DeepVision DE340 Side Scan Sonar System review

[Jim Kennard]

For the past year I have been using the DeepVision DE340 Side Scan Sonar with the DeepView SE software. I have operated DeepVision system in the deep depths of Lake Ontario, the swift waters of the St. Lawrence River and in the murky depths of the Hudson River. The results that I had in each of these very different marine environments were outstanding. Read the complete review and view a variety of sonar images obtained by the DeepVision DE340 system: http://www.shipwreckworld.com/review...n-sonar-review

[kag00]

Hi Jim

Hey Jim, how are you. Interesting review. A couple questions, does the layback calculation incorporate all the needed parameters for an accurate towfish position, namely GPS X, Y, Z offsets, pressure sensor in the towfish for depth, heading sensor in towfish and automatic cable counter input. All these variables are needed to be able to calculate an accurate target position. Also the 4x zoom is this just a pixel replication or is it a TRUE zoom where the raw sonar data is resampled so that the zoom can show full sonar resolution. Most software does simple pixel growth which makes the image larger but it does not show more resolution. I notice also it is limited to a relatively short towcable length of 200 meters, what transmission system type are they using. Hope you have had a successful wreck hunting season. Attached is an image of some recent work I did. Best, Garry website: www.2kozak.com

[Jim Kennard]

Hi Gary

Nice sonar image of the sub.
You may be interested to learn that a WWII Russian submarine was also found in the Baltic Sea last year by a Swedish – Finnish shipwreck search team using a DeepVision DE340 side scan sonar system.
See the details: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL0332603320070703

The DE340 was designed for maximum towfish depths of 100m (330 ft) which is very adequate for use with small boat operations not requiring expensive cable handling and deployment gear. I have successfully been using this system to search for shipwrecks that are in depths exceeding 151m (500 ft). The cable length is not limited to 200m as several DeepVision customers are using longer cable lengths. However, 200m is quite sufficient for most reasonable shipwreck expeditions. The cable layback can be entered prior to or after a survey is completed. If one uses a look up table to determine the actual cable layback using the cable length deployed and surface return distance, you will have a layback distance that is within a few percent of the actual distance of the towfish behind the boat. For the depths that the DE340 system was design for, it is not necessary to have all the extra parameters to determine cable layback found in the $60,000 to $100,000 systems that you are use to operating. However, DeepVision does have many other features in the DE340 that are found on these very expensive side scan sonar systems. The DeepVision sonar image magnification is true zoom and not pixel replication. Sonar data is transmitted via RS-485 with a maximum specified length of approximately 1km (3000 feet).

Recently I have been exploring the Hudson River and found 7 shipwrecks within about 5 hours of searching using the DE340.
You can read the article I wrote on “Imaging the Depths of the Hudson River”.
See: http://www.shipwreckworld.com/articles/imaging-depths-hudson-river

If you have additional questions give me a call, you have my phone number.
For others interested in my experience this past year using the DeepVision side scan sonar system, email me and I will be glad to answer your questions via email or phone.

Attached is a sonar image of our latest historic shipwreck discovery that we are currently in the process of identifying.
The shipwreck is almost completely buried in a soft mud bottom.

Cheers,
Jim
Website: www.shipwreckworld.com

[Jim Kennard]

Discovery of shipwreck shown below has now been determined

I just released the news of our discovery of what we believe is the oldest Erie Canal boat that has ever been discovered. It is a vintage 1830 to 1850 Erie Canal line boat.


See the details and images that are now posted on the Shipwreckworld website: http://www.shipwreckworld.com/articles/erie-canal-boat-discovery-oswego-river

[Darp]

Hi Jim,

Most impressive.

On the
Old shipwreck remains in Hudson River


Is that under the mud? If am reading it right it appears you can see the wreck under the mud then the bedrock under the wreck. But maybe it is river bank, pardon my newness to SSS images.

On the schooner that appears to be on top of sediment. Please correct me if wrong.

Cool stuff!

[Jim Kennard]

Hi Darp,
All the shipwrecks are above the bottom. The darker area at the top of the image page is the water column. The area between the water column and the wreck is the river bottom. But, the image sure does look like it could be interpreted as the shipwreck being under the river bottom. Cheers, Jim

[Darp]

Hi Jim,

Thanks. It is a sideways view hence that appearance. I am used to looking at downward looking fish finder sonar, which layers water, mud bedrock.

BTW on SSS how does a shipwreck appear under the mud, by chance do you have an image?

Cheers

[Jim Kennard]

If there was just a couple of inches of very light silt on top of the wreck you would see the top of the shipwreck but not the sides or much other detail. I do have an image or two but they are stored somewhere in a pile of old side scan sonar recordings when they were printed on rolls of paper. You also have to be closer or more over the top of the wreck and not a great distance away from it to be able to see something in the light silt. Hope this helps.

[Darp]

Jim,

Thanks, think have it figured out now. SSS is for great detail above the mud but not for below. Have posted on the dirt sonar post more thoughts on that topic.

No need to bother on those images. Appreciate your info on this, and congrats on your finds.

Cheers, Darp