Microwave Telemetry Solar PTT-100 User manual

Microwave
Telemetry, Inc.
BATTERY POWERED PTT-100
Field
MANUAl

GENERAL INFORMATION
2
Microwave
Telemetry, Inc.
8835 Columbia 100 Parkway
Suites K & L
Columbia, Maryland 21045
USA
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.microwavetelemetry.com
Cover Picture courtesy of Frantisek Pojer
PTT - 100 Field Manual

What is the PTT-100...........................
Unpacking............................................
Testing................................................
Attachment..........................................
Data Retrieval......................................
Data Decoding.....................................
Troubleshooting....................................
Storage................................................
Returning Your PTT.............................
Contact Information..............................
Glossary..............................................
Notes...................................................
GENERAL INFORMATION
TESTING
DATA
QUESTIONS
3
5
7
9
13
15
16
20
22
23
25
26
29
PTT - 100 Field Manual

Thank You For Your Order!
We are happy to provide you with our state-of-the-art
PTT-100.
4PTT - 100 Field Manual
45 gram PTT-100
95 gram PTT-100
26 gram Implantable PTT-100
38-44 gram Implantable PTT-100

INFO
PTT - 100 Field Manual
Deployed as a backpack and available in weight
models of 45 grams and 95 grams, our battery powered
PTTs are suitable for world-wide tracking of various species
of birds whose weights range from 600 grams to 2 kilograms
and above.
Our battery powered PTTs are also available in 26
gram and 38 gram implantable versions for waterfowl that
cannot tolerate backpacks.
Our PTTs are available with a multi-season duty cycle
timer that can be programmed to adjust the duty cycle of the
transmitter to suit the phase of study: for example, it can be
set to give an intense transmission rate during migration, yet
becoming virtually dormant during a sedentary period such as
nesting.
Our PTTs come equipped with temperature, battery
voltage, and activity sensors. Interpretation of the data from
the temperature and activity sensors can be used to identify
periods of flight or other behavior.
5
Features:
• 1-5 years operating lifetime (depending on the model)
• Sensors: Temperature, Activity and Battery Voltage
standard
• Programmable Duty Cycle
• Multi-season Duty Cycle timer available
• Hermetically sealed in rugged housing with mounting
tubes in backpack models
• Hermetically sealed in biologically inert material in im-
plantable models
• Implantable models are optimized for operation at body
temperature

INFO
PTT - 100 Field Manual
Physical Specifications
Dimensions:
45 gram: L 72 x 32 x 17 (mm)*
95 gram: L 94 x W 33 x H 30 (mm)*
26 gram**
38-44 gram**
*Antenna and harness mounting tubes
not included in these dimensions.
Antenna: Hard nylon coated flexible
stranded marine grade stainless steel,
protruding from the back edge of the
transmitter 45 degrees to the bottom
face, 7” (178 mm) antenna.
**Dimensions of the implantable PTTs
vary with the configuration
Construction
The backpack housing is constructed
from a lightweight glass-reinforced
epoxy composite material, plated on
the inside with a continuous metal
coating. The final seal is a metal-
to-metal solder. The unit is therefore
hermetically sealed and remains so
during changes in temperature and
humidity.
General Electrical
Specifications
Operating frequency: 401.650 MHz ±
36 kHz
Power output: 22 dBm ± 2 dB**
Output impedance: 50 ohms
Modulation Tri Phase PSK: ± 1.1 Rad
± 0.1 Rad
Quiescent current: <3µA
Spurious emissions: -45 dB
Transmission interval: 45 to 120 sec***
Operating temperature range: -15 to 45
Deg C
**Adjustable between 100 to 500 mW
***This can be optimized for your
requirements at the time of manufacture.
Sensors
The PTT-100 transmitter comes complete
with sensors to measure temperature, its
own battery voltage and animal activity.
Units fitted with the multi-season NANO
timer also transmit a count that
increments with each transmission and a
special frame on every fourth transmission
that shows the status of the multi-season
duty cycle time.
6

INFO
PTT - 100 Field Manual
1Please keep the original box.
Your PTT has been shipped in special antistatic packaging
to provide maximum protection during shipment and
storage. In the event that you need to return the PTT to us, it
will be necessary to ship it in the original box (see Returning
your PTT on page 24).
2Do not remove the magnet until ready to use.
When you remove the PTT from the box, you will notice a
magnet taped to the side of the unit (see photo). The PTT
is activated by removing the magnet from the side of the
unit. When you remove the magnet from the STOP position,
the PTT begins to transmit.
7

INFO
PTT - 100 Field Manual
3Always use the button magnet supplied -
never use a bar magnet.
Save the button magnet supplied with your PTT. It is the
correct magnet to use to operate the PTT’s internal switch.
The use of any other magnet may not provide the proper
magnetic field to shut the PTT off, resulting in battery drain
during storage.
Correct magnets
DO NOT USE!
8

