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Demonstration of Satellite/GPS Telemetry for Monitoring Fine-Scale Movements of Lesser Prairie-Chickens
Rey Farve, Project Leader Methods And Equipment Used In Demonstration DeploymentBelow is a description of the equipment and methods used in the demonstration deployment. Equipment Prior to actually purchasing a platform transmitter terminal (PTT) for satellite/GPS telemetry, a user must first obtain permission to use the Argos Satellite System. Below is a description of the process for gaining use of the Argos System and the process of acquiring a PTT. 1. Argos Satellite Data Collection System If the agreement is approved, Argos sends the user an ID number for each PTT that the user plans to deploy. The user ID is needed for the manufacturers of the PTT (see discussion of the PTTs below). The subscription cost for using the Argos Satellite System depends primarily on the number of PTTs used and the amount of time (hours) that PTTs is actually transmitting data. As such, subscription cost likely will vary from month-to-month depending on a variety of factors that influence how many PTTs are actually transmitting data. The summary provided in table 1 is an average cost (in 2012 dollars) for the subscription cost for using 2–8 PTTs during the most active months that data was transmitted (typically during spring–fall) of the 2 years of the demonstration deployment. This is provided to give the potential user a general sense of what maximum subscription cost/PTT might be for a deployment of PTTs.
2. Platform Transmitter Terminals (PTTs)
For the demonstration, we used the smallest/lightest GPS/Satellite PTT available on the market—the 22g Solar Argos/GPS PTT (figure 9) (cost in 2011 was $3,950 each). We defined the daily duty cycle for obtaining GPS fixes as: 0400 hours to 2200 hours every other hour. Also, the PTTs were manufactured to upload all GPS locations to the Argos satellite once every 3 days.
This 22-gram (g) device added less than 3 percent to an average LPC's body weight (as reported for LPCs [table 2]), per the oft-cited 3–5 percent "rule-of-thumb" for animal-born devices. (More detailed discussion on 3–5 percent "rule" is at: Mech and Barber [2002:30] and Wilson and McMahon [2006].)
Note: During the course of the demonstration deployment we were able to capture seven male LPCs; these birds had an average weight of 824g (actual weights: 790g; 750g; 850g; 900g; 820g; 860g; 800g). Methods Since SDTDC expected there to be a significant "learning curve" for us to negotiate as we demonstrate this technology, we acquired the services of Brian Bedrosian of the Craighead Beringia South to assist in the demonstration. Brian has extensive experience in using satellite/ GPS telemetry to track the fine-scale movements of greater sagegrouse in Wyoming (Bedrosian 2009). 1. Capture of LPCs In the spring of 2012 Craighead Beringia South provided the team with rocket-launched nets (the Coda net launcher and modified portable rocket-net system [see Grubb 1991]), and we were able to capture four male birds and fit them with PTTs. PTTs were retrieved only after they become dislodged from birds. (See discussion in section IV.2, on PTT recovery.) 2. Attachment of PTTs
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