SonarWiz5 Faq PDF

SonarWiz5_faq.pdf Chesapeake Technology, Inc.
copyright 2014-2015
Table of Contents
1 SonarWiz5 – General Capabilities FAQs ................................................................................ 3
1.1 SonarWiz5 – What are the licensing purchase options for SonarWiz 5?......................... 3
1.1.1 Post-processing features are sold in 4 categories ................................................................ 3
1.1.2 Multi-seat Network Dongle option – supported for Post-processing licenses ..................... 4
1.1.3 Survey features of SonarWiz 5 are sold for specific models ................................................. 4
1.1.4 Choose your options using the QUOTE REQUEST form ........................................................ 4
1.2 SonarWiz5 – What are the PC and OS platform requirements? ...................................... 4
1.3 SonarWiz5 - What can I do to improve project performance? ........................................ 5
1.4 SonarWiz5 – Use PROJECT EXPLORER SubGroups to speed up projects! ................. 5
1.5 SonarWiz5 – Why would my project start to present random misbehavior or fail to
open? 6
1.6 SonarWiz5 – MML file – special control file, and how to use it? ................................... 7
1.7 SonarWiz5 – My project will not open – what to do? ..................................................... 8
1.8 SonarWiz5 – What's the best way to get SUPPORT help on my issue?........................ 10
2 SonarWiz5 - Data Acquisition FAQs .................................................................................... 12
2.1 SonarWiz5 - Why don’t we log X/Y by default during XTF data collection ............... 12
2.2 SonarWiz5 - Our surveys cover multiple UTM zones – can SonarWiz handle that? ... 13
2.3 SonarWiz5 - Which thermal printers are supported by SonarWiz5? ............................ 13
2.4 SonarWiz5 – Can we view target detail without pausing real-time recording in a search
and rescue application? ............................................................................................................. 14
3 SonarWiz5 - Post-Processing FAQs ...................................................................................... 15
3.1 SonarWiz5 – My imported sonar data are white stripes! What did I do wrong? ........... 15
3.2 SonarWiz5 – Can I swap chs 1 & 2 (e.g. port & starboard) SS data during import?..... 16
3.3 SonarWiz5 – Importing a batch of MST files - what’s the easiest way? ....................... 18
3.4 SonarWiz5 – Feature labels – How do we hide them? .................................................. 19
3.5 SonarWiz5 – Mosaic Cropping (Polygon/Rect Trimming) – How do we do this? ....... 19
3.6 SonarWiz5 - Can automatically-created contact names be re-used? ............................. 20
3.7 SonarWiz5 – File-type specific import advice? ............................................................. 20
3.7.1 SonarWiz5 – Importing JSF Files?........................................................................................ 20
3.7.2 SonarWiz5 – Is there a Maximum CSF-file count for a project? ......................................... 22
3.7.3 SonarWiz5 – Advice on importing SEGY files with discontinuities in depth? ..................... 23
3.8 SonarWiz5 – Applying User Controlled Gain (UGC) – and where you see it .............. 27
3.9 SonarWiz5 – My project loads very slowly, or fails to open at all! ............................... 27
3.10 SonarWiz5 – EGN Processing Issues ......................................................................... 32
3.11 SonarWiz5 - Auto-TVG / Thresholding – Image ghosting issues.............................. 32
3.12 SonarWiz5 – Seabed Classification Processing Issues............................................... 33
3.13 SonarWiz5 – Is exporting a mosaic-perimeter feature possible? ............................... 33
3.14 SonarWiz5 – Is there a maximum file-size? ............................................................... 34
3.15 SonarWiz5 – how can we designate sound velocities for water-column and strata ... 34
4 SonarWiz5 - Maps FAQs ...................................................................................................... 37
4.1 SonarWiz5 – What’s the best source of NOAA basemaps for USA? ............................ 37
4.2 SonarWiz5 – Speaking of SHP files, mine won't display! What's wrong? .................... 37
5 SonarWiz5 - Views FAQs ..................................................................................................... 37
6 SonarWiz5 - Tools FAQs ...................................................................................................... 37
6.1 CTI3DViewer is not allowed to run in evaluation license? Why? ................................. 37
7 SonarWiz5 - Help FAQs........................................................................................................ 39
Rev 5.06.0063 7/7/2014 support@chesapeaketech.com 650-967-2045 Page 1

SonarWiz5_faq.pdf Chesapeake Technology, Inc. copyright 2014-2015
8 SonarWiz5 – Webinar2 Questions – 3/8/2011 ...................................................................... 39

9 BathyMetric Feature Set FAQs ............................................................................................. 41
9.1 Bathy: When was the bathymetric feature-set introduced, and how can I see it? .......... 41
9.2 Bathy: What are the licensing options for bathymetry feature set? ............................... 42
9.3 Bathy: What type of sonar data are imported in bathymetry post-processing? ............. 42
9.4 Bathy: Does SonarWiz 5 bathy support a patch-test calibration? .................................. 43
9.5 Bathy: What types of configuration settings are necessary in bathy surveying? ........... 44
9.6 Bathy: What types of environmental factors affect a bathy survey?.............................. 46
9.7 Bathy: What types of bathy export data formats are available? ..................................... 50

This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) document about the Chesapeake Technology, Inc
SonarWiz software product is a supplement to the SonarWiz5 User Guide, which is
recommended as your primary reference on these topics.
Here are the two best ways to find your topic in this document:
1. You may click on a Table of Contents section and navigate directly to that question, if you see
your topic there. This is perhaps the easiest way to get your answer. Or ...
2. Press CTRL-F to bring up the FIND dialog, and enter a keyword, like 'mosaic' (no quotes
required), and press ENTER, and you can step through the document looking for that word:
Continue to each next instance by clicking on Find Next.
1 SonarWiz5 – General Capabilities FAQs

1.1 SonarWiz5 – What are the licensing purchase options for SonarWiz 5?
Question: What are the licensing options for SonarWiz 5? May I post-process sidescan data, or
do I need to buy all the features?
Answer: SonarWiz 5 may be purchased as a set of modular feature sets. The Fist main category
is:
(1) Post-processing features, and
(2) Survey (real-time acquisition) features.
1.1.1 Post-processing features are sold in 4 categories

(1) Sidescan post-processing – supports import, post-processing, and export of many file
types of sidescan sonar data;

(2) Sub-bottom post-processing – supports import, post-processing, and export of many types
of sub-bottom sonar data;
(3) Bathymetric post-processing – supports import, post-processing, and export of many

types of interferometric sonar data;
(4) Magnetometry post-processing – supports import, post-processing, and export of many

types of magnetometry data;
Within a post-processing category, you are licensed to import all file types of that category –
e.g. with a sidescan post-processing license, you may import and post-process JSF, XTF,
RDF, etc. file types. The supported file-types for import in each category are described here:
http://www.chesapeaketech.com/docs/SonarWiz5_Interfaces_and_FileFormats.pdf
1.1.2 Multi-seat Network Dongle option – supported for Post-processing licenses

Post-processing licenses may be purchased as individual license keys, or features may be
supported for multiple post-processing users on a single “network dongle” type license key.
1.1.3 Survey features of SonarWiz 5 are sold for specific models

Sonar interfaces are sold more specifically to support a particular vendor mode of sonar towfish
or sub-bottom profile for real-time acquisition. For example, a separate license is required for
Edgetech 4200, Klein 3000, R2Sonic, etc. Purchase options such as all-digital sidescan models,
and the like exist, as well as discounts for multiple interfaces purchased at the same time.
1.1.4 Choose your options using the QUOTE REQUEST form

We keep an on-line form up-to-date with the purchase options for SonarWiz 5, which is a menu-
type PDF showing all the categories of licensing available. Please check it out here:
www.chesapeaketech.com/products/Quote_Request.php
1.2 SonarWiz5 – What are the PC and OS platform requirements?

