SonTek-M9

The SonTek-M9 is the ultimate solution for collecting discharge data and conducting bathymetric surveys. The industry-validated and reliable M9 is an all-in-one ADCP, seamlessly combining the durability of the award-winning RiverSurveyor-M9 with the adaptable bathymetric capabilities of the HydroSurveyor-M9, offering unparalleled data collection flexibility.

Say goodbye to complicated adjustments during extreme events - the M9 automatically handles varying water levels, changes in velocity structure, and multiple applications. And, when you team up the M9 with our top-notch HYPACK© Environmental Mapping software, it transforms into the ultimate all-in-one solution.

• Overview

  Award-winning ADCP Technology

  The SonTek-M9 is the trusted choice for leading environmental water monitoring agencies globally, setting new standards in the ADCP industry. It earns its accolades as the pioneer ADCP utilizing multiple frequencies, powered by SonTek's exclusive SmartPulseHD® technology. This groundbreaking innovation ensures consistently accurate measurements across various depths, from shallow to deep waters, solidifying its reputation for reliability.

  M9 Applications Include:

  Hydrology:

  • Discharge measurement
  • Index velocity calibration
  • Flow/volume delivery verification
  • Ground truthing discharge models
  • Habitat studies
  • Watershed flux and loading
  • High-definition velocity profiles 

  Bathymetry:

  • Reservoir surveys and capacity predictions
  • Bathymetric volume calculations
  • Velocity mapping
  • Reconnaissance tool
  • Sediment flux detection
  • Longitudinal river surveys
  • Geomorphology studies

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  Features	Benefits
  Multiple acoustic frequencies	Balances the highest resolution with the greatest range of depths and flow velocities.
  Vertical acoustic beam i.e. echosounder	Superior channel definition for both bathymetric and discharge applications. Extends maximum discharge depth when bottom-tracking is out of range.
  SmartPulseHD®	An intelligent algorithm that looks at water depth, velocity, and turbulence automatically adapts to conditions using pulse-coherent and incoherent techniques. High-definition cell size down to 2 cm.
  Microprocessor computed discharge and secure data	Discharge computations using RiverSurveyor Live software are simultaneously done within the M9 and on the host computer. Data is not lost if communication temporarily drops out.
  Standard 360° compass and two-axis tilt sensor	Compensates for vessel motion due to surface conditions. It provides velocities in Earth coordinates and magnetic error feedback in real-time and post-processing.
  Ping rates to 70Hz, averaged to 1Hz data output	High ping rates ensure extremely robust data collection. Ping distribution based on data collection mode – discharge or bathymetry.
  Bottom-tracking	Acoustically track vessel speed over ground and ship track independent of GNSS/GPS (optional). Also supplies redundant depth measurement.
  Differential GNSS* (optional)	Geo-referenced position from dual-frequency, multi-constellation with SBAS as an alternative to bottom tracking for moving bed or other difficult situations.
  RTK GNSS* (optional)	Ultra-precise geo-referenced position that can be used as an alternative to bottom tracking for moving bed or other difficult situations. Benchmark tie is available in HYPACK® software.
  Sound speed correction with the CastAway-CTD (optional)	The built-in temperature sensor is used for sound speed calculations. Optional use of CastAway-CTD interpolates sound speed in space and time with RiverSurveyor Live and (optional) HYPACK® software.

  *GNSS- Global navigation satellite system is a general term describing any satellite constellation that provides positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services on a global or regional basis.

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  Other reasons our customers love the M9!

  • No tagline/tape measure required: With RiverSurveyor Stationary Live, automatically measure the distance between stations with DGPS or RTK GPS-equipped systems.
  • Manual configuration: Now, you can set blanking distance, cell size, and several cells for moving boat measurements.
  • Real-time QA/QC warnings: Know when a problem could happen before it occurs.
  • Zipped files: New and improved compression and auto-decompression, faster access to large amounts of data.
  • Sample filter: Remove your random velocity outliers with ease.

