[Acoustics] Problem with GPS and WinRiver

Tue Jul 27 11:07:06 CDT 2004

Paul-Émile,

Thanks for your reply!  It sounds like we have had similar experiences
and problems.  My GPS strings are coming in at 4800 baud over a PC-card
serial port on a Windows 98 machine. Also, I was using WinRiver v1.05
(international version).

Tracy

>>> "Bergeron,Paul-Emile [CIS-WSB]" <Paul-Emile.Bergeron at ec.gc.ca>
07/27/04 08:44AM >>>

I had similar problem with WinRiver 10.06 and WindowsXP when I have
more than 2000 ensembles. 

Has the file gets bigger more resources is needed allocating the memory
for all the graphs and ensuring all data coming in gets read and write
to hard drive. Depending of the WinRiver program algorithm to write the
file to hard drive their process may have to read to the end of the file
prior to write new information. Somehow I have notice when file is
bigger than 2000 ensembles that is where our problem occur.

Solution makes file smaller until RDI solve the problem.

In Manner to solve the problem can you send to RDI you WindowsXP
version and you laptop model and name.

At this point I was not able to determine if the problem is entirely
WinRiver and WindowsXP problem or My Dell Latitude. 

Also still have problem getting GPS data if I use the USB serial port.
But the problem occur well before the 3000 ensembles, it's happen within
the first transect. 

With WindowsXP and USB port with a 10Hz GPGGA output frequency WinRiver
does stop gathering GPS string. Note WinRiver 10.06 was supposed to
correct this USB serial problem.

From: Paul-Émile Bergeron
Environment Canada
131 Gréber Boulevard
Gatineau, Québec
J8T 3R1
Tel : (819) 997-1398

-----Original Message-----
From: Rainville,François [CIS-WSB] 
Sent: July 26, 2004 12:07 PM
To: 'James B DeRose'; Tracy Vermeyen
Cc: Bergeron,Paul-Emile [CIS-WSB]
Subject: RE: [Acoustics] Problem with GPS and WinRiver

This info might not be entirely linked to the problem you experienced
but there is a bug in WinRiver related to GPS.  RDI is aware of it and
will fix it at their next opportunity.  If you started recording valid
GPS and then lost the required quality, WinRiver will repeat the last
valid boat velocity as long as GPS quality is not re-established. You
must thus be careful since this error is not easily visible in normal
screens. It shows up as:
- High number of invalid in the GPS Tabular.
- Straight line pattern in the shiptrack.
This repeated velocity definitly screws up discharge measurement
results if unnoticed.
Quality condition for USGS WinRiver (ver. 10.06) is differential data.
The International version (ver. 1.06) accepts non-differential GPS.
I did not have a chance to try it but I suspect the two experience the
same pattern of error.

In relation to your error, I seem to remember a similar pattern during
one deployment with GPS. If I recall the reason, it had to do with the
input frequency of the GPS and the speed of the computer. I forward this
to someone who will definitly have an answer for you. He will reply to
you when back from vacation.

F
___________________________________ 
Francois Rainville 
Water Survey of Canada        Relevés hydrologiques du Canada 
Environment Canada             Environnement Canada 
373 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario;  K1A 0H3 
Phone: 613-992-1673;  Fax: 613-992-4288 

-----Original Message-----
From: acoustics-bounces at simon.er.usgs.gov
[mailto:acoustics-bounces at simon.er.usgs.gov] On Behalf Of James B
DeRose
Sent: Monday, July 26, 2004 12:13 PM
To: Tracy Vermeyen
Cc: acoustics-bounces at simon.er.usgs.gov; acoustics at simon.er.usgs.gov 
Subject: Re: [Acoustics] Problem with GPS and WinRiver

Hi Tracy, 

I'm curious as to whether data was coming in to Win River (View, GPS
Device Log) or was the data coming in, but just didn't have valid GPS
positions?  Also, if you are using one of the Trimble AG units, when you
have this problem, try switching to another fully charged battery. 
These units seem to be a litt
le picky about their power source. 

If you would, send me a raw data, config, and nav file that exemplifies
the problem. 

JB 

James B. DeRose
Electronic Technician  
US Geological Survey
Placer Hall 6000 J Street
Sacramento, CA 95189
Ph (916) 278-3056
Cel (916) 826-4518 

"Tracy Vermeyen" <TVERMEYEN at do.usbr.gov> 
Sent by: acoustics-bounces at simon.er.usgs.gov 
07/26/2004 08:30 

        To:        <acoustics at simon.er.usgs.gov> 
        cc:         
        Subject:        [Acoustics] Problem with GPS and WinRiver

I was using a Rio Grande with WinRiver v10.06 (International Version)
and after a couple hours of hydrographic surveying I notice the GPS
signal was no longer being received by WinRiver.  I should note that I
was pinging continuously and collecting data files using F5.....F5, so
the total number of ensembles was over 3000.  So I stopped pinging and
restarted aquiring data ... that didn't work.  I closed WinRiver and
restarted Winriver... that didn't work.  So, I shutdown Windows 98 and
restarted Windows and everything worked as normal.  This same problem
also happened several weeks ago when I was using Windows XP, so I
don't
think this problem it is OS related.

So I am wondering if anyone else has experienced this problem like
this?  Is this a Serial Port time out problem or something in
WinRiver?

Any help would be appreciated.

Tracy B. Vermeyen, P.E.                           
Hydraulic Engineer                      
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation                        
Water Resources Research Laboratory    
P.O. Box 25007, D-8560
Denver, Colorado  80225-0007

Phone:  303-445-2154
FAX :     720-544-0551 
Cell:       303-870-9178
e-mail: tvermeyen at do.usbr.gov 
http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/hydraulics_lab/tvermeyen/index.html 
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