anybody with a schematic of an old Seafarer or an Echopilot?
Cheers,
Stefan

In article . com,
"stefanhanoi" wrote:

What do you mean with "output of that sounder"? The signal to/from the
transducer? This wouldn't contain the *amplified* echo ..., no? Sure, I
could take that signal but then I have to take precautions that the
amplifier (for the echo) can handle high power hat the input (from the
main bang). I was hoping to find a way to let the original box do the
amplifying part and then work only with pre-shaped signals.

On reading your post a second time: Do you mean I should look for the
signal that is sent to the LED on the rotating handle?

Anybody with a schematic of an old Seafarer or an Echopilot?
Cheers,
Stefan


Yep, take the signal right off the little brush that feeds the spinning
LED Arm.

Me