• Specifications

  Specifications
  Velocity Measurement	Metric	Imperial/English
  Profiling Range (Distance)	0.06 to 40 m, environmentally dependent	0.2 to 131 ft
  Accuracy	Up to +/- 0.25% of measured velocity; ±0.2cm/s	+/- 0.078 in/s
  Profiling Range (Velocity)	± 20 m/s1	± 66 ft/s
  Resolution	0.001 m/s	0.0032 ft/s
  Number of Cells	Up to128
  Cell Size	0.02 to 4 m	0.06 to 13 ft
  Transducer Configuration	Nine (9) transducers; Dual 4-beam 3.0 MHz/1.0 MHz Janus at 25º slant angle; 0.5 MHz vertical beam echosounder
  Depth Measurement
  Range	0.20 to 80 m	0.66 to 262 ft
  Accuracy	1% [0.02% with a full water column sound speed correction]
  Resolution	0.001 m	0.003 ft
  Discharge Measurement
  Range with Bottom-Track	0.3 to 40 m	1 to 131 ft
  Range with GNSS/GPS	0.3 to 80 m, extrapolated beyond 40 m	1 to 262 ft
  Computations	Internal
  Internal Recorder Size	8 GB
  Bathymetry Measurement
  Range	40 m (skew beams) to 80 m (vertical beam)	131 to 263 ft
  Velocity Profiling Range	± 10 m/s	± 32.8 ft/s
  Computations	Software
  Temperature Sensor
  Resolution	± 0.01° C	± 0.018° F
  Accuracy	± 0.1° C	± 0.18° F
  Compass/Tilt (Solid State Type)
  Range	360°
  Heading Accuracy	± 2°
  Pitch/Roll Accuracy	± 1°
  Power/Communications (No Telemetry)
  Input Voltage	12 - 18 VDC
  Communication Type	RS232 direct
  GNSS/GPS Communication	RS232 serial input
  Max Data Output Rate	1 Hz
  Internal Sampling Rate	Up to 70 Hz
  Physical Properties
  Depth (Pressure) Rating	30 m	164 ft
  Operating Temperature	-5 to 45° C	23 to 113° F
  Storage Temperature	-10 to 70° C	14 to 158 ° F
  Weight in Air	2.3 kg	5 lb
  Weight in Water	-0.6 kg	-1.3 lb
  Power Communications Module (PCM)
  Communication Type	2.4 GHz radio
  Battery Type	Standard AA batteries2
  Average Duration	8 hours of continuous use (6 hours with RTK)
  Radio Range3	Standard (10 dBm) - High (22 dBm)
  Base to Rover	1000 m - 3000 m	3281 ft - 9843 ft
  PC/tablet to Rover	400 m - 1500 m	1312 ft - 4921 ft
  GNSS/GPS Options
  SBAS GNSS Horizontal Accuracy5	<1.0 m	< 3.3 ft
  RTK GNSS Horizontal Accuracy5	<0.02 m	< 0.066 ft
  RTK GNSS Vertical Accuracy4,5	<0.04 m	< 0.131 ft

  
  Additional Notes

  ¹Please contact SonTek for accuracies better than 1%, or velocities >10 m/s.

  ²Standard AA batteries are defined as alkaline or NiMH rechargeables, with a diameter up to 14.5mm.

  ³High power may not be available in all countries; all ranges with default 2 dBi antenna and line-of-sight.

  ⁴Requires absolute RTK solution. Only available with HYPACK software.

  ⁵Depends on multipath environment, antenna selection, number of satellites in view, satellite geometry, and ionospheric activity.

• Accessories

  

  SonTek HydroBoard II Max

  Max Board

  

  SonTek HydroBoard II Max Case

  Carrying Case

  

  SonTek-M9 GPS Antenna Support Rod

  Support Rod

  

  SonTek-M9 Communications Cable

  Communications Cable

  

  SonTek-M9 Radio Antenna Extension Cable

  Extension Cable

  

  SonTek-M9 Antenna

  2.4-GHz Antenna (2 dBi)

  

  SonTek-M9 GPS Antenna

  DGPS / RTK GPS Antenna

  

  SonTek-M9 Power Cord

  Power Cord

  

  SonTek-M9 GPS Antenna Cable

  Extension Cable

  

  SonTek-M9 Battery Holder

  Battery Holder

  

  SonTek-M9 Tripod Spacer

  Tripod Spacer

  

  SonTek-M9 Radio Antenna Mounting Bracket

  Antenna Mounting Bracket

  

  SonTek-M9 Battery Slot Endcap

  Battery Slot Endcap

  

  SonTek-M9 Mounting Bracket

  Mounting Bracket

  

  SonTek-M9 Adapter

  Adapter

  

  SonTek-M9 USB Radio

  USB Radio

  

  SonTek-M9 Power Supply

  Power Supply

  

  SonTek-M9 Rechargeable Batteries

  Rechargeable Batteries

  

  SonTek-M9 Battery Charger

  Battery Charger for AA NiMH batteries

• Software

  Display. Process. Analyze.

  

  RiverSurveyor Live (RSL) and RiverSurveyor Stationary Live (RSSL) - V 4.3
  Utilities - V 4.3

  New Improvements!

  • Added Indonesian language support
  • Now includes brand new PCM3 compatibility.
  • New GPS hardware in the PCM and RTK Base allows for automatic switching between DGPS and RTK mode when a base station is present and paired.