TESTING
PTT - 100 Field Manual
DO NOT USE!
DO NOT DEPLOY YOUR PTT WITHOUT TESTING THE
DEVICE AND VERIFYING THAT IT IS OPERATING
CORRECTLY
1Place the PTT outside in the open for testing.
The PTT should be placed in an open area where the
horizon is not obstructed by buildings, away from metal
enclosures, with the antenna pointing up. A fence post, a
wooden pole or the apex of a roof may provide good
locations for this (see photo below).
The dashboard of your vehicle is not a good location!
If multiple PTTs are placed outside for testing, they should
be placed at a relative distance of at least one meter.
BEFORE DEPLOYING YOUR PTT, IT MUST BE TESTED
THROUGH THE ARGOS SYSTEM.
Save the test data for later reference.
9
TESTING

Testing
TESTING
PTT - 100 Field Manual
2Be sure the magnet has been in the STOP
position for at least 70 seconds.
This ensures that when the internal microcomputer “wakes
up”—which it does approximately once every minute (the
transmission interval)—it will sense the timer reset
condition and start at the beginning of the test period (the
first ON time of your duty cycle) when the magnet is
removed.
3Remove the magnet from the STOP position.
The timer within the PTT commands the PTT ON for the
desired period (e.g., 8 hours) and switches it OFF for the
desired sleep period (e.g., 72 hours.) The beginning of the
ON time is set whenever the magnet is removed from the
STOP position.
Because units with the standard timer cannot be locked to
the real time, it does not matter at what time of day they are
started. The timer will command the unit ON for intervals
that will sweep through the day during the course of several
cycles.
10

TESTING
PTT - 100 Field Manual
TESTING
4Leave the PTT outside for one complete duty
cycle.
If it is not possible to leave the PTT outside for the duration
of a complete duty cycle, at a minimum, allow it to remain in
the proper test position for the initial ON period, to allow for
several satellite overpasses.
5Log into the Argos System to retrieve data.
SEE SECTION ON DATA RETRIEVAL ON PAGE 15
6Switch off the PTT by replacing the magnet
over the stop position.
The magnet must be in place for at least 70 seconds to
reset the timer before deployment.
11

Testing
TESTING
PTT - 100 Field Manual
Considerations…
If the PTT is going to be deployed at geographical locations
far from where it was tested, it should be allowed to transmit
for at least one day close to the release site to initialize the
Argos system. (Initializing the PTT allows Argos to determine
its location more quickly.) This is also achieved by calling
CLS and asking them to initialize the system to the
coordinates of the release area (see Contact Information on
page 25).
12
Photo by Frantisek Pojer

TESTING
PTT - 100 Field Manual 13
Attachment of a backpack PTT to the Bird
1Be sure that a pad is attached to the bottom of
your PTT.
We normally ship our PTTs with a neoprene pad already
attached unless you have requested that we leave it off.
The pad serves as a cushion for the bird and as a platform
to elevate the PTT above the feathers.
2If the pad is not in place, glue it to the PTT.
Use a solvent-based contact adhesive such as “Weldwood”
or “Bostik”.
Attach the pad with the fabric side toward the bird.
Photo by Angel Muela

Testing
TESTING
PTT - 100 Field Manual
If you have never attached a satellite transmitter
to a bird before, please contact us and we will be
happy to provide you with some resources (see
Contact Information on page 25).
It is imperative that you seek training in harnessing the PTT
to the bird. We are not responsible for improperly
harnessed transmitters.
Do not modify the PTT in any way! We do not recommend
attaching any other device to the PTT, e.g. a VHF transmit-
ter.
Many researchers choose to custom-make their harnesses
from tubular Teflon ribbon. As a courtesy to our customers,
we occasionally provide Teflon ribbon at cost. However, you
can obtain it directly from the manufacturer:
Bally Ribbon Mills, 23 North 7th Street, Bally, PA 19503-
1004, USA Phone [phone], Fax [phone],
www.ballyribbon.com
Implantable PTTs:
• Must be surgically implanted by a trained veterinarian
• Use a “no heat sterilization method”
• Do not puncture the PTT during surgery
• Position the PTT internally so that the antenna points up
vertically from the bird’s body, see photos on pages 21
and 28
14

DATA
PTT - 100 Field Manual
DATA
15
Even if you receive your data via Argos ADS, it is useful to
know how to log in and check it for yourself. Occasionally,
ADS fails; should that happen, you may want to log in
directly*and retrieve your data.
1Log into Argos via the Argos website:
https://argos-system.clsamerica.com/cwi/Logon.do
2Click “Data Access” followed by “Most recent
messages”
3If you have a transmitting PTT click on
“Download COM/PRV/DIAG”, then click the arrow
to the left of the “PRV/A DS” selection.
4For “platform” select “all” and then select “ten
days”. Download the data and save to a folder on
your computer.
5Repeat this procedure, this time selecting the
arrow to the left of the “DIAG” selection.
An Argos user can log in and access the prior ten days of
data; after ten days the data is archived and no longer
easily accessible. You need to retrieve your data in both
DS and DIAG formats.
*See your Argos manual for more details.

