Wildlife Acoustics SM3BAT, SM4BAT FS User Manual
SM3/SM4 FS RS-232 Monitor Interface User Guide
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. page 1
SM3BAT/SM4BAT FS RS-232 Monitoring
Interface
The SM3BAT and SM4BAT FS implement a serial communications interface in
support of wind energy SCADA systems to report possible bat activity. With
firmware version 1.3.3 and later of the SM3BAT, or SM4BAT FS recorders produced
with serial numbers greater than S4U06942 (shipped on or after March 12, 2019),
the recorder responds to serial requests with information including cumulative
number of bat passes and pulses detected as well as timestamp, voltage,
temperature, and flash card capacity information.
NOTE: Firmware algorithms attempt to detect and count individual echolocation pulses
from bats and sequences of bat pulses based on configured parameters. Operators
should understand that some extraneous noise sources can cause false indications of bat
activity and that not all bat activity will be detected. The outputs should be used as part
of a site-specific statistical model capable of correlating these outputs to actionable events.
The protocol is “plug-and-play” in the sense that the SM3BAT or SM4BAT FS
automatically detects receiving the first request at either 38,400 or 19,200 baud
while recording bats. Once detected, the SM3BAT or SM4BAT FS will configure the
serial port and respond to subsequent requests with information.
The SM3BAT or SM4BAT FS is configured as per normal operation for recording
bats in triggered WAV mode. The various parameters and settings can be tuned for
defining the monitoring times and definitions of a valid bat pulse or pass.
Under normal operation (e.g. without the RS-232 interface), the SM3BAT or
SM4BAT FS would stop recording if the flash cards became full or unusable.
However, when the RS-232 interface is in use (e.g. if one or more requests have
been detected), the SM3BAT or SM4BAT FS will continue recording until cards are
full or fail, but will then continue monitoring/counting. In this mode, the LCD
display will indicate that the SM3BAT or SM4BAT FS is recording to the “Z” card
(instead of “A” through “D”) and the SM3BAT or SM4BAT FS will continue to
respond to requests over RS-232 with bat activity information.
SM3/SM4 FS RS-232 Monitor Interface User Guide
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. page 2
Hardware Interface
The SM3BAT recorder hardware has an integrated RS-232 UART terminating with
an 8-pin Conxall weatherproof panel mount connector (equivalent to Switchcraft
7282-8PG-300) accessible from the exterior of the SM3BAT chassis. Wildlife
Acoustics can provide a shielded 3 meter mating data cable terminating in 8 wires
as follows:
SM3BAT
Pin #
SM3BAT
Data Cable
Wire Color
SM3BAT
Signal
name
RS-232 Signal
(DB9 pin)
Description (relative to
SM3BAT)
1
Green
Vcc Output 3.3V (not used)
2
Black
TX
RD (2)
Output RS-232 data TX
3
Red
RTS
CTS (8) not used
Output RS-232 RTS (not used)
4
Orange
Enable
Output GPS enable (not used)
5
White
PPS Input GPS time synch (not used)
6
Brown
RX
TD (3)
Input RS-232 data RX
7
Yellow
CTS
RTS (7) not used
Input RS-232 CTS (not used)
8
Blue
GND
GND (5)
Ground
SM3/SM4 FS RS-232 Monitor Interface User Guide
Wildlife Acoustics, Inc. page 3
SM4BAT FS recorders produced with serial numbers greater than S4U06942
(shipped on or after March 12, 2019), have an integrated RS-232 UART with signal
lines using 2 of the 5-pins used in for the external power connector, a 5-pin Conxall
weatherproof panel mount connector (equivalent to Switchcraft 7282-5PG-300)
accessible from the exterior of the SM4BAT FS chassis. Wildlife Acoustics can
provide a “V” cable terminating with one branch of the “Y” used for external power
to the SM4BAT FS and the other branch of the “Y” terminating in 4 bare wires as
follows:
SM4BAT-FS
Pin #
“Y” Cable
Wire Color
SM4BAT-FS
Signal name
RS-232 Signal
(DB9 pin)
Description (relative to
SM4BAT-FS)
1
Black
TX
RD (2)
Transmit data to network
2
Red
RX
TD (3)
Receive data from network
3
Blue
GROUND
GROUND (5)
Signal ground
4 POWER
External power for SM4BAT-FS
5
Green
Not used
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