The TideM8 is a black box instrument designed around the same 'winstrument' specification as used in the popular SonarMite portable echo sounder, this design criteria specifies that all display and interactive communications with the instrument use Bluetooth radio technology to communicate with a PC or PDA device. Through extensive experience of tide gauge installation and manufacture the TideM8 design is modular with separate radios, gauge, display and power supply units. This modular design enables the user to configure every combination from a simple gauge and PDA to a gauge and remote display using radio telemetry communications.

The internal data logging will retain up to ten years of readings with each record containing Time/Date, average tide, water temperature, barometric pressure and wave range. The internal 16MByte flash memory can be erased using the password protected software commands, all of the internal settings are retained in the flash area of the microprocessor. The transducer is pre-calibrated at 1 bar and is easily exchanged without any need for further calibration other than a simple reset and the setting of offset to local tide values. Local settings include current barometric and temperature offsets together with water density and display settings.

The TideM8 is supplied with a 1 bar unvented pressure sensor transducer with integrated water temperature measurement. The stainless steel sensor which is dynamically adjusted for variations in air pressure using the integrated TideM8 barometric sensor. By not having a vent tube within the sensor cable makes the transducer connection a simple electrical cable which can be extended up to 50m and easily routed for site installation. Sophisticated internal power switching enable the TideM8 to be configured as a remote tide gauge using solar cells for power supply, the switched power can also be routed through the radio modem as an additional power saving feature.

The TideM8 power supply will accept 10-30 vDC or 90 to 300 vAC using the mains adaptor provided.The regulator unit is protected against short circuit in cables by a resettable thermal fuse.

The most popular tide gauge supplied in the past fifteen years has been the instrument manufactured by David J.Vyner and Co. This robust design has outlasted many similar devices and given its users many years reliable service. Since the death of David there has been no further development of the gauge and many users have found it difficult to replace it with similar equipment. As the TidaLite was based on work originally done in conjunction with Vyner the output formats have now been modified to emulate the format used by the old gauge, this enables equipment designed to work with the older format to have a smooth migration path to a modern gauge without the need for software modifications.

• Transducer Range - 0 to 1.0Bar
• Depth Range - 0.0m to 10.00m
• Accuracy - +/-0.01m RMS
• Measurement Frequency - 5 Hz
• Power Consumption - 1ma to 20ma (Duty cycle dependent)
• Power Source - External 9 to 30 vDC
• Internal Memory - 16 MByte Flash ( 10 years at 10 mins)
• Data Format - ASCII 9600/4800 baud, 8 bit, 1 stop, no parity.
• Radio Format - ASCII Bluetooth
• Box Dimensions - 150w x 105h x 35d (mm)
• Weight - 1.0Kg
• Transducer Dimensions - 140 length x 30 dia (mm)
• Weight - 1.0Kg

Download Datasheet - tidem8.pdf (1.31MB)