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Song Meter SM3BAT
Song Meter SM3 Bioacoustics Recorder User Manual DRAFT 005 Feb 3, 2014
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. 970 Sudbury Road Concord, MA 01742-4939 (978) 369-5225 (888) 733-0200 www.wildlifeacoustics.com
B I O A C O U S T I C S R E C O R D E R
User Guide
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©2014 Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
This documentation may not be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, scanning, recording, taping, e-mailing, or storing in information storage and retrieval systems without the written permission of Wildlife Acoustics. Products that are referenced in this document such as Microsoft Windows® may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Wildlife Acoustics makes no claim to these trademarks. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, individually, as a series, in whole, or in part, Wildlife Acoustics, the publisher, and the author assume no responsibility for errors or omissions, including any damages resulting from the express or implied application of information contained in this document or from the use of products, services, or programs that may accompany it. In no event shall Wildlife Acoustics, publishers, authors, or editors of this guide be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this document.
Wildlife Acoustics, Song Meter, Echo Meter, and Kaleidoscope are registered with the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office. SM1, SM2, SM2BAT, SM3, SM3BAT and WAC are trademarks of
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. The
Song Meter is patented (U.S. Pat. No. 7,44,334 and 7,782,195). Additional U.S. and international patents and trademarks are pending.
March 7, 2014
BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
C O N T E N T S
1 Quick Start Recording Checklist 1
2 Song Meter SM3BAT Overview 3
What's New in the SM3BAT ........................................................................ 3
3 SM3BAT Setup 13
How to Connect Optional Microphones................................................... 13
How to Turn Power ON and OFF .............................................................. 15
How to Use the SM3BAT with External Power ........................................ 17
How to Insert and Remove SD Memory Cards ........................................ 17
How to Set the Date and Time .................................................................. 18
How to Set the Location and Time Zone .................................................. 19
How to Set the Solar Calculation Method ................................................ 20
How to Change the Prefix for Recorded Files ........................................... 21
How to Verify the Device and Audio Settings .......................................... 21
How to Mount the Recorder ..................................................................... 22
How to Check the Status of the Recorder ................................................ 22
How to Connect the GPS Time-Synch Option .......................................... 24
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4 Programs on the SM3BAT 27
How to Load a Built-In Program ................................................................ 27
How to Edit a Program on the SM3BAT Recorder ................................... 28
How to Create a New Program on the SM3 ............................................. 29
How to Import a Program ......................................................................... 30
5 Using the SM3 Configurator 33
How to Install the SM3 Configurator ........................................................ 33
How to Open the SM3 Configurator ......................................................... 33
SM3 Configurator User Interface .............................................................. 34
How to Create a Program Using the SM3 Configurator Software ........... 35
How to Adjust Configuration Settings ...................................................... 36
How to Adjust Deployment Scenario Settings ......................................... 36
How to Use the Scrollable Calendar View ................................................ 37
6 Developing Custom Programs 39
How to Work With the Program Checker ................................................ 47
How to Resolve Program Checker Errors ................................................. 48
7 Managing Deployments 53
How to Estimate Battery Life .................................................................... 53
How to Estimate Memory Requirements ................................................ 53
8 Working with Recordings 57
How to Examine the Summary Text Files ................................................. 59
BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
How to Download and Install the Kaleidoscope Conversion
9 Utilities 61
How to Erase and Format SD Memory Cards ........................................... 61
How to Reset Factory Default Settings ..................................................... 61
How to Measure Microphone Sensitivity................................................. 62
How to Update Firmware ......................................................................... 65
How to Generate Diagnostics ................................................................... 66
10 SM3BAT Specifications 69
11 Release Notes 79
Song Meter SM3BAT Firmware Release Notes ........................................ 79
12 Warranty and Disclosures 81
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. Limited Warranty ................................................. 81
Declaration of Conformity (EN 45014) ...................................................... 83
Prohibition Against Eavesdropping .......................................................... 84
Electromagnetic Interference ................................................................... 84
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT User Guide Quick Start Recording Checklist
1 Quick Start Recording Checklist
Complete the following checklist to start recording with the SM3.
□
Install four (4) new high-quality size D alkaline, NiMH, or lithium batteries in
the two battery bays. See 3.4 How to Install Batteries.
□
Loosen the thumb-screws and remove the memory bay cover. Insert at least
one (1) and up to four (4) memory cards. See 3.6 How to Insert and Remove
□
Turn the power switch to ON (down position) for internal battery power.
Replace the memory bay cover by hand-tightening the four (4) thumbscrews.
□
The device powers on and reports its status. For example:
2016-Feb-19 19:02:39
SM3 12345 ULT R1.0.0
A: 0/64 B: 0/128
C: 0/128 D: EMPTY
□
After scanning the memory cards, the Song Meter Main Menu appears:
Song Meter Main Menu
-Program
-Settings
-Utilities
□
Set the date and time. See 3.7 How to Set the Date and Time.
□
Load a built-in program. See 4.3 How to Load a Built-In Program.
□
For bat recording Sunset to Sunrise will record triggered WAV files and Sunset
- Sunrise ZC will record triggered zero crossing.
□
For Sunset to Sunrise or Sunrise to Sunset programs, set the recorder location
and time zone. See 3.8 How to Set the Location and Time Zone.
□
Connect one or two SM3-U1 Ultrasonic microphones. The recorder will automatically sense the microphones and record on those channels.
□
Mount the device in a suitable location for unattended recording.
□
Press the PROGRAM START button to start the active program on the recorder. The SM3BAT records for the duration of your deployment. You can extend a deployment by replacing the batteries and memory cards.
□
When finished recording, hours or days later, press and hold PROGRAM
STOP for two seconds.
□
Remove memory cards and review the recordings on a computer.
For more information about all of the items listed above, refer to the remainder of this user manual. page
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
Quick Start Recording Checklist SM3BAT User Guide
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
Song Meter SM3BAT Overview SM3BAT User Guide
2 Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
2.1
Introduction
The Song Meter SM3BAT is an advanced next-generation, professional, costeffective and reliable solution for the periodic, seasonal, or ongoing long-term acoustic monitoring of bats, as well as birds, frogs, and other wildlife in any field conditions.
You can program the recorder to record when you want for as long as you need.
The SM3BAT has the battery life and memory capacity to record for hundreds of hours and can be used outdoors for extended durations lasting days, weeks, or even months at a time.
The SM3BAT combines a two-channel full spectrum recorder and a two-channel zero-crossing recorder in one box. The recorder can record full spectrum up to
384 kHz sample rate on one channel and up to 256 kHz on two channels (192 kHz in WAC mode) simultaneously. Additionally it can record zero crossing on one or two channels and at the same time as recording full spectrum.
Use the available Kaleidoscope™ software, sold separately, to view and analyze your recordings automatically identify recorded species. For more information, visit our website at www.wildlifeacoustics.com.
2.2
What's New in the SM3BAT
The latest generation of Song Meter SM3BAT was completely redesigned to be the most reliable, easiest to use and most technologically advanced bioacoustics recorders on the market. An all new enclosure, circuitry, programming language and microphone incorporate lessons learned from 10 years of designing bioacoustics recorders.
Unparalleled Reliability
■
The new custom die cast aluminum enclosure is built like a tank. It is even more rugged and weatherproof than the SM2BAT.
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The new recorder was extensively tested in lab for temperature cycles, dropping, shaking, vibrating, water spray, submersion, etc. The SM3 can handle anything you throw at it. Literally.
■
Foolproof battery bays mean you always know you have good battery contact and they will stay in place for the duration of your deployment.
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The weatherproof hatch allows for memory card access without exposing the circuit board to the elements.
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Song Meter SM3BAT Overview SM3BAT User Guide
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A mounting flange is integrated right into enclosure; it is designed to work with radiator clamps, screws or bungee cords.
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A weatherproof keypad allows easy user interaction and feedback with dual color status LED and a backlit display.
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All cable connection points are on a custom molded module. No more nuts needing tightening.
■
To back up our confidence in the new design, we are warranting the SM3 and SM3BAT for three years. This is the longest warranty in the industry and is backed by Wildlife Acoustics’ legendary support. If you should have any issue in or out of warranty, we are here to help.
Improved Usability
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The SM3BAT will warn of mistakes when you load or try to run a program.
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All new programming language is powerful and flexible yet easy to use.
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There are no more audio settings, all parameters are set in the program and can be changed programmatically.
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No more switches or jumpers. Gain and filters are programmatically controlled.
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Auto set-up allows you to begin recording right out of the box, just attach microphones and press run. You can tweak your program to perfection later.
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The recorder can recognize microphone type, which is used for auto-set up or to warn of error.
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Complete control over all internal parameters means much finer control of trigger and “scrubber” settings for advanced users.
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The “Check status” button lets you see the state of the machine without interrupting recording, check card usage, battery voltage, etc.
■
Meta-data is embedded in recordings and self-diagnostics allow for easier support. The meta-data contains all information pertaining to the recording including gain, microphone type, even the entire program.
New microphone design
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Ultrasonic and Acoustics microphones are available (SM3-U1 and SM3-A1 respectively).
■
The Ultrasonic SM3-U1 uses a high quality “FG” microphone element. This element has noise more evenly distributed, a superior signal to noise ratio and a flat frequency response.
■
The FG element is extremely resistant to water damage. The element has been used on bat detectors for decades and has a reputation for an extended life..
■
Gain is applied at the microphone to increase signal in the cables to significantly improve resistance to electrical noise interference. This will result in much higher quality recordings when the microphone cables are run near other cables on MET towers or in wind turbines.
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A differential output cancels out EMI noise to further reduce interference. page
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SM3BAT User Guide Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
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Includes a 3m cable with 10m and 50m extensions available.
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An adapter box will be available for using these new microphones with SM2 systems.
Advanced Technology
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All new circuit design.
■
Longer battery life o
New design is extremely efficient at all voltages. o
Can handle 5 - 17V inputs w/ reverse voltage protection and will operate efficiently at the full voltage range. o
No more power adapter, just an inexpensive cable with battery attachment points. o
Lithium D batteries with higher voltage can be used internally.
■
Battery voltage is detected and can be used to shut down the recorder at a minimum voltage to save external lead acid batteries.
■
Built in serial communication. Plug a GPS right in for time synchronization or location logging.
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A temperature-controlled crystal maintains clock accuracy at extreme temperatures. This results in less clock drift.
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Native SDXC support – no reformatting needed.
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Better compatibility with all SDHC and SDXC cards. All cards class 4 or faster will work without “glitching” at any sample rate.
■
A nap mode allows for the recorder to enter a low power state in between triggers to further increase battery life when recording full spectrum. Nap mode can improve the already improved battery life by up to 50%.
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Record on two-channels at 256 kHz sample rate or on one-channel up to
384 kHz sample rate.
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Record zero crossing (ZC) on two channels.
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Record on two channels at 256 kHz sample rate AND zero crossing on two channels. Simultaneously!
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Better auto-leveling on the zero crossing means that the threshold can be more optimally set to allow recording more bats. This is set automatically for every recording period.
■
ZC division ratios of 4, 8 or 16 are now available.
2.3
Updates and Support
SM3BAT is field-upgradeable. New features, fixes, and improvements are available in firmware updates from our website. The SM3 Configurator notifies
you about new firmware. See 9.4 How to Update Firmware on page 65.
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Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
2.3.1
How to Join Our Mailing List
SM3BAT User Guide
Join our mailing list to receive important news and information about your Song
Meter and related products, features, and events.
1.
Open a web browser on your computer or mobile device.
1.
Navigate to www.wildlifeacoustics.com
.
2.
Click Contact Us.
3.
Click Join Our Mailing List.
4.
Complete the online form and click Add to Mailing List.
2.3.2
How to Contact Support
We have full-time support staff ready to assist you.
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Email: [email protected]
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In the United States (toll-free): 1-888-733-0200
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Outside the United States: +1 978-369-5225
For support in the U.K. we have partnered with Baker Consultants, Ltd. to provide free local support services.
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Telephone: 0114 360 9977
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Email: [email protected]
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Skype: sm3fieldsupport page
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT User Guide
2.4
SM3BAT Visual Tour
Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
Table 1: Song Meter SM3BAT Product Diagram
1 and ready for outdoor adventure, use these cutouts to mount your SM3BAT in almost any land environment for a wide range of applications.
2
3
4
5 to 2 TB (currently 256 GB is the maximum capacity being manufactured).
Sturdy cover and four easy-grip thumb-screws offer superior protection.
Remove the cover to access the SD card slots and power switch.
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Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
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SM3BAT User Guide
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(with or without solar panels). Also supports audio out to an external speaker for playback of audio files (not yet available).
All of the SM3BAT electronics, batteries, data storage memory cards, display, and controls are mounted inside the weather-resistant enclosure to protect them from the elements. Do not remove the back cover of your recorder. There are no user serviceable parts and removing the cover will void your warranty. When necessary, only remove the thumb-screw cover for the memory bay, the two twist-off battery bay covers, and the four connector module caps.
Each of the four connectors provides a weatherproof seal when mated with a microphone cable or with the watertight connector caps. Connector caps protect the connector port from moisture and debris. Always cap unused connectors.
The caps are simply pushed over the connector until fully seated.
IMPORTANT: Gently but firmly hand-tighten all covers, caps, and connectors to completely secure the device against the environment before use. Do not use tools or apply too much pressure since this could over-tighten and damage the recorder.
BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT User Guide Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
Table 2: SM3BAT LCD Display and Buttons
1 screen backlight for visibility in nighttime or low-light environments.
Remains lit while you continue pressing buttons to operate the device. The backlight turns itself off after 5 seconds of inactivity.
2
3
4 and view the menu options on the LCD screen to control the unit.
Press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to navigate lists of options. Press ► Right to advance to the next submenu or value. Press
► Right to save your changes.
Press
◄ Left to cancel or go back to the last menu item. Press ENTER/MENU to navigate menus, select options, and to confirm entries.
LED Indicator: Flashes
☼
green once per second during a recording. Flashes
☼
red once per second when Armed during triggered recording. During a triggered record, flashes green once per second.
5 may go to sleep until a scheduled recording event or begin recording immediately. If a program is already running, pressing this button does nothing. If you are in the menus, this will exit and start the program.
6 may need to hold the button for a couple seconds to register in some modes.
If you press this in the menus, it will do nothing.
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Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
2.5
The LCD Main Menu
SM3BAT User Guide
Refer to the following table when navigating the SM3BAT screen main menu using the LCD screen and directional buttons.
Table 3: Song Meter Main Menu
Program
Menu Item
Load Program
Edit Program
Import Program
Export Program
Settings
Sunrise/Sunset Type
Location
Prefix
Latitude
Longitude
Timezone UTC
Time and Date
Power Volt Cutoff
Ch 0 Sensitivity
Ch 1 Sensitivity
Utilities
Export Diagnostics
Set Factory Default
Calibrate Mics
Format All Cards
Firmware Update
Description
Choose a ready-to-run (and customizable) built-in program.
Edit, add, or delete command lines in a program.
Import a program and associated settings from an SD card.
Export a program and associated settings to an SD card.
(Optional) You can also use the SM3 Configurator software to override the settings on any SM3BAT device.
Specify one of four recognized methods for calculating the sunrise and sunset.
Specify the location using a prefix, Lat/Long, and time zone.
Specify a short code to identify recordings from a specific program, project, location, or SM3BAT device; useful to project teams with multiple recorders.
Specify the latitude of the SM3BAT anywhere on the globe in degrees north (N) or south (S) of the equator. Latitude is used in sunrise and sunset time calculations.
Specify the longitude of the SM3BAT anywhere on the globe in degrees west (W) or east (E) of Greenwich. Longitude is used in sunrise and sunset time calculations.
Set the global time zone for your device.
Set the local date and time for your device.
Specify a minimum voltage from 0.0 to 12.0 volts in 0.1 volt increments. If voltage falls below this value in a 24-hour period, the program is suspended. Use only with external batteries to protect certain battery types from over-discharge.
Specify channel 0 microphone sensitivity from 0.0 to -299.9 dB in 0.1 dB increments. This value is saved in the recording metadata and may be used in future features.
Specify channel 1 microphone sensitivity from 0.0 to -299.9 dB in 0.1 dB increments. This value is saved in the recording metadata and may be used in future features.
Display useful status and troubleshooting information.
Reset the original device settings.
Test the sensitivity levels of built-in and connected mics.
Erase and reformat all SD cards. The original file system such as exFAT or FAT32 is preserved.
CAUTION
is lost and cannot be recovered.
: All data on the cards
Update the device with a new firmware file in slot A. page
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT User Guide
2.6
Basic Operation
Song Meter SM3BAT Overview
Typical operation of the recorder is represented in the following steps:
1.
Configure the following key components of any recording deployment with your specific goals in mind:
a.
Power: Insert batteries or connect another power source.
b.
Memory: Insert and format memory cards
c.
Location: Identify an appropriate recording location and mounting requirements for the duration of the deployment.
TIP: Use the SM3 Configurator software to estimate memory card requirements and power consumption for the program that you plan to run.
2.
Load a program on the recorder. You can choose:
■
a built-in program already on the recorder
■
a program you edit on the recorder
■
a custom program that you design in the SM3 Configurator and then import to the recorder on a memory card.
3.
Deploy the recorder for a period of days, weeks, or even months.
4.
Press the PROGRAM START button.
5.
The SM3BAT sleeps until the next scheduled recording time.
6.
The SM3BAT wakes for the scheduled recording start time, records the sound as programmed, and saves recordings on one or more memory cards.
7.
Check the recorder after a period of time has elapsed (it might be several days, weeks, or even months). Periodically perform the following steps:
a.
Exchange memory cards and install fresh batteries out in the field.
b.
Remove the device from its mounted location to clean and maintain the recorder and prepare it for its next assignment.
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Song Meter SM3BAT Overview SM3BAT User Guide
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT Setup SM3BAT User Guide
3 SM3BAT Setup
3.1
Required Items
You will need at least the following required items to operate the recorder:
■
1 to 4 SDHC or SDXC Memory Cards (required for making recordings and installing firmware updates)
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Power Source (4 D-size batteries or external power source and external power cable)
■
Program File (built-in program or your own program)
■
1 to 2 Ultrasonic Microphones
3.2
How to Connect Optional Microphones
You can connect one or two external microphones. The two microphone connectors for channel 0 and channel 1 can mate with our weatherproof cabled
SM3-U1 Ultrasonic microphones or SM3-A1 Acoustic Microphones.
NOTE: Connection with unauthorized devices may cause damage to the recorder and will void the warranty. Please contact us for advice on connecting other microphones.
Wildlife Acoustics’ microphones feature two layers of weather protection. First, a hydrophobic membrane transparent to acoustic or ultrasound signals prevents unpressurized water from entering the microphone. The membrane, however, can be easily compromised by wind-blown rain. The foam windscreen provides a critical second layer of protection to absorb the impact of wind-blown rain so that only unpressurized water reaches the membrane effectively protecting the transducer. When dry, the foam windscreen is almost transparent to ultrasound with a loss of only 2dB. However, the loss increases with frequency when wet, and will effectively block ultrasound if it then freezes.
The windscreen should be replaced when it deteriorates. Replacements are available from our online store.
NOTE: The windscreen will fade to brown in time. This only indicates degradation of the coloring dyes and does not integrate a change in the foams integrity. The windscreen needs replacing when the foam begins to flake and break down.
We also recommend positioning the microphones so that they point parallel to the ground, or even slightly downward. In this configuration, even if the windscreen is absent and water penetrates the membrane, the water should not
BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS page
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SM3BAT Setup SM3BAT User Guide
collect in sensitive areas inside the microphone and there is a good chance that the transducer will survive.
The connector on the cable is keyed and the cable should be seated into the connector when oriented correctly and then locked into place by turning the locking ring on the microphone or cable clockwise firmly until it stops.
3.2.1
3.2.2
SM3-U1 Ultrasonic Microphone
The SM3-U1 is a highly sensitive and low noise ultrasonic microphone designed for recording ultrasound up to 190 kHz. One or two microphones can be attached via the connector module.
The SM3-U1 is a powered microphone and can be used with up 100 meter of cable with no attenuation or degradation. In addition, the microphone has a differential output which significantly reduces noise from electromagnetic sources.
The SM3-U1 is an omnidirectional microphone and is therefore ideally suited to unattended monitoring in which the precise direction of bat activity may not be known in advance. See the specifications chapter for polar plots. The microphone can be adapted for a directional sensitivity with the available SM3 Horn attachment.
See the Specifications chapter for more information on the acoustic properties of these microphones.
How to Connect the SM3-Horn Attachment
The available SM3 Horn attachment turns our SM3-U1 omni-directional ultrasonic microphone into a highly directional microphone, while preserving call quality. The attachment is designed to be used without the standard microphone windscreen and it remains weatherproof at angles of 45-degrees or less. page
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT User Guide
3.2.3
SM3-A1 Acoustic Microphone
SM3BAT Setup
A cabled SM3-A1 acoustic microphone is also available (sold separately). This microphone shares the same high quality recording element as the SM3 Acoustic recorder. They are completely weatherproof design and can be used with cables up to 100 meters in length to allow placement away from the recorder. One or two can be attached via the connector module. See the Specifications chapter for more information on the acoustic properties of these microphones.
3.2.4
SM3-H1 Hydrophone
The SM3BAT recorder can also be used with an available hydrophone, the SM3-
H1, for making underwater recordings. The hydrophone ships on a 20 meter cable and attaches to the same connectors as the cabled microphones. An ultrasonic hydrophone to record dolphin echolocations is also available.
3.3
How to Turn Power ON and OFF
You can set the power selection switch to use either internal power from four (4)
D-size batteries (alkaline, NiMH, or lithium) or external power through the connector port. The power selection switch is located in the memory bay.
Set the power switch down to turn the unit ON using internal battery power.
When not in use, set the switch up to conserve battery power. The up position also enables external power, if connected. When no external power exists, consider the up position to be OFF.
NOTE: Do not turn the power OFF when a recording is in progress. To safely exit from recording, press STOP PROGRAM, allow the recorder to return to the main menu, and then power down the device.
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SM3BAT Setup SM3BAT User Guide
NOTE: Avoid quickly switching power OFF and then ON again. The SM3 can interpret this sudden loss and restoration of power as an error and may start diagnostics.
When you turn the power ON the following LCD screen appears:
2014-Jan-31 09:00:00
SM3 99999 ULT R1.0.0
A: 2/128 B: 0/128
C: 0/128 D: 0/128
The same information appears when the unit wakes from sleep and starts itself as programmed. It shows the following information:
■
The current date in YYYY-MMM-DD format.
■
The current time in HH:MM:SS format.
■
The model number and serial number for the recorder.
■
Presence of ultrasonic abilities. (ULT if present indicating an SM3BAT model)
■
The firmware version. (R1.0.0)
■
For each card slot (A, B, C, and D) the memory used as a fraction of the total capacity in GB.
3.4
How to Install Batteries
With normal operation and high quality alkaline batteries, the SM3BAT can record approximately nights of full spectrum triggered recordings and approximately nights of triggered zero crossing recordings.. The SM3BAT enters a very low power state when not recording.
1.
Purchase four (4) new size D batteries of the same type. Alkaline batteries are recommended.
■
Do not mix batteries of different types, and do not mix old and new batteries.
■
Prior to installation, we recommend that you test all batteries with a high quality pulse load battery tester such as the ZTS MINI-MBT.
2.
Position your thumb and index finger into opposing beveled grooves of the battery bay cover.
3.
Turn up to 90 degrees counterclockwise to remove. The spring-loaded cover opens and the old batteries emerge.
4.
Remove the two old batteries and insert two new batteries with the (+) positive ends up toward the cover as shown below.
5.
Re-apply the cover. Align the notches and then turn the cover 90 degrees
clockwise, but no more than 90 degrees. Some force is required to seat the cover.
6.
Repeat for the two batteries in the other battery bay. page
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BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT User Guide SM3BAT Setup
3.5
How to Use the SM3BAT with External Power
With the optional External Power Cable, the power connector can safely accept voltages from 5-17 volt DC and is intended for 6 or 12 volt external battery systems. The SM3BAT provides protection against accidental reverse polarity connection. The power cable includes both spade connectors and ring terminals to attach to a large 6 or 12 volt battery.
3.6
How to Insert and Remove SD Memory Cards
Insert up to four cards. Insert a card only in slot A when you want to update the firmware, import or export a program, or utilize the SM3BAT .WAV playback capability. Replace cards when all storage space is consumed by recordings.
1.
Turn the four thumb-screws counterclockwise to remove the memory bay cover. You may need to clear any debris, sand, or dirt that may have accumulated along the sealed edges.
2.
Refer to the embossed letters A, B, C, and D on the cover to identify each card slot (also shown below).
3.
To remove a card, lightly push it forward and then feel it release from the slot and pull it out.
4.
Insert at least one card and up to three additional cards. Push lightly until the card is secure.
5.
Re-apply the cover. Turn the four thumb-screws clockwise to tighten.
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SM3BAT Setup SM3BAT User Guide
TIP: Insert multiple SD memory cards to take advantage of failover capabilities.
If an error occurs on one card, the SM3BAT can continue writing data on another card.
If the recorder is unable to write to all available SD cards, the following error appears:
2016-Jan-31 09:00:00
CARDS FULL OR ERROR
0: 24000 --- -------
1: 24000 ---
-------
NOTE: During a recording, do not remove memory cards. Replace cards only when the unit is in sleep mode or when power is OFF. In some cases, removing and/or inserting a memory card while the device is recording (often called hot-swapping) may cause the recorder to restart.
3.7
How to Set the Date and Time
You can set the current date and time for the device. For example, you travel with the recorder to another time zone or want to adjust for daylight savings time.
As you adjust the month and date, the unit calculates and displays the times for the next sunrise and sunset for your reference.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Settings, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Time and Date and press ENTER/MENU.
The date and time appear on one line in the following format:
YYYY-MMM-DD HH:MM:SS
For example:
2015-Oct-22 20:17:45
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3.
Press ENTER/MENU or ► Right.
The cursor flashes on the last digit of the year.
4.
To adjust the year, press ▲ Up or ▼ Down.
5.
Press ENTER/MENU or ► Right to set the month.
6.
To adjust the month, press ▲ Up or ▼ Down.
7.
Press ENTER/MENU or ► Right to set the numeric day of the month.
8.
To adjust the date, press ▲ Up or ▼ Down.
9.
Press ENTER/MENU or ► Right to set the hour.
10.
To adjust the hour, press ▲ Up or ▼ Down.
11.
Press ENTER/MENU or ► Right to set the minute.
