USER’S GUIDE FOR 

8200 BUBBLER GAUGE

(Installation and Operation) 

Updated February 1998

Prepared by

Requirements and Engineering Branch

Oceanographic Products and Services Division
National Ocean Service

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
TABLE OF CONTENTS

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ........................................... Page 1

SYSTEM TRANSPORTATION ............................................. Page 2

Requirements ....................................................... Page 2

SYSTEM INSTALLATION ................................................. Page 2

General ........................................................... Page 2

System Tie-Down ................................................... Page 7

Connections ........................................................ Page 7

1. Nitrogen supply ............................................. Page 9

2. Orifice connection ........................................... Page 9

3. Laptop connection ........................................... Page 9

4. Sutron 8200 connections ...................................... Page 9

5. Battery ................................................... Page 11

Start-Up ......................................................... Page 11

Sutron 8200 Data Collection Platform ............................. Page 11

Bubbler control unit ........................................... Page 12

8200 Gauges with GOES Capability ..................................... Page 12

SITE VISITS ............................................................ Page 13

System Check ..................................................... Page 13

Staff Observations: ............................................ Page 13

Direct Connection Data Retrieval: ................................. Page 13

Battery Check ............................................... Page 13

Replace Desiccant Pack: ....................................... Page 13

Data Retrieval - Direct Connection ...................................... Page 14

Data Display - Direct Connection ....................................... Page 16

Transferring Data from Memory to a Ram Pack Cartridge .................... Page 17

APPENDIX A ........................................................... Page 19

8200 DATA RECORDER SETUP ..................................... Page 19

APPENDIX B .......................................................... Page 25

GUIDELINES FOR OPERATION AND DOCUMENTATION

OF HYDRO GAGES WITH GOES CAPABILITY .................. Page 25

APPENDIX C ........................................................... Page 27

SWAGELOK FITTING INSTRUCTION ............................... Page 27
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 1 February 1998

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The Sutron 8200 digital bubbler water level gauge was developed to provide a replacement system for

the traditional analog chart-recording gauges. The gauges provide:

! Improved fittings, to assure more reliable and leak-free connections, allowing more operational

life for the nitrogen cylinder.

! Completely electronic measurement and recording of pressure corresponding to the water level,

to eliminate reliability problems caused by the chart drive, pen, and ink supply of the analog

gauge.

! Retrieval of station data electronically. At present, there are three methods to retrieve data

from the measurement system: (1) by connecting a lap-top computer directly to the gauge, (2)

by remotely receiving the data via line-of-sight radio communications, or (3) by GOES.

! Direct entry of digital field data using diskettes into Oceanographic Products and Services 

Division, eliminating the manual digitization of analog chart records.

The development of the digitized bubbler gauge is due to culmination of cooperative efforts from

Oceanographic Products and Services Division (OPSD) at Silver Spring, MD, field activities of the

Coast Survey’s Hydrographic Surveys Branch, and the Pacific Regional Office (PRO) of the Field

Operations Branch (FOB) at Seattle, WA. Close interaction between all parties involved has resulted

in measurement system modifications while taking into account suggestions and comments from the field

user and maintaining the measurement performance and system compatibility required for data analysis.

General procedures on system installation and operation are summarized in this document. Each gauge

enclosure contains a page of brief operating instructions summarized from this manual, setup parameters

for the Sutron 8200 data collection platform, and a log sheet for recording field visits, operational

problems, and/or services (e.g., battery replacement, etc.).
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 2 February 1998

SYSTEM TRANSPORTATION

Requirements:

! Remove the system main battery.

! Secure loose components within the enclosure, tools, mounting brackets, desiccant bags, etc.

! Insert foam padding or bubble pack material if necessary to avoid damage during shipment.

! Open outlet valve on bubbler control unit prior to air shipping.

! Use shipping containers (cardboard boxes) and packing material to protect the enclosure and

the system battery.