Question: I want to buy a new PC for the boat or office, and wish to know if it will run
SonarWiz 5. How can I tell?
Also ... We are in the process of purchasing new computers for the department and I am
wondering whether purchasing PC’s with 8 core processors as oppose to 6 will make SonarWiz
run any faster? If not then there is no need for us to spend the extra money but if it will then it is
a worthwhile investment.
Answer: The platform requirements (PC configuration requirements and supported Operating
System (OS) requirements) are well-defined in a technical note on our support site. Please access
that document here:

http://www.chestech-
support.com/download/ctisupport/SonarWiz_5/UserDocs/SonarWiz_PC_OS_Recommendations.
pdf
This document might answer all your questions. The short answer is that real PCs are supported,
recommendation is 4GB of RAM or more, and operating systems in 32-bit or 64-bit supported
are WindowsXP, VISTA, Windows7, and Windows8. For running a real-time server, more RAM
is best - 8GB.
Our developer also notes: There are a few areas in SonarWiz that currently will use all of the
cores in a multi-processor system. We plan to expand the multi-core code as we migrate
SonarWiz to 64-bits over the next year. If the cost difference is not that bad I would recommend
going with the 8 core systems--even my laptop has 8 cores (4 real X 2 with hyperthreading).
(April, 2014, J.Gann)
1.3 SonarWiz5 - What can I do to improve project performance?

Question: Is there anything I might do routinely to improve the overall screen-refresh
performance of my project?
Answer: Yes! The two most important techniques would be to maintain smaller project size
(source file count), and use local hard drives for your entire project. The more files you have in a
project, and the longer they take to access, the more time it will take for some operations.
Most users find project performance best using local drives for raw sonar location. This
is preferable, for example, to having part of the project stored on a USB stick or network drive,
because access time is faster on the local hard drive. Our practice recommendation for source
file location is to move or copy the source sonar or magnetometry files to a local hard drive
folder, such as the MAG (for magnetometry) or SBP (for sub-bottom), or XTF (for sidescan),
folders of the project. These are the default "save to" folders when recording data with
SonarWiz5. The benefits of following this practice are felt more as project size (source file
count) increases.
Example PROJECT_1:
C:\SonarWiz-Projects\PROJECT_1\MAG Move or copy the source magnetometry files here

C:\SonarWiz-Projects\PROJECT_1\SBP Move or copy the source sub-bottom files here
C:\SonarWiz-Projects\PROJECT_1\XTF Move or copy the source sidescan files here
1.4 SonarWiz5 – Use PROJECT EXPLORER SubGroups to speed up projects!

Question: As the number of sonar lines to be displayed has grown in my project, how can I
create display sub-groups to reduce the main map (plan) view screen refresh time after project
operations?

Answer: You’re on the right track to do that … creating sub-groups of your lines. For example,
if you had 100 lines in your project, creating 4 groups of 25 lines would speed up the display
refresh time by a factor of 4, by displaying only one sub-group at a time. To do this, create 4
project folders in PROJECT EXPLORER here:
Right-click over SIDESCAN FILES (or SUB-BOTTOM FILES) in the project explorer, and you
get a drop-menu, and there you choose “New SubGroup”, just like creating a new folder in
Windows File Explorer. Then you can drag subsets of files into the various folders. Once you
segregate things like that you can use the folder level checkbox to turn on and off the subgroups
you're not actively working on a speed things up. (J.Gann, 8/2013)
1.5 SonarWiz5 – Why would my project start to present random misbehavior or fail to
open?
Question: My project crashes when trying to present the mosaic. Other times it opens up but
gets stuck in a display mode – like sidescan-> COVERAGE mode, and I cannot get it to revert to
DRAFT mode. What could be causing this?
Answer: These errors can be cause by sonar lines importing with error-messages, which might
show in the SYSTEM OUTPUT view of the SonarWiz 5.log file, but may have been ignored.
Unfortunately, and errant import like this needs to be manually detected and then removed from
the project, before the project will behave properly again. There are two ways to verify if a file
did not import properly, but then was populated in the project as a CSF file:
(1) Use Tools-> Open Log File Folder, and then open the SonarWiz 5.log file, and starting
from the bottom of the file, scroll up searching for the word “error”. Chances are you will

find a file import operation that had an error, but the file imported anyway. Then select
this line in the PROJECT EXPLORER, and delete it form the project.
(2) A second way to see such an errant import file is to close the SonarWiz5 application, and
use NOTEPAD to edit the project MML file, which has the same name as the project
folder, and is inside the project folder. Look for a CSF file line-item where the file extent
points (start and end positions) are listed as 0.00,0.00,0.00,0.00 … this will cause all sorts
of random project misbehavior. Here’s an example:
Then again, open SonarWiz5, and select the line and delete it from the project.
NOTE: The advice above applies when running any version prior to 5.06.0047. In 5.06.0047, a
major effort to fix this issue was put into the software (see VERSION HISTORY at
www.chestech-support.com, for details), and when a file tries to import like this into a CSF file,
or an existing project is opened and an errant CSF file is detected, the file is not allowed to
remain in the project, and the user is warned.
1.6 SonarWiz5 – MML file – special control file, and how to use it?
Question: I have noticed that there is a special file called <project_name>.mml in my project
folder. It gets updated during the project, and is essential to open the project. Is there anything
else I should know about it?
Answer: The MML file is indeed a special part of SonarWiz5 design. It will always be there
after you create a NEW project, and it does get updated every time you open and close the
project, saving any changes you made to the project, including information like:
1. What version of SonarWiz 5 is in use;

2. What coordinate system was used for the project
3. What coordinate system was used to import the files
4. Values of the JSF scalar and gains used during file import
5. The “palette” choices used to display files,
6. The project location in latitude and longitude, and
7. The entire list of imported files converted to CSF (common sonar format) files, listed in
the sequence in which the files were added to the project.
This important MML file is created when you are running SonarWiz5 and issue a CREATE
NEW PROJECT dialog. It gets updated during the program operation when you make
changes, as new information gets “remembered” here in the file.
When you OPEN (start) the application after a project exists, a backup copy of the MML file
is created and copied to the project sub-folder named BACKUP.
Using this information can help you in case the program or the PC stops suddenly, before a
write-operation to the MML file might have saved valuable information. For example, if your
PC suddenly stopped, it’s possible part of the information that SHOULD have been saved to
the MML file is missing, and it may still be there in the BACKUP folder copy of the MML
file. Knowing this, you can be careful to make a copy of the MML file or backup MML file
periodically (manually), in case you need to recover information from it, when something
goes wrong like the computer of application crashes. (SC 4/29/2013)
1.7 SonarWiz5 – My project will not open – what to do?