12.
To adjust the minutes, press ▲ Up or ▼ Down.
13.
Press ENTER/MENU or ► Right to set the second.
14.
To adjust the seconds, press ▲ Up or ▼ Down.
At this point in the procedure, you have explored all of the options for changing date and time values.
15.
(Optional) To go back and make any changes, press ◄ Left.
Press ► Right to return to the seconds value.
16.
Press ENTER/MENU or ► Right to apply your changes. The cursor moves back to the first digit of the year and then applies your changes.
17.
Press ◄ Left two times to return to the main menu.
NOTE: To accelerate the pace when adjusting the date and time values, press and continue to hold down the ▲ Up or ▼ Down arrow buttons.
3.8
How to Set the Location and Time Zone
The selections you make for latitude, longitude, and time zone (in conjunction with the sunset/sunrise solar calculation type) enable the recorder to make adjustments and determine a specific sunrise and sunset time for each day.
NOTE: When you import a program with custom coordinates and UTC settings programmed in the SM3 Configurator, the settings will be overwritten on the recorder if the checkboxes were checked in the Configurator..
You can specify the local time zone (as used to set the clock) in hours relative to
UTC (Universal Time Coordinated). Half and quarter time zones (:00, :15, :30, :45) are also supported.
NOTE: The recorder does not automatically adjust for daylight savings time.
Use the following steps to set the latitude, longitude, and time zone.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Settings, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Location and press ENTER/MENU.
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3.
On the Location Settings screen, press ▼ Down to select Latitude.
a.
Press ► Right.
b.
To enter degrees of latitude north of the equator, press ▲ Up.
c.
To enter degrees of latitude south of the equator, press ▼ Down.
d.
Press ► Right to enter minutes.
e.
Press ENTER/MENU.
4.
On the Location Settings screen, press ▼Down to select Longitude.
a.
Press ► Right.
b.
To enter degrees of longitude west of the prime meridian, press ▲ Up.
c.
To enter degrees of longitude east of the prime meridian, press ▼ Down.
d.
Press ► Right to enter minutes.
e.
Press ENTER/MENU.
5.
On the Location Settings screen, press ▼ Down to select Timezone.
a.
Press ► Right.
b.
To specify one of the time zones ahead of 0:00 UTC, press ▲ Up.
c.
To specify one of the time zones behind 0:00 UTC, press ▼ Down.
d.
Press ► Right to specify additional 15-minute increments adopted by certain regions between two time zones.
e.
Press ENTER/MENU.
3.9
How to Set the Solar Calculation Method
Song Meter can be used to schedule recordings relative to sunrise and sunset times, and adjusts these times as they change during the year. You can choose from four different recognized methods of calculating the sunrise and sunset.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Settings, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Sunrise/Sunset Type and press ENTER/MENU.
3.
At the Sunrise/Sunset Type menu, the Solar item is already selected.
4.
Press ► Right to advance to the current solar calculation method.
5.
Press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to advance through the following list of choices:
■
Sunrise/set: The sun is just below the horizon.
■
Civil: The sun is 6 degrees below the horizon.
■
Nautical: The sun is 12 degrees below the horizon.
■
Astronomical: The sun is 18 degrees below the horizon.
6.
The calculated sunrise and sunset times for the method that you selected appear at the bottom of the LCD panel as if they were occurring today. For example:
Sunrise/Sunset Type
-Solar Nautical
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Rise 05:12 Set 18:57
7.
Press ENTER/MENU to save your changes.
8.
Press ◄ Left to return to the main menu.
SM3BAT Setup
NOTE: Sunrise and sunset calculations require other settings including your location
(latitude and longitude) and time zone.
3.10
How to Change the Prefix for Recorded Files
You can specify a filename prefix of up to 12 characters that appears in the recording file names to label recordings made by each SM3BAT unit. The prefix uniquely identifies each Song Meter in the field. For example, you can use a different prefix to tag recordings by location. It is also possible to use the same prefix to tag recordings by season or project name.
NOTE: The prefix can only contain capital letters, numbers, and hyphens.
The default prefix, set by the hardware, is the serial number of the SM3BAT recorder; however, you can edit this value on each device or override in the program file that you create using the SM3 Configurator software.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Settings, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Location and press ENTER/MENU.
3.
At the Location Settings menu, select Prefix, and press ► Right.
4.
Specify a 1 to 12 character prefix:
a.
At the first position, press ▲ Up to cycle through the alphabetic characters A to Z. Press ▼ Down to cycle through the numbers 9 to 0.
You can also select a hyphen.
b.
Press ► Right to advance to the next position in the prefix and repeat the previous step.
3.11
How to Verify the Device and Audio Settings
A quick way to test the device is to load the built-in 24-hour recording program.
Follow these steps:
1.
Press CHECK STATUS two times in sequence.
2.
Verify that Mic0 or Mic1 shows any optional attached external microphone.
3.
Perform the calibration procedure to verify that the microphones are
picking up sound. See 9.3 How to Measure Microphone Sensitivity.
4.
Insert an SD card into one of the memory slots.
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5.
Load the 24-hour recording program and press PROGRAM START.
6.
Make some audible sounds and ultrasonic sounds. “Chingling” keys works well for ultrasound.
7.
After a few minutes of recording time, press PROGRAM STOP.
8.
Examine the output on the SD card by inserting the card into another computer, laptop, or mobile device. View the recorded .WAC or .WAV file’s spectrogram. The filename should include the prefix set on the device or set by the SM3 Configurator if you loaded any custom programs. For example:
ARIZONA-1234_0+1_20160104_152209.wav
3.12
How to Mount the Recorder
Constructed of rugged die-cast powder-coated aluminum, the SM3BAT is weather-resistant to the specifications given in this guide. Use the top and bottom mounting receptacles for attaching the unit with cables, screws, radiator clamps, bungee cords, or other fasteners.
3.13
How to Check the Status of the Recorder
Use the following procedure to check the status of the recorder. Cargo, including the SM3, can shift during transit. Always perform this procedure to check the status of the recorder and memory cards before a deployment.
1.
Press the CHECK STATUS button one time and quickly release the button.
2.
If a recording is loaded, the following screen appears:
2016-Jan-31 18:00:00
Going to sleep until
2016-Feb-01 13:00:00
To conserve power, the device enters sleep mode until the program starts.
3.
Press and hold down the CHECK STATUS button for a full second.
4.
The LCD screen backlight illuminates and an initial status screen appears.
2015-Jan-31 09:03:48
SM3 99999 ULT R1.0.3
See 3.3 How to Turn Power ON and OFF on page 15 for more details.
5.
After a short delay, the screen resets and the backlight turns off to conserve power. page
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6.
Press CHECK STATUS and then press CHECK STATUS a second time. A second status screen appears after the first one. This screen shows the current battery voltage and temperature. In both of the following examples, an external ultrasonic microphone is connected on channel 0.
a.
In this example, the unit is not currently recording; however, it has been programmed to start recording at the date and time shown:
Bat 5.9V Temp 16.70
Mic0: U1 Mic1: NA
Next recording at:
2016-Feb-01 05:30:00 b.
In this example, the unit is currently recording on microphone 1 at a sound level of 41.1 dB.
Bat 5.9V Temp 16.70
Mic0: NA Mic1: U1
0:---------------/--
1:* -41.1dB/--
NOTE: New alkaline batteries should report 6 or more volts. The screen also shows the internal temperature of the recorder in degrees. This is intended for diagnostics and not to be an accurate measure of outside air temperature.
3.14
Temperature Sensor
The recorder includes an integrated temperature sensor to log temperatures inside the enclosure. This is intended for diagnostics only. Heat from the circuit and/or heat from sun on the enclosure both can significantly increase the temperature reading above ambient air conditions.
3.15
The Backup Clock Battery
The backup clock battery for this device is not user-accessible. The clock battery is pre-installed in all new devices and should last three (3) years with normal use.
During normal operation the D cell batteries (or external power source when used) supplies power to the clock. The internal battery is only a backup to preserve the time settings if there is no main power or the SM3BAT is turned
OFF. The unit will still operate properly with a dead clock battery; however, the clock will need to be reset if the D cells are removed or are depleted.
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SM3BAT Setup
3.16
SM3BAT User Guide
How to Connect the GPS Time-Synch Option
Use the optional GPS time-synch receiver to calculate the location of wildlife signals from multiple SM3BAT units and multiple recordings. The optional GPS time-synch receiver synchronizes the SM3BAT clock to the GPS time base for extremely accurate time stamping on all your recordings. It also logs the path and location of recordings. The GPS coordinates are logged in a file on the SD card and in metadata inside each recording file.
NOTE: The GPS receiver does not synchronize recordings when using recording triggers. You must record continuously to maintain synchronization.
Crystal oscillators used in clocks and electronics, including the SM3, have frequencies that vary over time. The SM3BAT clock uses a temperaturecompensated crystal with very low drift (< 3.5 ppm); however, clock drift of several milliseconds per hour can still occur.
The SM3BAT GPS receiver can synchronize your recordings across multiple recorders to within one millisecond. Arrange multiple time-synchronized recorders to triangulate a source location by measuring the relative time-ofarrival of sound waves as they travel.
NOTE: The GPS Time Synch Option provides synchronized recordings, but additional third-party tools are needed to determine the time of arrival of a particular signal to each microphone and calculate the position of the source.
1.
Order an SM3BAT with this option or place a new order for the GPS timesynch receiver for SM3.
2.
The Location in the Location Settings will be automatically set by the GPS.
NOTE: Although the navigation steps are the same, the values are now read-only. You cannot change them. This change in location may affect the calculated sunrise and sunset times when using advanced scheduling commands.
3.
Time Zone should be set as described on page 19.
4.
Unpack the optional GPS time-synch receiver and the 5 meter cable that is included with it.
5.
Remove the cap over the serial communication connector, the third connector from the top in the series of four ports in the connector module.
Refer to Table 1: Song Meter SM3BAT Product Diagram.
6.
Attach, rotate, and secure the cable to the serial communication connector to make a weatherproof seal.
7.
Position the receiver where a reliable GPS signal can be received.
NOTE: It can be difficult to acquire a GPS signal in thick vegetation. page
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8.
The SM3BAT automatically detects the presence of the GPS receiver. When the SM3BAT wakes up, the GPS receiver is powered up. A question mark
(?) blinks between the date and time to indicate that the GPS receiver is attempting to acquire global positioning satellite data.
2014-Jan-31 09?00:00
SM3 99999 ULT R1.0.0
A: 2/128 B: 0/128
C: 0/128 D: 0/128
9.
When the GPS receiver has successfully acquired satellite transmissions, the question mark changes to an exclamation point (!) and then a dollar sign ($) indicating that the clock is now synchronized.
10.
The SM3BAT clock automatically adjusts to GPS time.
3.16.1
Details of Operation
For scheduled recordings, the SM3BAT will wake up 150 seconds before the scheduled recording to give the GPS time to acquire satellites (without the GPS option, the SM3BAT normally wakes up 30 seconds before the scheduled recording). The recording will then start to within a fraction of a millisecond of
GPS time. If the GPS has been used recently in the area, the position fix will take under a minute. If a significant amount of time has elapsed or the GPS has been shipped some distance, the GPS must download new tables. In this case the first position fix can take up to 40 minutes, but subsequent fixes should still occur in under a minute.
While making the recording, the SM3BAT automatically makes small adjustments by inserting or removing samples as needed to maintain synchronization with the GPS clock to within one millisecond. Additionally, if recording to a .WAC file, the latitude and longitude coordinates are stored approximately every second.
This data can then be viewed with Song Scope or extracted by Kaleidoscope software.
NOTE: The GPS receiver does not synchronize recordings when using triggered WAV mode. Synchronization is only provided for non-triggered WAV, non-triggered WAC, or triggered WAC.
At the end of a recording, the underscore character (_)in the filename between the date and time is changed to a dollar sign ($) if synchronization was acquired and maintained for the duration of the recording. This is how you can tell if the entire recording was successfully synchronized. If the GPS signal was not successfully acquired before the recording started or lost at any point during the recording for more than a few seconds, the $ will not be present in the filename.
3.16.2
Extracting Location Information
If the recordings are in .WAC file mode, location information can be viewed in
Song Scope (version 3.4 or later) by dragging the curser around the spectrogram.
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If the recordings are in .WAC or ZC mode and converted to .WAV in
Kaleidoscope, the GPS data can be extracted into either a comma-separated values (.csv) file or Google .kml file. Select the Extract GPS track check box on the GPS tab and select your format. The resulting file will show waypoints for the end of each triggered event.
If the recordings are converted to zero crossing (ZC), the GPS coordinates will be stored in the ZC file such that they can be viewed in compatible zero crossing software.
If extracting from .WAC format, you can additionally select a frequency in seconds to show path information.
You can also view the GPS locations per recording period and clock drift in the
Summary file, generated by the SM3BAT while recording. The drift is logged as time delta from the SM3BAT real time clock (RTC). Negative numbers means the
RTC is slow relative to GPS while positive numbers mean the RTC is fast relative to GPS. This file can be used for special cases, where drift of unsynchronized recordings between two synchronized recordings can be estimated and corrected.
