In this video, we will give an overview of how to use the EXO Handheld Display.
The handheld is a specialized rugged instrument that allows you to connect to your EXO sonde to view live data, configure settings, store and download data, and calibrate the sensors. These functions can also be performed in Kor Software or the Kor Mobile app.
The EXO Handheld is a unique option to interface with your data. It is built for field use with its rugged design. It is waterproof, IP-67 rated, uses wet-mateable connectors, and includes a 3-year warranty. The handheld also has an internal GPS, so your data are geolocated. The color display has an adjustable backlight, and the built-in barometer aids in DO calibration. The barometer vent is located under the battery cover.
The handheld utilizes a rechargeable battery, so you can save on purchasing replacements. From the top view, you can find the micro-USB port where you can charge handheld using the cable and the wall adapter that are included with your handheld. Plugging the cable into a PC will allow you to connect to Kor Software to download and view data, calibrate sensors, adjust settings, and more. You can also plug in a USB drive to this port for quick data transfer.
On the bottom, the handheld features a wet mate port to connect to the EXO sonde via a field cable.
On the keypad, you will find the Power key, the Escape key to return Home, directional arrows with the Enter key in the middle, and a Question mark, which is the Integrated help menu key. Press this at any time for on-screen assistance. And there is a key to turn on and off the keypad backlight.
The Function keys located at the top, just below the display, include the Handheld Key for handheld system settings, the Deploy Key for deployment settings, the Calibration Key for calibrations and sensor settings, and the Data Key for data settings and downloads. We’ll walk through the different functions you can perform with each.
Let’s start with the Handheld key. Pressing this opens the handheld system Setup menu, which you can use to adjust the system settings.
Under the Display menu, you can use the up and down arrows to select a submenu. The Units submenu will show you the full list of sensors. You can select what sensor measurements and units are displayed on the dashboard in the live data view. For example, Barometric Pressure can be displayed in either millimeters or inches of mercury, millibars, psi, kilopascals, or atmospheres. Or it can be set to “none” so it does not display in the data.
The Date/Time submenu allows you to adjust your current date and time and set the format in the handheld. Remember, the sonde time is changed in the sonde settings.
The Language submenu will allow you to adjust the system language. The default language is English.
The Radix point can be adjusted to show as either a decimal or a comma.
In the Backlight submenu, you can select between auto and manual modes. Auto mode will turn off the keypad light after 60 seconds of inactivity. In manual mode, you can press the backlight key to turn the keypad light on or off.
Also, within Display, you can change the graph display size and display brightness.
Now back to the main Handheld System menu. The Logging menu is for logging data in the handheld. You can choose to save data to user-defined sites, edit and delete sites or change site order, or use the enter key to enable a site list.
Select the box next to Continuous Mode to log data at a specified interval until stopped. The data dashboard will show “Start Logging” when Continuous mode is enabled. When it is not selected, the dashboard will show “Log One Sample” and sample logging is initiated in the dashboard by pressing the Enter key.
Returning again to the main Handheld system settings menu, you will find the Auto Shutoff option to conserve battery. Set this to zero to keep the handheld display on.
Next, there is Auto Stable which can be enabled for each parameter to indicate when readings are stable according to a percent change over time that you can set individually. You might use this to collect stable data during a low-flow purge test, for example.
You can also select whether to turn the GPS on or off. It may help you conserve battery to have this off if you don’t need it.
In Sensor Info, you will find info about the handheld, like the software version, serial number, and battery voltage. This screen will also help with troubleshooting if you need to call Support for an issue. They might ask you for the software version and other information. You can always download the latest software and firmware at YSI.com.
The next function key is the Deploy key. It looks like a gear icon. A deployment is when you are going to leave your sonde in the field for long-term monitoring. We will cover deployment settings in another video. You can only access this menu if the handheld is connected to an EXO sonde since the information is stored in the sonde and not the handheld.
In this menu, you can view deployment settings, view the current deployment status, and start or stop a deployment. You can only access this menu if the handheld is connected to an EXO sonde since the information is stored in the sonde and not in the handheld.
In this menu, you can view deployment settings, view the current deployment status, and start or stop a deployment.
From the Deploy menu, you can start or stop a sonde deployment. When starting a deployment, you can choose Deploy Now, at Next Interval, or at a Custom Time. You can set up deployment options, such as Logging Intervals, or add metadata, such as Site Name, User ID, and File Prefix.