SYSTEM INSTALLATION

General

The digitized bubbler system is self-contained within a weatherproof polyester fiberglass reinforced

enclosure. The system (refer to Figure 1) consists of a Sutron 8200 data collection platform (a); a

bubbler control unit (b) containing pneumatic control elements along with the pressure sensor and

temperature sensor (see block diagram in Figure 2); a battery (c); and interface connections for the

nitrogen supply (f), the orifice tubing (e), the portable computer (h) and the line-of-sight radio antenna

(g).

Caution: The systems utilize a 15 psig pressure sensor; this limits the

maximum height of water above the orifice to 34 feet. Greater

water heights can cause calibration shifts; heights greater than 65

feet will cause permanent sensor damage.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 3 February 1998

Figure 1. Gauge Components
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 4 February 1998

Figure 2. Components Inside the Bubbler Control Unit
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 5 February 1998

Figure 3. Schematic Diagram of Pneumatic Connections
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 6 February 1998

Figure 4. Sutron 8200 DCP Front Panel View 
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 7 February 1998

System Tie-Down

Several attachment points are available on the bubbler system enclosure to provide for tie-down at the

field site (refer to Figure 1):

! Metal brackets are provided with each system which can be bolted at each corner on

the rear of the enclosure ("m" on Figure 1).

! A recessed carrying handle is located at the top of the enclosure; looping cables through this

handle on each side would provide a four-point tie-down of the enclosure. If this method is

selected, location of the front anchor points must be such that the tie-down cables do not

interfere with the enclosure door ("k" on Figure 1).

! Handles have been added on each side of the enclosure which can also be used for tie-down

purposes ("j" on Figure 1).

Figure 2 depicts the block diagram of the components inside the bubbler control unit. 

Connections

All external connections are located on the lower right side of the enclosure. The connections have

been recessed to avoid possible entanglement during transportation to the deployment site. Connection

of the digitized bubbler to the nitrogen supply and to the orifice line during deployment will require 7/16,

9/16, 11/16, and 1 inch open wrenches, an adjustable wrench, and a screwdriver.

The Swagelok fittings on the enclosure have retaining rings attached so that two wrenches are not

required to attach the orifice and nitrogen source hoses. Excessive torque in making these

connections, however, must be avoided. In Appendix C, a copy of instructions for Swagelok

fittings is provided. Note the difference between new installation (1&1/4 turns past finger tight for 1/4

inch and larger tubing sizes) and re-tightening (only 1/4 turn past finger tight). Tightening beyond

these points will damage the mating surfaces, and result in a gas leak.

If necessary, the polyethylene orifice tubing can be extended or repaired by joining pieces with

Swagelok fittings. In order to avoid leaks, however, be sure that the tubing end is cut square and

smooth, and that the tubing is free from scratches in the area that will be inserted in the fitting.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 8 February 1998

Figure 5. Gas Supply Hose Connection
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 9 February 1998

 1. Nitrogen supply (Figure 1, "f")

The nitrogen supply connection is a 1/4 inch stainless steel Swagelok fitting (see Figure 5). If

the new gas supply hose (Swagelok fittings on both ends) is used, it will connect directly to the

enclosure connection, but requires installation of the male pipe thread-to-Swagelok adapter

(provided) in the nitrogen regulator. If a standard gas supply hose is used, a female pipe

thread-to-Swagelok adapter (provided) must be connected to the hose prior to making the

connection to the enclosure. When the Swagelok connection is made to the enclosure, tighten

only 1/4 turn past finger tight, since this is a "re-tightening".

 2. Orifice connection (Figure 1, "e")

The orifice connection is a 3/8 inch brass Swagelok fitting. Connection of the orifice tubing will

be a new installation, requiring 1&1/4 turns past finger tight. It is preferable to make this "new

installation" by using a spare 3/8 inch Swagelok fitting to swage the ferrules onto the bubbler

tubing; connecting this pre-swaged tubing to the enclosure fitting would then only require 1/4

turn past finger tight.

