TideM8 - Modular Bluetooth Tide Gauge System
TideM8 is the current replacement for the popular TidaLite
portable tide gauge. Using the latest low power processor and flash memory
technology, the new design offers precise calendar and time keeping functions
together with solid state data retention. The TideM8 is designed to interface directly to external displays or
computers using serial communications with Bluetooth, the Ohmex Short and Long
range radio telemetry modems and a range of dedicated LCDs for simple remote
display of numeric data.
The TideM8 is a black box instrument designed around the same 'winstrument'
specification as used in the popular SonarMite portable echo sounder, this
design criteria specifies that all display and interactive communications with
the instrument use Bluetooth radio technology to communicate with a PC or PDA
device. Through extensive experience of tide gauge installation and manufacture
the TideM8 design is modular with separate radios, gauge, display and power
supply units. This modular design enables the user to configure every
combination from a simple gauge and PDA to a gauge and remote display using
radio telemetry communications.
modular design philosophy
The internal data logging will retain up to ten years of readings with each
record containing Time/Date, average tide, water temperature, barometric
pressure and wave range. The internal 16MByte flash memory can be erased using
the password protected software commands, all of the internal settings are
retained in the flash area of the microprocessor. The transducer is
pre-calibrated at 1 bar and is easily exchanged without any need for further
calibration other than a simple reset and the setting of offset to local tide
values. Local settings include current barometric and temperature offsets
together with water density and display settings.
The TideM8 is supplied with a 1 bar unvented pressure sensor transducer with
integrated water temperature measurement. The stainless steel sensor which is
dynamically adjusted for variations in air pressure using the integrated TideM8
barometric sensor. By not having a vent tube within the sensor cable makes the
transducer connection a simple electrical cable which can be extended up to 50m
and easily routed for site installation.
Sophisticated internal power switching enable the TideM8 to be configured as a
remote tide gauge using solar cells for power supply, the switched power can
also be routed through the radio modem as an additional power saving feature.
Included Software
The TM8 software supplied with the instrument can be run on a PC or PDA
device to provide a display of current values together with a recent tide curve
history over the previous 48 hours. The software includes a timeout function to
prevent the display of tide data more than 1 minute old.
The TideM8 is designed primarily as a simple to install tide level monitoring
system, for use by port and harbour authorities both large and small. The device
can be used in systems ranging from a simple recording gauge with a PDA or PC
display through to a sophisticated multiple gauge and environmental data system
using the network based EDAS software.
Flexible Power Sources
The TideM8 power supply will accept 10-30 vDC or 90 to 300 vAC using the
mains adaptor provided.The regulator unit is protected against short circuit in
cables by a resettable thermal fuse.
Vyner Format
The most popular tide gauge
supplied in the past fifteen years has been the instrument manufactured by David J.Vyner and Co. This robust design has outlasted many similar devices and given
its users many years reliable service. Since the death of David there has been
no further development of the gauge and many users have found it difficult to
replace it with similar equipment. As the TidaLite was based on work originally
done in conjunction with Vyner the output formats have now been modified to
emulate the format used by the old gauge, this enables equipment designed to
work with the older format to have a smooth migration path to a modern gauge
without the need for software modifications.
