Looking for The Next Bat Detector for Review!

Well… For now, I’d just like to say Thank You to The Netherlands! 🇳🇱 

There will be 2 new bat detectors tested and reviewed here in the near future…

One is an improved version of a design which has been available for almost a year now. 

The other, is a brand new, USB-based unit which has some amazing specs and features! I’m excited to try it out!

If you are a manufacturer of any of the following, and would like to have your equipment featured here, please contact me:

• Bat detector/recorder
• Parabolic Dish Microphone system
• Hydrophone system
• Night vision device
• Thermal imaging device

A device capable of recording both audible and ultrasonic sounds would be ideal - I’m planning to target both bats and small terrestrial mammals this year.

Happy bat detecting!

The USB Microphone By Open Acoustic Devices Has Arrived!

Just a brief post, for now: The USB Mic, which has just been developed by Open Acoustic Devices arrived the other day (here in upstate NY - From England).

There will be a full review here on the blog in the future. However, the first debut and discussion of it, will be on July 24th, via The BatAbility Club. You may follow this link: The BatAbility Club to find out more about them.

As mentioned in the preceding post, the software covered, will mainly be:

• Bat Recorder - An Android phone App from Google Play Store.
• Audiomoth Live App - by Open Acoustic Devices.
• With a brief look at Ultrasonic Analyzer (iPhone App).

Unboxing 

I'm very excited to share my first impressions of this brand-new USB Microphone here; after having Tweeted about it, etc.

This is the back of the microphone

Back view of the microphone plugged into laptop 

• It's small and light - All that's needed is a USB to Micro USB cable.
• Using it (with The AudioMoth Live App) is super simple.
• It has a built-in 3.5mm jack - for plugging-in an additional microphone. This is an outstanding feature for experimenters!
• It works flawlessly on laptops.
• I've used it without incident on Android smart phones (with Bat Recorder).
• I've also used it on my iPhone (w/ adapter) and Ultrasonic Analyzer (iPhone App).

I mention this last point, because it demonstrates how versatile this Mic is - It works well on an App which was developed before the Mic existed. The iPhone App even displays the name of the Mic. The reason why isn't earth-shattering; but it's still neat!

It is also a great indicator of the smooth operation that one can expect, from this little piece of hardware. I also like the idea of the documentation stating its splash proof; thanks to the use of a Gore® protective vent over the Mic element. Not that I would ever "test" its ability to repel water (and neither should you) it's just nice to know it's there.

It may begin to drizzle one night, when you least expect it...

Obviously, I'm just sharing very basic bullet points - These points (and others) will be greatly expanded upon going forward, and in future blog posts.

It is a pleasure to use, provides sensitivity similar to a (low-cost) shotgun microphone - the compact types made for DSLRs - with the advantage of ultrasound, of course. The intuitive AudioMoth Live App allows one to tune (the Mic) all the way down to 12kHz. 

Until next time,

Happy bat detecting!

General Thoughts About Active (handheld) Bat Detectors Part 2 of 2

General thoughts & Considerations About Bat Detectors Part 2 of 2

"Ah, but a man's reach should exceed his grasp,

Or what's a heaven for?"

-Robert Browning

What happened was: Once I had The SSF BAT3, and The TeensyBat 4.1 both up and operational:

From left to right: 

SSF BAT3, TeensyBat 4.1, EM Touch 2 Pro (on Kindle tablet).

It occurred to me, that there's one detector which would "fit right in" - The EM Touch 2 Pro.

However, having reviewed The Pro 2 here once before, meant I'd have to make a nuisance of myself - by reaching out to Wildlife Acoustics again, and explaining my intentions... Luckily, they agreed to send me a loaner.

SSF BAT3, EM Touch 2 Pro, TeensyBat 4.1 kit

 

Again, the line-up consisted of: The SSF BAT3, The TeensyBay 4.1, and The Echo Meter Touch Pro 2.

Bottom line: In the end, I decided that The EM Touch 2 Pro from Wildlife Acoustics comes out the overall winner.