Question: My project (or computer) stopped during a SonarWiz5 session, and will not open.
How can I get going again?
Answer: There are two ways to circumvent this:
(1) Hold the SHIFT key while starting SonarWiz 5, and the application will start without
opening the previous project.
(2) A second option is to rename the project folder, so that when SonarWiz 5 runs and tries
to open the “previous project”, it will not be found, but SonarWIz 5 will run anyway.
Usually the reason a project will not open, is that there is a problem in the project data (see
section 1.5 above), and it needs to be diagnosed and repaired. (SC, 12/2013)

(3) To permanently set SonarWIz 5 to not open the "previously open project" when it runs,
just change the state of the control checkbox here:
An OPEN checkbox means SonarWiz 5 will start and present this screen:

1.8 SonarWiz5 – What's the best way to get SUPPORT help on my issue?
Question: What's the best way to get help from Chesapeake Technology?
Answer: Please send us an e-mail, and include the MML file from your project, as an
attachment. This e-mail address is monitored even after M-F working hours, PST or PDT
California time. Here are more details.
Send us an e-mail to support@chesapeaketech.com . Using the Help -> MySupportInfo

button does three things for us:
(1) it shares your return e-mail address with us, and your name
(2) tells us what version of SonarWiz 5 you are using
(3) tells us what license key (dongle) you are using, and when its EMA expires, so we can
tell if you are eligible for a newer version of software.
If the project MML file is not automatically attached to the e-mail created, please attach it.
You will find it in the project folder, and it will have the same NAME as the project, but the
file EXTENSION will be .MML. You may have to enable display of file extensions for "well
known" files, to see the extension, in Windows.
Here's an example e-mail result:

Your e-mail to us may not look exactly like this, as the automated content changes over time,
but you get the idea ... it has our e-mail address, and is an easy way to add comments and
describe your issue.
If we ask for additional larger files, you will receive the following PDF document from us in
an e-mail, and a Phone Log (PL) code like "PL4755", to help you communicate with us in
the eventual back-and-forth set of e-mails we will use to receive your files, explain and
resolve your issue.
The FTP process PDF is available here:
CTI Support FTP (File transfer protocol) Process PDF for Uploading Files
2 SonarWiz5 - Data Acquisition FAQs

2.1 SonarWiz5 - Why don’t we log X/Y by default during XTF data collection
Question: Is there a reason why the logging of x and y in the XTF files is un-checked by
default? It has in the past given some trouble in the processing when an inexperienced user has
returned with a survey without grid coordinates in the header.

Answer: By default, SonarWiz records the coordinates in the same format as they are received
from the navigation source. So for example, if the navigation sensor is providing
latitude/longitude then the XTF files will be recorded with latitude/longitude. If the navigation
source is providing eastings and northings then the XTF file will be recorded with X/Y. Some
customers prefer that the XTF files are recorded with X/Y when the navigation system is
providing latitude/longitude. Most customers however appreciate the fact that the navigation
data that was sent to SonarWiz is the navigation data that is written into the XTF file. Some
customers however asked for an option where they could connect a navigation source that
provided latitude and longitude but wanted SonarWiz to convert the lat/lon to X/Y coordinates
and store that into the XTF file. This option found under File Specific Options in the File
Preferences section is for those users. (John Gann, 9/2010)
2.2 SonarWiz5 - Our surveys cover multiple UTM zones – can SonarWiz handle that?
Question: I have customers who work on several projection zones (for the GPS data). When
crossing the borderline between 2 zones (e.g. UTM-30N to UTM-31N), would the software
automatically change to the zone coordinates, or the change of zone is based on user changing
the parameters ? Otherwise can the SonarWiz store the data in longitude and latitude ?
Answer: SonarWiz can record the SEGY data in either X/Y coordinates or as latitude/longitude-
-that is a user selectable option in SonarWiz 5. If the navigation input is providing
latitude/longitude and the user has selected the X/Y coordinates for the SEGY recording then
SonarWiz will convert the incoming latitude/longitude values to the UTM zone configured in the
project. If the navigation input is X/Y for example from Hypack and the user has configured
X/Y for the navigation coordinates in SEGY, then SonarWiz records the X/Y values exactly as
they are received from the navigation system. (John Gann, 1/2011)
2.3 SonarWiz5 - Which thermal printers are supported by SonarWiz5?

Question: According to the SonarWiz5 User Guide, there is a supported list of thermal printers
described in section 4.5.6. Are these the only printing options?
Answer: Actually, many of the thermal plotters are quite finicky and will require a parallel port
something that is becoming quite rare.
As an alternative, did you know you can use any old printer that is compatible with Windows?
SonarWiz 5 includes and application called VPrint that allows you to send the printer output to
any device that smells like a printer to Windows. You can set up the page format to define how
many pings you want per page, the color settings, gamma correction and so on. You can even
print to a PDF file if you have one of the free PDF printer drivers installed and then reprint at
your leisure or simply provide the digital copy and save a few trees.
(John Gann, 3/2011)

2.4 SonarWiz5 – Can we view target detail without pausing real-time recording in a
search and rescue application?
Question: I am a Police officer, with the XYZ Police Department, assigned to the Underwater
Search and Recovery Unit. My supervisors and I are interested in your hardware and/or software
to assist with our underwater searches. I was wondering if you currently have any other
departments using your products in this manner, and if so which products they are using. We
currently have a Marine Sonic Technology "Centurian" 900/1800 kHz side scan sonar.
http://www.marinesonic.us/index.php?http%3A//www.marinesonic.us/firstpage.php
We are looking for a way to compile the data we obtain from the side scan. Currently we are
limited to pausing a real time display and zooming on a particular target of interest, while in the
meantime we are missing the incoming data from the tow-fish. It appears as though your
equipment would allow us to examine targets and continue to record incoming data. Recently
we were tasked with a search for a drowned boater. It was unclear where exactly the boater had
gone in the water. There was a large search area, and without any way to put all the side-scan
data together it was difficult to ensure we had thoroughly covered the entire area. In searching
for a way to better use our sonar I came across your company.
First I would like to find out if your products are compatible with our current sonar and
adaptable to our mission of underwater searches. Second I would like to hear your
recommendation for a system to accomplish our mission, and find out a general idea of what
the initial costs would be for the system. I look forward to hearing from you.
Answer: Thank you for your inquiry regarding our products. Yes, our SonarWiz5 product is
compatible with your Centurion system and yes other police forces here in the US and abroad are
using our software for just the situation you describe.
SonarWiz5 may be purchased to assemble the 'mosaic' of sonar files on the fly as you drive down
each lane of your grid pattern. SW5 includes tools to help you generate the most efficient search
pattern and then to guide the boat driver down the line to ensure that no 'holidays' or gaps occur
in the coverage. Potential targets may be marked and analyzed in real-time without stopping the
scrolling waterfall view or the data recording.
Some of our police users include Broward County Sheriff Department (Florida), Quincy Police
Department (Massachusetts), Charleston County Sheriffs (South Carolina) Victoria Water Police
(Melbourne, Australia), NW Police Dive Unit (United Kingdom), Western Australia Police,
(Western Australia).
In addition the US Explosive Ordinance Division (EOD) as well as port authorities and harbor
security firms use our software for detecting small objects on the seafloor.

