Revised Sound Lure Version 3.0

Revised Electrical Circuit Version 3.0

The sound lure has been significantly revised with additional resistors put into the set up, additional amplification and small changes made to the electrical circuits.

The key components of the set up and the unit have remained the same.    In terms of testing of the unit there is a considerable increase in the volume output, which has been improved, and the coding efficiency of the unit has increased significantly.

Based on previous testing there was still some days when prior to day break the lure was starting to show some stressing on the battery power.   This appears to have been addressed and now the unit works soley on the basis of a solar charge alone, without the need to have a mains power if the unit is not in full sun.   Previously shaded units required to have mains boosting, this no longer appears to be the case and will undergo further testing.

Above: IP Rated Casing for unit

Boxing: Previoulsy we have relied with the units being boxed by 3D Printed designs by students. 

The first five deployed units were created and developed by students, with the boxing created and designed by 3D Printers.    Examples are detailed on this blog.

The first five deployed units which were deployed locally in November and December 2019.     Four of these units were deployed to local farms and one was kept inside for testing purposes.    Of the four deployed units three were deployed when there was rainfall during the month of December (2019) and January (2020).  Two of these units suffered clear rain damage. 

In the first case the unit box was filled with significant water which caused obvious damage to the unit as given the rainfall of the time the unit ended up immersed in water.  This unit had a 3D Printed Box and Lid, which was sized correctly.

In the case of the second unit, which had been prepared with insulation/electrical tap.   In both cases rainfall was able to enter the unit and connect with the breadboard/battery.   As the battery has been mounted beneath the unit this was contacted with water first.

Given the season is Summer and Winter in South Taranaki can have significant rainfall a plan was developed to ensure that the electronics of the unit could be protected.   The soultion is featuring the box/unit that is visible in the photograph about.  In this case the boxing is IP rated, meaning that water cannot enter the casing.   There still needs to be some testing and condsideration around how the sound is emitted from the device, however this is likely to involve drilling and water proofing and should be minimal.

There is also an aerial on view in the photograph above and a receiver.   Future versions of the sound lure are going to be enabled to send and receive data based around temperature, activations and battery level and solar power charge level.   This is significantly going to allow the collection of real time data.

Sound Lure Sounds: Revising the targets and basic sound.

After reviewing the documented activity from the sound lures activity at location number one a decision has been made to significantly alter the sound profile that is being used.   Having met and talked to various organisations and individuals in the past few weeks, a decision has been made to trial a different sound.

The original deployment sound consisted of a 'Stoat Chatter' sound during the day, followed by a night profile that consisted of 'Stoat Chatter', two versions of a 'Possum Call' and two versions of 'Chick sound'.    These sounds have been the ones used on the five initial units that were deployed from November 2019 to January 2020.

The new sound has been sent to us from a link from Kane from Lake Rotokare Reserve and is entitled 'distressed bobtail rabbit'.   This is a professionally recorded sound from youtube which appears to be a hunters call.  The idea behind utilizing this sound is to attract animals towards it, that would prey on a wounded or distressed rabbit (ie a Stoat).

Currently the lure that we are tracking each day is at a location close to a significant middle sized river.   This river is currently in the middle of summer and is lower than usual for this time of year, there is a small amout of water activity from the current.  As it is located in a area of riparian planting there is siginificant bird chatter in the area, the distressed animal noise is now in contrast to this.  The intention is to monitor the activity around the trap, the previous sounds have clearly attracted possums, rats and cats to the immediate vicinity of the trap during night.   The first night of the change there was no recorded activity at the site.

Reviewing Activations Ten Days In DS1

Last nights activation was caused by a significant large Norway Rat.  This rat was clearly shown on the camera, although it did not appear to enter the tunnel or activate the trap.

On reviewing the deployment two significant changes are being made.  Firstly the peanut butter which was on the trap is being replaced (after ten days).    This was replaced by fresh peanut butter, starting from this evenings deployment.

The second significant change being made is to the lure sound used.  We have had feedback from a number of organisations and individuals suggesting that we modify the sounds currently used on the lure.   We have generic sounds and instead will shift towards 'distressed animal' calls.   These are freely available as common source.

Deployment Site One: Week Review

 During this week we have had a sound lure deployed at the river location described as 'deployment site one'.

While there was significant activity on the first day, there was a period of no incidents.  In the night prior to this there were a series of puzzelling interactions.   The camera was triggered at 2:00am and something appears to be approaching the recording area.   A series of motion captured photos are taken, but the area is blank. 

There is then considerable blocking of the camera in a series of photos for the next few minutes, including the photograph at the top and bottom.  It appears to be a possum that is climbing the tree that the camera is placed on. 

The camera in this instance is secured to a tree that is opposite the sound lure and is slightly downhill pointing towards it.  After this sustained and unknown activity (although I believe that the bottom photograph shows it was an animal with fur that climbed the tree) the camera reverted back to a normal vision and took regular shots, the photographs below are the before and after at the location.

Left: 1:00am activation prior to the two above photographs.   You can clearly see the trap box where the lure is located.   The sequence of photographs of the suspected brush tailed possum activation above then directly follow this.   This is an activation at 9:30pm on the camera, with time adjusted we know that this activation occcured at 10:30pm.

Left: The final 1:00am activation, the position of the camera has moved, and the difference seems to indicate repositioning of the camera.

On reviewing the site of the activation and the details of the activation, the height at which the camera was placed and other details, all this evidence strongly suggests that the animal was indeed a brush tailed possum

This trial has included the lure running on a single charge from a mains power location.  It has run for three and a half days (84 hours in duration) without the dropping of any of the sound quality.   The location is semi-shaded indicating that the lure will work for extended periods of time in this sort of location.

Also at this location this location is on the edge of a maize paddock in a rural area.   Council are trapping in the immediate area.  There are possums active in the area as well as rats and cats.

There is a further incident of note.   School started back on Wednesday.  On Thursday morning there was reports of a 'racoon' around the buildings at school.  Students (and staff member) went to investigatge and located a large Ferrret which was wandering around the school buildings.   While it could be coincidental it came from the staff car park - it could be a coincidence but the sound lure that was brought to school was fully operational and had been operating (emitting sound) from the teachers car in the car park.

Summation of Week One (January 2020) at Deployment Site One:

• Two Possums sighted on tracking camera - one interacts with lure.
• Two Rats sighted on tracking camera - one trapped in box.
• Device charged in mains power and lasts four and half days following charge