3.16.3
Power Considerations
The GPS receiver consumes about 500 mW of additional current. This will result in a reduction of about 65% of the estimated battery life for audio recordings and 50% of the estimated battery life for ultrasonic recordings. page
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4 Programs on the SM3BAT
Programs on the SM3BAT
4.1
Introduction
The operating behavior of the SM3BAT is controlled by a program. The current or active program can be loaded from one of the built-in programs, imported from a program file on an SD card, or created or modified using the recorder's program editor. The program controls the recording or call-playback schedule and all parameters that you might want to have change over time. There is only a small number of settings that aren't controlled by the program: those that are in the Settings menu, such as the recorder's filename prefix.
4.2
Recording Basics
Song Meter can record in stereo using both channels, or mono using either channel 0 or channel 1. By default, compression is turned off and the audio files are stored as uncompressed .WAV files. If you enable compression to reduce file size, the SM3BAT stores the audio files in a proprietary Wildlife Acoustics Audio
Compression (WAC) file format with a .WAC filename extension. The SM3BAT also offers a zero crossing format for recording bats.
The WAC0 format is a lossless audio compression format designed to provide efficient compression for typical open microphone field recordings. On average,
.WAC files are 40% smaller than uncompressed .WAV files. Actual compression rates vary depending on the sounds picked up by the microphones.
NOTE: As memory card capacities expand, the value of the compressed .WAC file format decreases. Compression consumes more processing power. For most wildlife recording projects, we recommend .WAV format.
4.3
How to Load a Built-In Program
You can load, edit, and run built-in programs directly on your recorder. The builtin programs are designed to implement the most popular recording schedules.
You also have the flexibility to edit one or more lines in the built-in programs to satisfy your specific objectives.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Program, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Load Program and press ENTER/MENU.
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3.
On the Select Program screen, press Up or ▼Down to select one of the following built-in programs:
Sunrise to Sunset
Sunset to Sunrise
Sunset - Sunrise ZC
Dawn for 3 hours
Dusk for 3 hours
30min on/30min off
24 hours
NOTE: For sunset to sunrise or sunrise to sunset programs, set the recorder location and
time zone. See 3.8 How to Set the Location and Time Zone.
4.
Press ENTER/MENU. The following message appears:
Program loaded
5.
The program that you selected is loaded into the recorder. Next, you can perform any of the following actions:
■
Edit the program.
■
Export the program to an SD card.
■
Start the program.
4.4
How to Edit a Program on the SM3BAT Recorder
Use this procedure to edit a program directly on the recorder using the LCD screen and buttons. For detailed information on each command and how choose the best setting for your application see Chapter 6.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Program, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Load or import a program.
3.
Select Edit Program and press ENTER/MENU.
4.
Press ▼ Down to select the line in the program for each command that you want to edit.
5.
To edit a line, press ► Right to advance to the command or value and then press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to make adjustments. When finished editing, press ◄ Left or ENTER/MENU.
6.
To add or insert a line:
a.
Press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to select the <Add/Insert> entry on the last line of the program and press ENTER/MENU. A new line appears at the bottom of the program.
b.
Press ◄ Left and then press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to change the line number for the new line. Press ENTER/MENU to confirm the line number. page
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To edit the new line, press ► Right to advance to the command or value and press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to make adjustments. When finished editing, press ◄ Left or ENTER/MENU.
7.
To delete a line:
a.
Press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to select the line you want to delete.
b.
Press Right to advance to the command for that line.
c.
Press ▲ Up or ▼ Down until the <Delete> command appears.
d.
Press ENTER/MENU. The line is removed and all higher lines cascade down in sequence by one line.
8.
When finished editing all lines, press ◄ Left.
9.
Any program errors appear. Repeat these steps to resolve the errors or press ◄ Left to ignore. Press ▼ Down to see the next problem. Pressing
▼ Down after the last problem returns to the Program Menu. To return to the Program Menu before reviewing all the problems, press ◄ Left.
10.
When no errors exist, the following message appears:
Program edit OK
4.5
How to Create a New Program on the SM3
You can create a new program from scratch at line 1 using the recorder.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Program, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Press ▼ Down and select Edit Program and press ENTER/MENU.
3.
The following screen appears:
Edit Program
-01 <Add/Insert>
4.
Press ► Right and then press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to cycle through the available program commands.
5.
Select a command and press ► Right. Press ▲ Up or ▼ Down to adjust the associated parameters for the command.
6.
Press ► Right to complete line 01 and repeat these steps for line 02 and each subsequent line.
7.
When finished, press ◄ Left to check the program. Any program errors or warnings appear. Press ▼ Down to cycle through multiple errors or warnings.
8.
Press ◄ Left to exit.
9.
Resolve any errors.
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Programs on the SM3BAT
4.6
How to Export a Program
SM3BAT User Guide
You can export the current program to an SD card in slot A.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Program, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Press ▼Down to select Export Program and press ENTER/MENU. The following message appears:
Program exported
3.
Eject the SD card in slot A and examine the top-level folder contents on a computer or laptop. The exported file name is always the recorder prefix with the .PGM extension. For example:
SM3001234.PGM
The default prefix is the device serial number but you can change the prefix in a custom program. If a file with that name already exists on the SD card, it is overwritten.
4.7
How to Import a Program
Use this procedure after saving a custom program to the root or top-level directory of an SD card from another SM3BAT recorder or from the SM3
Configurator. You can import a program file (.PGM) from the SD card in slot A.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Program, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Import Program and press ENTER/MENU.
3.
At the Select program file prompt, press ▲ Up or ▼Down to select a program file on the memory card in slot A.
4.
Press ENTER/MENU.
5.
If no warnings or errors exist, the following message appears:
Program imported
6.
If a warning or error exists, the line number and a short notification appear as shown in the following example:
Program error
Line 14
No GAIN cmd a.
Press Left to return to the list of available programs and choose a different one. page
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Press Left again to exit and go back to the Program menu. Edit the program using the recorder or SM3 Configurator software and try the import again. Select Import Program when the program is error-free.
7.
The program that you selected is imported into the recorder and loaded as the active program. Press Left to return to the Program menu.
8.
Next, you can perform any of the following actions on the imported active program:
■
Edit the program.
■
Export the program to an SD card.
■
Start the program.
4.8
How to Start a Program
Follow these steps to start the current program. The current program is the last one you loaded or imported.
1.
Press PROGRAM START.
2.
Errors or warnings may appear. For example:
Program warning
Line 12
No microphones
3.
Press ▼ Down to advance to the next error or warning, if any.
4.
If you do not press any buttons for 60 seconds, the Program Checker exits.
a.
If there were errors, you go back to the Main Menu. Continue with the next step to edit the program and fix the errors.
b.
If there were only warnings, the program starts running.
5.
Edit the program to correct any errors.
6.
Press PROGRAM START again to run the revised program.
7.
(Optional) Edit the program or attach a missing item such as a microphone to resolve any warnings.
8.
If the scheduled start time is more than one minute into the future (three minutes if using GPS option), the recorder will enter sleep mode to conserve power. The SM3 wakes up 30 seconds before the scheduled recording start time. The device automatically wakes 2 minutes early when the GPS time-synch receiver option is detected and wakes 3 minutes early when hydrophones are installed.
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Programs on the SM3BAT
4.9
How to Stop a Program
SM3BAT User Guide
Press and hold the PROGRAM STOP button for two seconds while a program is running or scheduled to run to stop it from continuing. If you stop a running program, the recorded output up until recording was stopped is saved. page
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Using the SM3 Configurator SM3BAT User Guide
5 Using the SM3 Configurator
5.1
Introduction
Use the SM3 Configurator software to create and edit recording programs for your SM3. You can also use this application to estimate battery life and memory capacity.
In addition, you can open a recording in the Configurator to view the program and settings used for that recording. From there, you can save or change to use on other deployments.
The software is available for Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OSX, and Red Hat
Linux.
5.2
How to Install the SM3 Configurator
Follow these steps to download and install the SM3 Configurator software.
1.
Navigate to http://www.wildlifeacoustics.com/support/download-software.
2.
Find the setup file appropriate for your operating system.
3.
Download the file and follow the installation instructions.
5.3
How to Open the SM3 Configurator
On Microsoft Windows computers, the program is located in the Wildlife
Acoustics folder in Program Files. The installer creates shortcuts on your desktop and in the Start menu. On Apple Mac OSX computers, the program should be moved to the Applications Folder.
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Using the SM3 Configurator
5.4
SM3 Configurator User Interface
SM3BAT User Guide
Table 4: SM3 Configurator User Interface
1 of your own programs, save a program, or exit. Click the Help menu and choose About to view the currently installed version number of the utility.
2
3
4
5 schedule, estimated battery life, and memory card requirements of your program. Black bars represent successful recordings; purple bars require more memory; and red bars represent insufficient power. Day and night appear based on location by yellow and blue shading.
6 schedule, the status bar displays details about that point in the program.
From left to right the status bar displays the recording date, time, duration, power, memory card capacities (number of cumulative sound files), recording type, channels, file format, and sample rate. page
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5.5
Using the SM3 Configurator
How to Create a Program Using the SM3
Configurator Software
Although you can create a new program entirely from scratch starting at line one, as a time-saving best practice use this procedure to create a new program from one of the provided sample programs acting as a template.
1.
Open the SM3 Configurator software application.
2.
Click the File menu and load one of the sample programs:
■
Sunrise to Sunset
■
Sunset to Sunrise
■
Sunset - Sunrise ZC (for use with SM3BAT only)
■
Dawn for 3 hours
■
Dusk for 3 hours
■
30min on/30min off
■
24 hours
3.
In the Program section, examine each line of the program. Use the dropdown value lists to edit fields. You can use the mouse or press the Tab key to advance to the next field. Press Shift+Tab to go back to the last field.
Press the arrow keys on your keyboard to cycle through value lists.
4.
To change the command in any line, select another command from the drop-down list.
5.
By default, the last line in a program is empty and shows <Choose> in its command field ready for you to add a new line. To insert a new line, click a line number.
6.
To remove a line, select <Delete> in the command field.
7.
(Optional) Adjust the Configuration Settings section to override the settings in the recorder.
8.
(Optional) Adjust the Deployment Scenario section to estimate a recording schedule.
9.
Resolve any errors that appear below the Program section.
10.
Click the File menu and choose Save.
a.
Save the program to your computer to continue editing it or to use it as a template for future programs.
b.
Save the program to an SD card to import it onto one or more recorders in the field.
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Using the SM3 Configurator
5.6
How to Adjust Configuration Settings
SM3BAT User Guide
Select any of the check boxes in the Configuration Settings section to override any values already set on an individual SM3BAT unit when you import your program. For example, select the Prefix check box and enter a new prefix for a location or project name.
All of the settings in this section are documented elsewhere in this guide.
5.7
How to Adjust Deployment Scenario Settings
Use the fields in the Deployment Scenario section to estimate the recording schedule for the currently open program in the calendar view.
1.
Load a predesigned or custom program.
2.
In the Deployment Scenario section, choose the target Song Meter device for this program:
■
SM3: The recorder has two built-in internal microphones.
■
SM3BAT: The recorder does not have built-in acoustic microphones, but does allow ultrasonic sample rates and zero crossing recording..
3.
In the Start fields enter the date and time in the following format:
DD/MM/YYYY HH:MM:SS
4.
In the series of four (4) fields labeled A, B, C, and D, select the intended capacity of the memory card you plan to insert in each slot.
5.
In the Mic 0 field, select the type of microphone you plan to use on the channel 0 (left). For mono, specify just one microphone.
6.
In the Mic 1 field, select the type of microphone you plan to use on channel 0 (right).
7.
In the Trig Ratio (%) field, indicate the percentage of time during recording periods that a given microphone will be triggered. This only applies to triggered recordings. The default 10% is a good rule of thumb for bat recording. Adjust as needed based on past experience with your specific recording conditions.
8.
In the Power (Wh) field, enter the anticipated battery energy to be used for recordings made from this program in watt-hours. Wh can be calculated by multiplying the battery capacity in amp hours (so divide by
1000 if given in milliamp hours) by the total voltage of the batteries. Total voltage is all the battery cells added. For example 4 internal alkaline D sized batteries at 1.5 each with a capacity of 12,000 milliamp hours would be 12,000 divided by 1000 = 12 amp hours times. And 1.5V times 4 batteries = 6V. Multiplying 6V times 12 amp hours gives us 72 Wh.
9.
Examine the recording calendar and make any adjustments.
10.
Click the File menu and choose Save. page
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SM3BAT User Guide Using the SM3 Configurator
11.
Save the resulting .PGM file to a memory card and insert in slot A of the
SM3BAT recorder.
12.
Import the program onto the recorder. See 4.7 How to Import a Program on page 30.
5.8
How to Use the Scrollable Calendar View
The scrollable view on the lower portion of the application window shows the recording schedule for over a year from the Start date and time in the deployment scenario section. Actual recording periods are shown with black bars.
Blue shaded areas represent nighttime and yellow shaded areas represent daytime based on sunrise/sunset calculations determined by the time zone
(hours relative to UTC), latitude, and longitude specified in the Configuration
Settings section. The SM3BAT breaks up long recordings so they do not exceed the 2.0 GB file size limitation.
The scrollable view also illustrates when Song Meter is likely to stop recording after running out of memory storage or battery power. Running out of memory storage is shown with recordings in purple, and running out of power is shown with recordings in red. These are estimates based on the memory card and battery capacity specified in the deployment scenario section. Note that actual performance is subject to variations in memory card and battery manufacturers and numerous other factors such as temperature or charging method of batteries.