3. Laptop connection (Figure 1, "h")

For the initial installation, it is not necessary to connect the laptop computer. To use the

computer for data retrieval, the laptop computer connects to the gauge connector (shown "h" in

figure 1) using the cable provided. The computer connection is to the "RS-232" connector

located on the back of the computer.

4. Sutron 8200 connections (Figure 6)

The Sutron 8200 front panel connections are not changed during deployment; the following is

provided as background information. As shown in Figure 6-b, the pressure sensor and

thermistor leads are all connected to the right terminal block. A 29 K ohm resistor, part of the

thermistor circuit, is also connected on this block. The rechargeable battery is connected to the

left side of the left terminal block. The external computer connector ("h" in Figure 1) is brought

to a 9 pin "D" type connector, which mates with the "RS-232" connector on the front panel. 

The "SDI-12" connector, and the data cartridge connector are not used in the present

application. A small flat-blade screwdriver is required if it is necessary to re-tighten any of the

leads on the terminal block.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 10 February 1998

Figure 6. Sutron 8200 Data Collection Platform Connections
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 11 February 1998

5. Battery

The 12-volt 40 AHr rechargeable battery which powers the gauge will operate the gauge for

approximately 45 days. If the battery voltage drops below 12.0 volts, it should be replaced

with a freshly charged battery. The internal lithium RAM backup battery has a minimum life of

one year, and should be replaced if the voltage is less than 2.8 volts.

Start-Up

Sutron 8200 Data Collection Platform

The Sutron 8200 Data Collection Platform should be set up for measurement and recording prior to

leaving the ship; thus the only steps required for the Sutron 8200 during system installation in field is to

install and connect the battery and check the system date and time.

 1. To connect the battery, remove the 8200 left front panel terminal strip by pulling it straight out

from the panel. DO NOT REMOVE THE WIRES FROM THIS TERMINAL STRIP. 

Attach the black wire to the negative (-) terminal of the battery first. Then attach the red wire

to the positive (+) battery terminal. After both battery leads are connected, plug the left

terminal into the 8200 front panel. The 8200 display will be activated and the unit will perform

a self-test then the display will turn off. 

 2. The date and time of the 8200 should be checked and reset if necessary. Press "ON/OFF"

button to activate the display. Press the "DOWN" arrow twice to display the date. If the date

needs to be changed, press the "SET" button then use the "UP", "DOWN", "LEFT", "RIGHT"

arrows and the "SET" button to adjust the date. Once the date has been set, press the

"DOWN" to display the time and adjust if needed using the same technique as for the date. 

The time should be referenced to UTC (Universal coordinated time or Greenwich Mean Time). 

UTC time is eight hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time and five hours ahead of Eastern

Standard Time.

 3. Verify the 8200 has recording enabled by pressing the "DOWN" arrow once after setting the

time. The display should indicate "Recording ON". If recording is off, press "SET" to enable

recording.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 12 February 1998

Bubbler control unit

The following steps describe start-up procedures for the bubbler control unit; valve identifications

correspond to labels on this unit.

 1. Before opening the nitrogen bottle valve, be sure that the bubbler outlet valve is OPEN and the

inlet valve is CLOSED. The dampening bypass valve should be open as it is no longer used. 

Also, to protect the pressure sensor and the mechanical pressure gauge (marked "SIGNAL")

from over-pressure damage, the pressure regulator adjustment should be set to minimum

pressure (turned fully counterclockwise).

 2. Open nitrogen bottle valve; set regulator to 18 psi.

 3. Open bubbler inlet valve and purge orifice line (a higher-than-normal flow rate may be used to

accelerate purging).

 4. Set to normal flow rate. The flow rate setting used depends on the tide range at the deployment

site. For tide ranges of less than 4.5 m (15 ft), the flow rate should be set to 5 cc/minute. For

tide ranges of 4.5 - 6 m (15 to 20 ft), set the flow rate to 6 to 7 cc/minute; and for 6 - 7.5 m

(20 to 25 ft) tide ranges, use a flow rate of 7 to 9 cc/minute.