The fundamental reasons why are:

• Excellent performing microphone (sensitive, accurate, and good range).
• Auto ID of bat species.
• GPS tracking.
• Stores full spectrum recordings for later analysis. 
• It's as dependable as the device it's attached to (cell phone/tablet).
• Recordings of particular interest, may be accessed & sent to your laptop, for in-depth analysis (fairly quickly & easily).

Performance-wise: 

The Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro from Wildlife Acoustics provides a comfortable listening experience - Featuring the choice of listening with either: RTE (Real Time Expansion), Het (Heterodyne), or TE (Time Expansion).

Microphone sensitivity, pick-up range, and ability to produce good/clear (legible) spectrograms:

The TeensyBat 4.1 was easily the equal of The EM Touch 2 Pro; which is impressive. 

In addition, it's ability to pick-up ultrasounds off-axis was superior (to either of the other two detectors).

The TeensyBat 4.1 also has a fairly unique 'Live Time Expansion' mode - Which is interesting, as well as pleasing to monitor (via ext. speaker). Especially if you're a fan of using time expansion mode. I won't go into it here (you'll have to wait for the TeensyBat review); but I felt compelled to mention it.

Now: Having said all that - Why exactly was The EM Touch 2 Pro the clear winner?

Well, in addition to the 6 bullet points which I listed above...There is a matter of an inconvenient drawback, on the part of The TeensyBat: It cannot record bat passes unattended. Not in a neat, automatic, and orderly fashion anyway.

Explained in another way: A TeensyBat user must be ready to press the Record button when a bat pass is being picked-up, and press the button again to stop the recording. 

In other words, a user needs to continuously attend to the Record button. If not, you can easily end up with very long (and large) recordings; with bat passes being few & far-between. I don't have to further explain how frustrating this can be when you're back at your laptop.

This is in contrast to The EM Touch 2 Pro's ability to: Automatically record a bat pass, stop when the bat is gone, save it, and go back to active monitoring. 

This results in a collection of neat recordings. With those having recorded ("confirmed") bat passes being conveniently marked with the yellow bat icon, which many of us are familiar with.

So, what happened after all these tests? I remembered that there's another, excellent (USB-based) bat detector - which would be an awesome prospect for this comparison! The U384 from Pettersson - It also fits in with it's affordable price point, as well as it's wonderful performance!

The U384 - USB based Bat Detector

As I'd received it for review

(directly from Pettersson)

     

A closer look at The U384, 

   with the 

included USB adapter.

As you can tell, this topic of discussion has the potential to get out-of-hand! All I'll say at this point in time, is that I recall the excellent performance of this Pettersson unit when I reviewed it. And I firmly believe that The U384 would do very well if it were a part of this detector comparison. I may elaborate on this in the future.

As a side-note: I've been doing quite a bit of experimenting with several external ultrasonic microphones. I'll be sharing all the geeky goodness here on the blog, in the future via Pics, etc. 

Just a sneak peek for now!

😊

So...I'm looking forward to ordering myself an AudioMoth 1.2.0, in the near future. They aren't in stock/available at the time of this writing, but have patience...

*Note: The Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro's are back in stock at Wildlife Acoustics.

Also, at the time of this writing, TeensyBat 4.1 kits are also back in stock.

Spectrograms will be added to this post in the near future. As alluded to earlier: Locating bat calls to create spectrograms of (from TeensyBat recordings) has been rather time-consuming... 

Until next time,

Happy bat recording analysis!

Unless you're enjoying the unseasonably warm Winter The British Isles is having - In which case: Happy bat detecting!

 

The 2 New Bat Detectors Are Here!

 So, the two (new to me) bat detectors arrived on time/as expected (on October 6th). The SSF BAT3 from Germany and The Teensybat 4.1 from The Netherlands.

As always, here is a pic of how the units arrived, to me here on the East coast of North America:

The Teensybat 4.1 kit on the left, The SSF BAT3 on the right

Unboxing The SSF BAT3 - Just a peek!

The SSF BAT3 is a factory-assembled, ready-to-use detector. So, I got to charging the battery immediately. 

It's battery life is stated as being about 3-6 hours. Initial charge time for the new battery (before 1st use) was stated as 8 hours in the user manual. I was able to achieve full charge in about half that time...

