Saturday, June 6, 2015

Review: The New AnaBat Express From Titley Scientific Part 2 Of 2

Review: The New AnaBat Express From Titley Scientific Part 2 of 2

The AnaBat Express sports a clever design, which reminds one of a weatherproof Pelican brand case. When attached to a tree (anything except a Birch tree!) it blends-in very well. The Camo pattern is very effective. 
Out-of-sight, out-of-mind; this equates to a much lower probability of potential theft or vandalism. There isn't nearly as much concern, as one might have leaving other brand units in the field. 

Once the unit is powered-on -- There are three options to choose from:
  • Schedule
  • Night Only
  • Continuous
This arrangement makes The AnaBat Express nearly fool-proof. Close the unit, snap the two latches closed, and you're done. 
Titley has provided an interesting feature - The black nylon cord seen attached to the top of the unit, has a magnet inside (the tiny enclosure at the end).
After the unit is installed, you don't have to remove it in order to double-check it for proper operation. You simply hold it (the black clip) up to the LED (lens) on the outside of the case.
"A brief flash indicates the unit is working" 

In use, you will probably be a bit surprised, by just how sensitive this unit is. But, again, it doesn't seem to record many unwanted (non-bat) noises.

The accuracy of recordings is very good; as well as one would expect from a modern-day, zero crossing recorder.

Pros: 
Small and lightweight.
Very simple operation/Deployment.
Built-in GPS.
May be monitored live via USB port.
Firmware updates are extremely easy.

Cons: High price (compared to it's competitor, The SMZC),

The overall simplicity of The AnaBat Express, makes it a pleasure to use even on a nightly basis. Although most owners, will be using it for field deployments of up to 10 days at a time.
The price of the unit varies, depending on where you shop. Here in The U.S., you may purchase from Titley directly. For those outside of The U.S., I've listed two sources which come to mind: NHBS -and- Wildlife & Countryside Services (both in The UK). 
It is provided with (4GB) SD card and (4AA) batteries.

I feel as though my general impressions regarding The AnaBat Express, were pretty much summed-up in Part 1 of this review. To re-iterate: I like: The size, robust design, the simplicity of operation, and the dependability of this unit. 

I'll be adding some AnaBat Express-related screenshots to this post, in the near future. In just a few short days, The Express will be on it's way back to Titley Scientific (here in The US). Thanks again, to Titley for the loan of the unit.

Among the Reviews coming-up next, will be a short overview of Titley's free AnaLook software.

Happy bat detecting!

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