Glossary

Bandwidth The number of radio frequency units, e.g. between the lower and upper frequency limits a receiver can detect.


Battery life configuration The pulse rate and lengths set to optimise the trade-off between the distance the tag can be heard from and the time it lasts.


Biotelemetry Recording biological data from a distance.


GPS tracking Recording the location of an animal using the Global Positioning System.


Micro-controlled tags Pulse characteristics are controlled by a tiny, single-chip computer (microcontroller) which gives flexibility for more sophisticated sensing and powering down of a tag when not needed.


PIT tags Passive Integrated Transponders that reflect back a unique number when interrogated using external energy. Typically used for pet identification.


Potting Protective layer around the transmitter and cell. Tags that might get chewed, or are likely to be submerged need heavy potting, whereas small birds need tags to be potted lightly, because they are unlikely to damage the tag and it is important to keep the weight down.


PTT Platform Transmitter Terminal, used for satellite tracking.


Radio tag Transmitter circuit, that may include a sensor, and a cell (battery) that provides the power, and it is then protected with potting and furnished to make attachment to the animals as easy and kind as possible.


Radio-telemetry Recording data (over and above the location) from a distance using a radio tag.


Radio-tracking Recording the location of an animal from a distance using a radio tag.


Satellite Tracking Signals from the tag are received by satellites and interpreted using the Doppler Principle to give a location. Good for migratory animals and global movements but low accuracy.


Tag life The duration expected from a tag given the pulse characteristics and the capacity of a cell when under a pulsed load.


Tag range The distance from which you expect to hear the tag, but which is very environment dependent.


Telemetry Recording information (over and above the location) from an animal at a distance.


Transmitter Small sealed units that contain the electronic circuitry needed to produce radio signals. To be built in to a radio tag, they must be fitted with a battery, antenna and mounting system. For more information, see the Radio Tags page.


UHF Ultra High Frequencies (> 300 MHz)


VHF Very High Frequencies (30 – 300 MHz)


Yagi Antenna Receiving antenna with a reflector element and one or more directors fixed in parallel on either side of a dipole antenna: see datasheets.