 5. Verify that the mechanical gauge (SIGNAL) indicates a pressure approximately equal to the

height of water above the bubbler orifice. To estimate the pressure assume 0.5 psi per 0.3 m

(1 ft) of water, i.e. 3.7 m (12 ft) of water above the orifice should equal approximately 6 psi.

 6. Place a desiccant bag in the enclosure on top of the system battery and close the enclosure.

8200 Gauges with GOES Capability

A Tiny Basic program NGFMT4.BAS needs to be uploaded in the 8200 if the GOES satellite

capability would be used for data transmission. Appendix A provides information on the configuration

of parameters required for the GOES Setup Menu and Appendix B provides information on

operational and documentation requirements for the 8200 hydro gauges with GOES capability. 
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 13 February 1998

SITE VISITS

System Check

Staff Observations:

The digitized bubbler stores time referenced to UTC along with the pressure, temperature, and battery

voltage measurements. Therefore, when making staff-gauge comparisons during periodic site visits,

time should be recorded referenced to UTC along with the staff reading. Note that UTC time is eight

hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time and five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Data are

recorded in the digitized bubbler at 0, 6, 12, etc. minutes past the hour; staff readings should be made

as close as possible to these times. To view the recorded data from the 8200 use the "NEWEST"

display option to provide the gauge measurements which correspond to the staff observations. Do not

use the "LIVE READINGS" from the 8200 for staff comparisons; this does not reflect the actual

measurement of water level being recorded in the system. 

Direct Connection Data Retrieval:

Data from the internal storage of the Sutron 8200 should be uploaded to the external computer during

each site visit. The following sections on "Data Retrieval" and "Data Display" describe the data upload

and display procedures. In order to see "flat spots" or other indications of problems in the

orifice/bubbler hose, the retrieved data should be displayed and checked on the computer prior to

leaving the station. The figure 7 shows examples of several typical problems which might be

encountered.

Battery Check

The 8200 external battery voltage should be checked using the 8200 display from the "VIEW DATA",

"NEWEST READINGS", "BATTERY" selection from the menu structure. If the battery voltage is

below 12 volts, it should be replaced with a freshly charged battery.

Replace Desiccant Pack:

The final step before leaving the station should be to replace the desiccant pack in the enclosure with a

fresh pack. This should reduce the moisture which might accumulate in the enclosure due to

condensation. The desiccant packs can be recycled by placing them in a 250EF oven for 12 hours and

then placing the dried packs in sealed bags until they are installed.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 14 February 1998

Figure 7. Cases of Improper Tidal Signals

 (dashed portion indicates correct tide)

Data Retrieval - Direct Connection

Water level data can be retrieved periodically from the digitized bubbler using a laptop computer and a

Sutron program called "TW8200.EXE". This program provides for general communications between

the laptop and the Sutron 8200; its data upload option creates a file on the laptop containing the

retrieved data in a compressed binary format. This data can subsequently be displayed using another

Sutron software package, "LOGPLOT.EXE", described in the next section.

! Turn on the laptop. When the laptop has completed booting, the HYDRO MENU will appear
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 15 February 1998

on the screen. Select menu item "7" to run the program TW8200.exe. This program enables

the laptop to communicate with the Sutron 8200.

! Connect the data cable to the upper right connector on the outside panel of the enclosure

(shown "h" in Figure 1, and normally covered by a weather-tight cap). The other end of the

data cable connects to the serial port on the computer (a 9 pin sub-D male on most laptops; a

25 pin sub-D male on older PC's, which will require a 9-pin male to 25 pin female adaptor). 

The computer serial port must be set for COM1, as the Sutron software will only communicate

through COM1.

! Press <F10>. This will wake up the Sutron 8200 and display a menu screen on the laptop. 

The time will be updating every second. This is UTC time, which is eight hours ahead of Pacific

Standard Time and five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.

! Press <U>. This will display the Upload menu. The date listed will be the first full day of data

to be transferred. This can be changed by pressing <D> and then typing the month, the day

and the 4-digit year, each followed by an <Enter>.