Pros:

• Uses a nice, sensitive, electret microphone element. It deems to perform as well as many other pro level detector microphones. 
• It's tiny! If someone were in the market for a James Bond-sized/secret/full featured bat detector, this would be it.
• It has the potential to be very loud - Plenty of audio, even for a large-sized group to hear on a bat walk.
• It has a built-in torch - LED. Which features an auto shut-off.

Cons: 

• It seems to be based on a (Nokia?) cell phone platform. It's not very robust, in fact I might describe it as closer to delicate.
• The included wrist strap would be a must!
• It's only a heterodyne detector, although it does have an Auto-Het tuning feature (which is nice).
• The door which holds the micro SD card, is the most delicate one I've ever encountered. 

Having worked in the technology field for many years, I've probably opened/closed hundreds of these types of slots (from many different manufacturers)...When I went to insert the micro SD card, the metal door came right off in my fingers - Yikes! I got it back on, and locked the SD card in place.

It has a few neat little informative "pages" (screens) about bats, bat calls, sonograms, etc., - Like a micro encyclopedia (for lack of a better description). I'll share pics of these screens in the full review. It's available in both the German or English language. Something to look at during lulls in bat activity.

All in all, I like it so far. Mainly because it packs so many features into such a tiny package. I also purchased the belt loop carrying case.

First opening of Teensbat 4.1 kit

Major components of The Teensbat 4.1 detector kit

I think it's very interesting to look at both this detector, and The Teensybat - which I've already started to assemble... I made sure that I had every last component ready to go, so that when the detectors arrived - No time would be wasted!

Until next time,

Happy bat detecting!

The Batlogger M2 From Elekon!

I'm very happy to report, that the Batlogger M2 from Elekon, has recently arrived for review! 

It was accompanied by their new Batlogger S2, static/unattended bat recorder as well. The S2 will also be given a test and review...

However, my local weather here in New York has started to cooperate —And has become more conducive to bat activity in the past 2 days. I immediately took this opportunity to test The Batlogger M2.

I set it up on a windowsill (indoors, of course) and selected the 'Passive Mode' recording option - I had already become familiar with the User Manual, so it was very easy to navigate around it's menus.

The good news, is: When I came back to check on it a short time later, I went through the small list of recordings, and saw that it recorded a bat! 

The additional good news is: This new Batlogger M2 is not only an excellent performing, Pro-level bat detector...But it is a joy to use, and absolutely lovely as well! 

Wow! It is packed with wonderful features and abilities - I look forward to providing detailed reviews of it. Both on The BatAbility Club, and here on the blog.

For now, you can have a look at it (and some of it's features) on The Elekon website.

 

As always - Happy bat detecting!

Review: The New Chorus from Titley Scientific Part 2 of 2

The Chorus from Titley Scientific: Review - Part 2 of 2

 

The Chorus

The AnaBat Chorus - First time use:

Connect the microphone(s) you intend to use, in their appropriate sockets (these are also labeled A & B in raised lettering directly on the unit - look closely).

Install new (or formatted) SD card, 4 new AA size batteries; power-on by pressing the 'OK' button...Give the unit half a moment to boot up (in reality, it only takes a few seconds).

Check that the time zone is correct (Clock Settings) - Press OK to confirm. Remember daylight savings time. Allow unit to acquire GPS satellite lock - And accurate time will auto-update. 

Note: You should be aware of whether or not your unit is up-to-date as far as firmware is concerned. My example unit was up-to-date on arrival.  

Select one of the pre-set modes on the right of the screen.

Clam-shell the unit closed (make sure you hear the audible click) and deploy unit.

For most intents and purposes, you'll be well on your way to acquiring excellent quality recordings, simply by following the instructions above. Which are also well-laid-out in The Quick Start Guide. This presumes you are in a hurry to deploy the unit (or possibly more than one). Please be aware: If you don't perform any further configuration, your Chorus will be using all the default settings. 

