Hydrolab MiniSonde Data Logging & Telemetry Solutions

Some users wishing to measure multiple water quality parameters with a compact datasonde may opt for a Hydrolab MiniSonde. A unit such as the MiniSonde 4a can measure as many as 10 water quality parameters at once.

Many applications, however, call for the long-term, remote deployment of a MiniSonde or other datasondes. In these cases, an automated data logging and telemetry solution makes it possible to obtain real-time data from a monitoring site even without personnel present.

As with all Hydrolab datasondes, the MiniSonde is capable of communicating via an SDI-12 interface. SDI-12, or serial data interface at 1200 baud, is a standardized sensor interface partially developed by the U.S. Geological Survey. Because the USGS was seeking a communication method that would work predictably with technology from all manufacturers, SDI-12 communicates in a strictly regulated way. This means that two SDI-12 devices are almost guaranteed to cooperate.

The standardized SDI-12 output on a MiniSonde makes it possible to integrate it without difficulty into a NexSens data logging solution.

A NexSens data logger supports connection to eight analog inputs and four digital inputs, with interface options that include SDI-12, RS-232, RS-485, Modbus, and many more. NexSens also offers a submersible data logger capable of withstanding severe environmental conditions and complete submersion underwater. Both data loggers can communicate using a myriad of telemetry options, including radio, cellular, and satellite. On the receiving end of these transmissions is NexSens’ state-of-the-art data acquisition software and, optionally, a real-time web data center for processing, analyzing, displaying, and sharing environmental data. iChart contains the industry’s largest device library, making it possible to read data easily from a MiniSonde, other datasonde, or probably any other sensor required.

To learn more about interfacing a MiniSonde or other datasonde with NexSens data loggers, see Interfacing a Hydrolab DataSonde with NexSens Data Loggers or contact a Fondriest Environmental application engineer at 888.426.2151 or customercare@fondriest.com.