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Re: Bats once again

Subject: Re: Bats once again
From: "werainey" <>
Date: Sun, 16 May 2004 17:36:52 -0000
Graham, 
Glad to learn that approach worked out for you. I've never tried to 
manage data from more than about 15 units at a time. Using the 
storage zcaim serial GPS input to label the files of compressed 
recordings from each station/deployment helps avoid some 
errors that follow from chronic sleep deprivation.

I'm sure you have found Chris Corben's web site 
(www.hoarybat.com) which has CF zcaim firmware updates. 
Tony Messina's site (http://www.nevadabat.com/Remote) shows 
step wise construction methods for microphone extension 
cables and solar equipped static enclosures.

We debugged and ran systems similar to those on his site  
through much of the winter in Yosemite NP, recording surprising 
levels of bat acoustic activity in a landscape largely blanketed 
with snow. The new  systems were built by Tracy Allen 
(www.emesystems.com) with help from Chris. To lower  power 
demand (by 1/3-1/2) and provide simultaneous environmental 
data (temperature/RH/other channels), Tracy patched into the 
storage zcaim, so it is now controlled by  a separate miniature 
logger that draws 50 microamps quiescent. The logger has an 
uploaded sunrise/set table to adjust sampling times daily and 
determines whether to record each night based on battery 
voltage (i.e., no data taken if solar recharge has been 
inadequate). The ecological context for monitoring is sketched at 
(http://ib.berkeley.edu/labs/power/research.shtml). We also have 
one monitor running with the microphone on a 75 ft lead at the 
top of a young riparian forest patch and are assembling longer 
lead systems for listening in redwood canopies. This all is 
perhaps of marginal interest to the group, so we could discuss it 
off list.
Bill
--- In  "Graham M Smith" 
<> wrote:
> Hello all,
> 
> Just as follow up to the two previous threads on bat monitoring 
using
> recorded sounds from bat detectors. To those who weren't 
involved I asking
> for help in choosing a recording tool to record output from 
electronic bat
> detectors. This was purely as a scientific monitoring tool to 
map bat flight
> paths. But I had issues with battery life, recording times and 
analysing
> long lengths of blank recordings that only had the occasional 
bat record.
> 
> I finally realised, based a lot on what was said here, that I had 
to go with
> Anabat, I bought one to try out (Detector and data logger) and 
then managed
> to secure the monies to buy another 35 Anabat recorders, with 
the ZCAIM
> Compact Flash recording unit, for the actual project.
> 
> The money is easily recovered from the time saved in 
analysing the results,
> setting up the units in the field is so so easy compared to 
fiddling with
> other types of detectors and minidisk or jukebox recorder 
options, the
> standard battery life is good (lasting about 7 days in the field) 
and using
> an external battery is easily done.
> 
> Simple analysis, counting the number of bat events, time of the 
event and
> whether the bat was a horseshoe bat or a non-horseshoe bat 
is very quick and
> easy to do with the Anabat Analook software.
> 
> Many thanks everyone for your help.
> 
> Graham



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