For the purposes of memory storage estimation in triggered recording mode, the
Trig Ratio (%) field can be set in the Deployment Scenario section. This allows the Configurator to estimate memory consumption based on how often the unit is likely to be triggered as opposed to merely Armed and waiting in nap mode to record. The default 10% is a good rule of thumb for bat recording. You can adjust based on personal experience with your specific recording conditions.
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Using the SM3 Configurator SM3BAT User Guide
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Developing Custom Programs SM3BAT User Guide
6 Developing Custom Programs
TIP: Start by loading one of the sample programs and then make adjustments to create your own custom programs.
6.1
Loops
An essential logical structure in any computer program, a loop repeats a task, state, or condition until a necessary event occurs. For example, you want a program to wait, and continue to wait until sunrise; and then you want it to record, and repeat that action, recording over and over (we call that a loop) until
15 minutes before sunset.
Loops are programmed by using pairs of REPEAT and UNT commands; loops may be nested to any depth. Loops have an explicit ending condition, such as a date for an UNTDATE command or a count for an UNTCOUNT command. In addition, loops have an implicit ending time, inherited from any enclosing loops.
The implicit ending time is the earliest of all the enclosing loops’ ending times. In other words, the actual ending condition of a loop is either its own ending condition or the implicit ending time, whichever occurs first.
RECORD and PLAY commands likewise inherit an implicit ending time from any enclosing loops, perhaps causing a RECORD command to finish earlier than indicated by its own duration parameter or causing a PLAY command to not play its file at all.
UNTCOUNT loops do not have a ending time of their own, although they do pass along any implicit ending time that they inherit. Therefore, for example, if a program contains just one loop, a REPEAT / UNTCOUNT loop, with a RECORD command inside that loop, then the RECORD command will always run for its full duration, and the loop will end after the specified count of passes.
6.2
AUTO Values
Some program commands allow a value of AUTO for one or more of their parameters, rather than an explicit value. Examples include the channel 0 and 1 parameters of the GAIN command and the FS command channels and rates.
When AUTO values are used, the recorder automatically chooses appropriate values based on its current configuration. For example, AUTO settings tell the recorder to use the external SM3-A1 microphone if it is attached rather than the built in microphone.
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Developing Custom Programs
All the built-in programs use AUTO values to help you get started.
SM3BAT User Guide
6.3
Program Commands
Use the following commands to create programs for your specific recording needs. A program can contain up to 99 commands each on their own line.
NOTE: Some commands listed in this section refer to sunrise or sunset in a general sense and depend on them in program calculations. The recorder recognizes different methods for calculating precise sunrise and sunset times. To specify a method and view the next available sunrise and sunset times, select Sunrise/Sunset Type in the
Settings menu.
HPF {OFF,220HZ,1KHZ,16KHZ} {OFF,200HZ,1KHZ,16KHZ}
This sets channels 0 and 1 analog high pass filter. A high pass filter only allows signals higher in frequency than the specified frequency to be recorded. For recording very low frequency sounds (elephants for example) you would want to set this to OFF. Otherwise it is useful to cut down on wind and anthropogenic noise and should be set to at least 220kHz. If you signals of interest are higher, it is better to go even higher.
The filter is a two pole filter, meaning it attenuates sounds at 12dB per octave. So if set to 1kHz, a 500 Hz sound would be attenuated by 12dB.
Every 6dB represents a halving of sound level, so the 500 Hz sound would appear in the recoding at 1/4 its original amplitude.
16kHz is only useful for the SM3BAT unit to filter out all non-ultrasonic frequencies, it should not be used for acoustic recording. The SM3-U1 has a built-in 4-pole filter at 8 kHz. If you expect bats vocalizing below 16 kHz, set this HPF to OFF and the 8 kHz filter in the microphone will reduce acoustic sounds below that frequency. If you do not expect bats below 16 kHz, it is best to use this HPF and filter out more acoustic noises that might cause non-bat recordings to occur..
GAIN <gain-channel-0> <gain-channel-1>
Analog voltage gain settings. The range is 0 dB to 59.5 dB in 0.5 dB steps for acoustic sample rates (96 kHz or below) or 0 dB or 12 dB for ultrasonic recordings. Gain has Auto selection available.
Gain AUTO setting behavior:
■
Internal or external acoustic microphone on the channel: 24 dB
■
External hydrophone on the channel: 0 dB
■
Ultrasonic microphone on the channel: 12 dB
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FS <WAV,WAC> {OFF,0,1,0+1} <sample rate>
Developing Custom Programs
Specifies the file type produced, the source channels used, and the sample rate for full-spectrum recordings. Sample Rates are available from 1000 Hz to 384000 kHz. Channel and sample rate both have AUTO selections available.
WAV should be chosen for bat recording. The standard .WAV format consumes less power and can be opened in any audio software. The .WAC file format does offer about a 40% reduction in storage, but at the expense of 40% more power consumption. WAC should only be chosen for acoustic recordings when storage is more important than power
The following sample rates are available. All rates are available on two channels simultaneously unless otherwise specified.
■
1000
■
2000
■
4000
■
8000
■
9600
■
12000
■
16000
■
19200
■
24000
■
32000
■
48000
■
96000
■
192000
■
256000 (1 channel in WAC mode, up to 2 channels in WAV mode)
■
384000 (one channel)
A sample rate should be chosen that is at least double the highest frequency to be recorded.
Channel AUTO setting behavior:
■
One SM3-U1 Ultrasonic microphone on channel 0: 0
■
One SM3-U1 Ultrasonic microphone on channel 1: 1
■
Two microphones and WAV file type, FS RATE > 256K: o
Only one of the two microphones is ultrasonic: the channel with the ultrasonic microphone o
Both microphones are acoustic or both are ultrasonic: 0
■
Two microphones and WAC file type, FS RATE > 192K: o
Only one of the two microphones is ultrasonic: the channel with the ultrasonic microphone o
Both microphones are acoustic or both are ultrasonic: 0
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Developing Custom Programs
■
Two SM3-A1 acoustic microphones attached: 0+1
Sample Rate Type AUTO setting behavior:
■
At least one SM3-U1 ultrasonic microphone connected: o
WAV file type: 256 kHz o
WAC file type: 192 kHz
■
No SM3-U1 ultrasonic microphones connected: 24 kHz
ZC {OFF,0,1,0+1} {4,8,16}
SM3BAT User Guide
Specifies the source channels used and the division ratio for zero-crossing recordings. Channel has Auto selection available.
Zero Crossing is not the same as full-spectrum recording. In full spectrum recording, the SM3BAT samples audio signals at a specified sample rate. In contrast, zero crossing mode measures the time between transitions of the signal between positive and negative values relative to some sensitivity threshold. Zero crossing has advantages including significantly lower power consumption and memory card storage requirements. However, zero crossing representations of bat calls lack information about the changing amplitude and harmonic structure of the underlying signal. It is possible to convert from full spectrum to zero crossing by removing information from the signal, but it is not possible to convert from zero crossing back to full spectrum.
During the scheduled recording period, SM3BAT will create zero crossing sequence files for each trigger. The SM3BAT assesses each sequence to verify that it is a bat pass and not a non-bat trigger. The resultant files can be opened directly and analyzed with Wildlife Acoustics’ Kaleidoscope software or third party zero-crossing software.
The length of file is defined by length of activity and TRGWIN setting or a maximum length of 15 seconds.
Channel AUTO setting behavior:
■
One SM3-U1 ultrasonic microphone on channel 0: 0
■
One SM3-U1 ultrasonic microphone on channel 1: 1
■
Two SM3-u1 ultrasonic microphones: 0+1
■
No attached SM3-U1 ultrasonic microphones: OFF
NOTE: ZC recording cannot be used with the SM3 because it needs hardware available only in the SM3BAT model. This command must be used with channel OFF or AUTO (which also selects OFF) to maintain program compatibility when switching between SM3 and SM3BAT models.
TRGLVL <level-channel-0> <level-channel-1>
Specifies the digital trigger level. Thresholds are either absolute (negative values) or relative to the measured noise floor (positive values). The range is
-88 dB – +88 dB in 1-dB steps or OFF or AUTO selection is available.. page
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If either channel’s value is not OFF, then the FRQMIN, FRQMAX, DMIN,
DMAX, TRGWIN, and TRGMAX commands are required before the next
RECORD command.
The trigger is satisfied if a signal exceeds the specified level within the frequency range defined by FRQMIN and FRQMAX.
Turning on triggers will also activate file scrubbing. For information on scrubber function and how to turn off the feature, see DMIN.
Relative triggers (positive level values) are strongly recommended for recording bats as the trigger will intelligently adapt to the environment.
If no compression is used, an individual time-stamped WAV file will be created for each triggered event during the scheduled recording period.
If WAV file format is specified in the FS command, an individual timestamped WAV file will be created for each triggered event during the scheduled recording period. If WAC compressed file format is specified, there will be one file created for the recording duration containing all the triggered events.
Trigger Auto setting behavior:
■
At least one SM3-U1 ultrasonic microphone on either channel: +12 dB
■
No SM3-U1 ultrasonic microphones attached: OFF
NOTE: Triggers do not work well for most acoustic applications, but this command must be used to prevent an error. Off or Auto should be selected (Auto will select Off as well). This is to maintain cross compatibility of programs from SM3 to SM3BAT.
TRGWIN <window-channel-0> <window-channel-1>
Specifies the maximum recording duration in the absence of a triggering signal. 0.1 sec – 9.9 sec in 0.1-sec steps.
This should be set sufficiently long to avoid a recording ending after one echolocation. For example if a bat echolocates every .5 seconds and this was set to .1 seconds, you would get a new trigger with every single echolocation. 2 seconds works well for species in most parts of the world.
Some standards describe a “bat pass” by specific duration of recording, this field along with TRGMAX can be used to force recordings of specific duration.
TRGMAX <len-channel-0> <len-channel-1>
Specifies the maximum duration for a triggered recording. 0.1 sec – 99.9 sec in 0.1-sec steps, or OFF.
Some software programs will only accept files of under certain duration. Use this filed to guarantee maximum file duration.
DMIN <dur-channel-0> <dur-channel-1>
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Specifies the minimum duration for a signal in the specified frequency range to be a valid signal to satisfy the scrubber 0.1 – 800.0 msec in 0.1-msec steps, or OFF.
The scrubber looks for at least two narrow band signals of at least this duration and shorter than DMAX and within the frequency range specified by FRQMIN and FRQMAX. If two such signal exist, the file is saved, if they are not the file is not saved.
If TRGLVL is not OFF, the files will be scrubbed based on this field and
DMAX. If you do not wish to scrub files set this filed and DMAX to OFF.
DMAX <dur-channel-0> <dur-channel-1>
Specifies the maximum duration for a signal in the specified frequency range to be a valid signal to satisfy the scrubber. 0.1 msec – 800.0 msec in
0.1-msec steps, or OFF.
See DMIN for more information on how the scrubber uses this value.
FRQMIN <freq-channel-0> <freq-channel-1>
Specifies the lower bound for the frequencies of interest to the scrubber and the triggering mechanism. 1 kHz – 192 kHz in 1-kHz steps, or OFF.
Echolocations or other signals occurring below this frequency will not cause a trigger and will be consider noise to the scrubber mechanism.
See DMIN for more information on how the scrubber uses this value.
See TRGLVL for more information on how the trigger uses this value.
FRQMAX <freq-channel-0> <freq-channel-1>
Specifies the upper bound for the frequencies of interest to the scrubber and the triggering mechanism. 1 kHz – 192 kHz in 1-kHz steps, or OFF.
Echolocations or other signals occurring above this frequency will not cause a trigger and will be consider noise to the scrubber mechanism.
See DMIN for more information on how the scrubber uses this value.
See TRGLVL for more information on how the trigger uses this value.
NAP <delay>
Specifies how long to wait in the absence of a trigger before going into a lower-power state. 1 min – 99 min in 1-min steps, or OFF. It takes approximately 200 ms to wake from napping to start recording. Once out of the nap state, the SM3 will remain out of nap and fully Armed for triggers for the amount of time specified here. Shorter times will yield greater battery savings with the compromise that you will more frequently lose the first 200 ms of a recording.
RECORD hh:mm:ss
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Starts a new recording of the specified duration. If the RECORD command is inside a repeat/until loop, the recording may end early to match the loop ending time.
Before a RECORD command, your program must include one of each of the following commands: HPF, GAIN, FS, ZC, and TRGLVL. It is not necessary to repeat those commands before each RECORD command, but you may if you wish to have different values in effect at each RECORD command.
In addition, at least one of the FS or ZC commands must have its channels parameter set to a value other than OFF.
Recordings programmed such that there file size will exceed 2GB, will be broken into pieces, each not exceeding the 2GB limit.
PAUSE hh:mm:ss
Pauses the program for the specified amount of time. If you set the duration of the PAUSE command to greater than 1 minute (3 minutes if using the
GPS Option), the SM3BAT enters low-power sleep mode and wakes up at the next scheduled recording.
AT DATE DDMMMYY
Causes the program to wait until the specified date. YY are the last two digits of the year in the current century beginning with the year 2000.
NOTE: If you start the program after the specified AT DATE, the command is ignored and the program continues.
AT TIME hh:mm:ss
Causes the program to wait until the specified date time.
AT SRIS±hh:mm:ss
Causes the program to wait until sunrise, plus or minus the specified time.
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Developing Custom Programs
AT SSET±hh:mm:ss
SM3BAT User Guide
Causes the program to wait until sunset, plus or minus the specified time.