  
  Other recent fixes include:

  • Matlab export – now handles large *.riv/*.rivr files.
  • Matlab export – Fixed Transmit length and blanking distance units.
  • Salinity warning changed from 35ppt to 45ppt
  • The USGS screening distance option is disabled for S5
  • Matlab auto-export is disabled if there are missing samples

  Get ready to be impressed during your measurements and afterward with RiverSurveyor Live (RSL) software. It boasts multi-language support, catering to a diverse range of users. Choose from languages including Afrikaans, Bahasa Indonesia, Catalan, Chinese, English (UK & US), French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish, and Turkish to suit your preferences.

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  Moving Boat: RiverSurveyor Live

  • Real-time QA/QC in the field - get feedback while measuring to ensure the highest quality data.
  • Enables you to efficiently navigate from one bank to the other with a full contour plot of the water velocity profile and bottom bathymetry.
  • View multiple data streams (bottom-track, vertical beam, GNSS-GGA, and GNSS-VTG) simultaneously.
  • Built-in USGS Loop Correction Method and Stationary Moving Bed Analysis for moving bed assessment.

  
  Stationary: RiverSurveyor Stationary Live 
  (Mid-section or Mean-section)

  • Additional software program that uses traditional USGS/ISO mid-section or mean section methods.
  • GNSS/GPS distance between stations or manually enter the location on the tagline. Mix and match GNSS distance or manual stations as needed.
  • An alternative to the moving boat method for highly turbulent areas or moving bed environments.
  • Measures under ice!
  • An option when measurement sections are braided or have islands.

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  RiverSurveyor S5/M9 Firmware - V 4.10

  RiverSurveyor S5/M9 firmware for use with all versions of RiverSurveyor LIVE and RiverSurveyor Stationary LIVE. Note: SonTek recommends updating the PC software prior to upgrading the M9/S5 firmware

  • Corrects date/time update issue

  IMPORTANT: For more detailed information, download the firmware file, unzip it and read the Release Notes for complete installation instructions.

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  HydroSurveyor Software - V 1.50

  The user-friendly HydroSurveyor software package offers a central recording and processing platform that allows users to develop bathymetric maps with modest accuracy using properly gridded data points. Features include CastAway-CTD integration, data gridding and interpolation, automatic track switching, and a central recording platform.

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  HYPACK Environmental Mapping

  HYPACK Environmental Mapping (HYPACK-E) is a dynamic new software designed for ADCP users without a survey background. This allows for the tracking of changes in aquatic ecosystems over time, enabling proactive responses to emerging challenges. Seamlessly integrating with the M9, HYPACK-E transforms raw data into insightful visual representations. This empowers users to analyze underwater terrains, flow regimes, habitats, and pollution levels with unparalleled clarity and precision. Upgrade to HYPACK Max if you have additional requirements such as side scan or lidar data collection.  

  Dive into HYPACK-E’s user-friendly interface! We've made it super simple to handle complicated tasks and boost your experience, making it quicker and easier for both beginners and pros!

  Request a Quote

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  Get the Software and Firmware

• Video

  RiverSurveyor: Collecting Acoustic Stationary and Moving Boat Discharge Data

  You might have heard about some of the big upgrades to the powerful, multi-frequency RiverSurveyor-M9, but we didn’t want you to take our word for it – the proof is in the data – and we want to share examples on how RiverSurveyor 4.0 has dramatically simplified the data collection process for hydrologists and water monitoring specialists like you!

  Getting Started with HydroSurveyor and HYPACK Chapter 1 | Starting a Project and Choosing Settings

  This is the first video in a series on how to navigate HYPACK software for use with the SonTek M9. For the more information visit our video resource page

• Application Notes
  • Application of Index Velocity in Complex Flow Conditions
  • SonTek-M9 Enables Rapid Reservoir Surveys
  • Streamflow Data Improve Greenland Ice Melt Models
• Blog Posts
  • Understanding the Tijuana River Estuary
• Brochures and Catalogs
  • HYPACK Environmental Mapping Brochure
  • SonTek-M9 ADCP Brochure
• Case Study
  • Annual Hydrograph Ruki River
  • Clever Kayak Rig Navigates Tricky Bathymetry Challenge
  • Dam Removal Yield Challenge
  • Establishment Of A Hydrographic Monitoring Site In Australia
  • SonTek-M9 Enables Rapid Indian Railways Bridge Surveys
  • Remote Bathymetric Survey Kalgoorlie Mine Pit Australia
  • Streamflow Data Improve Greenland Ice Melt Models
• FAQs
  • SonTek PCM3 FAQs
• Guides
  • Environmental Solutions Guide | XA00240
• Technical Notes
  • FTDI USB/Serial Adapter Connection Issue
  • GPS Positioning for RiverSurveyor Stationary Live Measurements
  • Understanding Importance of Transducer Depth
• White Papers
  • CastAway And SonTek-M9 Integration
  • Discharge And Bathymetric Data Collection Of Sinar Mas Forestry Plantation Canals In Indonesia