Wildlife computers MiniPAT User manual

v.201901
MiniPAT User Guide
This user guide will give you all the essential information needed
for interacting with and deploying a Wildlife Computers MiniPAT.

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The information contained in these documents is confidential, privileged and only for the information of the intended recipient and may
not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents...................................................................................................................................................2
About the MiniPAT ................................................................................................................................................3
Before you Begin....................................................................................................................................................3
Anatomy of a Tag...................................................................................................................................................4
Interacting with a Tag ............................................................................................................................................5
Configuring Tag Settings ........................................................................................................................................7
Tag Information .....................................................................................................................................................7
Tag Release Sequence ...........................................................................................................................................8
Data Product Settings ..........................................................................................................................................11
Transmission Settings ..........................................................................................................................................17
Technical Specifications.......................................................................................................................................22
Additional Information ........................................................................................................................................23
Tag Storage and Battery Maintenance ................................................................................................................23
MiniPAT Recovery Instructions............................................................................................................................24
Preparation for Post-deployment Communication .............................................................................................24
Download your Data............................................................................................................................................25
Biofouling Overview.............................................................................................................................................26
Process Overview.................................................................................................................................................26
Personal Protective Equipment ...........................................................................................................................26
MSDS....................................................................................................................................................................27
Application Requirements ...................................................................................................................................27
Resources.............................................................................................................................................................32
Appendix 1 ...........................................................................................................................................................33
Contacting Wildlife Computers............................................................................................................................34

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The information contained in these documents is confidential, privileged and only for the information of the intended recipient and may
not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
About the MiniPAT
The MiniPAT is a pop-up satellite archival tag used to track behavior and migration of marine animals. It is
an archival tag equipped with an Argos transmitter and a corrodible attachment link. The MiniPAT is
designed to be attached to an animal by a tether. The corrodible burn pin releases the tag from the tether
on a pre-programmed date, or optionally when the MiniPAT determines it is no longer attached to an
animal. Depth, temperature, and light-level data are collected and summarized for transmission through
Argos. Transmission occurs after the release of the tag from the tether, while the tag is floating on the
ocean surface. This guide describes how to set up and deploy the MiniPAT. Transmitted data products are
also explained.
Figure 1—MiniPAT tag rigged with a stainless-steel heat shrink-covered tether and a Wilton anchor.
Before you Begin
The list below shows what is required to configure and deploy the MiniPAT:
•A Wildlife Computers online portal account
•A Windows computer with Tag Agent Software and USB driver installed
•A Wildlife Computers communications cable
•A magnet
Visit wildlifecomputers.com to download the required software (Tag Agent and the USB Communications
Cable driver) and setup an account. At the end of this document, there is a list of key terms and concepts
for reference. We recommend new users review this list.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Anatomy of a Tag
Figure 2—MiniPAT tag showing: (a) Argos antenna, (b) temperature sensor, (c) communications port with plug,
(d) light sensor (1 of 2), (e) float, (f) release pin, (g) LED light, (h) wet/dry sensor, (i) ground plate, (j) light sensor (2
of 2), (k) pressure sensor.
The communications port is where the USB plugs into the tag. Prior to a deployment, this port should be sealed with
the plug provided by Wildlife Computers. Prior to deployment, the USB port should be sealed with the provided plug.
Apply a very small amount of silicone grease (supplied in shipment) to the black rubber plug and press the plug into
position. A lost or missing plug will not interfere with the tag’s deployment as the port is already sealed to prevent
water intrusion. The plug is only intended to keep the port clean for easier post-deployment communication. The plug
is not required for the tag to function normally.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
The wet/dry sensor, ground plate, pressure sensor, thermistor, and electronic release pin should not be
covered. Covering these sensors will interfere with the normal function of the tag. This includes antifouling
coatings, brightly colored paints for recovery purposes, and attachment adhesives (e.g. epoxy).
Interacting with a Tag
Tag Agent Software is used to communicate with the MiniPAT. Tag Agent and the USB Communication
Cable driver can be downloaded from our website: wildlifecomputers.com . Once installed, Tag Agent can
be used to:
•Change tag states
•Configure the tag settings
•Upload remotely-selected settings into a tag
•Check sensor readings and conduct test transmissions
To communicate with a tag, open Tag Agent Software (Figure 3).
Figure 3—Tag Agent screen prior to tag connection.
Use the USB communications cable to plug the tag into your PC. Take care to ensure that the pins are
aligned. Once plugged in, swipe a magnet near the tag communication port to establish connection. The
tag LED at the base of the antenna will turn orange, and the Tag Agent home screen will appear with tag
information on the left and sensor readings on the right (Figure 4).