NOTE: If you use an AT Time, Sunrise or Sunset command and start the program after that time of day, the SM3BAT will not record, but instead wait for the requisite time the following day. It is possible to force the recorder to begin recording immediately as though you had started the recorder previous to the programmed time. After pressing
PROGRAM START and while Going to sleep until appears on the LCD screen, press ◄
Left. This cause the SM3BAT to go back in time 24 hours and then move forward to the current time to determine if a recording should be in progress.
For example, if you have a program that starts with AT TIME 16:00:00 and you are in the field starting the program at 17:00:00 but do not want the SM3BAT to wait until
16:00:00 the following day, you can follow the above procedure to force it to start recording immediately and then continue with the program as usual..
REPEAT
Indicates the beginning of a loop. Must be ended by an UNT command.
UNTDATE DDMMMYY
Ends a loop when the specified termination date is reached. Any RECORD commands in progress in this loop are forced to stop recording.
UNTTIME hh:mm:ss
Ends a loop when the specified termination time is reached. Any RECORD commands in progress in this loop are forced to stop recording.
UNTSRIS±hh:mm:ss
Ends a loop at sunrise, plus or minus the specified time. Any RECORD commands in progress in this loop are forced to stop recording.
NOTE: Some commands listed in this section refer to sunrise or sunset in a general sense and depend on them in program calculations. The recorder recognizes different methods for calculating precise sunrise and sunset times. To specify a method and view the next available sunrise and sunset times, select Sunrise/Sunset Type in the
Settings menu.
UNTSSET±hh:mm:ss
Ends a loop at sunset, plus or minus the specified time. Any RECORD commands in progress in this loop are forced to stop recording.
UNTCOUNT {<count>, INF}
Ends a loop after <count> passes. INF specifies an infinite count.
In addition the following command is intended to take advantage of speaker playback hardware that has not yet been developed.
PLAY {0-9}
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Plays back the specified .WAV file from the SD card in slot A. The audio is output through the bottom connector in the connector module.
6.4
How to Work With the Program Checker
The Program Checker runs automatically to verify the configuration of the hardware and software, and to check your program for errors or warning conditions. If it detects contradictory commands, the Program Checker reports the latter of the two as the error source. Use the Program Checker output to correct your program, save it, and then attempt to import or run it again.
1.
The Program Checker runs at all of the following times:
■
After you finish loading or importing a program.
■
After you finish editing a program and press the main buttons on the device to exit the editor as viewed through the LCD screen.
■
Before you run a program by pressing the PROGRAM START button.
2.
The Program Checker performs several tests on the current program. For example, it checks for the following items:
■
Balanced REPEAT/UNTX loops
■
At least one RECORD or PLAY command that is reachable; in other words at least one RECORD or PLAY precedes, or is inside of, an infinite loop.
■
All required parameters set prior to a RECORD command.
■
Parameters that are consistent with the present hardware.
3.
It shows errors (if any), followed by warnings (if any). It shows the matching line number in your program for the error or warning.
4.
To view the next error or warning, press the ▼ Down button.
5.
To exit the Program Checker, press the ◄ Left button. You can also exit by pressing ▼ Down after the last error or warning.
6.
If no buttons are pressed for 60 seconds while a problem is displayed, the
Program Checker will time out and exit automatically.
7.
When the Program Checker exits:
■
If you were loading or editing a program, you return to the main menu.
■
If you were running a program and there are no errors (only warnings or no problems at all), your program starts.
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Developing Custom Programs
6.5
How to Resolve Program Checker Errors
SM3BAT User Guide
When a program contains warnings, you can address the issue at hand or choose to ignore it and continue. However, when a program contains one or more errors, it will not run.
To resolve the error, edit the program and adjust a parameter or add, move, or delete a command line. Refer to the following list of the most common possible program warnings and errors.
Table 5: SM3BAT Program Errors and Warnings
Message
Unmatched REPEAT:
Unmatched UNTX:
Warning or Error
error
Explanation
a REPEAT command for which no corresponding subsequent UNT_X command can be found. error
Inf lp bfr REC/PLAY: error an UNT_X command for which no corresponding preceding REPEAT command can be found. the program has an infinite loop before reaching any RECORD or PLAY command.
Unreachable command: warning
No RECORD or PLAY:
No HPF cmd:
No GAIN cmd:
No FS cmd:
No ZC cmd:
No DTRGLVL cmd:
error error error error error error the program has commands following an infinite loop. the program contains neither a RECORD nor a PLAY command. a RECORD command has been reached with no preceding HPF command. a RECORD command has been reached with no preceding GAIN command. a RECORD command has been reached with no preceding FS command. a RECORD command has been reached with no preceding ZC command. a RECORD command has been reached with no preceding DTRGLVL command.
No FREQMIN cmd:
No FREQMAX cmd:
No DURMIN cmd:
No DURMAX cmd:
error error error error a RECORD command has been reached, with triggered recording enabled, with no preceding FREQMIN command. a RECORD command has been reached, with triggered recording enabled, with no preceding FREQMAX command a RECORD command has been reached, with triggered recording enabled, with no preceding DURMIN command a RECORD command has been reached, with triggered recording enabled, with no preceding DURMAX command page
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No DTRGWINDOW cmd:
error
No DTRGMAXLEN cmd:
error
FREQMAX <= FREQMIN:
error
DURMAX <= DURMIN:
Nap not triggered:
Bad FS sample rate:
No record channels:
ZC not triggered:
error warning error error error
Ult rate, no ult hw: error
Using only channel 0: run-time warning
Using only channel 1: run-time warning
Developing Custom Programs
a RECORD command has been reached, with triggered recording enabled, with no preceding DTRGWINDOW command a RECORD command has been reached, with triggered recording enabled, with no preceding DTRGMAXLEN command a RECORD command has been reached, and a channel’s preceding FREQMAX value is less than or equal to its preceding
FREQMIN value. a RECORD command has been reached, and a channel’s preceding DURMAX value is less than or equal to its preceding DURMIN value. a NAP command has been reached with triggered recording disabled. a RECORD command has been reached and the preceding FS command’s rate parameter does not have one of the allowed values: OFF, AUTO, 1000, 2000,
4000, 8000, 9600, 12000, 16000, 19200,
24000, 32000, 48000, 96000, 192K, 256K,
384K a RECORD command has been reached and the preceding FS and ZC commands’ channel parameters are all OFF. a RECORD command has been reached, the preceding ZC command’s channel parameter is not OFF, and triggered recording is not enabled. a RECORD command has been reached, the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is not OFF, and its rate parameter is greater than or equal to 192K. a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is present, the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is AUTO, there are two external microphones, and the preceding FS command’s rate parameter is set too high for stereo for the command’s file type
(WAV, WAC): the recorder will choose one channel to use rather than stereo, choosing whichever channel has an ultrasonic microphone or channel 0 if they both have ultrasonic microphones. a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is present, the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is AUTO, there are two external microphones, and the preceding FS command’s rate parameter is set too high
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Developing Custom Programs SM3BAT User Guide
Bad rate for stereo: error
No microphones:
a RECORD command has been reached and the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is 0+1 (stereo) and its rate parameter is set too high for its file type (WAV, WAC). run-time error a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is present, and there are no external microphones attached.
Missing microphone:
run-time warning a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is present, and there is no external microphone on a channel explicitly selected (0, 1, or 0+1; not
AUTO or OFF) in the preceding FS or ZC command.
No ultra microphones: run-time warning for stereo for the command’s file type
(WAV, WAC): the recorder will choose one channel to use rather than stereo, choosing whichever channel has an ultrasonic microphone or channel 1 if they both have ultrasonic microphones.
Acous rate ultr mics: run-time warning a RECORD command has been reached, the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is not OFF, its rate parameter is 192k or greater, and only external acoustic microphones are connected. a RECORD command has been reached, the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is not OFF, its rate parameter is less than 96000, and only ultrasonic microphones are connected.
HPF 16K, no ult hw:
error
HPF 16K, acoust rate: error
Bad ZC gain:
Bad FS ultra gain:
error error a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is not present, and the preceding HPF command has one or both channels set to 16K. a RECORD command has been reached, the preceding FS command’s rate parameter is less than 192k, and the preceding HPF command has one or both hannels set to
16K. a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is present, the preceding ZC command has a channel enabled (either explicitly at any time or via AUTO selection at run time), and the preceding GAIN command’s value for that channel is neither 0 nor 12 dB. a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is present, the preceding FS command has a channel enabled (either explicitly at any time or via AUTO selection at run time) and a rate greater than 96000, and the preceding GAIN command’s value for that page
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channel is neither 0 nor 12 dB.
ZC, no ult hw:
error
ZC acoust mic no FS: run-time warning a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is not present, and the preceding ZC command’s channel parameter is not OFF. a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is present, the preceding ZC command has a channel enabled (either explicitly or via AUTO selection) and the preceding FS command does not have that same channel enabled
(either explicitly or via AUTO selection), and an external acoustic microphone is attached to that channel.
Ultra mic no ultr hw: run-time warning
Ext acst & ultr mics: run-time warning a RECORD command has been reached, an ultrasonic board is not present, the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is not OFF and its rate parameter is
AUTO, and at least one external ultrasonic microphone is connected. a RECORD command has been reached, the preceding FS command’s channel parameter is not OFF and its rate parameter is
AUTO, and an external ultrasonic microphone is connected to one channel and an external acoustic microphone is connected to the other channel.
Can't open play file: run-time error a PLAY command has been reached and there’s a failure accessing the SD card in slot A or a failure opening the desired file on the card.
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7 Managing Deployments
Managing Deployments
Recording time is determined by the demands of your program and the available power and memory resources required to carry out the actual recordings. The
SM3BAT can only record while it still has sufficient power available in the batteries and while it has sufficient room to save recordings on SD memory cards. Download our free Song Meter Configurator software application to see detailed visual forecasts for remaining battery life and memory resources given your specific recording schedule and configuration.
7.1
How to Estimate Battery Life
In sleep mode between scheduled recordings, the SM3BAT uses almost no power (around 0.5 mW) so it can remain idle (not recording) for months at a time. However, the batteries will discharge on their own over time. When recording, depending on accessories, sample rates, compression, and other variables, the SM3BAT can use as little as 500 mW power That translates to up to
2 weeks of nightly recording time using high quality Alkaline batteries. Use the
SM3 Configurator to estimate a recording schedule based on your program requirements. See the Specifications chapter for further recording longevity estimates.
7.2
How to Estimate Memory Requirements
7.2.1
Ultrasonic Recording
In a typical night with bat activity (and no rain or gusty wind), you will need about
0.5GB per night for a stereo recording. But even with gusty wind causing false triggers, you will probably only need about 2GB per night. In WAV mode, since the files are scrubbed for non-bat recordings you can expect to use even less.
Therefore, a single 32GB card should easily last for 2-8 weeks. In zero crossing mode, you can expect a 32GB card to last for months if not years.
7.2.2
Acoustic Recording
For acoustic recordings without triggers, calculating storage is simply a matter of math. Recordings consume 2 bytes (16-bits) per sample, times the sample rate, times the number of channels per second. For example, a recording made at a sampling rate of 24,000 samples per second in stereo (2 channels) consumes 2 x
24,000 x 2 = 96,000 bytes per second. With 128 GB total capacity, an SD memory page
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card of this size can record up to 128,000,000,000 divided by 96,000 = 1,333,333 seconds, or about 370 hours of recording time.
NOTE: The largest file size allowed for an individual recording is 2GB. The Song Meter
SM3BAT automatically breaks up large recordings into smaller recordings to satisfy this requirement.
In most applications, there is no reason to use sampling rates faster than twice the frequencies of interest. The majority of frog vocalizations are under 4 kHz and need only be sampled at 8 kHz while most bird vocalizations are under 8 kHz and need only be sampled at 16 kHz (with the exception of some high-pitched warblers who sing at 12 kHz and need to be sampled at 24 kHz).
The following tables estimate the recording time in hours for different combinations of memory capacity, sample rates, and channels:
Table 5: Estimated Recording Time in Hours [Mono (1 channel)]
96,000 48,000 44,100 32,000 24,000 22,050 16,000 8,000 4,000
8 GB 11.6 23.1 25.2 34.7 46.3 50.4 69.4 138.9 277.8
16 GB 23.1 46.3 50.4 69.4 92.6 100.8 138.9 277.8 555.6
32 GB 46.3 92.6 100.8 138.9 185.2 201.6 277.8 555.6 1111.1
64 GB 92.6 185.2 201.6 277.8 370.4 403.1 555.6 1111.1 2222.2
128 GB 185.2 370.4 403.1 555.6 740.7 806.2 1111.1 2222.2 4444.4
256 GB 370.4 740.8 806.4 1111.2 1481.6 1612.4 2222.4 4444.4 8888.8
Table 6: Estimated Recording Time in Hours [Stereo (2 channels)]
96,000 48,000 44,100 32,000 24,000 22,050 16,000 8,000 4,000
8 GB 5.8 11.6 12.6 17.4 23.1 25.2 34.7 69.4 138.9
16 GB 11.6 23.1 25.2 34.7 46.3 50.4 69.4 138.9 277.8
32 GB 23.1 46.3 50.4 69.4 92.6 100.8 138.9 277.8 555.6
64 GB 46.3 92.6 100.8 138.9 185.2 201.6 277.8 555.6 1111.1
128 GB 92.6 185.2 201.6 277.8 370.4 403.1 555.6 1111.1 2222.2
256 GB 185.2 370.4 403.2 555.6 740.8 806.2 1111.2 2222.2 4444.4
If you enable compression, you can typically increase recording capacity by 40%
(compression rates vary with sample rates and site-specific ambient sound levels).