AnaBat Chorus with Lithium batteries installed

I always outline the quickest deployment scenario, for those who are interested. And that is what I've just outlined. However, for many other users, you'll want to become familiar with the other settings which may be customised. In the very beginning, you may want to have a printed version of the User Manual handy.

I read the Quick Start Guide, and deployed the Chorus - I was quite surprised to have recorded a bat! It was on December 26th, and it was 40℉ (4.4℃) - It was later identified as a Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus).

The fully detailed, step-by-step Set-Up Guide may be found on page 13 of the User Manual.

Amoung the features which are adjustable are:

• Gain (for side A or B, independently).
• Start / Stop times for active monitoring/recording.
• Minimum & maximum frequency.
• Minimum & maximum recording time.

The AnaBat Chorus runs on four AA sized batteries, which can be of any type (Alkaline, NiMh, or Lithium).

The Chorus also features a Micro USB connection, primarily for updating the unit's firmware. As well as a standard 3.5mm headphone jack, for live monitoring of sounds being picked up by the microphones.

During my tests, I tried various brands/types of batteries; as well as different SD/MicroSD cards - No issues were encountered.

During my extensive testing, I put The Titley Chorus through it's paces; including some deployments in sub-freezing temperatures. In all cases, I found the microphones to perform accurately, without any issues capturing and reproducing sound.

Even in this condition:

As per Page 10 of The User Manual:

Amoung the Acoustic Microphone Specifications we have:

• Electret mics with excellent sensitivity and low noise floor: -24dB sensitivity, with 80dB signal-to-noise ratio.
• Built-in low noise preamplifiers.
• Frequency response of 20Hz to 20kHz.

For the Ultrasonic Microphones we have:

• Weatherproofing, for use in rainy conditions.
• Built-in low noise preamplifier.
• Improved frequency response, when compared to previous generation electret-based ultrasonic Mics.
• Useable frequency response of 10kHz to 140kHz (response rolls-off beyond this point) - Which would be interesting to experiment with...

These are great specifications.

The Barred Owl (Strix varia) calls, recorded with The Chorus (in stereo/2 Audible Mics) may be heard on my YouTube Channel (Batdetectors1). Distance to unit: Approximately 75 Meters.

Eastern Coyotes were approximately three times as far; which is probably why I have yet to locate a solid recording worthy of sharing…

The Chorus produced excellent sounding recordings, both in acoustic mode and ultrasonic mode: The file names of acoustic recordings may be set to have an "ac" prefix. While the ultrasonic recordings may be set to have a "us" prefix.

Pros:

• Robust construction.
• Very flexible - Due to dual Mic options.
• Ability to record in FS or ZC.
• Independently adjustable gain (for each Mic).
• Myriad of versatility: The ability to schedule Ultrasonic and/or Acoustic recording for different times of the day (24 hour period).
• The quality of the recordings are excellent.

Cons:

• May be considered expensive, when factoring in the cost of an additional Mic.
• Not as quick to deploy as the AnaBat Express or AnaBat Swift: Having more features and abilities, equates to more time to configure before deployment.
• AnaBat Insight software not as fast or robust as others.

The Chorus may be purchased directly from Titley Scientific (main Website).

You will also find it in stock at many Dealer's Sites, including Wildlife & Countryside Services and at NHBS.

The Titley Chorus - Things I happened to like and dislike:

I liked the robust build, the simple Dashboard/4 icons, the choice of Mics, and relative flexibility of settings like: Filter, independent gain for microphones (A/B).

I didn't like the time and effort required to go from power-up ~to~ deployment. Again, since The Chorus has more features and variables available, this equates to a bit more time to configure.

If you haven't read it already, see Part 1 of this 2-Part review Here.

As is the custom for Titley Scientific devices - there is a hidden game on this unit as well... It's called 'FlappyBat' and I must say, it's rather cute. Here's how you can access the game:

When you hold down the Power button to turn off the detector, You'll see the menu pop-up that lets you choose between sleep and power down. At this menu, press the mode button and a new icon will appear. Arrow across to this one and press OK...

The latest (auto) update/version of AnaBat Insight software has really made a difference in overall performance! A lot of major and minor issues have been addressed with this latest update. It's much more robust now (noticeably better overall). I experienced no freezing of the application, even on my slowest laptop.