The complete system to work with your Marine Sonic sonar system is $8995. That includes the
functionality described above as well as the complete post-processing capabilities that include
generating reports, Google Earth images and much more.
Our software connects to the Centurion system via an Ethernet cable. Your system may or may
not yet have a network card installed but one will be required to use our software. Once the
network card is installed, the SeaScan PC software can be started but then you don't normally
have to look at it again while you are surveying. SonarWiz records and maps the data as you go.
You might consider coming out to our next training class. In addition to learning first-hand how
to use SonarWiz you will also be able to network with other users to see how they are using our
products. Plus, if you do purchase SonarWiz within 60 days of the workshop the cost of the
training class is waived. Full details on the upcoming training workshops may always be found
here:
http://www.chesapeaketech.com/support/training-calendar.php
We also offer on-site customized training and installation if you are interested at the rate of
$1750/day plus all incurred expenses.
Please let me know if you have any additional questions. (J.Gann, 10/2010)
3 SonarWiz5 - Post-Processing FAQs
3.1 SonarWiz5 – My imported sonar data are white stripes! What did I do wrong?
Question: While data seem visible during recording, when it is imported into SonarWiz, the
recorded sonar files appear as white stripes in the main map view, with no color or texture. What
can I do?
Answer: The usual remedy in this case is gain adjustment. Check the Post Processing->Import
Side Scan option as shown below:

If the files were imported with No Gain as a setting, try re-importing with successively higher
gain, such as these options for gain:
Usually after adding gain, colors and texture become visible in the sonar lines on the main map
view, and you can proceed to other post-processing techniques for improving the quality of the
images for export and reporting.
In addition, file-type specific gain manipulation can help, for example if the imported sonar is
GCF or JSF. In these cases, select File Type Specific Options, and if you see your file type there,
adjust the 'amplitude scalar' to bring out color and texture in your imported lines. (S.Cutcomb
9/2010)
3.2 SonarWiz5 – Can I swap chs 1 & 2 (e.g. port & starboard) SS data during import?
Question: Is it possible in SonarWiz to use a software toggle to invert (swap) the channel
assignments on sidescan data? For example - traditional data on a sidescan towfish operating
normally comes in as starboard and port channels, correct (with some kind of identifier in the data
strings or headers that tells SonarWiz which channel is which)? What if I wanted to invert (swap)
the data - that is to say, assign the data from the port channel to the starboard, and vice-versa...is this

something I can do? Is it something that can be done in real-time with SonarWiz during acquisition
with real-time mosaicing??
Answer: You should be able to swap channels when importing data in SW5. There is a channel
selector on the Import Sidescan dialog that allows you to select the channel mapping. Sounds
like you would want to choose the Channel 2 and 1 (Swapped) option:

In the real-time mosaic button on the Data Acquisition ribbon you can choose the same channel
configuration but I have never tried doing it in real-time and I'm doubtful that it would work in
RT. (J.Gann, 4/18/2011).
3.3 SonarWiz5 – Importing a batch of MST files - what’s the easiest way?
Question: I have collected a large batch of Marine Sonic MST files while performing a survey.
Is there an easiest way to manage and import this batch of files?
Answer: Historically, our developer John Gann tells me, MST files were split at about 1MB so
each could be recorded onto a floppy 1.44MB drive. So a normal Marine Sonic survey line may
produce hundreds of 1MB files.
Marine Sonic released a handy file-aggregation utility which is available on www.chestech-

support.com in the Utilities download section. So the first file management project for a Marine
Sonic surveyor might be to aggregate the many MST files into aggregated survey line files, using
the Marine Sonic File Aggregation Utility.
Batch file import can be done by drag-drop very conveniently into a project: with your files in a

single folder, you can drag-drop the folder. So put your files all into a folder and try importing
that way!
3.4 SonarWiz5 – Feature labels – How do we hide them?

Question: Is there a way to switch off the labeling of digitized features in the main
view? We prefer that the feature labels not be visible on a screen-dump.
Answer: You should be able to simply open the Digitized Feature Manager and uncheck the
"Label" check box column 2 header and turn off all of the text labels, or just click on the
individual row checkboxes and disable selected features. Screen-shot example:
(John Gann)
3.5 SonarWiz5 – Mosaic Cropping (Polygon/Rect Trimming) – How do we do this?

Question: A user with SonarWiz version 5.01.0033 and would like to export mosaics as
"defined rectangles" (as listed under version history in section 5.01.0025). He cannot find it.
"Implement cool new feature that allows users to clip the mosaic bounds to any closed polygon.
Draw a closed polygon or rectangle feature around the sonar data that you want to keep. Right-
click on the polygon and choose the menu option labeled _Trim the Sonar Data to Feature
Extents_. Quick easy cropping."
Answer: First you want to probably download the very latest V5.01.0035 (or later) version of
SonarWiz if it is available to you. We just enhanced the trimming function so that it will allow
you to undo the data that was trimmed from the mosaic. Then it is just a matter of these two
steps below...
Step 1. Draw a rectangle or closed polygon around the area you want to trim.
Step 2. Right click on the polygon so it is selected and then choose the option to Trim the Sonar
Data.
To Undo the trimming, right click on one of the trimmed files and select the option to "Undo
Trimming on ALL files. (John Gann, 9/2010)

3.6 SonarWiz5 - Can automatically-created contact names be re-used?

Question: In SonarWiz5, is there any way to delete the created contacts so that I can use the
number of the contact again? If I delete it, it is only removed from the project, but it is also saved
in the deleted folder. Help?
Answer: Currently there is no way to re-use deleted contact names when automatic naming is
turned on. For example, you digitize six contacts named Contact_0001 to Contact_0006. Then
you delete Contact_0004. The next contact you capture will be named Contact_0007. I can see
why re-using deleted names would be useful in some situations, and it may be possible to
implement this as an option in the future. In the meantime, there is a workaround that may help
you...just turn off auto contact naming and manually enter the contact names for those that have
been deleted. To do this, click the "Preferences" button on the Contact Manager dialog. Then in
the Names section of the preferences dialog click "Prompt at Capture Time". This way, the
program will ask you for a contact name when the contact is digitized and you can enter anything
you like, including names of contacts that have been deleted. When you have filled in the holes,
so to speak, you can switch back to auto naming. (Mark Bradshaw, 8/2010)
3.7 SonarWiz5 – File-type specific import advice?
3.7.1 SonarWiz5 – Importing JSF Files?

Question 1: What specific advice can you give about importing JSF files?
Answer 1: See User Guide section 5.3.2. You will likely need to set the JSF Scalar values for the
low and high frequency channels. These scalars convert the raw values from the sonar into a
number that is between -32K and +32K so that the data can be displayed in SonarWiz. These
values should be by trial and error process, once the sonar is deployed in the environment in
which it will be used. Then it’s best not to change these values for the duration of the survey.
The scaled value is displayed and the scalars are recorded along with the original raw data from
the sonar, so even if the values are not optimal, the raw data has been preserved.
The JSF controls likely to have the most significant effect will be selection of a suitable value for
the JSF scalar. With the 5.04 series of SonarWiz, this is semi-automated as well: you can choose
to let SonarWiz5 decide the best value for the scalar, using “Auto JSF Scalar” like so:

If you do un-check this box, manually entered values for JSF scalar to use can range from 0.001
to 10000.0 and it makes sense to try a large step quickly: i.e. if 1.0 does not work well and the
data still imports white, try 100.0, 100.0, 5000.0, and 10000.0 in that sequence and see what the
results look like on import.
Recently we have seen files that present well only with a manual JSF scalar value in the range
0.01 to 0.001, so definitely try a value LESS THAN 1.0 if you are unable to see your data
properly in the Bottom Track or Digitizer View screens, in current software (e.g. 5.06.0011).
Another common issue is that – surprise! – the file only contained data in channels 3 & 4, and
your default setting says import from chs 1 & 2. The result may appear like “no records match
input criteria” and the file fails to import and convert to a CSF file. Just try importing from
channels 3 & 4 in this case.
4/29/2013 NOTE: Excellent new advice on JSF file import may now be found here:

www.chestech-support.com/download/ctisupport/SonarWiz_5/UserDocs/ImportingJSFFiles.pdf
(J.Gann, 10/2011)
Question 2: I sometimes try a JSF import and get this error message in the System Log window:
“No records detected that match input criteria”, and the file fails to import. What’s wrong there?
Answer 2: That means the channel selection on the import dialog does not match the contents of
the JSF file. For example, you have the channel selector set to 1 and 2 but the JSF files only
contain high frequency channels. So while it’s not the most elegant solution the way to resolve it
is simply to change the channel selector on the Import Sidescan File dialog, such as specifying
channels 3 and 4 for import.
(J.Gann, 1/2012)
3.7.2 SonarWiz5 – Is there a Maximum CSF-file count for a project?