! Press <S>. This will start the upload of data to your computer. The word "DUMPING" will

appear at the bottom of the screen. If "CHECKSUM ERROR" appears, you will have to

press <S> again to restart the upload. When completed, it will say something like

"COMPLETE 5K", where the "5K" is a measure of how much data was transferred.

! Press <Esc>. This returns to the initial Sutron 8200 menu.

! Press <X>. This deactivates the 8200 communications interface. Deactivation occurs

automatically after 100 seconds if <X> is not pressed.

! Press <F1>. This exits the TW8200.EXE program.

The data upload option saves the retrieved data in a file on the laptop hard disk and assigns a file name

based on the 8200 serial number combined with the start month and start day of the data dump, using a

"log" extension. But, you can rename the data file later. Always name a log file with eight digit station

and dcp# and three digit log extension. For more than one log file from a particular station, change the

three digit extension as lg1, lg2, etc., as appropriate. For example, a data dump from a Sutron 8200

from station number 9414290 and dcp # 1 should be renamed as "94142901.log".
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 16 February 1998

The operator should graph the data on the laptop as soon as possible to assure that the

desired data was collected and to verify the gauge is operation properly. The following

procedure describes the necessary steps to graph the data collected from a direct connect data

download.

Data Display - Direct Connection

Data uploaded to a disk file can be displayed in the form of a screen plot with "LOGPLOT.EXE", also

written by Sutron. This program reads the compressed binary data file created by "TW8200.EXE",

allows selection of parameters to be displayed, and allows selection of scaling on the vertical axis. The

following steps demonstrate how to generate the screen plot on the laptop computer.

 ! Select option "A" from the HYDRO MENU. The program will prompt for the data file to be

graphed such as "94142901" <Enter>, where "94142901" is the name of the data file to be

plotted. It is not necessary to include the file extension (.log). The screen will display the

measured parameters available to be plotted:

>ANALOG 

WATERLEVEL

OUTLIERS

DEVIATION

BATTERY

 ! Press <cursor down> <Enter>. This selects water level data to be plotted.

 ! Press <P> to initiate plotting.

 ! The program will request a y-axis minimum value. Type 0 <Enter>.

 ! The program will next request a y-axis maximum value. Type 50 <Enter>.

 ! The program will display a graph of the tide in meters, with the horizontal axis being date and

time. With this software you can change the time scale which is plotted by typing "1" for one

day, "2" for two days, ..., "W" for a week and "M" for a month of data. The tide height scale

can be change manually or, if the plot is re-initiated, the software will automatically select a

vertical scale based on the data range:

! Press <Enter>. This will bring back the parameter selection screen.

! Press <P>.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 17 February 1998

! The program will request a minimum value (it will display the actual minimum found in

the data file). Press <Enter>.

! The program will request a maximum value (it will display the actual maximum found in

the data file). Press <Enter>.

! The program will display a graph with an expanded vertical scale, depending on the

actual minimum and maximum values in the data file.

! To exit the "LOGPLOT" program, press <Esc>.

The screen plot can be printed on a printer. To do this, the DOS program "GRAPHICS.COM" must

be run before running the "LOGPLOT" software. This program has been included in the laptop startup

program (autoexec.bat). While the plot is displayed, 

! Press <print_screen>. On some computers, you must press both the <Shift> and the

<print_screen> keys simultaneously; on others, pressing <print_screen> alone is adequate.

Two other Sutron-authored programs which can be run from the DOS prompt that may by helpful in

examining the data are:

LOGPRN.EXE converts the compressed binary ".LOG" data files into ASCII files (".PRN"

extension) to allow import into a spreadsheet program. This program has been included in the

HYDRO MENU, selection "B". When the program is run, the file name should be followed

with " /z/j", example ("94142901 /z/j"). These options will insert zeros for non-recorded data

and display the Julian day numbers.