Until next time - Happy bat detecting! And animal recording!

🐾🐺🐦🐸

Review: The New Chorus from Titley Scientific Part 1 Of 2

Review: The Chorus from Titley Part 1 Of 2 

The Chorus - Shown with 2 Mics installed for audible sounds

The Chorus is shown above with 2 audible microphones installed (for recording of non-bat/non-ultrasonic sound). My sample/loaner unit was provided with the ultrasonic microphone as well; so there will be plenty of testing and results shared here... I already got a serendipitous recording of a Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) using this new unit!

External Dimensions: 194 x 123 x 50mm (7.3 x 4.8 x 2 inches)

Weight: 400 grams (14 Oz.) Without batteries

The Chorus is a very solid unit. It's molded in a Shrub Green weatherproof and shockproof housing. It's a well laid-out design, similar to several other weatherproof, static recorders on the market.

However, a user should be advised/reminded: When closing The Chorus, for deployment, you must insure you hear a loud snap when you close the latch. Which, again, is similar to other static recorders currently on the market.

In other words, it is possible for someone who is unfamiliar with such devices - to close the unit, "close" the latch, and deploy the unit: Not completely sealed against the elements - without it being properly closed & sealed.

I've made a very short video, demonstrating exactly what I'm referring to. On my Bat Detector Reviews YouTube Channel - It may be seen Here.

The Titley Chorus (please ignore the cheap batteries!)

I'd like to discuss another issue straight away: something else, which was a concern of mine since it's arrival: Our local super-cold temperatures / and how in the world was The Chorus going to fare?

It's not as though I didn't have my local wildlife vocalizing (due to cold weather). On the contrary: Barred Owls (Strix varia) and Eastern Coyotes (Canis latrans) treated us to performances just about every night.

No, it was my concern (my "worry") about whether or not The Chorus would be able to perform in such cold conditions...

After a quick scan through the User Manual, what I'd vaguely suspected was confirmed: It is the batteries' ability to provide voltage (in below freezing Temps) and not The Chorus which is the deciding factor. 

That is to say, when deploying the unit in sub-freezing environments (< 32 Degrees Fahrenheit / 0 Degrees Celsius).

Temperatures here were commonly <23 Deg F/ -5 Deg C at the time that I began testing (and much, much colder since then). ...It's the batteries which are "the weakest link', and not the machine.

How can you ensure best performance in cold weather? 

The short answer: Use Lithium batteries (as many of you are already aware).

To ensure the very best performance and longevity - It would be wise to go for the best (most highly rated brand(s) you can get). Energizer brand Lithium batteries are very good:

The Energizer brand Lithium batteries are reported to "Perform well in extreme temperatures from -40°F to 140°F." I have found them to perform admirably in my local (Upstate New York) conditions.

Eneloop brand rechargeable NimH batteries are still a very good bet, as a second choice. Especially for use in non-freezing weather conditions. I have a good selection of batteries available here: From the very cheapest (untrustworthy) -to- the top of the range. I also have a tendency to try the different brands in the detector(s) I'm evaluating. So far, I haven't experienced anything out of the ordinary to report.

The Titley Chorus may be ordered from a number of Dealers. Such as NHBS:

As well as directly from Titley Scientific - Here. (for $499 [US Dollars] with one free acoustic microphone).

Via either one of the links above, you may select the preferred configuration when ordering. Generally speaking, these are:

• Chorus with one (free) acoustic microphone
• Chorus with an additional acoustic microphone (giving you the set-up shown in my photos above).
• Chorus with an (additional) ultrasonic microphone.

The Chorus powered-on in subdued light

Some key features:

• The ability to add additional microphones - Both acoustic, and ultrasonic (more on this later).

• Lasts for up to 40 nights (full spectrum ultrasonic) or 300 hours (acoustic) on 4 AA sized batteries.

• It is a static recorder, which operates unattended -and- No phone apps are required for setup.

• Temperature sensor.

• Transect mode available!

• Bar graphs on main display show a live representation of sound levels picked-up by unit.

