From Survey Planning to Confident Processing
A focused, hands-on workshop (1-day classroom + optional at-sea session) designed to help hydrographers build real-world confidence in backscatter—from planning and acquisition to calibration and processing. Learn to optimize your sonar settings, troubleshoot with clarity, and deliver higher-quality results every time..
Description
Demystify backscatter and improve your data quality—fast.
This focused workshop teaches you how to plan, acquire, and process multibeam backscatter with confidence. Learn system-specific best practices, calibration techniques, and processing workflows that lead to reliable, high-quality results. Optional field time with your vessel and equipment brings the learning full circle.
"Absolutely blown away with his knowledge and ability to teach at all experience levels in a single room. Without hesitation, I can say this workshop will have lasting positive effects on my career."
— Stephanie Dohner, Ph.D. Oceanographer, US Naval Research Laboratory
Multibeam Backscatter
Introductory to Advanced Backscatter Workshops Available
Who It's For
Backscatter Workshop – What You’ll Learn
This workshop is designed to move beyond the basics and into practical, field-ready knowledge that will improve your backscatter acquisition, calibration, and processing workflows—immediately. Whether you're optimizing sonar settings, planning a survey, or interpreting data, this course helps you connect theory to action. Designed for hydrographers, surveyors, and technical teams who want to:
Confidently plan, acquire, and process multibeam backscatter
Optimize sonar settings for specific backscatter goals
Understand both the fundamentals and system-specific best practices
Improve workflows and team capability
Prerequisites
Participants should have basic familiarity with multibeam systems and survey workflows. All experience levels welcome—from early-career to seasoned professionals.
Venue
For maximum impact and team engagement, onsite delivery is encouraged. The course can also be delivered fully online with all participants joining remotely, or as a hybrid model with a mix of in-person and virtual attendees. On-vessel components are tailored to your equipment, location, and operational goals.
Duration
3 days classroom-based instruction
Optional 1-day at sea (on your vessel, using your hardware and software)
Key Outcomes
By the end of this course, participants will be able to:
Apply proven acquisition strategies to enhance backscatter quality
Confidently interpret and calibrate backscatter data
Understand vendor-specific sonar behaviours and their impact
Troubleshoot backscatter processing issues with greater accuracy
Translate new knowledge into actionable personal and team goals
What You'll Learn
Introduction to Backscatter
Why backscatter matters
Typical use cases in mapping, habitat classification, and seafloor characterization
Key theory fundamentals explained through approachable visuals and analogies
Planning & Acquisition Best Practices
When calibration is required—and when it’s not
Field techniques for acquiring clean, usable backscatter
Effective line planning and real-time decision-making
General imaging geometry principles to support consistent data quality
Vendor-Specific Sonar Optimization
How to operate your multibeam most effectively to achieve backscatter goals
Various manufacturers sonar products
Processing Workflows & Software Techniques
Vendor-specific best practices (e.g., QPS FMGT)
Vendor-agnostic approaches for terrain correction, cleaning, and bathymetry pre-processing
Efficient, sensor-aware workflows for backscatter interpretation
Calibration Essentials
Understanding relative vs. absolute calibration
Beam pattern assessment techniques
Using QPS FMGT tools effectively for sensor-specific calibration