Development of GPS-Argos platform transmitter terminals for marine biotelemetry

近年来微电子技术的飞速发展，为研究海洋生物行为提供了划时代的仪器。特别是，Argos系统广泛应用于全球迁徙的海龟，鲸鱼和信天翁。因为Argos使用多普勒频移测量位置，所以产生主要测量误差。在最好的情况下，有大约50米的定位余量。在本研究中，我们开发了一个GPS-Argos平台发射机终端，以避免出现的主要错误。这些原型被附着在泰国一个饲养池塘里的玳瑁身上。在此基础上，对样机天线的材料和形状进行了改进，并制作了另一台样机。2004年1月，我们在泰国安达曼海使用新原型进行了公海试验。利用Argos系统成功地传输了外海数据、船内GPS定位数据。此外，位置数据比Argos位置数据精确得多。

According to recent rapid development of microelectronics, we have epoch-making instruments to study behavior of marine biology. Especially, the Argos system is widely applied to sea turtles, whales, and albatrosses which migrate globally. Because the Argos measures the position using Doppler shift, principal measurement errors occur. In the best condition, there is around 50m positioning allowance. In this study, we developed a GPS-Argos platform transmitter terminal to avoid the principal errors to occur.In 2002, we manufactured two prototypes of GPS-Argos platform transmitter terminals. The prototypes were attached to hawksbill turtles in a rearing pond in Thailand. Based on the results, we improved materials and shapes of antennas of the prototypes and manufactured another prototype. We performed a open-sea trial using a new prototype in the Andaman Sea, Thailand in January 2004. The data in the open sea, position data by GPS inside were transmitted by the Argos system successfully. In addition, the position data were remarkably more accurate than that of the Argos position data.