Sound in water (history of Simrad products)
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Sound in water - fifty years at the forefront… MAXIMIZING YOUR PERFORMANCE AT SEA

Fifty years at the forefront… The first echosounder from Simrad was launched in 1951. The ”Skipper Sounder” from 1957, was small enough to be mounted in the wheelhouse. Skipper Sounder

Making Waves Making Waves In 1953 Simrad introduced the first Sonar to the fishing world. Since then, the ways and means of fishing have evolved to become technology based. And at the forefront of this evolution, you’ll find Simrad. To lead in this technological change is to shape the world of fishing and through ideas and innovations Simrad has done just that. You could say that fifty years ago, fish were relatively safe. Now though, with Simrad’s help, fish can be caught in a far more efficient manner, which in turn increases profitability and makes life at sea less stressful for the...

From the Navy to commercial fishing Simrad developed the first ever fishing Echosounder and like Sonar, it was based on a military design, this time from the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment. The system needed a complete redesign to make it suitable for fishing and was first launched two years before Sonar in 1951. Sonar, or Sound Navigation and Ranging, started out as a military application during the 1st World War. In fact, it was originally referred to as ASDICS, or Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee. It was devised to detect enemy submarines and ultimately destroy...

Proving Grounds The ”Ramoen” was the first commercial vessel to be fitted with Sonar. The technicians at Simrad needed a testing ground, and the Norwegian trawler would provide the perfect solution. Active Sonar – which sends as well as receives – was a young technology at the time of the ”Ramoen”, so compared to today’s standards, the first Sonar was bulky, expensive and not exactly user friendly. The ”Ramoen” - the first commercial vessel with sonar. The ”Ramoen” however, was an amazing success, because without it, the Simrad technicians would never have come up with the Basdic Hand...

The cost of the catch The cost of the catch The average Sonar is not cheap. It’s money well spent of course, and money recouped in a short space of time thanks to the catch improving qualities of such high-tech instruments. In the early days of Sonar though, it was simply impossible for the everyday fisherman to be able to afford this new technology. Simrad recognised this problem, and during the fifties, worked hard at lowering the cost. Come the end of the decade, Simrad had succeeded. The need for a fully functioning, affordable Sonar was fulfilled and a new era for commercial fishing...

SONARS The earliest fishing Sonar displayed the signal using wet paper. This system lacked defi-nition and flexibility. Simrad was the first to move from early paper based displays to full electronic screens. In 1975 the CD Sonar Situation Display introduced a true motion image that waved goodbye to paper in Sonar for good. 7

Sonar for all It wasn’t until 1959 that Simrad made Sonar a true commercial viability. The ”Silde ASDIC” (Sild means Herring in Norwegian) was so popular in fact, that it was blamed for depleting Herring stocks in the North Sea at the time! With the success of the Sild ASDIC, the cost of Sonar became a very important aspect for Simrad when developing future Sonar systems. The emphasis on cost has been shared with a focus on innovation ever since, which is why Simrad Sonar is still the preferred choice for commercial fishermen fifty years on. SB Sonar hull unit - 1964 SK Sonar - 1964 SB...

SONARS In 1968 Simrad introduced the SU Sonar series, which featured a transducer deployed by hydraulics. The success of the SU didn’t deter Simrad in working to develop a more cost-effective solution and in 1975 the ST Sonar was released. It used an inflatable dome system (as an alternative to hydraulics), which created aerodynamic protection for the transducer. Another simple idea that demonstrates Simrad’s forward thinking attitude and customer commitment. The ST Sonar was mounted in a special rubber dome that was inflated during use. SL Sonar - 1972 SQ/ST Sonar - 1975 SY Sonar - 1978 9

Evolution through Evolution through innovation innovation Mechanically steered nickel transducer from the late fifties. Having created new thinking in Sonar systems Simrad would strive to develop affordability to make the technology available to a wider market. Many of the developments in fishing Sonar we take for granted have come from the intrinsic link between cost and innovation, which has driven Simrad since day one. After commercialising Sonar during the fifties, Simrad strived to make use of emerging technologies to make its Sonar systems more efficient, easier to use, and of course...

SONARS At the beginning of the eighties Simrad introduced digital signal processing – a system which is still unique to Simrad today. It offers faster and more accurate processing in addition to simplifying the electronics and also makes it possible to upgrade without extra hardware. In the early eighties Simrad introduced the SX202, which was the first 90 o vertical tilt sonar on the market. The development of advanced transducer technology demands considerable patience, accuracy and hours of testing. The true motion display showed ships track, the fish target and motion in colors. The...

The first long range omni directional sonar, the SR240, was introduced in 1989. This new technology gave better verticle views and much improved target defininition. Sonar screen without, and with interference from other sonars in the area. The Simrad sonars are tailor made for various types of fishery. The SP90 low frequency long range sonar is optimized for searching for tuna. Coming of age... Dual beam The combination of horizontal and vertical beams, displays the school of fish from above and from the side at the same time. It is not necessary to go over the target to see the vertical...