The bottom of The Titley Chorus - Showing the tripod socket

I like the ease with which you can navigate the menus; the main screen is called the Dashboard.

The unit is powered on by pressing the OK button.

There is a useful sticker inside the cover, which conveys the basic instructions. 

The Chorus would be a very good option for: An Ecologist, Bat Worker, Wildlife Researcher, et al, looking for a capable, unattended sound recording solution. Again, it is capable of recording both ultrasounds and normally-audible sounds.

As an experienced wildlife sound recordist, I'm immediately interested in any static recorder able to competently record audible sounds of wildlife. 

In fact, I couldn't help but to make comparisons of audible sound recordings from The Chorus versus a Zoom H1n digital recorder, which I use for impromptu wildlife sound recording! Now, we all know that this can't be considered a "fair" comparison - but, I couldn't help to experiment anyway!

To elaborate - The Zoom H1n recorder is designed from the ground up, to do one thing: record stereo sound as well as possible (within it's [low] cost constraints!).

The Chorus (and similar devices) must record wildlife - Reliably, accurately, over long periods of time, and in the most extreme weather conditions imaginable.

From the jungles of South America, to The Great White North (😉 Canada) and beyond... These are no small feats, by any stretch. 

Obviously, this product would be very well-suited for anyone needing to record ultrasonic and non-ultrasonic sounds. In other words - It would be a great match for Biologists working with animals which vocalize in both audible, and sub-audible (ultrasonic) spectrum.

This review is continued, in Part 2 of 2... Where I covered a bit more about this very capable recorder. 

Happy bat detecting! 

Review: The Song Meter Micro Recorder from Wildlife Acoustics Part 2 Of 2

Review of The Song Meter Micro Recorder from Wildlife Acoustics Part 2 Of 2

The Song Meter Micro is an unattended recording unit. It's so small and light, that I frequently put it in my pants pocket, before climbing up some steep terrain to deploy it. And, there have been several times (lately) when I've been very thankful for this ability.

 

In this instance, The SM Micro was placed just behind the small tree stump to the left of center in this pic.

The location for The Song Meter Micro (in pic above) was chosen, because a small animal was captured on trail cam video in that vicinity. Viewing the snapshot above, one might think it'd be easy to get to that tree stump...what isn't obvious however, is the very steep climb involved!

In general, it's easy to set-up and deploy. Whenever possible, I try to anchor it to a tree (using a small/short screw) -or- fasten/tether it to a branch, tree trunk, etc. I do this, to prevent the (unlikely) event of an animal walking off with it. Just in case some animal decides it would make a good chew toy?

As a side note: A Coyote were heard (close by) just last night (8/18/2021). A Great Horned Owl was heard today, it sounded like it was only about 40 meters away! 

 

The Song Meter Micro would be a great choice for Ecologists needing a programmable, unattended wildlife recording solution. The Micro is capable of recording vocalizations from a wide range of species. As mentioned in Part 1 of this review, the sample rate may be changed, to better suit the target species. Admittedly, I've failed to do this myself in the past. For no other reason than being hasty and too anxious to get it set-up before nightfall. Also, from years of using portable digital recorders for wildlife recording: I got into a habit, of always setting the Kbps to whatever the highest setting available was...

(wildlife sound recordists will relate)

Last weekend, right after moving into my new (rental) home, I found myself without a recording bat detector handy. I tend to always keep a Batseeker 4 around; but having a non-recording (FD) detector available just wasn't cutting it. I had a simple digital recorder, but couldn't locate an audio cable (everything was still in boxes).

It was a case of the glass being half empty (to me). In fact, it was quite a bit worse than just the glass just being half empty. Taking some time to observe and detect bats, at my new place, without the ability to ID and/or record bat calls was frustrating! Not fun for any experienced bat detecting enthusiast!

 

There I was, in a proverbial "pinch" - Wanting to record and * ID the species of bats, which were flying so neatly, high above me... And all I had to hand, was an entry-level, frequency division detector. There wasn't even a heterodyne unit around; where I could've at least ID'd a few "by ear". 

