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. If you don't find answers to your question here, please send an e-mail to support@nortekgroup.com and we will get back to you as quickly as we can.
Principles of operation
- Can you use the AquaPro HR Amplitude to estimate Suspended Sediment Concentration? What about bottom distance check?
- What is the HR mode on the Aquadopp Profiler? What should I use the Aquadopp Profiler HR for?
- What is a pre-Midlife/Midlife/AD2CP instrument?
- Will my ADCP negatively affect marine animals?
- How do I find the equivalent two-way beam angle Ψ for my echo sounder?
- How do I calculate current speed and direction from three beam ADCP velocity components?
Instrument configuration
- What is the recommended deployment configuration for an AquaPro HR?
- How do I avoid interference from other acoustic instruments? Can it affect the marine life?
- 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?
Field deployment
- What should I take into consideration when deploying an AquaPro HR?
- Will starting the instrument in air harm the transducers?
- How do I calculate weight and buoyancy?
- How do I set the pressure offset on a Signature?
- How do I carry out a compass calibration?
- How do ADCP compasses perform in polar regions?
Data quality control and post-processing
- What is phase wrapping and phase ambiguity? How can I solve it?
- What do the SeaReport Quality Codes mean?
- 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?
Files and formats
Maintenance and troubleshooting
- What should I check before I deploy my instrument?
- Deployment file issue
- How much current does my instrument draw?
- How much torque should I use on my endbell screws?
- What is the basic termination for RS232 and RS422 Nortek cables?
- How do I use a loopback test to check my cable is working?
Tips and tricks
System Integration
- How can I change the communication protocol from RS232 to RS422 on my midlife instrument?
- 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 do I set up the MOXA Uport converter for RS422 (for Signature)?
- How to sync the Signature clock over Ethernet (PTP or NTP)?
- What are the hex and binary data conventions?
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 set up analog output on and what do the values mean?
- How do I synchronize Vectrinos?
- How do you figure out the time to assign to Vector velocity samples?
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?