Question: What is the maximum number of CSF files that can be put into a sonar project? Or is
the max determined by total MB ?
Answer: Great question, and we have no specific answer on it. Use your intuition. When the
project starts getting too slow to refresh a screen, you're into an ergonomic reason,
and that's a good warning flag.
We have had a project with 660 CSF files, and it became imperative to reduce it
by dividing the project in half. Personally, I prefer working with a project 200 CSFs
max.
We do not have an elegant warning that your project is approaching a limit. Obviously
a 200 file project with 1MB MST files would run with less threat of resource exhaustion
than a project with 200 files 40MB each.
I do feel that there is a risk of projects getting too large without a clear warning that it
has happened, so think small. The smaller projects just seem to have less risk of hitting an
unseen limit and becoming troublesome.
Specifically with MST projects, I recommended to a customer recently that

they plan on aggregating adjacent lines using the MST aggregation utility before importing into
SonarWiz, or aggregating first thing after Import. See the WORKFLOW section of the
SonarWiz5 User Guide, section 1.6. The thing is to give the application the best chance of

working with your data, and a smaller file-count seems like a good direction to me. (Steve C.,
2/14/11)
3.7.3 SonarWiz5 – Advice on importing SEGY files with discontinuities in depth?

Question: I imported my SEGY file and it displays in bottom-track like this. What did I do
wrong?
Answer: Recordings like this typically occur when there is a tremendous depth change across the
record. To account for this, many recording systems will adjust the “recording delay” in msec,
which shows up in a SEG-Y file in bytes 109-110 as DELRECT. This can be seen when viewing
the trace header field values in SEISEE, the free SEG-Y viewing/editing utility. In the recording
above, DELRECT was 3840 msec for many records, then made an abrupt shift to 3720 msec,
and later changed again to an even smaller value.
To perform topographic correction on a file imported like this, simply re-import but select the
FILE-TYPE SPECIFIC OPTIONs for SEG-Y files, and designate SENSOR DEPTH to be read
from bytes 109-110 DELAY:

Then the re-import of the SEG-Y file will display in a bottom-track view like this:
Alternatively, smce user have found that a pressure-sensor input records to the SEG trace-header
bytes 49-52, listed as SDBS (sensor depth below surface), and this field may also be used for
topo correction. The trace header is seen below in such a SEG file inSEISEE:

Uncorrected, the SEG file imports and displays like this:

When the SEG file is import, using the SEG file-type-specific option set like this:
Then when the SEG file is displayed in BottomTrack view with topo correct ON, it shows like
this:

3.8 SonarWiz5 – Applying User Controlled Gain (UGC) – and where you see it
Question: I selected a sonar file, right-clicked, and selected Settings, then enabled User
Controlled Gain (UGC) and clicked APPLY. I saw the changes in the mosaic, and I see the
changes in the Digitizer View. However, when I went to Bottom-track, the UGC had not been
applied? Why is that? (See examples of this effect below).
Answer: When UGC is applied to the data, it shows in the digitizer view, and in the mosaic
presentation of the sonar line, as explained in User Guide section 5.11. What is not mentioned
there, is that the bottom tracker always shows the data as it was imported before any gains are
applied. (11/2/2010 J. Gann)
3.9 SonarWiz5 – My project loads very slowly, or fails to open at all!

Question: A project that used to open quickly, started to open more and more slowly, then failed
to open at all. What could cause this?
Answer: There are a few issues which can slow a project open process, or stop it entirely, so this
answer will be 3-fold.
1. First off, take a look at the project size. In general, the larger the project (CSF file count),
the slower it will open and display. This may not be apparent until the file-count exceeds
200+ lines (see section 3.7.2 above), but eventually it makes an impact on your
ergonomic experience.
2. A second cause of a slowing project is files location. You may enjoy zippy project open /
display refresh performance when all the files of the project are located in a sub-folder of
C:\SonarWiz-Projects, but see a performance hit if some or all of the files are on a shared
drive or network drive, as network bandwidth factors come into play. Moving MB of data
across a network is just typically slower than reading it from a local hard drive.
3. If a project eventually fails to open at all … our first course of analysis is to ask you to
send us your project MML file, and look as it with NOTEPAD (it is a text file). The
MML file for project DEMO1, for example, will have the same name as the project. The
project folder path would typically be:
C:\SonarWiz-Projects\DEMO1
And the MML file would be:
C:\SonarWiz-Projects\DEMO1\DEMO1.mml

If you do not have file-extensions visible for “well-known” file types in your Windows,
the file may appear there as:
C:\SonarWiz-Projects\DEMO1\DEMO1
Inside the MML file, there is a list of the CSF (common sonar format) files in your
project, each of which was created during import of an individual raw sonar file. In cases
where the import process went well, the CSF file description in the MML file will be
noted like this good example:
The yellow numbers are coordinates, and are all NON-ZERO, valid data.
If a CSF file was created, but had import errors, it will appear in the MML file like this,
with problematic data (ZEROS) in the pink area:
The remedy in a case like this, is to identify the CSF file which may be a problem, and
remove it from the project, then try to re-open the project, try re-importing that particular
line, and look closely at the SYSTEM OUTPUT window for any error messages during
the re-import of that file.
If your project still totally fails to open, and you cannot use SonarWiz5 at all, you might
have to re-name the project folder so that SonarWiz5 cannot find it. This is the remedy if
the project was identified at the “last used project” and SonarWiz5 Advanced Settings is
set to open the previously used project here:

(8/2012 S.Cutcomb)
Mosaic View:

Digitizer view:

Bottom tracker view:

3.10 SonarWiz5 – EGN Processing Issues

Question 1: My project will not open, and appears to present a message saying “loading EGN”
was in progress when it stops. Now the project is unusable.
Answer 1: This issue affected projects up until SonarWiz5 release 5.05.0023, when it was fixed.
If you are using an earlier version and this happens, simply delete the *.EGN file from your
project root folder, and you will be able to open and use the project again. (11/2012)
Question 2: In a project with 500 CSFs, we use 15 CSFs to build the EGN table, and it applies
quickly to most CSFs. Some though, take much longer, and we get a Summary Log message like
this: I was wondering if you could explain why I get the message ApplyPortTable():no return
for Y:x at range: x and perhaps offer a solution?
Answer 2: It sounds like just using the 15 or so XTF files to build the EGN table is insufficient.
When there is no data available in the EGN table at a range/altitude pair (from one of the other
500 XTF files) then this message gets emitted and SonarWiz attempts to interpolate or
extrapolate the EGN value. Since building the EGN table is rather quick and a one-time thing, I
would suggest using all 500 files (assuming that you have bottom tracked them first) to build the
EGN table. That should eliminate any interpolation and would also give better normalization
results. (J.Gann, 11/2012)
NOTE: See the excellent EGN Processing tutorial video, by Mike Brissette, here:
EGN Tutorial Video (10.7MB, MP4 QuickTime video format):
www.chestech-support.com/download/ctisupport/Training/SonarWiz5_EGN_Tutorial.mp4
3.11 SonarWiz5 - Auto-TVG / Thresholding – Image ghosting issues