LOGSTAT.EXE reads the compressed binary (".LOG") files and displays daily statistics

(maximum, minimum, mean, and number of data points) on the computer screen.

Transferring Data from Memory to a Ram Pack Cartridge 

The data from the 8200 can be quickly retrieved using a RAM pack to temporarily hold the data so

that it can be read later with a RAM pack reader connected to a computer. The advantage of this

method is that it is fast, easy and does not require additional equipment such as a laptop computer.

To dump to the RAM pack, turn on the 8200 by pressing the "ON/OFF" button on the front panel. 

Next press the "DOWN" arrow until "DUMP DATA" is displayed. Press the "RIGHT" arrow and the
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 18 February 1998

display will now show the start date for the data download. This can be changed by pressing the "SET"

button and using the "UP" and "DOWN" arrows to change each parameter of the start date.

Once the start date is correct, press the "DOWN" arrow to display the word "Cartridge". Insert a

RAM pack into the slot located on the top right of the 8200 front panel. The cartridge must be

inserted, Sutron label up. Press "SET" to start the dump to the data cartridge and when the display

returns to "Cartridge" the download is complete. This process takes only a few seconds. Once

completed, remove the cartridge and press the "LEFT" arrow to return to the start up display "Sutron

8200 v3.2". Press the "DOWN" arrow several times until "VIEW DATA" is displayed. Press the

"RIGHT" arrow once then the "DOWN" arrow twice to display "NEWEST DATA". By using a similar

procedure, "RIGHT" arrow and "UP" and DOWN" arrows you will be able to view the most recent

data which was logged for each sensor.

After verifying that the sensors are operating properly, press the "LEFT" arrow a couple times then

"DOWN" to the "INSPECT SYSTEM" menu. Next press the "RIGHT" arrow and the "DOWN"

arrow twice to the "Display Status". Now press "SET" and the system status will scroll across the 8200

display. Verify that there are no system errors and that the GOES transmitter has been enabled. In

addition to the status of the GOES, the display will indicate the times of the last and next GOES

transmission. The status display can be activated again if you were not able to read all the information

as it scrolled across the screen. If all looks ok, press the "ON/OFF" to shut off the 8200 display.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 19 February 1998

MAIN MENU

N - Unit Name Station & DCP#

D - Set Date 02/18/1998

T - Set Time 16:46:24

R - Recording Status ON/TX 

C - Clear Alarm NORMAL

V - View Sensor Data

S - System Setup Options

U - Upload/Download Data

E - EEROM Setup Options

P - Protocol Setup Options

I - Inspect System

A - Application Menu

X - Exit 

Choose: 

System Setup Menu

M - Measurement Schedules

E - Enable Sensors

C - Configure Sensors

A - Alarm Options

B - Basic Program

P - Change Password

S - Save Setup

R - Restore Setup

I - Init Setup

Z - Zero Counters

Choose: 

APPENDIX A

8200 DATA RECORDER SETUP

 

 

 
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 20 February 1998

Measurement Schedules 

M - Measurement Interval 00:06:00

I - Sampling Interval 00:00:01

T - Measurement Time 00:07:40

S - Sampling Time 00:04:30

P - Switched Power Time 00:04:30

A - Samples to Average 181

L - Measurements per Log 1

B - Basic Run Interval 00:06:00

R - Basic Run Time 24:00:00

O - Switched Power Options OFF

Choose:

CONFIGURE SENSORS

Choose [U]p [D]n [M]es [L]og [A]vg [I]nt [V]al [S]lo [O]fs [E]lev [R]d:

Configuration 

M - Measure ON

L - Log ON

A - Average OFF

I - Interval 00:00:00

Calibration

V - Value Current Value

S - Slope 1.0000

O - Offset 0.000 

E - Elevation 0

R - Right Digits 2

 

Active Sensors 

>Airtemp

Waterlevel 

Outliers

Deviation

Battery 
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 21 February 1998

Configuration 

M - Measure OFF

L - Log ON

A - Average ON

I - Interval 00:00:00

Calibration 

V - Value Current value

S - Slope ????.????

