After using a borrowed bat detector on a night-time walk with our local ranger, I wanted to buy one of my own. The problem is that most are priced in the £80-£120 range. Not too great if it is discarded after a couple of night-time walks!
This little kit is much more reasonably priced.
Pros:
o Does actually work
o Excellent value for money
o Easy to assemble (no soldering, just plug some parts together)
o Could relatively easily be transferred to a plastic box if desired.
o Built-in loudspeaker
o Runs on easily obtained 9V battery
Cons:
o Cardboard enclosure, so not rugged
o Battery not secure in box
o No headphone socket
o Frequency is uncalibrated *
o Battery not included
* Even some of the expensive ones don't have a frequency readout.
For the uninitiated: this consists of an ultrasonic microphone and amplifier followed by a mixer. The output of an ultrasonic CW oscillator is mixed with the (amplified) incoming signal to heterodyne it down to audio frequencies. It is then amplified and fed to a loudspeaker.
Bats emit short bursts (not continuous shrieks) otherwise they would not hear the echoes coming back. So, as long as the oscillator is roughly in the right range, the bat's call will sound like a click when mixed down anywhere in the audible range. With a calibrated oscillator (which this does not have) you MIGHT be able to identify the type of bat based on the frequency setting - however I suspect that the bat's flight and other characteristics are possibly more telling anyway.
| Product Dimensions | 18 x 13.5 x 4 cm; 100 g |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recommended age | 12 years and up |
| Item model number | HBD2766 |
| Educational Objective(s) | Literacy & Spacial Awareness |
| Assembly Required | Yes |
| Batteries Required? | Yes |
| Batteries included? | No |
| Material Type(s) | Cardboard |
| Remote Control Included? | No |
| Colour | Black |
| ASIN | B07PWQZPC3 |
