diff --git a/echopype/utils/coding.py b/echopype/utils/coding.py
index d783e2fbe..e325a1d3c 100644
--- a/echopype/utils/coding.py
+++ b/echopype/utils/coding.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@
     "channel": np.str_,
     "cal_channel_id": np.str_,
     "beam": np.str_,
-    "channel_mode": np.float16,
+    "channel_mode": np.float32,
     "beam_stabilisation": np.byte,
     "non_quantitative_processing": np.int16,
 }  # channel name  # beam name