The system is based around the Hypack Max survey software.

This software enables customers to plan surveys, gather survey data, process the data, then prepare and produce final products. However, Hypack will also be used when buoy positioning and bed levelling tasks are undertaken using the Duke of Normandy 's 140 t/m Heila hydraulic crane and 9m towed plough.

To ensure operation in all weathers, Hypack has been loaded onto a ruggedised Toughnote 4 serial port laptop PC. An idea opportunity to prove how rugged the laptop was came about during the initial demonstration in February this year. A survey was conducted in St Helier using a work boat, the only problem was having to clear the snow off the laptop screen to run the survey lines!

The need for portability is essential, as all the survey equipment is removed from the work boat after each survey.

With that in mind, a CSI DGPS Max DGPS Receiver was supplied as positioning device.

This receiver provides sub-metre accuracy and has the flexibility of a choice of sources of differential corrections, for example SBAS (WAAS/EGNOS), DBeacon, Omnistar etc.

Another consideration was the existing Proudman tide gauge system already operational at St Helier. To ensure real time tide data is available for all the survey and bed levelling operations, a set of Pacific Crest EDL radio modems were supplied.

To further enhance the system, Del Norte supplied an Imagenex SportScan sidescan sonar. It is a lightweight and very portable survey tool, ideally suitable to the requirements of any port authority. Among its capabilities is locating objects lost in the harbour and surrounding areas.

The unit was fitted to the workboat using an over the side mount for ease of operation but it can also be towed if necessary.

The SportScan can be used on its own, with a GPS input to reference the images, and it can be interfaced directly into Hypack. This then can then be used to produce a geo-referenced mosaic of the survey area.