NOTE: Compression consumes more processing power and offers decreased value as memory card prices fall while capacities continue to grow. For most wildlife recording projects, we recommend .WAV format. page
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7.2.3
Mixed Acoustic and Ultrasonic Recording
Managing Deployments
Estimating mixed recording schedules can be very difficult. Use the SM3
Configurator to determine battery longevity. The software understands the power used in both recording modes and will easily show you a good estimate.
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8 Working with Recordings
Working with Recordings
8.1
Filenames for Recordings
Recording files are saved in a Data folder on each memory card and use the following naming conventions:
PREFIX_XXX_YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS.WAV
PREFIX
The prefix set by the program file or the SM3BAT hardware.
XXX
The channel indicator for each recording. Possible values include:
■
_0_ Mono on channel 0.
■
_1_ Mono on channel 1.
■
0+1 Stereo on both channels.
For triggered WAV recordings, the recordings are always on both channels regardless of which channel caused the trigger and this field will indicate which channel caused the trigger.
NOTE: For triggered WAC recordings, the recordings are only made on the channel that caused the trigger and this field indicates the channels that are Armed for triggered recording.
YYYYMMDD_HHMMSS
The full timestamp including the year, month, day, hour, minute, and second when the recording started.
.wav
The filename suffix.
■
.WAV for uncompressed files.
■
.WAC for the proprietary lossless compression WAAC audio format.
NOTE: If your recording was saved from a device with a GPS synchronization capability, the file name shows a $ between the date and time. For example:
ARIZONA-1234_0+1_20161023$195550.wac
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Working with Recordings
8.2
Recording Metadata
SM3BAT User Guide
Values for the attributes listed below are stored as metadata in your recording files when recording in WAV format. These metadata tags are helpful in compiling metrics or troubleshooting issues, especially in multi-unit deployments. For example, recordings from a specific device, identified by serial number, can be traced to determine what settings and programs were used during the recording.
Some of the metadata information is visible in the available Kaleidoscope software. Kaleidoscope software has the ability to add further metadata relating to analysis of the recording.
NOTE: Some of the metadata described below is only used by Wildlife Acoustics for diagnostics purposes, while others may be used to provide future capabilities and are not currently available
Device Model
The device model, example SM3 or SM3BAT.
Device Serial Number
The Song Meter’s serial number.
Firmware Version
The song Meter’s firmware version.
Device Name
The prefix assigned in Settings.
Timestamp
The date and time of the recording start.
GPS Coordinates
The location of the Song Meter when recording first started.
Program and Settings
A block of metadata containing the entire program and settings.
TIP: Open the recording in the SM3 Configurator to view the program and settings used to make the recording. page
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8.3
Working with Recordings
How to Examine the Summary Text Files
Once per minute during a recording period, and also once when each recording file is closed, the SM3BAT will append a line of text to the summary file. It is in
CSV format and you can open it in Excel or in a text editor. The file begins with a header line which identifies the fields within each line of summary data:
DATE,TIME,LAT,,LON,,STEP,POWER(V),TEMP(C),#FILES,#SCRUBBED,MIC0 TYPE,MIC0 TRIGGERS,
MIC0 ZCFILES,MIC1 TYPE,MIC1 TRIGGERS,MIC1 ZCFILES
Looking at an example line:
2014-Feb-21,16:17:47,42.00000,N,71.00000,W,0.300000,5.3,22.00,3,1,NA,0,0,U1,0,0
We see:
Date is: 2014-Feb-21
Time is (in the time zone set in the Settings menu): 16:17:47
Latitude (if there is valid GPS data from the GPS Time Synch Option, 0.00000 otherwise): North 42.00000 degrees
Longitude (if there is valid GPS data from the GPS Time Synch Option, 0.00000 otherwise): West 71.00000 degrees
Most recent time synchronization step (if there is valid GPS data from the GPS
Time Synch Option): 0.300000 seconds
This indicates the drift between the GPS time base and internal real time clock. It is only useful for advanced time synchronization calculations.
Power supply voltage (internal batteries or external): 5.3 volts
Internal temperature: 22.00 degrees Celsius
Number of recording files written since the previous summary line: 3
Number of files scrubbed since the previous summary line: 1
Channel 0 microphone type (A1, U1, H1 or NA for no connect or internal microphone)
Channel 0 Triggers (number of triggers detected in triggered mode, or 0 for continuous mode)
Channel 0 Scrubbed (number of triggers discarded as "noise")
Channel 1 microphone type (A1, U1, H1 or NA for no connect or internal microphone)
Channel 1 Triggers (number of triggers detected in triggered mode, or 0 for continuous mode)
Channel 1 Scrubbed (number of triggers discarded as "noise")
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Working with Recordings
8.4
SM3BAT User Guide
How to Download and Install the Kaleidoscope
Conversion Software
The free version of this post-processing software from Wildlife Acoustics can convert .wac, .wav, and Zero Crossing formats while filtering out unwanted signals. Upgrade to Kaleidoscope Viewer to view spectrograms of your bat recordings. Upgrade to Kaleidoscope Pro to add automatic classification of bats
(includes Kaleidoscope Viewer).
1.
Navigate to http://www.wildlifeacoustics.com/support/download-software.
2.
Find the file appropriate for your operating system.
3.
On Windows, open file and follow installation instructions. On Mac copy the file to the Applications folder. page
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Utilities SM3BAT User Guide
9 Utilities
9.1
How to Erase and Format SD Memory Cards
Use this procedure prior to all deployments. This will erase and format the cards for optimal performance.
WARNING: This procedure erases all data files on all memory cards.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Utilities, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Format all cards and press ENTER/MENU.
3.
At the Confirm: Format All? prompt, choose one of the following options:
■
Press ► Right to select No and cancel this entire procedure. Any existing data files remain on the memory cards.
■
Press ▼ Down to select Yes and press ENTER/MENU to format all current memory cards in slots A, B, C, and D.
4.
If you selected Yes, the progress of each card in each slot appears and then the screen resets to the last selected submenu.
5.
With up to four clean formatted memory cards, you now have the maximum available space on all cards and are ready to start a program and save recordings.
CAUTION: Verify that you have copied all the data you may need off of the card and onto another device before you continue. This procedure erases all data, files, and content on all cards in slots A, B, C, and D.
9.2
How to Reset Factory Default Settings
This short procedure restores the original device settings set as default values in the factory when your recorder was first assembled and tested.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Utilities, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Set factory default and then press ENTER/MENU.
3.
The original settings are restored.
CAUTION: Any custom settings, including solar calculation method, location, and prefix, are erased.
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Utilities
9.3
How to Measure Microphone Sensitivity
SM3BAT User Guide
The microphone sensitivity can be viewed in the Calibrate mode on the Utilities menu for both Acoustic and Ultrasonic microphones. This mode displays dB (re full scale) of both microphones for verification of microphone. The values beneath @1 correspond to sensitivity at 1 kHz which is a good measure of acoustic sensitivity. The values under @40 are for testing the SM3-U1 with the available Ultrasonic calibrator.
1.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Utilities, and press ENTER/MENU.
2.
Select Calibrate Mics and then press ENTER/MENU.
MICROPHONE CALIBRATE
@1 @40 kHz
Ch 0: -62.4 -73.8 dB
Ch 1: -62.5 -73.6 dB
3.
Press ENTER/MENU when finished.
The values beneath @1 correspond to sensitivity at 1 kHz which is a good measure of acoustic sensitivity. The values under @40 are for testing the SM3-U1 with the available Ultrasonic calibrator.
For SM3-A1 microphones, testing can be done by generating a 1 kHz signal either with a professional microphone calibrator which slides over the mic or via a signal generation smartphone app played in proximity.
Where it is desirable to have both microphones at approximately the same sensitivity, the GAIN level can be adjusted in the program to better match the microphones.
To test the SM3-U1, you must purchase the Ultrasonic calibrator
9.3.1
How to Use the Ultrasonic Calibrator
You can use the optional Ultrasonic Calibrator for the SM3BAT with SM3-U1 microphone. Since ultrasound is beyond the range of human hearing, verifying proper system and microphone performance can be a challenge. The Ultrasonic
Calibrator allows testing of both the microphone and the full recorder system performance .
The battery door is located at the top of the unit. When the battery can no longer power the device the LED will not illuminate and no sound will be emitted. The volume of the emitted sounds will not decrease as the battery is depleted. If the
LED is lighted at all, then the Calibrator is operating normally.
The calibrator has two modes of operation:
■
Calibration (CAL) mode is used to test the microphone at close range.
■
Chirp mode is used to test the entire system at a greater distance. page
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9.3.2
Calibration Mode
To test a microphone, the calibrator generates a calibrated 40 kHz tone.
Utilities
1.
Enter Calibrate mode as described above.
2.
Attach the microphone to either microphone port using a microphone extension cable
3.
Install the clear calibrator microphone adapter by sliding it onto the calibrator from the bottom (the end with the Wildlife Acoustics logo) until it is touching the toggle switches.
4.
Place the microphone in the calibrator microphone adapter. Make sure that the smaller diameter hole is nearer the toggle switches. Insert the microphone until it rests against the smaller diameter of the adapter hole as shown
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5.
Turn the calibrator on and set the mode switch to CAL.
6.
The SM3 displays the received signal level below the @40 for each channel.
7.
Compare the signal level to the microphone specification.
8.
The microphones sensitivity is affected by orientation so the microphone should be rotated very slowly 360 degrees and the largest (least negative number) value noted. A higher (less negative) number indicates a more sensitive microphone, a lower number indicates some loss of sensitivity. If the value is less (more negative) than -34dB your microphone has lost some or all of its sensitivity
BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
SM3BAT User Guide
9.3.3
Chirp Mode
Utilities
To test the SM3BAT system, the Ultrasonic Calibrator can emit loud ultrasonic signals to the recorder while it is recording from some distance. These recordings can be analyzed to verify that the recorder settings are appropriate and the system is functioning as expected.
1.
Remove the microphone adapter from the Calibrator
2.
Set the toggle switch to CHIRP.
3.
The unit will emit a 40kHz pulsed signal at very high amplitude.
■
The signal can be picked up by the SM3-U1 microphone and seen in the recording at distances up to about 20m.
WARNING: In CHIRP mode, the Ultrasonic Calibrator emits a 40khz signal at over
100dB SPL. Prolonged exposure to high intensity ultrasonic signals may cause permanent hearing loss at audible frequencies. Please do not place the Calibrator close to your ears!
9.4
How to Update Firmware
When a firmware update is available, download and install it to update your recorder components. You must register online before you can access the downloads.
1.
On your computer or mobile device, open a web browser.
2.
Navigate to www.wildlifeacoustics.com.
3.
Click Support and then click Downloads.
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4.
Complete the online form and click Request Downloads.
5.
Select the latest SM3BAT firmware update file to download it.
6.
(Optional) As a registered user, you can also access the following downloads:
■
SM3 Configurator
■
Kaleidoscope software for sound file conversions
■
Song Scope software
■
Firmware for other devices such as Echo Meter or SM2
7.
Save or copy the .SM3 firmware file to the top level of an SD card.
8.
Turn each of the four thumb-screws counterclockwise and remove the cover to the memory bay.
9.
Insert the SD card into slot A of the SM3BAT recorder.
NOTE: Perform all firmware updates on an SD card in memory slot A. The SM3BAT waits for a card to be inserted in slot A.
10.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, press ▼Down to select Utilities and then press ENTER/MENU.
11.
Press ▼Down to select Firmware Update and then press ENTER/MENU.
NOTE: You can also press and hold ▲ Up while powering the unit ON to activate the firmware update menu.
12.
The SM3BAT scans your SD card in slot A for valid .SM3 files.
13.
At the Select upgrade file prompt, select the firmware update file that you want to apply and press ENTER/MENU. The following message appears:
Upgrading..........
UPGRADE COMPLETE
Rebooting
The system applies the new firmware and restarts.
9.5
How to Generate Diagnostics
Use this procedure to generate diagnostic information about the current state of the recorder. Use the diagnostic information to troubleshoot any problems you may be experiencing. When contacting customer support, a representative may ask you to provide certain diagnostic information required to diagnose any problems you may be experiencing.
1.
Insert at least one SD card into the SM3BAT recorder.
2.
At the Song Meter Main Menu, select Utilities, and press ENTER/MENU.
3.
Select Export Diagnostics and then press ENTER/MENU. page
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4.
The unit performs audio path tests and then exports the following information in a log file to the first available SD card:
■
current settings
■
current configurations
■
current program
■
other diagnostic information
Note: You can also press and hold ▼Down while powering the unit ON to activate
DIAGNOSTICS.
