UAM-08160H High-Speed Underwater Acoustic Modem: Transmit Source Level Test Report

Variable power underwater acoustic transducer with 16 transmit levels, calibrated source level data & hydrophone RMS signal test. Ideal for ocean survey, underwater acoustics research, USV & sonar system integration.
Overview1. Test Setup & Architecture2. Methodology3. Power Level vs. Source Level (SL) Summary Table 4. Complete Raw Dataset (Levels 1–16)5. Engineering Insights

Overview

In subsea communication system design and marine deployments, the Transmit Source Level (SL) is a fundamental parameter that determines propagation range and link budget. This report logs the empirical source level performance of the UAM-08160H High-Speed Underwater Acoustic Modem across its full configurable power range (Level 1 to 16).

Test results indicate a predictable, progressive increase in source level as power settings scale—ranging from 166.2 dB at minimum power (Level 1) to 188.6 dB at maximum output (Level 16). This demonstrates a broad dynamic range suitable for flexible power management in field operations.

1. Test Setup & Architecture

The deployment utilized a standard acoustic measurement configuration suspended from a support vessel:

  • Device Under Test (DUT): UAM-08160H High-Speed Underwater Acoustic Modem (comprising the pressure-resistant electronic canister and transducer)
  • Control & Power System: Laptop controller (via RS232 serial link), powered by a 48V battery pack
  • Acoustic Measurement System: Calibrated hydrophone, digital oscilloscope, and portable power station
  • Rigging & Mounting: Routing angle bracket, hoisting line, hydrophone cable, and transducer cabling


2. Methodology

  1. System Initialization: Power on the UAM-08160H terminal and measurement hydrophone.
  2. Command Sequence: Transmit serial commands to step the modem through output power levels 1 through 16 sequentially.
  3. Data Logging: Trigger 5 discrete transmissions at each power setting. Record received signal RMS values (mV) via oscilloscope, calculate corresponding Source Levels (dB), and average the 5 samples to establish the nominal source level per power step.

3. Power Level vs. Source Level (SL) Summary Table

The table below summarizes the hydrophone RMS output range and calculated mean Source Level across all 16 power settings:

Transmit Power Level Hydrophone RMS Signal Range (mV) Average Source Level (dB)
Level 1 7.4 – 8.2 166.2
Level 2 15.0 – 16.0 172.2
Level 3 21.0 – 23.0 175.6
Level 4 29.0 – 31.0 177.6
Level 5 33.0 – 40.0 178.7
Level 6 46.0 – 52.0 182.3
Level 7 49.0 – 55.0 182.8
Level 8 57.0 – 62.0 183.9
Level 9 70.0 – 75.0 185.2
Level 10 83.0 – 88.0 187.2
Level 11 78.0 – 82.0 186.3
Level 12 82.0 – 89.0 186.8
Level 13 87.0 – 94.0 187.8
Level 14 89.0 – 99.0 188.3
Level 15 98.0 – 105.0 188.3
Level 16 (Max) 102.0 – 108.0 188.6

4. Complete Raw Dataset (Levels 1–16)

Power Level Serial Number RMS value of the signal received by the hydrophone（mV） Source Level（dB） Average value（dB）
1 1 7.9 166.3 166.2
2 8.2 166.6
3 7.6 166.0
4 7.4 165.7
5 8 166.4
2 1 15 171.9 172.2
2 16 172.4
3 15 171.9
4 16 172.4
5 16 172.4
3 1 23 175.6 175.6
2 22 175.2
3 21 174.8
4 22 175.2
5 22 175.2
4 1 29 177.6 177.6
2 29 177.6
3 30 177.9
4 31 178.2
5 30 177.9
5 1 33 178.7 178.7
2 40 180.4
3 36 179.5
4 35 179.2
5 40 180.4
6 1 50 182.3 182.3
2 47 181.8
3 52 182.7
4 52 182.7
5 46 181.6
7 1 53 182.8 182.8
2 55 183.2
3 52 182.7
4 49 182.2
5 51 182.5
8 1 60 183.9 183.9
2 62 184.2
3 57 183.5
4 62 184.2
5 61 184.1
9 1 70 185.2 185.2
2 70 185.2
3 75 185.8
4 74 185.7
5 74 185.7
10 1 88 187.2 187.2
2 85 186.9
3 83 186.7
4 86 187.0
5 83 186.7
11 1 79 186.3 186.3
2 78 186.2
3 78 186.2
4 79 186.3
5 82 186.6
12 1 89 187.3 187.3
2 84 186.8
3 83 186.7
4 82 186.6
5 88 187.2
13 1 94 187.8 187.8
2 87 187.1
3 93 187.7
4 92 187.6
5 91 187.5
14 1 99 188.3 188.3
2 94 187.8
3 97 188.1
4 89 187.3
5 93 187.7
15 1 100 188.3 188.3
2 105 188.8
3 99 188.3
4 98 188.2
5 99 188.3
16 1 103 188.6 188.6
2 104 188.7
3 107 188.9
4 102 188.5
5 108 189.0

5. Engineering Insights

  1. Power Scaling: The lower power range (Levels 1 through 6) exhibits steep gains, climbing from 166.2 dB to 182.3 dB. This provides clear granularity for near-to-mid range power optimization.
  2. High-Power Plateau: Output levels off between Level 10 and Level 16 (187.2 dB to 188.6 dB). This saturation plateau prevents transducer overdriving while maintaining clean signal integrity at maximum acoustic output.
  3. Correlation with Experiment 3 Field Trial:
    • Level 7 (182.8 dB SL) provides sufficient acoustic intensity to deliver a zero-error rate at 6 kbps over a 6.174 km range.
    • Level 3 (175.6 dB SL) allows the modem to sustain a 6+ km link under power-constrained operating profiles.
Dr. Alistair Vance July 31, 2026
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UAM UAM-08160H Underwater Acoustic Modems
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