The Data
DATA
PTT - 100 Field Manual
Explanation of PTT Sensors
Your PTT is equipped with four sensors that monitor temperature,
battery voltage, transmission counter and the activity counter,
respectively. Temperature and battery voltage data are integers
representing the PTT’s internal temperature and battery voltage;
these can be converted using calibration formulas. The
transmission counter increments every time the PTT transmits,
and wraps back to zero when it reaches it maximum value.
The activity sensor indicates movement. During a PTT’s ON time,
it checks every minute for movement. If there is movement, the
sensor increments up, then wraps back to zero when the
maximum value has been reached. The activity sensor value in
itself does not have meaning, it is the change (or lack thereof)
that is significant. If the activity sensor value is constant (plus or
minus 1) over two or more transmission cycles, it is indicative of
bird mortality or PTT detachment.
Decoding the Sensor Telemetry
The sensor data from a PTT-100 transmitter with 28 bit ID num-
bers and a 24 bit message is transmitted as follows:
Sensor CH #1 – 8 bits (values between 0 - 255)
Sensor CH #2 – 8 bits (values between 0 - 255)
Sensor CH #3 – 2 bits (values between 0 - 3)
Sensor CH #4 – 6 bits (values between 0 - 63)
In order for you to interpret the data easily, you should be sure
that Service Argos is passing the data to you with A1 processing.
16

DATA
PTT - 100 Field Manual 17
The four channels correspond to the following sensors:
CH #1 The internal temperature of the unit
CH #2 The battery voltage
CH #3 A counter that increments by one on each
transmission
CH #4 Activity
Page 18 shows examples of the sensor data as transmitted to
the user.
On every fourth transmission, the normal sensor frame is
replaced by a special information frame. The channels in the
information frame provide the following data:
CH #1 The current hour of present ON part of duty
cycle
CH #2 The current cycle of present season
CH #3 Spare (normally 0)
CH #4 The current season
Please be aware....
If you are using an old 20 bit Argos ID number (lower than
32678) your sensor information is transmitted in a 32 bit
message. Your IDs must be formatted for 4 x 8 bit sensors
with A1 processing. All four channels will have values between
0-255.

The Data
DATA
PTT - 100 Field Manual
18
DS vs. DIAG
To get the full benefit from your PTT, you need to retrieve your data
in both DS and DIAG formats. DS data provides all the PTT’s
sensor data, whereas the DIAG format gives only a sampling. f you
are concerned that your bird has died, or your PTT has reached the
end of its operating life, you need to examine your DS format
sensor data.
Sample Argos Data
DS Format
00123 35222 8 4 D 2 1996-07-12 16:34:55 65.588 251.759
0.000 401652330
1996-07-12 16:29:19 1 91 124 01 09
1996-07-12 16:30:34 1 01 02 00 03
1996-07-12 16:31:48 1 90 124 03 09
1996-07-12 16:33:03 1 90 124 00 09
1996-07-12 16:34:18 1 90 124 01 09*
1996-07-12 16:35:33 1 01 02 00 03**
1996-07-12 16:38:02 1 90 124 03 09
007 msgs 000>-120dB Best: -127 Freq: 652330.3
IQ: 66
Lat1: 65.588N Lon1: 108.241W Lat2: 71.196N Lon2:
140.678W
*Normal information frame
Temp=90 Bat Volts=124 Counter=01 Activity Counter=09
Temperature sensor value can be decoded by applying the
following formula where y is deg. C and x is sensor value:
y = -28.682 + 0.3609x

DATA
PTT - 100 Field Manual 19
Battery sensor value can be decoded by applying the following
formula where y is voltage and x is sensor value:
y = 2.978 + 0.0041x
**Special information frame
Hour=01 Cycle=02 Spare=00 Season=03
DIAG Format
35222 Date: 12.07.96 16:38:02 LC:2 IQ: 66
Lat1:65.588N Lon1: 108.241W Lat2: 71.196N Lon2:
140.678W
Nb mes: 007 Nb mes>-120dB: 000 Best level: -127 dB
Pass duration: 523s NOPC : 2
Calcul freq: 401 652330.3 Hz Altitude: 0m
90 124 03 09
Photo by Angel Muela

QUESTIONS
PTT - 100 Field Manual
Problem Explanation Action
No results received
from CLS when
testing your PTTs
CLS may not be
sending the results to
you by ADS.
Contact Argos,
check that the PTT
ID is on the ADS
list.
Shielding by metal
enclosures interferes
with the signal.
Remove the bird
and PTT from the
metal cage.
Elevate above
metal roof.
Take the PTT out
of your car.
No satellite overpasses
during time of test.
Reset and test
again for a longer
period or contact
us for an optimal
test period.
Most satellite passes
over any given spot are
less than 30° above
the horizon. Tall
buildings can prevent
the satellite from
“seeing” your PTT.
Test your PTT in a
wide-open space,
free of obstruc-
tions, with a clear
view of the horizon.
Looking in the wrong
place on the Argos web
for your data.
Follow the
instructions on
page 15 to
download your
data.
Logging in too soon
for data. It can take
several hours for data
to be received and
processed.
Wait a few hours
and log in again.
20