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Accessories for Connecting Hydrophones
to the Avisoft-Bioacoustics UltraSoundGate Devices
The
UltraSoundGate system allows to connect various hydrophones.
Generally, the commercially available hydrophones can be divided
into two basic categories :
- Plain hydrophones that consist of the piezo electric sensor
element only (the nominal capacitance is usually in the range
between 1 ... 10 nF)
- Hydrophones with integrated pre-amplifier that additionally
require an external supply voltage between 5 and 32V (depending on
the specific model)
Each of these hydrophone types have
different operating requirements. The hydrophones without
pre-amplifier require an external high-impedance pre-amplifier,
while the hydrophones with integrated amplifier have a low-impedance
output and require a DC supply voltage. Therefore, the hydrophone
input of the recording device must be compatible to the specific
hydrophone type. Especially for recording high frequency
vocalizations or ultrasonic echolocation clicks by dolphins,
high-intensity and low-frequency ambient noise might be a problem. A
suited analog high-pass filter can help to prevent clipping caused
by loud low-frequency noise. For that reason, a high-pass filter
with adjustable cutoff frequency is desired. The two dedicated
UltraSoundGate hydrophone interface boxes meet these requirements.
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Principle
of the UltraSoundGate hydrophone recording system (larger view)
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UltraSoundGate Hi-Pass Filter and Hydrophone Power Supply
Adapter
for hydrophones with integrated pre-amplifier
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part #
42001 | |
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- Hydrophone input connector : 3-pole screw clamp inside
the housing. *
- Selectable hi-pass cut-off frequencies [Hz] : 10, 25,
50, 100, 250, 500, 1k, 2.5k, 5k, 10k, 25k, 50kHz
- Selectable hydrophone power supply voltage : 5V
(supplied internally from the UltraSoundGate 116/416) or
external (via 2.1 mm coaxial connector)
- Splash-proof and electromagnetically shielding aluminium
housing
- Physical dimensions : 60 (110) x 55 x 30 mm
- Weight : 150 g
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* In order to simplify the exchange of hydrophones, an adapter
cable with a female splash-proof XLR-3 connector is also supplied.
The corresponding male XLR connector for the hydrophone is included
too. |
In case the hydrophone can be
operated from a 5V DC voltage (e.g. the Cetacean Research Technology
C304), then there is no additional external power supply required.
Hydrophones requiring voltages of more than 5V (e.g. Reson TC4032)
can be powered from an externally supplied voltage (e.g. a
battery).
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UltraSoundGate Charge Amplifier with Hi-Pass
Filter
for hydrophones without integrated
pre-amplifier |
part # 42002 (USG)
part #
42003 (P48) | |
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- Hydrophone input connector : female BNC socket
- Selectable input resistance : 3.3kOhm ... 15MOhm
- Selectable input capacitance : 100pF or 1nF
- Available hi-pass cut-off frequencies at an input
capacitance of 1nF [Hz] : 10, 25, 50, 100, 250, 500, 1k,
2.5k, 5k, 10k, 25k, 50kHz (or 100 Hz ... 500 kHz at 100 pF)
- Gain = 20 log (capacitance of the hydrophone / selected
input capacitance)
- Splash-proof and electromagnetically shielding aluminium
housing
- Physical dimensions : 60 (110) x 55 x 30 mm
- Weight : 150 g
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| The gain of the charge amplifier
depends both on the nominal capacitance of the connected hydrophone
and the selected amplifier input capacitance. A hydrophone
capacitance of 3nF and an input capacitance of 1nF would provide a
gain of approximately 10 dB. The alternate input capacitance of
100pF would provide a gain of 30 dB. The supply voltage for the
amplifier is provided by the UltraSoundGate device (via USB) which
means that there is no additional power supply required. A special
phantom powered version allows to connect the amplifier directly to
other audio recording equipment. |
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A RESON TC 4013 hydrophone connected to
the USG charge amplifier. | |
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A complete hydrophone recording system consisting of a CRT C304
hydrophone, an UltraSoundGate Hi-Pass filter and an UltraSoundGate
116. Return to UltraSoundGate Home. | |
avisoft.com