At least then, I could've gone to bed with a sense of accomplishment - Perhaps after having written some acceptable notes in my nature journal...But it was not to be; not that night.

This is not to say that there is anything "wrong" or lacking with the inexpensive Batseeker 4. On the contrary, it's still the least expensive way for someone to try bat detecting first hand. But, it is an entry level bat detector designed for beginners. 

The following evening, I decided to utilize The Song Meter Micro for a full evening's worth of unattended bat recording...I was keen on figuring out exactly what the predominate species of bats were here.

I set-up the Micro's settings as follows:

 

Sample Rate: 96000

Maximum Recording Length:  10 Minutes

Gain: 6

Delay Start:  off

 

Start Time: Set (Sunset) 00:00

Time Duty Cycle: Always

End time: Rise (Sunrise) - 01:00

These settings worked well for my purposes. Let's not forget that The Song Meter Micro was designed to record non-bat species...

And I've also used the built-in 'Record birds/frogs 24 hours a day' setting, with good results as well.

And while utilizing the latest version of Kaleidoscope Pro software, I was able to get some decent results (when compared to having a dedicated [designed for] bat detector). 

 

The Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)

appears to be the most abundant species here.
 

 

Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)

 

Silver-Haired Bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans)

One of the things I really enjoy about The Micro, is the ability to use Bluetooth to check it's status. Now first I will point out the typical maximum distance of Bluetooth, when considering smart phones & tablets - The general consensus is 10 meters (30 feet). If I remember correctly, back when Bluetooth was first announced, it was 15 feet?

If you're interested in the official (specification) for Bluetooth communication between (various) devices; and under various circumstances - You're free to become engrossed with this page, from Bluetooth itself. Note: The short video provides an amusing summary!
But, I digress...

 

The gist of it is, that I find it fun to connect to the deployed Song Meter Micro via Bluetooth, to check it's status. Especially, if the unit it set-up in the back garden, and I can check it while comfortably in bed:

 

General status of Song Meter Micro via Bluetooth

(using Lenovo tablet)

As seen from the screenshot above, the data provided are the most essential factors. The 2 which I typically look at, are: (number of) Recordings, and Battery Level. I'm also happy to report that I've typically been able to communicate with The Micro from distances well on the plus side of 10 meters.

It's interesting to see it connect, while the distances between are not line of sight, through house walls, at odd angles, etc.

The Song Meter Micro Configuration screen

Personally, the species I've been hoping to record are Shrews; (Blarina Spp.) Short-Tailed Shrew, specifically. None confirmed yet, but I've recorded plenty of interesting species in the process. The Micro is well suited for recording many different species, and will be popular with Ecologists in the field.

 

To summarize, and point out additional features:

 

The Configurator App (on your smart phone or tablet) conveniently shows the recording space available on your installed SD card; and your battery status.

The User Manual states that mounting methods include bungie cords, zip ties, or cable locks - I agree; I've found zip ties of various sizes to be useful.

Inside The Song Meter Micro - Note: Always use good quality / good name brand batteries (not like the ones installed above)

 

As mentioned in my video review, on The BatAbility Club's Site:

I originally had issues when syncing the time/time zone, using my Lenovo tablet. I did not encounter the issue when testing/using The Micro with other smart phones & tablets.

The Preset 'Record birds/frogs from sunrise to sunset' is perfect for recording birds.

Remember to tap the 'Load' icon, to display a list of saved configuration files, while in the Configurator App. 

Tap the 'Save' icon to name and save the current configuration/settings to the Configuration Library.

To save new changes to the Configuration Library, tap the Save icon again.

The microphone has a Test Microphone feature. It allows you to check the status of the Mic's sensitivity; as well as calibrate it (with a third-party calibrator).

Choose a sample rate that is at least double the highest frequency to be recorded.

 

Utilizing a silica gel packet (inside the unit) when deploying, is an excellent tip from Wildlife Acoustics.
 

Again, The Song Meter Micro was made was designed to record vocalizations of non-bat species. So far, I've made very good recordings of: Fowler's Toads, Wood Ducks, various songbirds, various singing insects, Great Horned Owl, Coyote, and in a pinch: Bats.

