Created January 2010
Updated Sep 2011
There are a wide range of bat detectors on the market which vary in price from less than a hundred pounds to more than several thousand. Buying direct ends to be cheaper than buying through other suppliers.
The Warwickshire Bat Group has an excellent section on bat detectors as does the Bat Conservation Trust
Magenta self assembly detector. Easy to assemble if have a grasp pf basic soldering www.magenta2000.co.ukg
Pettersen D240XA more expensive bit of kit, we have a couple www.batsound.com
Magenta A really robust inexpensive detector. We use this on public walks www.magenta2000.co.uk
- Anabat. We have never saved up enough to buy one of these Titley Scientific
Bat Box Duet This is our workhorse on surveys. Hard wearing and you can record from it www.batbox.com
Griffin We saved up and bought one of these and are very fond of it www batbox.com
What about digital recorders?
If you want information about digital recorders try BCT Guide to digital recorders.
Again we have a range of devices we use, (most of which are cheap and cheerful). New models seem to come onto the market every few weeks. Despite what some say these give more than adequate recordings for sonogram analysis
More expensive pieces of kit give better quality clearer recordings,
e.g. zoom recorders
http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/products/h2/
Sonogram analysis
Y
ou can buy commercial software such as Adobe audition but these are very expensive. and contains many features you will never use if all you want to do is analyse bat calls.http://www.adobe.com/products/audition/features.html
Newly released is an open source piece of software called Audacity which is very well worth a look and above all is free. We’ve downloaded it recently and have fallen in love with it. http://www.download-audacity.com/