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Figure 4—Tag Agent home screen.
Tag States: Auto-start, Start, and Stop Modes
MiniPAT tags have three states: Start, Auto-start, and Stop. When in Start mode, a tag is running and will
begin its deployment. Auto Start allows the tag to Start by submersion in seawater (for use in brackish or
freshwater contact Wildlife Computers). In Stop mode, the tag will remain unresponsive unless connected
to Tag Agent. Stop mode is used for storage of tags for periods longer than a month.
Changing Tag States with a Magnet
Within Tag Agent, the Disconnect Tag tab on the top-right navigation bar can be used to put a tag in any
state.
Once disconnected, a single pass of a magnet near the communication port will cause the tag to blink the
indicator light, revealing its current state.
•Two blinks and a pause repeated three times means the tag is in Auto-start mode
•Ten rapid blinks indicate the tag is in Start mode
•No blinks indicate the tag is Stopped

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A magnet can be used to toggle the MiniPAT out of Start mode. This requires two specifically timed passes
of the magnet. First, swipe the magnet and wait for the tag to indicate its current state. At the end of the
blinking pattern (10 rapid blinks in a row if started) the indicator light will remain on for several seconds. If
the magnet is swiped a second time during the extended light-on stretch, the state will toggle. The second
swipe needs to happen in the window when the light is on.
If you Start a MiniPAT but do not deploy it on an animal, the tag will initiate a premature release according
to your settings (see page 10). Once premature conditions are met, the tag will then begin to transmit and
deplete the battery. Best practice is to not leave MiniPATs Started while off animals.
For the first five days of deployment, toggling with the magnet will switch the tag from Start state into
Auto-start state. This allows a tag to be redeployed without having to be plugged into Tag Agent. After five
days, the magnet toggle will put the MiniPAT in Shut-down mode. This is to avoid unintentional data
erasure. If a new deployment is started, the MiniPAT will write over data previously collected.
In addition to revealing the tag state, the LED also indicates the following conditions:
•Erasing the archive—many rapid blinks with the LED mostly on indicate that the tag is clearing the
archive in preparation for a new deployment.
•Sample rate—
oMiniPATs with tagware 2.4p or older for the first two hours of a deployment (or until the tag
depth exceeds five meters) the tag will briefly blink at the sampling interval.
oMiniPATs with tagware 2.4q or newer will NOT blink at the sampling interval after
deployment.
Configuring Tag Settings
To configure tag settings within Tag Agent, select the Administer Tag button in the upper menu.
Figure 5—Tag Agent menu bar. Select Administer Tag to edit tag settings.
A new window will open revealing four sections: Tag Information, Tag Release Sequence, Data Product
Settings, and Transmission Settings.
Tag Information
Tag Details & Argos Settings
Tag administrators, tagware version, and tag type are displayed on the Tag Details tab (Figure 6). Tag
Name is an optional user-definable field which makes a tag, or tags, easy to find in the Tag Portal using the

