EWC-6 Electronic Wire Counter Module

Description

UPDATE: NEW FIRMWARE VERSION RELEASED OCTOBER 2022

The EWC-6 wire counter is an up/down wire counter with both automatic and manual direction control functions and displays distance and speed. The electronics are mounted in a compact splash-resistant box. The length of cable out is displayed on line one of a two line LCD, with count up to +/- 5000 meters / 5000 feet*. The user can set the measurement unit to m or ft by connecting the EWC-6 to a computer and following its simple instructions in its manual*. The EWC-6 is used in combination with a magnetic encoded sheave block such as our SR and PS series blocks or by modifying your existing block.

  • Stand alone up/down cable measuring system
  • Display of payout speed
  • USB computer interface (NMEA format) via included removable interface cable
    • Cable speed and length data can be output to a computer for logging or integration into other equipment's software (e.g. side scan sonar)
    • Unit can be easily recalibrated for use with different cable or sheave sizes by connecting it to a computer and following the simple recalibration procedure detailed in its manual
  • Automatic and manual direction control function
  • Works with magnetic encoded metering wheel such as PS06 counter sheave (4 decimeter circumference sheave pictured below), or S&R aluminum snatch block (e.g. 0.8 m circumference sheave). Larger blocks are also available and the counter can be retrofitted to any sheave which can have magnets mounted around the perimeter in close to an even multiple of decimeters.
  • Housed in a watertight enclosure measuring 55 mm H x 160 mm L x 80 mm W
  • Standard block to counter cable length of 5 meters. Optional 15 meter cable available.

 

NMEA sentence format is: $YXXDR,D,301.2,M,L,S,30.0,M,R*24[CR][LF]

$ = NMEA sentence delimiter (beginning of sentence).
YX = Talker device type is a Transducer.
XDR = The sentence formatter for a transducer measurement.
D = Measurement is a linear displacement.
301.2 = Actual measurement in meters.
M = Displacement measured in meters.
L = Transducer ID (Arbitrary letter, L chosen to signify "length").
S = Speed
30.0 = Actual measurement in meters/min
M = Measurement in meters/min
R = Rate
* = NMEA sentence delimiter (end of sentence).
24 = Checksum (EXOR of all characters between but not including the "$" and "*" characters, reported as a 2 digit hexadecimal number).
[CR][LF] = Carriage Return and Line Feed characters (Decimal 13 followed by Decimal 10).

Suggested Uses: Oceanographic applications, geophysics, etc.

 

* Features of the new firmware release.  Previous firmware only counted up to 999.9 m or ft before rolling over to 0 rather than counting 1000's - this was done to limit latency and ensure accurate counting.  New firmware update is now able to count to a maximum of 5000 units without miscount problems due to latency.  Old units must be returned to A.G.O. to have their firmware updated.