A Hybrid Satellite and Short-Range Transceiver System for Combining Fine-Scale GPS Locations with Long-Distance Tracking to Monitor Wildlife Movements, Behavior and Mortality

50年来的野生动物科学建立在传输器获取的数据基础上，这些数据揭示了陆地、鸟类和海洋物种的本地运动、长距离迁徙、栖息地大小、栖息地利用、资源选择以及种群规模、密度、存活率和繁殖力。1986年推出的Argos卫星系统是研究长距离运动的突破性技术，因为它能够自动获取世界上任何地方野生动物的位置。尽管有成功的记录，但阿尔戈斯系统仍然存在障碍。S的实用性和可用性。Argos的带宽有限，无法传输大量精细的全球定位系统（GPS）位置和行为数据。用于产生足以被卫星接收的传输信号的重型电池增加了仪器的重量？由于一些卫星在崎岖地形中的低轨道和不受控制的射频干扰，许多陆基研究动物难以向卫星传输。高昂的购买和数据检索成本限制了许多项目。我们提出的混合卫星和短距离收发器系统通过检索大多数存储的GSP位置和行为数据来克服带宽和功率障碍，当研究动物返回可预测的位置时，如巢穴，洞穴或经常使用的路径和喂食地点。安装在这些地点的廉价、短程收发站可以有效地接收大量精细GPS位置和传感器数据档案。通过将Argos卫星发射机与短程收发器集成，如果研究动物移动到收发站范围之外，机载逻辑可以激活Argos发射机，从而提醒生物学家注意动物。S的新地点，并可选择在新地点安装廉价的固定收发信台。目前，使用遥感数据系统的科学家仅限于“现成的”终端产品，这些产品必须适用于许多不同的问题和系统。该项目最重要的影响是，它为科学家提供了与电气工程师平等合作的机会，共同开发独特的工具，为复杂而苛刻的环境问题找到答案。我们提出的混合传输系统将为生物和地球科学家提供一个系统，该系统将非常快速地将大量精细数据从定制设计的数据采集平台传输到实验室。除了解决技术问题外，该提案还将通过将执行发射器的最终组装和配置的技能转让给研究机构的生物学家和技术人员，从而克服价格高和功能有限的障碍，因为研究机构有第一手经验和动力来创造创新和定制的电池，天线和连接方法组合，以匹配个体物种和研究目标。只有核心电路板和固件将由商业供应商生产，一旦开发出来，其生产成本仅为目前成品卫星发射机价格的一小部分。研讨会和白令陆桥南？怀俄明的研究机构将广泛传播这些有价值的技能，目标是改变设计、建造和分发创新的新型发射机配置的方式。这是IBDR的一项提案，旨在设计一种价格合理的新型野生动物跟踪系统，该系统将Argos卫星跟踪与短距离高数据速率收发器集成在一起，并开发一种新的生产和分配模式，使卫星发射机更容易获得、更创新，并能满足野生动物研究界不断扩大的需求。

Fifty years of wildlife science has been built on transmitter-acquired data revealing local movements, long-distance migrations, home ranges sizes, habitat use, resource selection, and population size, density, survival rates and fecundity of terrestrial, avian and marine species. Introduced in 1986, the Argos satellite system was break-through technology for studying long-distance movements because of its ability to automatically acquire locations of wildlife anywhere in the world. Despite its successful track record there are obstacles that hinder the Argos system?s utility and availability. Argos has limited bandwidth for transmitting large amounts of fine-scale Global Positioning System (GPS) locations and behavioral data. Heavy batteries for generating transmissions strong enough to be received by satellites increase the instrument?s weight, and many terrestrial based study animals have difficulty transmitting to satellites due to the low trajectory of some satellites in rugged terrain and uncontrolled RF interference. High costs of purchase and data retrieval is limiting for many projects. Our proposed hybrid satellite and short-distance transceiver system overcomes bandwidth and power obstacles by retrieving most of the stored GSP locations and behavior data when the study animal returns to predictable locations such as a nest, den or frequently-used trails and feeding sites. Inexpensive, short-range transceiver stations installed at these locations can efficiently receive large archives of fine-scale GPS locations and sensor data. By integrating an Argos satellite transmitter with a short-range transceiver, onboard logic can activate the Argos transmitter if the study animal moves out of range of the transceiver stations thus alerting the biologist to the animal?s new location and the option to install an inexpensive fixed transceiver station at the new location.Currently scientists using remote sensing data systems are restricted to "off the shelf" end products that must work for many different questions and systems. The most significant impact of this project is that it provides scientists the opportunity to be equal partners with the electrical engineers in developing the unique tools necessary to find answers to the complex and demanding environmental issues. Our proposed hybrid transmitter system will provide biological and earth scientists with a system that will transfer large amounts of fine-scale data very quickly from custom designed data acquisition platforms to the laboratory. In addition to solving technical issues, this proposal will overcome the obstacles of high prices and the limited features by transferring the skills to perform the final assembly and configuration of transmitters to the biologists and technicians at research organizations where there is first-hand experience and motivation to create innovative and customized combinations of batteries, antennas and attachment methods that match individual species and study objectives. Only the core circuit boards and firmware will be produced by a commercial vender which, once developed, can be produced for a fraction of the current pricing for finished satellite transmitters. Workshops at conferences and Beringia South?s Wyoming research facility will widely disseminate these valuable skills with the goal of changing the way that innovative new configurations of transmitters are designed, built and distributed.PROJECT SUMMARY This is an IBDR proposal to design a new and affordable type of wildlife tracking system that integrates Argos satellite tracking with short-range high data-rate transceivers and to develop a new production and distribution paradigm that will make satellite transmitters more accessible, innovative and responsive to the expanding needs of the wildlife research community.