Question 1: We had relatively homogeneous sonar sidescan with some large, dark objects only
in one side of the record. We imported using Auto-TVG, as well as Thresholding, and noticed
prominent light ghost-images from the dark objects on the opposite side? Why are they
happening and how can we prevent them from showing?
Answer 1: This issue was caused by the Auto-TVG function being applied during import. Auto-
TVG, TVG, and EGN are all homomorphic functions, considering both starboard and port sides
together in their computation of a median value. In other words, The AutoTVG uses a
homomorphic technique that considers the contents of both channels when computing its gain
curve. With a high-reflecting “dark” object only on one side of the record, a ghost image of it
may form by subtraction from the homomorphic median, on the opposite side. So these results
are specific to a combination of a particular asymmetric data set, and a homomorphic post-
processing function.
More details:

Q2: Is there a specific reason why Auto-TVG is applied to both channels simultaneously?
A2: Yes, it is one potential gain candidate for channel level matching although as one can see, it can
have a negative side-effect (ghosting) when asymmetric strong targets are present.
Q3: Shouldn’t this also create problems when surveying along a slope?
A3: It might, but on a slope you will need to account for the different angles of insonification somehow,
right?
Q4: What happens to 4-channel files (e.g. low- and high-frequency data in one file)? Is Auto TVG then
applied to all 4 channels?
A4: There is no mixing of frequencies the channels are processed in port/starboard pairs.
Q5: Would it improve SonarWiz to change this Auto-TVG behavior and de-couple the channels?
A5: In our opinion, no. There are times when AutoTVG can create a beautifully balanced record--not in
every case--but our approach in SonarWiz is to provide more than just one gain tool to give users
options. Again, this is just our technical opinion, and design choice, but we'd rather have more than one
option to try and get the best looking record.
(Tech Support team, 8/ 2013)
3.12 SonarWiz5 – Seabed Classification Processing Issues
Question: (paraphrased): When I change the color class on one of my classes in the
classification window the color do not change after the processing but the previous color gets
reapplied automatically. Also, there is inconsistency across the same seabed characteristic (i.e.
sand ) that is classified differently, more based on the darkness or lightness of the image instead
of working on acoustic characteristics.
Answer: There is a tutorial/webinar available on our support site that describes in some detail
how to use the Seabed Classification tools. Probably the most important fact to note is that the
SonarWiz Seabed Classification tools are based on image processing algorithms, not acoustic
algorithms. So it is important to fully process the mosaic image as best as possible to eliminate
any geometric artifacts of towing a sidescan. So at a minimum, you would want to import your
data, bottom track it and apply EGN or some other signal processing. Once the mosaic is in a
state where the data looks fairly normalized across the image then you will have more success
with the Seabed Classification tools. (J.Gann, 12/2012)
3.13 SonarWiz5 – Is exporting a mosaic-perimeter feature possible?
Question: (paraphrased): It would be helpful to have a perimeter feature trace the boundaries
of my mosaic, and I have been doing this manually. Is there any automatic way to do it?
Answer: SonarWiz does automatically generate a convex hull file whenever it builds the mosaic.
The ‘convex hull’ is the minimum bounding polygon around the area of the mosaic. This file is

written as an ESRI shapefile, and stored in the GeoTiff folder of your project, and is always
named: MosaicConvexHull.shp. (J,Gann, 1/10/2013)
3.14 SonarWiz5 – Is there a maximum file-size?
Question: (paraphrased): We sometimes collect a large file – say 100k pings. Is it possible to
import and post-process this in SonarWiz5?
Answer: Large sidescan and sub-bottom files are each able to be imported when ping-count
exceeds 32k. However, to view the file effectively within the bottom-track or digitizer view
windows, which are presented based upon a JPEG image, the ping count is limited to 32k pings.
For this reason, plan on splitting your file before import (SB files), or within SonarWiz5
(sidescan files), so that perhaps 30K pings (maximum) is the file size, and you can comfortably
view and post-process the file segments in the bottom-track, or digitizer view windows. (J,Gann,
1/10/2013)
3.15 SonarWiz5 – how can we designate sound velocities for water-column and strata
Question: (paraphrased): We would like to designate different sound velocities, for the water
column, and one or more sediment layers within the sub-bottom profile, e.g between the seafloor
and a buried pipeline. How can we do this?
Answer: Overall sound velocity in post-processing, e.g. for the water column, is controlled in
the SETTINGS and PREFERENCES area of SonarWiz, and may range from 1200-1800m/sec:

In sediment, you may control the sound velocity used between the seafloor and a reflector, by
setting an associated sound velocity, as described in the SonarWiz 5 User Guide "Add Reflector"
description section (5.16.4.1 in the 5.06.0035 version):

So the global sound velocity specified in the Preferences Advanced window is used everywhere,
unless you digitize a reflector at the pipe depth. Then the reflector dialog gives you an option to
set the SV at the depth of the reflector (e.g. pipe) and that will be used to compute the depth
below the seafloor surface.
We are planning to add a global sediment velocity option and relabel the existing global SV as
water velocity so this would provide a little more accuracy without having to create the reflector
but that's not in the software just yet.
(J,Gann, 4/2014)

4 SonarWiz5 - Maps FAQs

4.1 SonarWiz5 – What’s the best source of NOAA basemaps for USA?
Question: Is there a web-site you recommend for obtaining free NOAA basemap charts for U.S.
waters?
Answer: Here is the best site in the US for free scanned nautical charts:
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/Raster/download_agreement.htm
Here's the best link for US vector charts:
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/enc/download_agreement.htm
(6/14/2012 J. Gann)
4.2 SonarWiz5 – Speaking of SHP files, mine won't display! What's wrong?
Question: (paraphrased): We imported a SHP file as an overlay, trying it as a shapefile or

legacy shapefile, and can't see it. How can we bring it into view?
Answer: The problem in many cases like this is the SHP file color. Often a SHP file imports and
the color is "default". Once it imports, check the color in the MAP MANAGER and set it to a
non-default color, to make sure it will be visible. "Default" may be black, for example, and on a
black background, that will be invisible. So the steps to see your shaprfile would be:
(1) Add as OVERLAY
(2) Set color to a non-default value in MAP MANAGER
(3) Click Fit-to-View ALL in the main map view and it should center in the view
(J,Gann, 3/12/2014)
5 SonarWiz5 - Views FAQs
6 SonarWiz5 - Tools FAQs
6.1 CTI3DViewer is not allowed to run in evaluation license? Why?

Question: When I have an evaluation license, and I use the START menu to choose
CTI3DViewer:

it gives me this license error:
Answer: Try these two steps, to launch the CTI3DViewer, when running SonarWiz 5 with an
evaluation license.

The reason you need to do this, is that for the CTI3DViewer, if no dongle is present the licensing
is provided by the running SonarWiz 5 application.
So, you can start CTI3DViewer from the Start Menu but SonarWiz 5 would need to be running
at the time, or you can start CTI3DViewer from the Tools menu in SonarWiz 5. (JGann,
06/2013)
7 SonarWiz5 - Help FAQs
8 SonarWiz5 – Webinar2 Questions – 3/8/2011

