A Microprocessor Based Wave and Tide Recorder for Use on the Continental Shelf

In order to monitor ocean conditions over periods of up to six months without servicing, in areas where buoys are undesirable, a bottom anchored wave and tide recorder has been developed and deployed by ENDECO, INC. The design criteria includes the need for a self-contained power source and data storage capacity sufficient for the deployment period, while providing a high measurement resolution. This paper will discuss requirements directing the design of the wave and tide recorder, containing a complementary-metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) microcomputer and associated components. Future plans for this and other similar systems are also considered.