News

Instrumentation Budget Revision for GroupPurchases to Replace echo sounders on UNOLS Vessels

Proposed Budget Revisions to the RSMAS Oceanographic 2007 Instrumentation Award are currently being edited. The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds new equipment requests that are deemed critical to new science missions. Proposals are entered based on science requests, are then peer reviewed and approved as appropriate, annually. Funds may be recommended to replace outdated and obsolete echo sounding systems for multiple vessels. A group purchase by the UNOLS vessels spells major cost savings to the funding agency and technical support groups.

Restriction to a single vendor is prohibited, due to the determination of competitive bids by multiple manufacturers. However, Knudsen Engineering the current manufacturer of many vessel echo sounders, has offered a significant multiple purchase discount of 20% for 10+ units, or 15% for 6-10 units. The new model offered is a 3260 3.5 kHz/ 12 kHz CHIRP system. Old units must be traded in for recycling of internal boards.

Information is being requested from all UNOLS operators at this time. Respondants should include a compelling need for new units, the current models operated, and the number of new units requested. If an acceptable budget revision is provided, funds will be recommended later this month and could be available as early as the end of 2007, start of the fiscal 2008 budget year.

Rich Findley is currently soliciting information about the best method of maintaining the systems. Redundant systems on every ship will doublet he acquisition cost. In contrast, spare boards would be less expensive, but would require on board knowledge of board-level troubleshooting and installation. Alternatives include acquisition of a combination of spare boards and full spare systems that would be available to the operators in a shore-side shared pool of instrumentation These would then be available for immediate deployment, when necessary.

HighSeasNet Coming Soon to a Research Vessel Near You!

Onward with the advent of HighSeasNet, a recently released communications system that will allow real-time uplink via geostationary satellite. The system is expected to greatly enhance global communications aboard and in between the fleet of sea-going research vessels. Several vessels have been funded for the system. Ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communications including voice, e-mail and Internet access will be a breeze! (we hope, well, then again anything is better than...)

The system awarded to MTG is availableto all R/V Seward Johnson visiting science parties. These hip users will have improved instrumentation and data acquisition for developing models of global weather prediction and ocean circulation, as well as supporting projects like pollution and fisheries stock assessment studies. There are even some efforts underway to develop interactive video conferencing for the classroom at the high school, undergraduate, graduate and post-doctoral levels.