O - Offset ??.???

E - Elevation 0

R - Right Digits 3

Configuration 

M - Measure OFF

L - Log ON

A - Average OFF

I - Interval 00:00:00

Calibration

V - Value Current value

S - Slope 1.0000

O - Offset 00.000

E - Elevation 0

R - Right Digits 0

Active Sensors 

Airtemp

>Waterlevel

Outliers 

Deviation

Battery

 

Active Sensors

Airtemp

Waterlevel

>Outliers

Deviation

Battery
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 22 February 1998

Configuration 

M - Measure OFF

L - Log ON

A - Average OFF

I - Interval 00:00:00

Calibration

V - Value Current value

S - Slope 1.0000

O - Offset 00.000

E - Elevation 0

R - Right Digits 3

Configuration 

M - Measure ON

L - Log ON

A - Average OFF

I - Interval 00:00:00

Calibration

V - Value Current value

S - Slope 1.0000

O - Offset 00.000

E - Elevation 0

R - Right Digits 2

Active Sensors

Airtemp

Waterlevel

Outliers

>Deviation

Battery

Active Sensors

Airtemp

Waterlevel

Outliers

Deviation

>Battery

NOTE:
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 23 February 1998

GOES Setup Menu

T - Transmit Mode Basic

S - Satellite ID _______

I - International OFF

F - Format (ST) BINARY 

C - Carrier (ST) SHORT

1 - Channel (ST) _______

2 - TX Time (ST) _______ 

3 - TX Rate (ST) 03:00:00

4 - # Data Items/TX (ST) 31

5 - Data Time (ST) 00:00:00

6 - Data Interval (ST) 00:06:00

R - Random Setup Menu

EEROM Setup Menu

M - Serial Port Mode USER

U - User Baud Rate 9600

T - Transfer Baud Rate 9600

S - SDI-12 Baud Rate 1200

E - Entry Key Required OFF 

D - Log Dump Mode ALL-BIN

L - User Time Limit (sec) 100

O - Power on Delay (10*ms) 1

P - Pressure Delay (10*ms) 5

A - Analog Delay (10*ms) 5

K - Auto Startup Keys

1 - Time Format 24 HOUR

2 - Date Format MDY

B - Basic Prog Sixe (KB) 6

G - Amplifier Gain ______

1. The "Current value" is an instantaneous sensor reading.

NOTE:

1. The satellite id, channel #, and TX time information is on a green tag inside each gauge. 

EEROM SETUP:
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 24 February 1998

NOTE:

1. The AMP gain info will be different for each unit, see additional slope/offset sheet provided.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 25 February 1998

Alarm Options

E - Enable GOES

G - Groups 0100

C - Control OFF

1 - High Alarm OFF

2 - Low Alarm OFF

3 - ROC Alarm OFF

Alarm Limits

H - High Limit OFF

L - Low Limit OFF

R - ROC Limit OFF

B - Deadband OFF

8200 GOES SET-UPS

*AQTEMP1 counter2 windspeed2 *DEVIATION datapack

*AQTEMP2 counter3 windspeed3 serial excitation

*AIRTEMP counter4 windspeed4 *battery ground

*ANALOG1 frequency *WINDDIR shaft8500 reference

*BARO *FREQ1 winddir2 *#BUF amplifier

encoder1 frequency2 winddir3 org100 optional

encoder2 frequency3 *WTRTEMP org700 goesclock

counter frequency4 *WATERLEVEL timer1 sdI2_1

counter1 *WINDSPD *OUTLIERS timer2 sdI1_1

*AQAVG *AQSTD *AQOUT sdI6_1 sdI8_1

* Enable the marked sensors.

ALARM SENSOR OPTIONS

This will be the same for the sensors being transmitted over GOES. All other sensors enabled in sensor

select will have the alarm options enabled to OFF.

