Oceanphonics - your premium Hydrophone supplier for Whale Watching Tour Operators, Ocean Sound Researchers and more...
Tel. 1-250-479-4868 (Pacific Coast Canada)

Listen from close by

or far away...


The Ocean is filled with sound
Hydrophone Features

    • Full 360 degree coverage for maximum reception.  The internal hydrophone element is a cylinder, custom made with the correct dimensions for whale sound reception from all horizontal directions. (Other whalewatching hydrophones use a cheap disc the size of a coin which has major dead zones except for front and back.)

    • Resonant open ended air cavity for natural amplification of whale sounds. This feature sets Oceanphonics apart from other whalewatching hydrophone suppliers.

    • The internal hydrophone element is protected by being positioned in the middle, not the end of the cylinder. This means the system is extremely rugged and will survive rough service.

    • Automatic Gain Control, active hydrophone.
    • Two gain settings, HIGH and LOW.

    • Kevlar reinforced cable for commercial service, with soft eye to fasten to your vessel. Other hydrophone manufacturers depend on the strength of copper conductors which will eventually break. The Oceanphonics Hydrophone cable has a central Kevlar strength member which completely relieves tension on copper conductors.

      All of the above features translate to many years of reliable service and amazing sound...
Connection Detail

    • Connection to vessel 12 Volt Power Source

    • Audio connection to stereo equipment with supplied RCA plugs. This line-level audio feed is isolated to prevent shipboard noise.

Audio Installation


The Oceanphonics Hydrophone easily connects to the AUX INPUT of your existing CD/FM/AM/AUX Stereo System.  If purchasing a new system of this type, make sure it has an AUX INPUT with RCA jacks at the rear of the unit.  Alternately an adapter may be plugged in (supplied) to convert from the RCA plugs to a 3.5 mM plug.  This will connect to an MP3 player input on any stereo system, or an audio recorder. 


Example


For new installations in a small craft such as a Zodiac, the least expensive way to provide audio on your vessel is by purchasing a low cost marine amplifier and loudspeaker system. 


Your local marine supplier will be able to provide you with an audio amplifier for marine use as suggested below: 

Poly-Planar MP3-KIT-AW 100 Watt Amp iPod/MP3 Adapter White Waterproof Speakers.


The installation is permanent in your vessel and requires a 12 volt supply, some panel cutting for the loudspeakers, and wiring.  The Oceanphonics RCA plugs connect to the amplifier as shown here:
RCA Plugs from Oceanphonics Hydrophone


The RED and BLACK wires from the Oceanphonics Hydrophone connect to the amplifier as shown here:
Red and Black (POWER) Wire Connections from the Oceanphonics Hydrophone


Some vessels power the stereo system from the main breaker panel, and do not use the "BLUE" wire as shown above.  In this case the Hydrophone RED wire should connect with the RED wire at the stereo amplifier.

The YELLOW wire from the hydrophone is the GAIN control.  If connected to +12V the Hydrophone will be in HIGH GAIN MODE including full Automatic Gain Control (AGC).  Some whalewatching companies keep this connection permanent as not many other vessels (creating underwater noise) will be in the listening area, only whales.
YELLOW Wire Connection from the Hydrophone for HIGH GAIN with AGC

For LOW GAIN mode with no AGC, connect the YELLOW gain control wire to the GROUND Connection (Battery Negative).
The connections illustrated above are typical of all wiring to a ship-board audio system.

Some ship owners opt to put a switch (DPST) at the control console.  This allows the skipper to switch from LOW to HIGH GAIN modes.  In this case the switch will connect the YELLOW wire (switch common) to the BLACK or RED hydrophone wire. 


For safety the RED and YELLOW wires from the Hydrophone have resettable fuses inside the block that these wires come from.  In the case that the Hydrophone Cable is cut or damaged, these fuses will open, but when the damage is repaired, the fuses will automatically reset.