The diagnostic file name ends in an sm3dump extension and includes the location prefix, date, and time. For example:
ARIZONA-1234_20160106_215045.sm3dump
Utilities
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10 SM3BAT Specifications
10.1
Physical
SM3BAT Specifications
Table 7: SM3BAT Physical Specifications
Length/Height: 12.75 inches (32.4 cm)
Width: 7.875 inches (20.0 cm)
Depth (Upper): 2.31 inches (58.7 cm)
Depth (Lower): 2.56 inches (65.0 cm)
Weight: 5.5 pounds (2.5 kg)
Weight (with 4 Batteries): 7.0 pounds (3.2 kg)
Operating Temperature: -4°F to 122°F (-20°C to 50°C)
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SM3BAT Specifications
10.2
Power
SM3BAT User Guide
Main Power: 4.5 - 17V DC (4 internal D-size batteries)
External power connector: 5 - 17V DC
Clock Back-up Battery Type: CR2032
Clock Back-up Battery Life: Approximately 3 years
Internal Clock Accuracy: Temperature-Compensated Crystal with 3.5ppm drift from -40°C to 0°C and 2ppm from 0°C to 40°C
Power Consumption: .5 mW (sleeping); 250 – 800 mW (recording)
Battery Specifications: The SM3BAT uses 4 standard D size disposable alkaline batteries, rechargeable NiMH batteries, or lithium batteries. Battery life can vary widely depending on the battery type, brand, charger used, temperature, and other factors. The following run times are typical and assume 10 hour nights and nap mode activated for full spectrum:
■
Alkaline batteries (assuming 12,000 milliamp hour batteries at 1.5V each): o
Full spectrum on 1 channel: 18 nights o
Full spectrum on 2 channels: 15 nights o
Zero crossing on 1 channel: 20 nights o
Zero crossing on 2 channels: 15 nights
■
NiMH batteries (assuming 10,000 milliamp hour batteries at 1.2V each): o
Full spectrum on 1 channel: 12 nights o
Full spectrum on 2 channels: 10 nights o
Zero crossing on 1 channel: 13 nights o
Zero crossing on 2 channels: 10 nights
■
Lithium batteries (assuming 19,000 milliamp hour capacity at 3.6V each): o
Full spectrum on 1 channel: 60 nights o
Full spectrum on 2 channels: 50 nights o
Zero crossing on 1 channel: 70 nights o
Zero crossing on 2 channels: 50 nights
10.3
Memory Cards
The four (4) card slots can be populated with at least one (1) and up to four (4) memory cards of assorted capacities. The device supports all class 4 or faster
SDHC or SDXC cards.
Memory Sizes: Up to 1.0 terabyte (1024 gigabytes) supported total capacity using 256 GB SDXC memory cards for all four (4) memory slots. This is the maximum currently available; higher capacities may be available in the future. page
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Formats: FAT32 for SDHC or exFAT for SDXC
Compression typically increases effective capacity by 40%.
SM3BAT Specifications
10.4
Acoustic Audio
Channels: 2
Recording format: 16-bit .WAV PCM or optional .WAC proprietary lossless compressed format
Analog to Digital Converter: 1.06V RMS (3v p-p) full-scale
Amplifier gain: 0 dB – 59.5 dB in 0.5-dB steps
Noise floor: -134 dBfs/sqrt(Hz) @48kHz rate, 1K input impedance, 0dB gain
High pass filter: Optional 2-pole at 220Hz or 1 kHz
Sample rates: The recorder supports the following sample rates in samples per second and on one or two channels:
■
1000
■
2000
■
4000
■
8000
■
9600
■
12000
■
16000
■
19200
■
24000
■
32000
■
48000
■
96000
10.5
Ultrasonic Audio
Channels: 2
Recording format: 16-bit .WAV PCM or optional .WAC proprietary lossless compressed format or zero crossing
Analog to Digital Converter: 0.884V RMS (2.5v p-p) full-scale
Amplifier gain: 0 dB or 12 dB
Noise floor: -116 dBfs / sqrt(Hz) @ 384kHz sample rate, 1K input impedance,
0dB gain
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SM3BAT Specifications
High pass filter: Optional 4-pole at 16kHz
SM3BAT User Guide
Sample rates: The recorder supports the following sample rates in samples per second:
■
WAC recording o
192000 (one or two channels) o
384000 (one channel)
■
WAV recording o
192000 (one or two channels) o
256000 (one or two channels) o
384000 (one channel)
Anti-alias filter: 2-pole
128 kHz for 192 kHz and 256 kHz sample rates
192 kHz for 384 kHz sample rate
10.6
Microphones
10.6.1
SM3-U1
Enclosure: Weatherproof ruggedized anodized aluminum
Directionality: Omnidirectional
Element: Knowles FG
Output: Differential
Built in high pass filter: 4-pole at 8 kHz page
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10.6.2
SM3-A1
Enclosure: Weatherproof ruggedized anodized aluminum
Sensitivity: -11±4dB (0dB=1V/pa@1KHz)
Signal-to-Noise Ratio: > 68 dB
Directionality: Omnidirectional
Output: Differential
Frequency response: Flat (+/-10 dB) from 50 Hz to 20 kHz (see following chart)
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Release Notes SM3BAT User Guide
11 Release Notes
11.1
Song Meter SM3BAT Firmware Release Notes
This section reserved for future use.
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Warranty and Disclosures SM3BAT User Guide
12
Warranty and Disclosures
Except as specifically provided herein, Wildlife Acoustics makes no warranty of any kind, express or implied, with respect to this product.
12.1
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. Limited Warranty
Hardware: Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. (“WAI”) warrants to the original end user (“Customer”) that new WAI branded products will be free from defects in workmanship and materials, under normal use. Refer to the following table for the applicable warranty period from the original date of purchase.
Table 6: Hardware Limited Warranty
Product
SM3 and SM3BAT
Recorders
Components
All components (excluding microphones, batteries and accessories)
Hardware Warranty Period
3 Years
SM3 and SM3BAT
Recorders
Microphones, batteries and accessories 1 Year
Other WAI products
All components 1 Year
WAI warrants refurbished WAI products, marked and sold as such, for ninety (90) days from the original purchase date.
Software: WAI warrants to Customer that any WAI branded software will perform in substantial conformance to their program specifications for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of original purchase. WAI warrants the media containing software against failure during the warranty period. WAI makes no warranty or representation that the operation of the software products will be uninterrupted or error free, or that all defects in the software products will be corrected.
Exclusions: This warranty excludes (1) physical damage to the surface of the product, including cracks or scratches on the outside casing; (2) damage caused by misuse, neglect, improper installation or testing, unauthorized attempts to open, repair, or modify the product, or any other cause beyond the range of the intended use; (3) damage caused by accident, fire, power changes, other hazards, or acts of God; or (4) use of the product with any non-WAI device or service if such device or service causes the problem.
Any third party products, including software, included with WAI products are not covered by this WAI warranty and WAI makes no representations or warranties on behalf of such third parties. Any warranty on such products is from the supplier or licensor of the product.
No warranty is provided by WAI unless the product was purchased from an authorized distributor or authorized reseller.
Exclusive Remedies: Should a covered defect occur during the warranty period and you notify WAI, your sole and exclusive remedy shall be, at WAI’s sole option and expense, to repair or replace the product or software. If WAI cannot reasonably repair nor replace then
WAI may, in its sole discretion, refund the purchase price paid for the product. Replacement products or parts may be new or reconditioned or comparable versions of the defective item.
WAI warrants any replaced or repaired product, part, or software for a period of ninety (90) days from shipment, or through the end of the original warranty, whichever is longer.
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Warranty and Disclosures SM3BAT User Guide
Obtaining Warranty Service: Customer should refer to the WAI website at www.wildlifeacoustics.com/support/contact-support for information on obtaining warranty service authorization. Methods for obtaining warranty service may vary depending on whether purchases were made from an authorized provider of WAI products or from WAI directly. All requests for warranty service authorization must be made within the applicable warranty period. Dated proof of original purchase will be required. Products or parts shipped by Customer to WAI must be sent postage-paid and packaged appropriately for safe shipment. WAI is not responsible for Customer products received without a warranty service authorization and may be rejected. Repaired or replacement products will be shipped to
Customer at WAI expense. All products or parts that are replaced become the property of
WAI. WAI shall not be responsible for Customer software, firmware, information, or memory data contained in, stored on, or integrated with any products returned to WAI for repair, whether under warranty or not. The repair and replacement process for products or parts in locations outside of the United States will vary depending on Customer’s location.
Warranties Exclusive: THE FOREGOING WARRANTIES AND REMEDIES ARE EXCLUSIVE AND IN
LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, TERMS OR CONDITIONS, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR
STATUTORY, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE, ACCURACY, CORRESPONDENCE WITH DESCRIPTION, SATISFACTORY QUALITY AND
NON-INFRINGEMENT, ALL OF WHICH ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED BY WAI AND ITS
SUPPLIERS.
Limitations of Liability: NEITHER WAI NOR ITS SUPPLIERS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR INCIDENTAL,
CONSEQUENTIAL, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, LOSS OF
INFORMATION OR DATA, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR OTHER FINANCIAL LOSS
ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SALE OR USE OF THIS PRODUCT, WHETHER
BASED IN CONTRACT, TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), STRICT PRODUCT LIABILITY OR ANY
OTHER THEORY, EVEN IF WAI HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES
AND EVEN IF ANY LIMITED REMEDY SPECIFIED IN THIS LICENCE AGREEMENT IS DEEMED TO
HAVE FAILED OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE. WAI’S ENTIRE LIABILITY SHALL BE LIMITED TO
REPLACEMENT, REPAIR, OR REFUND OF THE PURCHASE PRICE PAID, AT WAI’S OPTION. IN NO
EVENT SHALL WAI’S LIABILITY FOR ALL DAMAGES RELATED TO THE PURCHASE OF PRODUCT
EXCEED THE AMOUNT PAID FOR THE APPLICABLE PRODUCT. THE FOREGOING LIMITATIONS
WILL APPLY EVEN IF THE ABOVE STATED REMEDY FAILS OF ITS ESSENTIAL PURPOSE.
Disclaimer: Some countries, states, or provinces do not allow the exclusion or limitation of implied warranties or the limitation of incidental or consequential damages so the above limitations and exclusions may be limited in their application to you. When implied warranties may not be excluded in their entirety, they will be limited to the duration of the applicable written warranty. This warranty gives you specific legal rights; you may have other rights that may vary depending on local law. Your statutory rights are not affected.
Governing Law: This Limited Warranty shall be governed by the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, U.S.A., and by the laws of the United States, excluding their conflicts of laws principles. The United Nations Convention on Contracts for the International Sale of
Goods is hereby excluded in its entirety from application to this Limited Warranty.
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.
3 Clock Tower Place, Suite 210
Maynard, MA 01754-2549 United States of America www.wildlifeacoustics.com
February 26, 2014 page
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12.2
Declaration of Conformity (EN 45014)
Warranty and Disclosures
Manufacturer:
Declares that the following product:
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.
3 Clock Tower Place, Suite 210
Maynard, MA 01754
United States of America
Product Name: Song Meter
Product Model Number: SM3BAT
Product Type: Bioacoustics Recorder
Conforms to the appropriate country standards and governing regulations listed below and/or on the following page. As the manufacturer, we are fully responsible for the design and production of the above-mentioned equipment.
Federal Communications Commission Rules Part 15, Class A
AS/NZS CISPR 11, 2011, Industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio-frequency equipment – electromagnetic disturbance characteristics – limits and methods of measurement, Class A
EN 55011, 2009/A1, 2010, Industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio-frequency equipment
– Electromagnetic disturbance characteristics – Limits and methods of measurement, Class A
ICES-003, 2004, Industry Canada, Interference-Causing Equipment Standard, Digital
Apparatus, Class A
EN61326, 2006 Electrical Equipment for Measurement, Control and Laboratory use EMC
Requirements (EMC Directive 2004/108/EC)
EN61000-4-2 Electrostatic Discharge
EN61000-4-3 Radiated Electromagnetic Fields
IEC 60529 Sect. 14.2.5 IPX5, 2002 (Water Jet Test)
IEC 60529 Sect. 14.2.6 IPX6, 2002 (Water Jet Test)
MIL-STD-810G Method 514.6 (US Highway Vibration Test)
ISTA 1A (vibration and shock/drop testing)
Additionally this product was tested at operating temperatures of -20C to +55C. Testing included 24-hour soaks at both extremes plus 6 cycles for one hour each between extremes.
Tested operating humidity 95% RH at +40C. Testing included 24-hour soak.
This product was tested in a typical configuration.
Ian Agranat, President
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.
March 1, 2014
BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS page
83
Warranty and Disclosures
12.3
Prohibition Against Eavesdropping
SM3BAT User Guide
United States law (Federal Communications Commission Part 15 Section 15.9) states “Except for the operations of law enforcement officers conducted under lawful authority, no person shall use, either directly or indirectly, a device operated pursuant to the provisions of this
Part for the purpose of overhearing or recording the private conversations of others unless such use is authorized by all of the parties engaging in the conversation.”
You are responsible for complying with all applicable laws within your jurisdiction.
12.4
Electromagnetic Interference
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules.
These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
Operation of this equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be required to correct the interference at his own expense.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Wildlife Acoustics, Inc., could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.
Note: Use of ferrite clamped cables are required to comply with the Class A limits in part 15 of the FCC rules. A Fair-Rite 0431164181 ferrite clamp (or equivalent) must be placed on each cable near the recorder with the ferrite residing within one loop of the cable. page
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page
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Song Meter SM3BAT
B I O A C O U S T I C S R E C O R D E R
User Guide
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc.
3 Clock Tower Place, Suite 210
Maynard, MA 01754
(978) 369-5225 (888) 733-0200 www.wildlifeacoustics.com
BIOACOUSTIC MONITORING SYSTEMS
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