Microwave Telemetry PTT-100 Field Manual

Microwave
Telemetry, Inc.

BATTERY POWERED PTT-100

Field

MANUAl

Microwave

Telemetry, Inc.

8835 Columbia 100 Parkway

Suites K & L

Columbia, Maryland 21045

USA

Phone: [phone]

Fax: [phone]

Email: [e-mail]

Web: www.microwavetelemetry.com

Cover Picture courtesy of Frantisek Pojer

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PTT - 100 Field Manual

GENERAL INFORMATION

What is the PTT-100...........................

Unpacking............................................

TESTING

Testing................................................

Attachment..........................................

DATA

Data Retrieval......................................

Data Decoding.....................................

QUESTIONS

5
7

9
13

15
16

Troubleshooting....................................

Storage................................................

Returning Your PTT.............................

Contact Information..............................

Glossary..............................................

Notes...................................................

PTT - 100 Field Manual

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22
23

25
26
29

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Thank You For Your Order!

We are happy to provide you with our state-of-the-art

45 gram PTT-100

PTT-100.

26 gram Implantable PTT-100

95 gram PTT-100

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38-44 gram Implantable PTT-100

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.

INFO

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 im­plantable models

• Implantable models are optimized for operation at body
temperature

PTT - 100 Field Manual

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Physical Specifications

INFO

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

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

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.

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.

**Adjustable between 100 to 500 mW
***This can be optimized for your
requirements at the time of manufacture.

PTT - 100 Field Manual

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1 Please 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).

INFO

2 Do 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.

PTT - 100 Field Manual

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3 Always use the button magnet supplied -

never use a bar magnet.

INFO

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

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DO NOT USE!

PTT - 100 Field Manual

DO NOT DEPLOY YOUR PTT WITHOUT TESTING THE
DEVICE AND VERIFYING THAT IT IS OPERATING
CORRECTLY

1 Place 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.

TESTING

TESTING

BEFORE DEPLOYING YOUR PTT, IT MUST BE TESTED
THROUGH THE ARGOS SYSTEM.

Save the test data for later reference.

PTT - 100 Field Manual

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2 Be sure the magnet has been in the STOP

position for at least 70 seconds.

Testing

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

TESTING

removed.

3 Remove 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.

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PTT - 100 Field Manual