Frequently Asked Questions
In this FAQ section you will find short articles written by our support staff that can help you answer questions we often receive from our customers. The content can be accessed using the Search function
Principles of operation
- Will my ADCP negatively affect marine animals?
- How do I find the Equivalent two-way beam angle Ψ for my echo sounder?
- How to calculate current speed and direction from three beam ADCP velocity components
- What is the Wave Velocity Cell and how is it used?
- What is the effect of temperature gradients when estimating the surface level?
- Can you get velocity measurements from the fourth beam on the AWAC?
Instrument configuration
- Which application should I use for my Signature 500 measurements?
- Which application should I use for my Signature 1000 measurements?
- How can I check which sampling scheme my Signature is set up to?
- How do the Signature Deployment applications decide the sampling scheme?
- How can I estimate the instrument power consumption?
- Can I get online wave data in XYZ?
Field deployment
- Will starting the instrument in air harm the transducers?
- Calculating weight and buoyancy
- How do I set the pressure offset on a Signature?
- How do I carry out a compass calibration?
- What is the minimum horizontal magnetic field strength that an AquaPro can use?
- How do I change batteries in my Signature 1000?
Data quality control and post-processing
- What is the AST Quality parameter, and what can I use it for?
- What is the difference between AST and LE?
- Does "white-capping" cause problems for the AST beam?
- How can sediment affect my measurements?
- Why does my AWAC AST appear to miss the surface and have bad/missing detects?
- What do the Wave Error Codes mean?
Files and formats
Maintenance and troubleshooting
- Function Test
- How to perform a function test
- Deployment file issue
- Instrument current draw
- Torque procedures for screws in threaded plastic
- Basic termination RS232 and RS422
Tips and tricks
System Integration
- How can I change the communication protocol from RS232 to RS422 on my Signature?
- Why do I have extreme values in my Signature telemetry data?
- How can I develop my own application to be used with a Nortek instrument?
- How to sync the Signature clock over Ethernet (PTP or NTP)?
- What is the maximum number of files on the recorder?
- What are the hex and binary data conventions?
Software
- Why can't I open my Signature .deploy file?
- How does adjustable transmit power work?
- How can I download data from my Signature?
- How does the AWAC estimate ice thickness?
- What do the Error and Status codes mean?
- What is NMEA data output and how can I configure it?
Subsea Navigation
Velocimeters
- Does the Vectrino flag bad data?
- The Vectrino probe is not recognized. What is the problem?
- What does the accuracy specification mean?
- How do I synchronize Vectrinos?
- How do you figure out the time to assign to Vector velocity samples?
- Is it possible to post-process data for speed of sound errors?
Vessel-mounted Systems
- How do I calibrate my vessel mounted AWAC?
- Where does the AWAC VM get time/date information from?
- Can I use my AWAC for moving boat application?
- How should I mount the VM system?
- Why do I see a high Vertical Velocity?
- Is there a minimum working water depths with the AWAC?