FleetLink PI Meeting
MIT Sea Grant Office
April 5, 2001

Ann: A primary goal for today's meeting is to design the NOPP renewal.

Letter of intent did go in. There is a max of $150K for one (and only one) year, according to guidelines. However, a new proposal could go in next year for a full proposal for lots more systems. Suggestion: let's not try to decide on what the telemetry system will be at this time. It should be strategic, not the details.

Discussion of the status of ongoing field activities.

Gary: We put the net sensor on the G&J and we lost it. A net sensor was installed on Craig's boat, but it is not yet sending data.

Discussion resulted in consensus decision that the highest priority for the project now is the net sensor. We want to have NetSensors working on all three boats for May / June demonstration phase timed with release of Sea Technology article. To this end, we made the following plans:

Action items:

1. Ken to visit the S&C to walk Mike through the use of the NetSensor / DeckMate protocol. Craig thought that Mike needs a demonstration.

2. Gary to provide Ken with the NetSensor / DeckMate test system. He can then get the G&J set up, which is logistically easiest for him (the boat is closer to home) and he is sure that the boat has clean power. Discussion of where to put the sensor. Place in center or elsewhere, but no changes in attachment strategy is called for.

3. Mike should call Ken about how to update the software (on a floppy given to Craig and Gary) and use it. The beta version he has is manual. After Ken tests the lastest release with the hardware, Ken will then get the NetSensor / DeckMate set up on S&C. Discussed formats of net sensor data telemetered; no changes planned at this time.

4. Gary and Cliff should provide Ann with budgets for needed installations. Gary: build one NetSensor ($3K), time for Eric for installation on two boats (S&C and Adventurer). Cliff: two week's Ken time for boat visits.

Other issues for field program:

Another priority should be to get email to and from boat and exchange working. This was also a big interest for vessel captains, and should be implemented now. Both S&C and Adventurer report problems with email, etc.

Plans for definitive field program in May - June:

1. Continuous data telemetry and real-time posting of data to website during Craig's shrimp demo, now planned for three days in early or late May. Since this is experimental fishing, a great showcase for FleetLink, and the real-time capabilities. Boat must be fully fuctional by this time!!!!!! Let's not screw this up!!!!!

2. All boats have choice of "cameo" field experiment with 3 - 5 days of continuous data telemetry. If there are no preferences, all boats will choose convenient time every one or two days, turn on telemetry for two hours, and send previous hour's data for posting to website in anonymized, delayed, contoured, and quadrat format to be determined. No catch data will be posted or made public; these data are for the fishermen and the exchanges only.

Action item: Confirm that Bobby and Cam are okay that the data be on the public web site.

POI: Ann will trademark FleetLink. UNH to pay the $2,500 to trademark it. Each participant (PI: Ann, Peter, Cliff, Craig, Gary) will agree to receive 20% of any royalties. Ann offered to make FleetLink T-shirts. Ann will send tiff files for posting on the private web site and copies of briefing books for all PIs.

Discussion of telecommunications: Orbcom; Iridium update; etc. For future discussion: lower data rate or different telecomm vendor???

Plans for renewal proposal: SEE SEPARATE DOCUMENT

Need to get data to NWS and GTS: Bob summarized what has been done to date. Everyone agreed we are close on this, and encouraged Bob to keep going on track. Ann will contact ONR (for proposal plans), Bob will pursue NWS; Gary offered assistance as needed.

Data transfer from WheelHouse computers: discussed flash rom on boats, wireless ethernet, PCMCIA, floppies, zip drive, etc. Decided on floppies. Expect about 6 days of data per floppy.

Action item: Cliff and Ken to provide each boat with self addressed stamped envelopes and floppies. Ken will provide data transfer protocol and warn captains about remembering which trip data already sent.

Action item: Bob will send out Peter's email with the draft user manual

Next meeting - May 22, 2001 at MIT