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
filter. The Argos Settings tab displays the tag PTT ID details. The Accelerometer Settings show if the
accelerometer channels are being archived.
For more information on these terms, reference the Glossary of Terms section at the end of this document.
Figure 6—Expanded view of Tag Details tab.
Tag Release Sequence
These settings define when the tag will activate its release mechanism.
Either an interval release or scheduled date release can be set. The release will begin at 20:00 UTC after the
number of days specified or on the chosen date.
The tag automatically sets its archival sample interval based on the deployment length specified.
Conditional Release
The MiniPAT uses sensor measurements to make reasonable assumptions about the state of the
deployment. Depending on your study design and the behavior of your study animal, you can program the
tag to release and begin transmitting if certain conditions are met.
Auto-detect Tag Detachment
This parameter automatically initiates release if the tag detects itself floating at the surface.
•Select a depth threshold that the tag must exceed before monitoring for detachment. This helps
prevent triggering a conditional release before the tag is attached to its host animal. For example, if
you program a MiniPAT tag and put it in Start mode using Tag Agent (while tag is attached to your
PC) it will detect constant depth while it’s sitting on your desk.
•Select how long the tag must be at the surface before a release will occur. The pin burn will occur
after the specified time has elapsed, not at 20:00 UTC like the scheduled release.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Auto-Detect Mortality
This parameter monitors for three mortality conditions:
•Floater—the tag is floating at the surface (constant depth of 0)
•Sitter—the tag is sitting at a constant depth
•Sinker—the tag remains below a certain depth
Upon satisfying any one of these conditions, the tag automatically initiates release. To monitor for
mortality, configure the following:
•Select a depth threshold that the tag must exceed before monitoring for detachment.
•Optionally, select the depth that the tag must remain below to be considered a sinker.
•Select the duration—this sets how long each of the depth criteria must be maintained before a
release will occur. The pin burn will occur after the specified time has elapsed, not at 20:00 UTC like
the scheduled release.
•Select the variance—variance is used here in a statistical sense (see example below). Be mindful of
the tidal activity in your study area. A tag stuck on the bottom will detect some minor depth
changes as tides change the water depth. If you choose a range that is too small for local tidal
conditions, the tag will not initiate a conditional release when it is stuck or sitting on the bottom.
Figure 7—Tag release settings.
The release settings shown in Figure 7 will result in the following:
•The tag will release 150 days after deployment.
•The tag will release if it exceeds 10 meters in depth and then meets any of the following criteria:

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oStays within 6m (+/- 3 meters) of a constant depth for more than 3 days.
oStays deeper than 400m for more than 3 days.
•The tag will release if it reaches a depth of 1400 meters. This ensures that if the tag is sinking, it will not
reach its crush depth and become inoperable.
If your animal naturally remains at a constant depth for long durations consider disabling the Auto-detect
Mortality feature.
Adaptive Transmission Schedule on Conditional Release
In the case of early release, the MiniPAT transmits time-series data messages in addition to its scheduled
data products. This can help when investigating the cause of the conditional release event. The time-series
interval depends on deployment duration.
If the conditional release is:
•Less than 15 days the MiniPAT will transmit 300 second time-series for depth and temperature
(unless the originally programmed interval was faster).
•Between 15 and 30 days, the MiniPAT will transmit 600 second time-series for depth and
temperature.
•Greater than 30 days AND no temperature or depth time-series were initially enabled, the MiniPAT
will create 600 second Time-Series messages for the two days leading up to release.
Ignore Wet/Dry After 45 Days
You can optionally choose to have the tag ignore its wet/dry condition 45 days after release. The tag will
then attempt transmissions at its scheduled repetition interval until the battery expires. This setting can be
useful if a tag is fouled or hung up on debris, in which case the wet/dry sensor may indicate wet, even when
the tag is at the surface. The longer a tag is at the surface the more susceptible it is to damage and
predation.
Pinger
The pinger is used for tag recovery. When enabled, the MiniPAT sends out low power “pings” after release,
while at the surface. The tag can be located with an appropriate receiver and directional antenna. A one or
two-second ping interval is the most appropriate setting for tracking, and mimics a typical VHF tracking
transmitter. Excess power draw from the pinger is negligible. The transmissions sent by the pinger are very
short and do not carry any data.
External Release Device
If using an external release device, such as Wildlife Computers Programmable Timed- Release (PTR), the
MiniPAT will not burn its release pin. With the burn pin still intact, the MiniPAT can be redeployed. Set the
date the external release device is programmed to release and expected deployment date. Based on this
range, the tag will calculate the archival sample interval. The pinger feature can be enabled to assist with
recovery.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Figure 8—Release settings for a 12-day deployment using an external release device. The pinger is enabled.
Data Product Settings
Data products are the various types of data available from Wildlife Computers tags.
To take full advantage of the capability of the tag, great care should be taken in considering which data
products to enable and the frequency of message generation. If too many messages are generated not all
of them will be received. In this case, the result will be random gaps of time during the deployment for
which data are missing.
Many settings on the tag affect the total number of Argos messages generated. These include:
•Enabled data products
•Duty-cycling of enabled products
•Sampling Interval
•Summary Period
The combined effect of the chosen settings is shown at the bottom of the Data Products Settings section.
The number of messages generated per day and the total number of messages generated during the entire
mission are displayed. In the case of duty-cycling, two values are shown to account for the different
number of messages generated during on and off duty-cycle days. A warning is displayed when the
message total exceeds the maximum likely to be successfully received. The total number of messages
received varies depending on sea-surface conditions, satellite coverage, battery capacity, length of
deployment, and background radio interference. The average number of messages received for a standard
MiniPAT deployment is approximately 2,000 messages.
The rule of thumb is, the fewer number of messages that the tag generates, the greater the probability that
ALL generated messages will be received. Some study objectives require finer temporal resolution,
contiguous temporal coverage, and/or longer deployment durations such that a large number of messages
are generated. In these instances, one can use duty-cycling to help control when the “holes” in the data
occur.