Waterlevel

Airtemp *Group0000

Outliers

Deviation
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 26 February 1998
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 27 February 1998

APPENDIX B 

GUIDELINES FOR OPERATION AND DOCUMENTATION

OF HYDRO GAGES WITH GOES CAPABILITY

The following guidelines shall be followed by hydrographic field parties regarding the operation and

documentation of portable 8200A digital and digibub gages transmitting data using GOES. It is critical

that these lines of communication be followed and that time allowances be considered in the field

planning. Lack of advance notification may cause a delay in the permission to start transmissions, or the

possible loss of data during the first few days of data collection.

1. Assignment of platform IDs and station numbers for tide station installations:

In general, unless the platform IDs have been preassigned to gauge units as done for the West

Coast hydro operations, request in writing1 by fax or via telephone, the platform IDs for each

gauge scheduled to collect and transmit data by GOES at least one month prior to the start of

the hydro survey. The request must include the station number, name, latitude, and longitude of

each upcoming installation. If an exact station location is unknown and no station number has

been assigned, provide the name of the general area and an approximate latitude and longitude

if site reconnaissance has been performed. The request will be forwarded for platform ID

assignment and Radio Frequency Authorization; a response is usually made within two weeks,

at which time the installation log sheets (copy attached) will be faxed to the appropriate field

party.

In cases where platform IDs have been preassigned to data collection platforms (DCPs), such

as Sutron 8200 hydro gauges, the field party needs to provide information such as location and

the appropriate gauge number (and the corresponding platform ID). For new station

installations, request the assignment of station numbers as stated above. 

2. Record and documentation requirements:

Prior to the start of data transmission at a site, confirm the gage platform ID, related

transmission parameters such as channel and transmit time, station installation date, gage and all

sensor serial numbers, by faxing the Next Generation Water Level Measurement System

(NGWLMS) Site Report and Field Tide Note to headquarters1. This facilitates the

configuration of that station in the Data Processing and Analysis Subsystem (DPAS) prior to

the receipt of the first data transmission before the beginning of the hydro operations.
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 28 February 1998

NOTE: failure to provide advance confirmation as stated in Section 2 above may

result in the loss of transmitted data until the station is configured in DPAS.

3. Removal of tide stations and reinstallation of gauges:

Always contact headquarters and inform in advance the date of removal of a hydro gauge. 

Generally, the data collection efforts are monitored and if a platform transmission ceases from a

particular site, then it would be difficult to judge whether the loss of transmission is caused by

malfunction of a gauge or actual removal. 

If an installed gauge at an original site is to be removed and reinstalled at a different site, then

the following additional information shall be provided at least one month prior to the

reinstallation of that gauge at the new site:

- Station number, name, and expected date of removal of the existing gauge.

- Station number, name, latitude, longitude, and expected date of installation of the gauge at the

new location. If the new location is uncertain, but within a specified area, provide an estimated

latitude and longitude to the nearest minute.

If deemed necessary, a new installation log sheet will be issued, as appropriate, with the same

GOES ID and different related parameters, such as pointing angle of the antenna. The new log

sheet will then be faxed to the field party requesting the information. Otherwise, all other

information remains the same except for the station number, name, latitude and longitude.

CAUTION: transmission of data by GOES requires advance planning and absolute certainty regarding

the documentation requirements. Please follow these guidelines and all should go well. If there are any

questions or help needed, please contact the following personnel. 

1

 COMMUNICATIONS CONTACTS

EAST COAST HYDRO PARTIES WEST COAST HYDRO PARTIES

Thomas F. Landon Manoj R. Samant

Tel: 301-713-2897x191 Tel: 301-713-2897x190

Fax: 301-713-4465 or 4435 Fax: 301-713-4465 or 4435

Common address:

NOAA/NOS - N/CS41

1305 East-West Highway SSMC4, 
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 29 February 1998

Sta. 6432 (Tom) or Sta. 6350 (Manoj)

Silver Spring, MD 20910-3281
8200 Bubbler Manual Page 30 February 1998

APPENDIX C

SWAGELOK FITTING INSTRUCTION