Kongsberg Mesotech Ltd., the Canadian subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime, is pleased to announce the release of the new 1171 Series Multi-Frequency High-Resolution Fan/Cone Sonar Head, specifically designed to produce the highest resolution sonar images possible. Ideal for imaging and profiling, the scanning sonar head is intended for applications where data and image clarity supersede any other requirement, including, underwater construction support, site clearance and bridge and pier inspection.
The sonar head supports multi-frequency operation on both the fan and cone transducers. The operating frequency of the cone transducer can be selected by choosing one of four different 'pre-set' frequencies (675/900/1200/1300 kHz). The operating frequency of the fan transducer can be selected by choosing one of three different 'pre-set' frequencies (900/1000/1100 kHz) or by choosing 'tuneable' mode where the frequency can be changed in 5 kHz increments. Increasing the frequency will result in narrower beams and sharper data.
"This new sonar head operates at high frequency to provide ultra-fine resolution data, delivering a superb image quality typical of Mesotech scanning sonars," said Bogdan Constantinescu, Product Group Manager, Kongsberg Mesotech Ltd. "Not only is there increased resolution but the multi-frequency capability opens up new opportunities for exploring the texture and other frequency-dependent characteristics of smaller acoustic targets in the underwater environment."
Kongsberg Mesotech Ltd. has also released a new version of the MS1000 processing software (Version 5.23), which supports all multi-frequency sonar heads with selectable and tuneable frequencies, and is required to access the features of the new multi-frequency high-resolution sonar head. Software updates can be downloaded directly from the Kongsberg Mesotech Ltd ftp site.