In the deploy menu, You can also set up DCP adapter outputs. The DCP adapter output menu is used if you have a Data Collection Platform Adapter and are connecting your sonde to an external data logger. Use this menu to set up the communication between the sonde and the data logger. Give the sonde a number or letter address so that the datalogger can identify the sonde for sending commands and receiving data. Set the parameters and order of the data. Keep in mind that both the data logger and the sonde must be set up with the same parameters and order.
Also, in the Deploy menu, you can access advanced setup options for additional deployment settings.
In Mode, you have three options. Normal mode is the default logging mode, where the sonde logs one sample every logging interval; this is recommended for use when the sonde is logging data internally. We recommend Sample and Hold mode if you are connected to a data logger. In this mode, the last logged dataset is sent to a data logger; this ensures the data sent to the DCP matches the data stored in the sonde. And Burst mode is where the sonde is activated at your interval and logs multiple samples every second over a user-defined period of time.
Also, in Advanced Setup, the Wipe Interval can be configured for how often the sensors are wiped.
Adaptive logging is an option that defines sensor thresholds at which Sonde will collect extra data points. Back to the Deploy menu, in Sonde Settings, you can view or change Sonde-specific settings, like the date and time.
In Averaging mode, you can select Default, Accelerated, or Rapid. Default averaging allows for optimum data filtering for all sensors. In Accelerated mode, sensors record data with a smaller rolling average window, so changes in sensor response are more quickly observed. Accelerated mode is recommended when the sensors are moving through the water, like most profiling studies and spot sampling applications. Rapid mode should be used when the sonde is moving very quickly through the water, such as with rapid profiling and unique applications, like towing the sonde behind a boat. In this mode, the saved data will be less stable and will never settle on a single steady number.
Now let’s review the Calibration key, which looks like a flask. This menu will display all sensors that are installed. Press the arrow keys and Enter to select a sensor to calibrate. From this screen, you can also restore the sensors to their factory default calibration, set a time-based reminder to recalibrate and view the last calibration date.
The calibration screen for each sensor has the same basic layout. We are looking at the screen for Conductivity as an example. You will see the calibration value, Accept Calibration, Finish Calibration for multi-point calibrations, Press Escape to Abort, the Actual readings denoted by the white line in the graph, and the Post Cal value, which is the same as the calibration value. This is the yellow line in the graph.
You can refer to our EXO University Calibration videos for a walkthrough on the calibration of each sensor.
One useful parameter that is in the handheld only is the barometer, which measures atmospheric pressure. It is factory calibrated and rarely requires recalibration. But if you do need to calibrate the barometer, press the calibration button, then select Barometer. Select Calibration Value and enter the true barometric pressure based on your location. Select Accept Calibration.
Now let’s review a few different sensor settings that you can access from the Calibration key. From the Calibration menu, you can set up ODO sensor cap coefficients, which we cover in another video. mIn the Turbidity sensor menu, under Setup, you can change the TSS coefficients. We cover this function in another video as well. In the pH menu, under Setup, you can select your preferred buffer recognition mode: either USA or NIST. In the conductivity sensor menu, under Setup, you can set the temperature reference and the percent per degree Celsius coefficient for calculating specific conductance and adjustable constant for calculating TDS or total dissolved solids. In the Depth menu, under Setup, you can set a depth offset or compensate for local effects of elevation and gravity by entering values for Altitude and Latitude.
From the Calibration menu, you can also start a wiping cycle by selecting Wipe Sensors. In the Smart QC menu, you can review the Smart QC scores for each sensor.
And finally, let’s review the Data key, which looks like a folder. This menu will allow you to view data that has been recorded to the handheld and on the sonde. You can also view available handheld and sonde memory, transfer data from the sonde to the handheld, delete data, backup to a USB, view calibration records, and delete calibration records.
To view data, use the View Data Filter to enter your desired source and date, and time range. Select Graph Data to view graphs of each parameter in the data file. To backup data to a USB, use the female-to-micro-USB adapter that is included with the handheld. Enter the desired filter criteria, select backup data, and the data will be exported as a CSV file. You can also download data that has been stored on the handheld to Kor Software by connecting the handheld via the USB cable. For more information, please refer to the EXO user manual.
Please check out our other EXO university videos, and thanks for watching!