I think my Nephew Gabe approves!

Next-up: USB based bat detectors from Pettersson! The M500 and U384 Microphones - Video presentation review on The BatAbility Club! 

If you haven't already, you should consider becoming a Member - Neil Middleton has interviewed almost everyone who is anyone in the world of Bats!

Including extensive interviews with Lars Pettersson, David King, and none other than Merlin Tuttle!! And many, many more...

Until then, Happy bat animal detecting!

Review Of The LunaBat DFR-1 Pro Bat Detector Part 2 of 2

Review of The LunaBat DFR-1 Pro From Animal Sound Labs Part 2 of 2 

 

I expect Readers to find much of the User Manual to contain rather interesting bits of information. Some additional pages of interest from the User Manual include:

 

3.11 Correction of the recording level (Rec Level) AKA: (Changing the recording level [Set Rec Level]). Page 16

4. Detector firmware update (Firmware Update). Page 17

5. Useful tips. Page 19

6. Approximate working times in different conditions.* Page 20

 

*Of particular interest, if you're a battery geek (like me) - Two excellent brands of batteries are mentioned as well.

The LunaBat DFR-1 Pro is a good product for those in need of a handheld, professional-level bat recorder; which may also be used as an unattended detector, in many instances. It is robustly built, and can be relied upon to record bats in almost any situation or environment.

 

I've been informed that the very latest version of this detector, has had the buttons modified to respond to less pressure, and the amount of button travel has been reduced.

The illumination of the LEDs has also been made more energy efficient. 

 

As mentioned in Part 1 of this (2-part) review, the unit is highly customizable. Amoung the features are:

• High-pass and low-pass filters
• Full spectrum  High Pass filters
• Frequency division high pass filters

As indicated in the user manual when the full spectrum high pass filter is turned on, certain audible sounds will not be recorded, such as those produced at frequencies below 15 kilohertz. Things like conversations, walking on dry grass and / or leaves, and other undesirable sounds.

Use of this filter is recommended during recording attempts in strong winds, or when one is in fact walking on dry leaves, dry grass, etc.

With the full spectrum high pass filter enabled, the lower-frequency limit of recorded signals will be approximately 150 Hertz, which enables things like verbal comments, other voices, and other  normally audible sounds. 

During my Summer of testing, I rarely came across a situation in which I needed to enable it. When using even the default settings, there weren't many instances where sounds other than bats triggered the LunaBat. I would just hit 'OK' to record, and walk...

If you have dry leaves underfoot during your survey, bat-walk, etc., then in addition to the filter, you can adjust the trigger level. Regardless of the mode I used, no background hiss was heard from this detector. 

All of this is covered in more detail in part 3.9 (page 15) of the user manual.

 

It has demonstrated excellent sensitivity. As you will see, when I add some results below, in the form of sonograms, and recordings. ...Thank you for your patience...

Now, although Animal Sound Labs graciously provided a list of links to free sound analysis software - On their Download page (under the heading 'Programs').

I decided to go ahead and utilize the latest version of Kaleidoscope (Version 5.4.2) from Wildlife Acoustics.

Especially since an update post on this excellent bat call auto-ID software is on my agenda.

 

Eptesicus Fuscus (Big Brown Bat)

as seen with WA's Kaleidoscope Pro software.

 

Lasionycteris Noctivagans (Silver-haired bat) 

Other neat features worth mentioning are:

 

A standard (3.5mm) audio cable may be used to connect the detector to a cell phone (w/ Mic Input) - Allowing Apps such as SpectralProAnalyzer to display live spectrograms. You may also experiment with similar, spectrogram-producing Apps.

 

Once the GPS/GNSS (blue) indicator comes on, maximum signal strength (exposure to the open sky) is no longer needed.

 

The volume setting is remembered after the unit is powered off; and even during battery replacement (if completed in under ~1 minute).

The length of each individual recording may be set to anywhere from 3 seconds to 60 minutes. 

 

As always, I encourage readers to do their research, and shop around. Again, watch this space for soon-to-be-posted spectrogams!

To be continued...

Happy bag detecting!