CTI conducted a Webinar entitled “Intro to SonarWiz5”, conducted by Mike Brisette, 8a, PST
3/8/2011, and users were invited to send in questions. Here are the answers which John Gann
responded to 8 selected questions.
Question 1: What is your future webinar schedule? Where can we find it?
Answer 1: We do not yet have a formal webinar schedule as this was our first. Our goal is to try
and do one webinar per quarter.
Question 2: (regarding our Seabed Classification feature) In GeoTexture, to designate the

classes you can select a homogeneous area and the software will group that. You then can select
another area from the remaining sidescan instead of guessing at a number of substrates. Will
SonarWiz do something like this?
Answer 2: Currently, the Seabed Classification (SC) function is not interactive in the way that
you describe. Our plan was to put the initial version out there and get feedback from users like
you in which directions to drive it to improve its usefulness. We will definitely consider your
suggestion as the SC functions evolve.
Question 3: I would like to ask for an explanation of the layback/cable out. I am not totally sure
how I have to set it. So far I checked with profiles in two directions not to end up with offsets.
Usually we run our side scan with fixed cable length due to the shallowness of the water. How
do I then define layback and cable out? Set cable out is the distance from GPS antenna to fish,
layback is 100% or no layback? If we change cable length, do we need to start a new file to
change layback in the file manager during post processing accordingly?
Could you please elaborate on the correct procedure?
Answer 3: I will outline the general steps. You will likely have to refer to the User Guide for the
various steps I explain. The key to adjusting layback in the Sonar File Manager is to first ensure
that you import the sonar data using “Ship Position” and not “Fish Position” or “Auto”. Once

you have this you must then tell SonarWiz what the Sheave Offset is for each file (in Sonar File
Manager). Next ensure that the cable out values are correct in the file. If they need to be
corrected go to the Bottom Tracker and “Add Nodes”. Now choose the layback algorithm in
Sonar File Manager based on whether or not your sonar had a depth sensor installed. Finally
adjust the layback percentages until objects line up (in the along-track direction) in the Map
Window.
Question 4: In the Seabed Classification (SC) feature), is the sediment classification purely a
reflection strength or is there further in-depth analysis to determine classifications?
Answer 4: The SC functions employ two types of “texturers” that consider various user
selectable characteristics of the seafloor. These characteristics include backscatter amplitude,
entropy and others. The current texturers are both statistical in nature. The simple texture is
home-grown and the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) texturer is a well published
algorithm for image processing.
Question 5: Regarding the NAV, does SonarWiz5 export any type of NAV for plotting ? (This
is useful for trackplotsrortt. ) And if the answer is yes, does it plot with events (fixes), or times ?
Answer 5: Yes: Under the menu: Tools --> Shape Files. The function can generate a shapefile
with all of the unique event numbers in the project which can then be added as a map overlay.
Question 6: I noticed that there isn't any overlap between the runs (in your demo data). How do
you handle seeing the individual runs, versus seeing through our overlap sections. In our case,
we've really scanned the same area twice, due to the overlap we use.
Answer 6: Select the type of Overlap mode in the View Menu or Use the Transparency
function in concert with cover up:
Question 7: Can you export classifications? And how is this classification different than other
programs like QTC?

Answer 7: We are not familiar with the technology used by the QTC product but you are
welcome to work with our free trial.
The Chesapeake Seabed Classification mapping tool works on fully processed sidescan sonar
and multi-beam backscatter processed in SonarWiz. The process use a Gray Level Co-
Occurrence Matrix (GLCM) to select a set of textures based on one or more selectable attributes
of the imagery data. Those attributes currently include entropy, standard deviation of the pixel
intensity and others.
Question 8: How would you import Georeference camera images from an AUV camera system?
Answer 8: If your camera images are already georeferenced then they can simply be added as
standard basemap image files. We have a customer with a BlueFin AUV doing just that.
SonarWiz does not yet have the functionality to rectify images although that is something on the
todo list.
9 BathyMetric Feature Set FAQs

9.1 Bathy: When was the bathymetric feature-set introduced, and how can I see it?
Question: When was the bathymetric feature-set introduced, and how can I see it?
Answer: The bathymetric post-processing feature-set add-on option was developed during
2012-2013. You may have noticed PostProcessing -> Import -> Bathymetric Files, which was
present, but greyed out as a menu choice, since early 2013. On September 30, Chesapeake
Technology, Inc announced the availability of this feature-set in a Press Release. In SonarWiz 5
version 5.06.0035 and subsequent releases, it is available for evaluation and purchase:
Figure 9.1: Bathy import choices

Free evaluation of this feature-set is being made available to (1) customers and (2) non-
customers alike. Here’s how to try out this new feature set, FREE!
(1) Existing Customers: For customers, we temporarily enable the bathymetric feature set for an
evaluation period, using a license-file (DUK file) update to your existing dongle (license key).
Please e-mail us at support@chesapeaketech.com to obtain an evaluation license this way.
(2) New users who do not yet own SonarWiz 5 may request a free evaluation license, which
includes the bathymetric feature set, using this evaluation request link:
http://www.chestech-support.com/ctisupport/requesteval.asp
We have updates out Evaluation tutorial PDF to include a new section 5 on the bathymetric
feature set. This document is available here:
http://www.chestech-support.com/download/ctisupport/Training/SonarWiz5_EVAL_Advice.pdf
Inside, it walks you through an exploration adventure of the new dialogs and capabilkities of the
bathymetric add-on feature set, helping you import and post-process a sample bathymwetric data
set..
A useful overview tutorial PowerPoint slide set is also available here, to give you a bit more of
an in-depth explanation of the bathymetric post-processing workflow:
https://www.hightail.com/download/OGhkM25OUnFTRTd2bk1UQw
NOTE: If you see functions that are useful, or expected functions you wish were
supported – your feedback to us about that would be valuable and appreciated.
Please send comments and feedback re the bathymetric feature set to:
support@chesapeaketech.com and we will improve the product with your help.
9.2 Bathy: What are the licensing options for bathymetry feature set?
Question: What are the licensing options for bathymetry feature set?
Answer: Bathymetry is offered currently ad a stand-alone, or add-on post-processing feature set.

For example, you could purchase SonarWiz 5 with only bathymetry post-processing, or add it to
an existing license, such as a sidescan or sub-bottom or magnetometry post-processing license.
The feature set is support for both local (single-PC dedicated key) or network-dongle licensing
schemes.
9.3 Bathy: What type of sonar data are imported in bathymetry post-processing?
Question: What type of sonar data are imported in bathymetry post-processing?

Answer: Bathymetry data re created by recording from interferometric sonar, such as the
Edgetech 4600, GeoSwath Swath Plus. This type of sonar has two sonar beams and can record
phase-difference in the sonar response. Using beam angle and phase difference, the response can
reveal distance and depth information. If may not be as accurate as multi-beam sonar data, but it
provides much richer and high-resolution depth information than sidescan recordings. The two
can be used in tandem too, with a bathymetric surfaces used to drape a sidescan image atop it, for
dramatic image results.
Initially SonarWiz 5 bathymetric feature set is defined to support import of these types of
interferometric sonar data files:
With import of navigation data (position), and bathymetric sonar results, SonarWiz 5 can
combine these to produce a detailed Bathy XYZ result, and export these results in image,
numeric, contour, or grid format.
9.4 Bathy: Does SonarWiz 5 bathy support a patch-test calibration?

Question: Does SonarWiz 5 bathy support a patch-test calibration?
Answer: Yes, SonarWiz 5 bathy supports an iterative-style patch-test calibration technique.

Small regions (patches) of a pair of adjacent, overlapping interferometric sonar lines may be
compared in a patch-test, to see how they appear. For example, identical positions from both
lines should have the same depth. Using numerical comparison of data from each line,
adjustments in roll, pitch, and heading may be made, settings adopted for the survey, and sonar
lines re-presented using the adjustments:
Angle Adjustments which may be made are:

 Roll is positive for starboard down
 Pitch is positive for nose up
 Heading is positive clockwise, looking down

-z
-x -y
oard for
wa
rb
sta rd
roll
+y pitch +x
heading
down
+z
Figure 9.2 Roll, Pitch, heading orientations
Once you have made these adjustments, you can use them in as many surveys as you like, or
repeat thepatch test later to readjust. Here’s an example view of the Patch Test option for
adjustments to check for in am MRU (motion recording unit), where pitch, roll, heading, and
time-base can be checked:
Figure 9.3 Patch Test Settings Example
9.5 Bathy: What types of configuration settings are necessary in bathy surveying?
Question: What types of configuration settings are necessary in bathy surveying, and do they
need to be done for every survey?

