ManualMarkV

Quick Start:

The Froglogger comes from the manufacturer already programmed with a couple of recording schedules for use as a typical automated system for recording frog calls. Schedule A is programmed to start programming at 7:00PM each day and record for 5 min each hour 3 hours. Schedule A will be repeated for 3 days.

Introduction:

The use of automated recording systems can overcome many of the limitations of traditional manual sampling techniques.

The froglogger is revolutionzing conservation efforts around the world where
monitoring is either time-intensive or physically difficult.

The purpose of this automated recording system is to allow ecologists to record automatically the vocalizations of animals in the field. This could include frogs, insects, birds, mammals and marine animals using a hydrophone. This system uses a user programmable timer/controller to automatically turn on and off a recorder and time-stamps the beginning of each sampling interval. The system is self contained, portable, and weather resistant. A hydrophone can be used along with the microphone(s) to record a vast array of animal sounds including those underwater.
The froglogger consists of a timer/control unit, a recorder, a microphone and a battery. The unit is setup to record at short intervals usually over several hours each day. The schedule is normally repeated each day. The unit is designed to record unattended for weeks or even months depending
on the duty cycle which is based on the schedule(s).

A Typical Setup: The unit might be set to record for 30 seconds every hour from 7:00PM until mid-night. The system is setup in the field, turned on and left to run unattended for at least a week, usually more. At a predetermined time the user will return to the field, remove the SD memory card, replace the SD memory card with a freshly erased card, replace the battery with a recharged battery, turn the unit back on and leave it to run its schedule for another extended period of time.
More study is necessary to determine what is causing these declines. To do these studies it is mandatory that we have methods of monitoring frog populations. The use of the “froglogger” was introduced in papers by Dr. Michael E. Dorcas and Dr. Charles Peterson over 14 years ago. Since that time many improvements have been made in these automatic recording systems. These instruments are now in use by utility companies, state departments of natural resources, USGS, colleges and universities, NASA, and by independent environmental engineering companies.
Frogloggers.com is dedicated to providing a method of monitoring frog, bird and other animal populations by the use of the Automatic Recording System (ARS, ARU or Froglogger). There is currently new interest in using the froglogger for monitoring populations of other wildlife such as wolves, coyotes, birds, insects, bats, and various marine species.

General setup procedure:
Press MENU and with the UP or DOWN button select the item you wish to program. Select a value by pressing the UP or DOWN buttons and then press SELECT to enter the value.

Setting up a recording schedule:

With the battery connected, turn on the power.

The LED light indicator near the ON/OFF switch should be flashing.

Four different displays should appear in succession. The initial “Froglogger Mark V ver. 1.xx “ appears first for about 4sec. followed by “© 2009 Bedford Technical “ , then “ www.frogloggers.com “ , and finally “ IDLE” with the time and date.

The “IDLE” screen indicates the unit is ready to use. If a schedule(s) has already been entered and enabled (ON) the schedule will execute at the time scheduled. The date/time will be set during testing at the factory and will normally be correct unless the user is in a time zone different than CST. The internal date/time clock has a backup battery with a lifetime of up to ten years.
If you turn on the power during a scheduled recording period, it will begin to record immediately. You can press MENU and the first menu item will appear - “Turn off rec and all schedules” . Press SELECT to turn the recorder off. NOTE: Turning “off” a schedule does not remove it from memory but simply disables it.
Press the MENU button and then go up or down the list of menu selections with the UP or DOWN button. When you get to the desired menu item select it by pressing the SELECT button.

Turn off rec and all schedules all schedules
Set the DATE & TIME (normally remains set)
Setup Schedule A
Setup Schedule B (if needed)
Recorder test (records for 10 seconds then turns recorder off)
Software version
Exit the menu

Turn off rec and all schedules – This menu item turns off the recorder if it’s on and turns off both schedule A and B. This does not erase the schedules but only disables them.
Set DATE & TIME - (When the “IDLE” screen is displayed it will show the current date and time. If it is correct you can bypass the DATE & TIME setup.) Set the date and time in the Marantz recorder according to the instructions in the Marantz users guide. It is the time set in the Marantz recorder that will appear as the “time stamp” on each recording track.
When “DATE & TIME” appears on the display press the “Select” . choice appears in the window and then press SELECT. Next you will select a month. When you finish going through all the date & time settings the complete date and time will appear in the display. If satisfied with the settings press SELECT. The clock backup battery is rated to hold the date and time for up to 10 years but we suggest you check it each time during the unit is setup.
Setup Schedule A (or B) –
a. Press MENU and navigate with the UP or DOWN button to “Set Schedule A”. Press SELECT
b. “Schedule A: ON(or OFF) A in enabled” will appears on the display. Press UP or DOWN to select ON or OFF depending on whether you want to enable the schedule or not. When the display displays the desired setting, press SELECT to enter it
c. “Start same day unit is started” appears in the display.
(the A or B in the top right of the display indicates which schedule you are working with.) If this is the desired operation press SELECT. If you want it to start a different day press UP or DOWN and set the desired date & time you want operation to begin. The procedure is the same as setting the DATE & TIME in item 2 above.
d. “Start Hour XX xx:xx:xx appears in the display. XX is the hour of the day in 24hour format which can indicate PM or AM. Example: if the display shows 19 it would indicate the 19th hour or 7PM. The xx:xx:xx indicates the actual start time in hours:min:sec. With the Up or DOWN button select the desired start hour and press SELECT.
e. “Start Min XX xx:xx:xx appears in the display.
Recorder test - Selecting the RECORDER TEST starts a sequence that turns on the recorder, allows it time to boot up, starts recording and records for 10 seconds. When finished recording the power to the recorder is turned off. The purpose of this menu item is simply to test the recorder and the froglogger timer/control unit’s ability to control it.
Software version - Simply allows the user to check the version of the software in the microcomputer that controls the froglogger timer/control unit.
Exit menu - If you press SELECT with “Exit Menu” displayed the unit will return to the “idle” mode. In the “idle” mode the unit is standing by to record if a schedule(s) is enabled (ON) or to be programmed.

A Note about default schedules:

The Froglogger Mark V comes with a default schedule A and a default schedule B. These default schedules are of course erased as soon as the user reprograms a new schedule into the unit. These default schedules are simply designed to allow the user to check the operation of the complete unit easily. Of course, the default schedule(s) could be used if they meet the users requirements.

          Default Schedule A
                   Starts the same day as power is applied
                   Starts at 7:00PM
                   Records for 5 min
                   Records once each hour
                   Number of cycles = 3
                   Repeats for 3 days

          Default Schedule B
                   Starts the same day s powered up
                   Starts at 4:00 AM
                   Records for 5 min
                   Records once each hour
                   Number of cycles = 3
                   Repeats for 3 days

If the user wants to reinstate the default programs A and/or B:
To reinstate A turn off power. Hold down buttons MENU and UP and turn the power on.

To reinstate B turn off power. Hold down buttons MENU and DOWN the turn the power on.

Note: Defaults can be restored by turning off power, holding down multiple buttons while turning the power back on. If you restore schedule A, schedule B (if previously programmed) will not be altered & visa versa.

MENU & UP restores A

MENU & DOWN restores B