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The information contained in these documents is confidential, privileged and only for the information of the intended recipient and may
not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Duty-Cycling
Duty-cycling is the generation of Argos messages on an intermittent schedule, rather than daily. Duty-
cycling can be used to reduce the total number of messages generated and to extend deployment
duration.
•Duty cycle a data product by selecting:
•The scheduler will appear at the base of the section (Figure 9).
•Select your preferred pattern, either On-Off-On or Off-On-Off, and fill in the number of days for each
step.
The same schedule is used for all duty-cycled data products.
Figure 9—Argos message generation duty-cycle pattern. Messages are initially generated for 30 days then off for one day
and on for two. The off one, on two pattern repeats for the duration of the deployment.
Daily Messages
Light-Level and SST Geolocation
Light-level and sea-surface temperature messages are always generated daily. The dawn and dusk
transitions are used to calculate geolocation. Two light-level curves are created for each day of the
deployment containing the following information:
•Whether or not the curve contains a dawn or dusk transition.
•Nine light-level and depth samples taken during each transition.
•A sea-surface temperature for each transition. This is compiled from the samples taken up to seven
hours on the dark side and one hour on the light side of the transition.
Light Attenuation Constants
The tag calculates daily light attenuation constants, correcting the light measurements for depth. For most
applications, having light attenuation constants turned on is appropriate. If this feature is disabled, the tag
uses predetermined values for the light attenuation constant. Disabling this feature can be useful for
animals that follow isolumes (e.g., swordfish).
Daily Data
Daily data messages contain the minimum and maximum temperature and depth readings from the fast-
sampled archive data set, as well as the change in light-level for each UTC day. Each message contains four

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
days of data. Originally created for Wildlife Computers support purposes, the message type is now available
to all.
Orientation Data
This data product characterizes the vertical orientation over time of a single-point mount MiniPAT.
Orientation data uses the onboard accelerometer and is designed to detect activity. It is only available on
shorter deployments with the archive sample interval is 1 second.
For each UTC day, one message is generated that contains two-hour summary periods with:
1. Time upright
2. Number of times the tag was knocked down
3. Wet/dry summarization
There are adjustable parameters for this data product:
1. The knockdown detector identifies changes in tag orientation. Select the threshold that qualifies a
change in acceleration as a knockdown event.
2. To determine the amount of time a tag spends upright versus tilted, a threshold definition of
upright is needed.
Daily Data cannot be duty-cycled.
Figure 10—Daily Message data products. Screen capture shows Light-level messages generated daily, Light Attenuation
calculations turned on, Daily Data messages turned off, and Orientation Data turned on.
Time-Series Messages
MiniPAT tags have the ability to send time-series depth and/or temperature data through Argos. Time-
series provides low frequency reporting of sensor data for instruments which may never be recovered.
Sampling Interval
Time-series messages can be generated using one of five sample intervals (75, 150, 300, 450, 600 seconds).
This determines the number of Argos messages generated per day. The time-series sample interval is
entirely independent of, and unrelated to, the archive sample rate. 48 summarized samples, covering
one message period, will fit into one Argos message. Messages are transmitted in sequential order to
maximize the probability of receiving continuous runs of data.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Sampling
Interval
(seconds)
Argos Messages Per Day
Message
Period
(hours)
Depth or Temp
(One channel)
Depth and Temp
(Two channels)
75
24
48
1
150
12
24
2
300
6
12
4
450
4
8
6
600
3
6
8
Figure 11—The number of Argos messages created per day and the corresponding message sample period for the five time-
series sample intervals.
The sample interval determines the number of messages generated per day. Selecting a short (75-second)
time-series sampling interval will rapidly generate many messages. This may be appropriate for a short
deployment. However, if too many messages are generated, they may not all be received. The result will be
random gaps of time during the deployment for which there is no time-series data. Selecting a longer
sampling interval will improve the odds that there will be no gaps; however, the temporal resolution of
each datum will be reduced. Different study objectives will warrant different trade-offs between coverage
and temporal resolution.
Each time-series message contains:
•The time-series data sampled at the specified interval.
•The minimum and maximum values encountered during the period of time covered by the time-
series message period as measured at the fast archive sampling rate.
The absolute Min/Max values and point sample values may not match as the absolute values are
determined from all archived data collected during the message period. This can give insight to
the amount of aliasing that has occurred when generating the time-series message.
Duty-cycling can be used to reduce the number of time-series messages generated. Duty-cycle settings do
not affect the tags archive sample rates.
Example Time-Series Sampling Settings
For the MiniPAT tag, on average approximately 2,000 Argos messages are received following release. With
this number in mind, one can work backwards to determine how quickly time-series can be sampled given
a preferred deployment length. Following are some typical set-ups:

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•One-month deployment = 75-second sampling interval for depth and temperature time-series. 48
messages per day x 30 days = 1440 messages.
•Three-month deployment = 300 second sampling interval for depth and temperature time-series.
12 messages per day x 90 days = 1080 messages.
•Eight-month deployment = 600 second sampling interval for depth and temperature time-series. 6
messages per day x 240 days = 1440 messages.
Time-Series Sensor Resolution
Time-series sensor resolution will vary for each measurement. All time-series sensor readings have an
associated resolution which is reported in the decoded data. The resolution is dynamically adjusted to
compress the data for transmission.
Summary Messages
In order to maximize information throughput, the MiniPAT condenses sensor observations into
summarized messages.
Mixed-Layer Temperature
Mixed-layer temperature messages describe the amount of time the animal spends in the mixed layer, the
depth of the thermocline, and temperature of the mixed layer. When enabled, one message is created for
each summary period and includes:
•Time in the mixed layer (percent)
•Depth of mixed layer (max)
•Temperature of mixed layer (min, max, avg)
•Temperature of the sea surface (min, max, avg)
•Overall depth (min, max)
•Overall temperature (min)
Profile of Depth and Temperature
PDTs record the minimum and maximum temperatures observed at different depths.
•Low-resolution profiles use eight different depths and fit into one message per summary period.
When all dives during a summary period are less than 400 m the tag will default to low-resolution
profiles.
•High-resolution profiles use 16 different depths and generate two messages per summary period.
For summary periods when the tag ventures below 400 m the tag defaults to high-resolution
profiles.
Depth points are distributed between the minimum and maximum depths observed during each summary
period.
Histogram Messages

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Two types of histograms are available:
•Time-at-Depth (TAD) histograms bundle the depth sensor measurements collected into bins based
on how much time the tag was at the user-defined depth ranges.
•Time-at Temperature (TAT) histograms bundle the temperature sensor measurements into bins
based on how much time the tag was at user-defined temperatures.
Histograms are generated starting at 00:00 UTC.
Histogram Bin Limits
There are twelve bin limits for each of the two histograms. These numbers are the upper inclusive limit for
each bin. The limits in first eleven boxes can be edited. The twelfth bin limit shows the highest valid sensor
measurement and cannot be adjusted.
Summary Period
The summary period is the collection duration of the summary messages. The summary period can range
from one hour to 24 hours, but the chosen period must divide the day evenly. The summary periods begin
immediately after midnight UTC by default and run to the end of the UTC day. Selecting a six-hour
summary period will cause the tag to split the day into four periods from 00:00 hr. to 06:00 hr., 06:00 hr. to
12:00 hr., 12:00 hr. to 18:00 hr. and 18:00 hr. to 24:00 hr. This pattern will repeat on the next UTC day.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Figure 12—The Data Product settings.
The Data Product settings shown in Figure 12 are for a 180-day deployment. 11 messages are generated each day.
These include:
•1 x Light-level message
•6 x Time-series messages
•2 Mixed-layer temperature messages
•2 Histogram messages
Transmission Settings
This category displays the Argos interval how often the tag will test for dry conditions and try to transmit
after pop-off. The transmission interval for pop-up tags is 60 seconds. This parameter is set by Wildlife
Computers.
Loading Settings into a Tag
Once settings have been chosen use the blue Send Changes button (or Propose Changes button if working
in Tag Portal) to load settings into tag. Tag Agent will confirm receipt of settings via dialog box. The Check
for Updates tab on the top left navigation bar of Tag Agent home screen can be used at any time to see if
setting updates are available.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Save Settings to PDF
To save a copy of your settings in a separate file, click on Save to PDF in the top right of the Administer Tag
section of Tag Agent. This will save a PDF to the computer. Send changes to the tag prior to saving the
settings.
Creating Templates
Once tag settings have been configured a template can be saved. Templates allow configure multiple tags
with the same settings. Select the icon in the upper right corner of the screen to reveal the Template
Manager. You have the option of creating an online template or a local template file of the current settings
selected. Local templates are used when no internet connection is available.
To create a temple, select and give the template a name.
Viewing Configuration History
A tag’s configuration history can be viewed using the arrowhead icon on the left sidebar menu. Clicking
the arrowhead will expose the tag history and once viewed, clicking on the arrowhead again will hide the
History. Previous tag settings can be viewed by clicking on each date listed.
Figure 13—Tag configuration history can be viewed using arrowhead icon.
Disconnect from MiniPAT
Use the Disconnect tab on the upper left of the Tag Agent Menu to select the tag state before unplugging.
If you are planning to deploy in the near future, select Auto Start mode. Tag will then auto deploy upon
saltwater submersion.
Always disconnect the tag using the Disconnect button. Unplugging without setting the tag state could
leave the tag in a mode that will rapidly deplete the battery.

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not be used, published or redistributed without the prior written consent of Wildlife Computers.
Clearing the MiniPAT Memory
The memory archive is cleared automatically when a new deployment is Started (Tag set to Start, then put
into Standby or Stop, and then Started once again). The LED will indicate that the tag is clearing the archive
with many rapid blinks.
Be mindful of this when selecting the tag state. If a tag is recovered, be sure to download the data prior to
putting back in Start mode.
Checking Sensor Readings & Transmission Test
The sensor values displayed on the Tag Agent home screen are continuously updated from the tag. Sensor
functionality can be validated by manipulating the sensors as follows:
•Ambient Temperature—responds quickly to warm air blown onto the thermistor located
immediately above the communications port.
•Internal Temperature—this will change slowly as the entire tag changes temperature. Leaving a tag
in a refrigerator for a while will change the value.
•Wet/Dry—connecting a wire from the large rectangular ground plate strap above the
communication port to the metal ring around the base of the antenna (letters i and h respectively
in Figure 2) should change the value from over 200 to less than 20.
•Light-level—under typical office lighting, covering both light sensors (shiny squares on opposite
sides of tag, letters d and j in Figure 2) with your fingers should drop the value by 20 to 40 counts.
Test Transmission
Under the Advanced button on the top menu there’s an option to Send Test Transmission. When selected,
a pop-up box with transmission values will appear.
Figure 14—Test transmission results.
The Battery Voltage value will be lower in the pop-up box than on the Tag Agent home screen because it is
measured when the battery is driving a transmission. The Transmit Current will vary depending on the
presence of conductive objects near the tag. It has been optimized for a tag that is floating in seawater.
Transmit Count is the number of transmissions the tag has made since it was manufactured.
Argos Transmitter Test

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The Argos Transmitter test allows for a full system test to confirm that the tag is successfully sending
messages to the Argos satellites. Click on the Advanced Tab then Argos Transmitter Test.
•Seconds Offset: If you will be testing multiple tags at one time, you can use this parameter to offset
transmissions so the tags will not transmit at the same time.
•Transmit Count: How many times you want the tag to transmit. 120 transmissions at a 60 second
interval will provide a 2-hour test, which is usually enough to coincide with a couple of satellite
passes. Check the satellite passes in your area prior to beginning the test.
•Seconds Apart: The time between each transmission. The usual repetition rate for a MiniPAT is 60
seconds.
When all of the tags are setup and deployed, take them outside where they have a full view of the sky. For
best results, float the MiniPATs in a bucket of saltwater. The test will run until complete or until the tag is
reset with a magnet or Tag Agent.
Using Tag Portal to Select Settings Remotely
Tag Portal is the cloud-based service offered by Wildlife Computers for remotely selecting tag settings.
Configuring can be done without connecting to your tag. This enables project coordinators to review and
select settings for their associates and programming to be done while tags are in transit, before arrival.
When logged into your Portal account, a list of the tags which you have administrator power over can be
viewed under the “My Tags” tab. To select settings, click on the serial number of the tag you wish to
configure or use the pencil icon.
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