Answer: There are two types of pre-survey set-up that you might configure one before a survey,
and then make minor adjustments on subsequent surveys. SonarWiz 5 helps you save time by
retaining the previous settings in a profile, which may be re-used and adjusted. These two sets of
configuration data are listed as:
(1) VESSEL configuration data, and
(2) SETTINGS configuration data
Here’s how those are presented in SonarWiz 5 bathy feature set:
(1) VESSEL Editor – makes possible the definition of your particular vessel set-up, the
position and type of all sensors, with respect to a reference position (RP). For example,
GOS, motion sensor, fathometer, sonar, can all be defined at fixed X,Y,Z positions with
respect to your RP. You save a named vessel configuration, can re-use it on other
surveys, and make variations. Example screenshot of the VESSEL Editor:
Figure 9.4 Vessel Editor Example

(2) SETTINGS Editing - This is menu-based and allows you to specify the exact
dimensions of the sonar recording heads on your particular sonar, such as production
values for an Edgetech 4600, the number and position of the factory-positioned
transducer heads, or any custom adjustments you have made. This can be retained and
used in project after project, or re-saved with slight differences.
Example screenshot:
Figure 9.5 Bathy Settings Editing Example
9.6 Bathy: What types of environmental factors affect a bathy survey?

Question: What types of environmental factors affect a bathy survey, and how are these
handled?
Answer: Tides, sound-velocity changes with depth, ambient noise, navigation gaps when GPS
experiences a temporary reception outage, factors like this can affect your survey, and SonarWiz
5 helps you account for, and adjust, in response to all these factors. You need to see this to
believe it, but SonarWiz 5 bathy has incredible controls for adjusting and editing the bathy data.
In addition to the vessel and settings configuration controls mentioned earlier there are 4 more
separate editors which help make adjustments possible (yellow highlight region):
Figure 9.6 Bathy Utilities Selection Example
(1) TIDE Editor – This editor allows the import and customization of tide tables that were
in effect at the time of your bathy survey. You may account for the effect of daily tide
position on your survey depth values, for example.

Figure 9.7 Tide Editor Example
(2) SOUND VELOCITY Editor – This editor allows the import and customization of
sound-velocity tables that were in effect at the site of your survey. Deeper water is
compressed and sound moves faster, and these effects may be taken into account in the
bathy data interpretation.
(3) Bathy Navigation and Attitude Editor - This editor helps for navigation and attitude
repair and adjustment Much like sidescan, sub-bottom and magnetometry data were
previously repaired using the ZEDIT and NavInjectorPro utilities in SonarWiz 5,
bathymetric data presented a new challenge and needed its own navigation repair utility,
called the CTIBathyNavEditor.
User-controlled rectangle or lasso region-capture is followed by data correction, such as

interpolate between end-points.

Figure 9.8 Bathy Navigation & Attitude Editor Example
(4) Processed Bathymetry Editor – CTI2D3DEditor is used to present the bathy data
visually in 3D (left side) or 2D (right side) perspective, and allows manual region-grab
and editing for outliers.
Screenshot example - 3D (left-side) and 2D (right side) editor view of bathy data:

Figure 9.9 Bathy 2D/3D Editor Example
9.7 Bathy: What types of bathy export data formats are available?
Question: What types of bathy export data formats are supported by SonarWiz 5 bathy?
Answer: The main export formats, and viewing options, are
(1) ASCII numeric Bathy XYZ data,

(2) Bathy grid data, and
(3) Bathy contour data.
(4) Sidescan data draped over a Bathy grid surface, viewed in the 3D viewer

Example 1: Bathy Sample Data Set 1 – Bathy XYZ ASCII text file numeric export:
Example 2: Grid export control dialog, showing export resolution choices:
You may add the GRD file back into the project as a basemap, open the 3D viewer and see it, or
find the file easily by opening the containing folder, after the GRD file has been created.

Screenshot1 : Grid data exported to be viewed in CTI3DViewer, before outliers editing:
Figure 9.10 Bathy Grid – CTI3DViewer Example

Screenshot2 : Grid data exported to be viewed in CTI3DViewer, after outliers editing:
Figure 9.11 Edited Data Grid Export – CTI3DViewer view

Example 3: Contour output
Viewing the bathy data in contour format provides another interesting way to see the
same data represented.
Contour export control options dialog:

Sample export contours (yellow) presented on bathy basemap:
Figure 9.12 Bathy yellow contours overlay a bathy grid imported as a basemap

Sample 0.5 m resolution bathy export contour SHP file presented as an overlay on the
Edgetech 4600 JSF sidescan data set (presented as RED grid, but of course you can choose
the color.):
Figure 9.13 Bathy red contours overlay JSF sidescan mosaic data

Example 4: Merged sidescan and bathy data images – Viewed in 3D Viewer.
Figure 9.14 Combined sidescan draped over bathy grid surface, viewed in CTI3DViewer

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SonarWiz5_faq.pdf Chesapeake Technology, Inc.

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8 SonarWiz5 – Webinar2 Questions – 3/8/2011 ...................................................................... 39

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Continue to each next instance by clicking on Find Next.

1 SonarWiz5 – General Capabilities FAQs

(1) Post-processing features, and

(2) Survey (real-time acquisition) features.

1.1.1 Post-processing features are sold in 4 categories

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(3) Bathymetric post-processing – supports import, post-processing, and export of many

(4) Magnetometry post-processing – supports import, post-processing, and export of many

1.1.2 Multi-seat Network Dongle option – supported for Post-processing licenses

1.1.3 Survey features of SonarWiz 5 are sold for specific models

1.1.4 Choose your options using the QUOTE REQUEST form

1.2 SonarWiz5 – What are the PC and OS platform requirements?

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1.3 SonarWiz5 - What can I do to improve project performance?

C:\SonarWiz-Projects\PROJECT_1\MAG Move or copy the source magnetometry files here

1.4 SonarWiz5 – Use PROJECT EXPLORER SubGroups to speed up projects!

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1. What version of SonarWiz 5 is in use;

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2. What coordinate system was used for the project

3. What coordinate system was used to import the files

5. The “palette” choices used to display files,

6. The project location in latitude and longitude, and

1.7 SonarWiz5 – My project will not open – what to do?

Answer: There are two ways to circumvent this:

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Send us an e-mail to support@chesapeaketech.com . Using the Help -> MySupportInfo

(2) tells us what version of SonarWiz 5 you are using

Here's an example e-mail result:

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The FTP process PDF is available here:

2 SonarWiz5 - Data Acquisition FAQs

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2.3 SonarWiz5 - Which thermal printers are supported by SonarWiz5?

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3 SonarWiz5 - Post-Processing FAQs

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Marine Sonic released a handy file-aggregation utility which is available on www.chestech-

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3.4 SonarWiz5 – Feature labels – How do we hide them?

3.5 SonarWiz5 – Mosaic Cropping (Polygon/Rect Trimming) – How do we do this?

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3.6 SonarWiz5 - Can automatically-created contact names be re-used?

3.7 SonarWiz5 – File-type specific import advice?

3.7.1 SonarWiz5 – Importing JSF Files?

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3.7.2 SonarWiz5 – Is there a Maximum CSF-file count for a project?

Specifically with MST projects, I recommended to a customer recently that

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3.7.3 SonarWiz5 – Advice on importing SEGY files with discontinuities in depth?

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Uncorrected, the SEG file imports and displays like this: