Portable Test Unit (PTU).

A Portable Test Unit was developed and built to control and monitor operation of instrumentation packages used to obtain motion data from navigational buoys. Features of the Portable Test Unit, and operational and alignment procedures are described. The Portable Test Unit PTU is part of the instrumentation developed by the David W. Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center DTNSRDC for the U.S. Coast Guard, Office of Research and Development. The Coast Guard USCG is evaluating new plastic buoy designs to improve reliability and reduce costs of maintaining vital navigational aids. The PTU is a small, lightweight package which can communicate with a buoy package through either the radio telemetry link or a direct wire connection. The PTU can command the buoy package to turn on and off, and to send calibration cal and data signals. It can receive and demodulate buoy package telemetry signals to display real time data. The PTU also contains several general purpose test instruments. The PTU greatly simplifies the diagnosis and repair of malfunctions in buoy packages. It assures successful buoy deployments by making it possible to check the buoy packages for proper operation before leaving the deployment site. The PTU can act as a control station to obtain motion data from a single buoy deployed away from the main control station site.