Autorecording with a Samson Zoom H2 recorder

1. Autorecording with a Samson Zoom H2 recorder This guide provides instructions on how to use a Samson Zoom H2 to autorecord with a Pettersson D240x or other auto-triggering time expansion detector, and capture the triggered events as time and date stamped wav format files. This method will generate separate files on the Zoom H2 SD card for each triggered event to optimize data storage capacity and eliminate the need to parse out separate files after recording. Joe Szewczak SonoBat 2010

2. Autorecording with a Samson Zoom H2 recorder • Once set up in the way shown here, autorecording sessions only involve: • Autorecording • Transferring files from the Zoom H2 using the SonoBat Dated Attributer (Leaving files ready to process with SonoBat) • Clearing the Zoom H2 SD card for the next session.

3. D240x detector Samson Zoom H2 recorder autorecording setup plug cable into TAPE-out jack Stereo audio patch cable With left channel disabled! Zoom H2 recorder attach via line-in jack (Not ext mic-in jack!) Make sure to fully insert plugs.

4. firmware version no. Note: for the method described here to work, the Zoom H2 must run current firmware, v1.80 on. To check the installed firmware version, disconnect any USB connection, and power down the Zoom H2. Then, power on the Zoom H2 while holding down the PLAY/PAUSE button. The display will indicate the installed firmware version. Firmware v1.80 is known to work. To update firmware, follow the instructions on this link: http://www.zoom.co.jp/english/download/software/h2.php

5. Note 2: this method also requires a left channel-disabled audio cord. A Pettersson D240x detector outputs a continuous heterodyne (HET) signal on the left channel and the time expansion (TE) signal on the right channel when triggered. The Zoom H2 autorecord function will trigger from signal energy on either channel. To have the Zoom H2 only record clean, full length TE files and prevent the Zoom H2 from capriciously triggering from the HET signal, you must defeat the HET signal from reaching the Zoom H2. The cable provided with SonoBat software provides this function, but anyone can easily make such a cable. Method 1: same as custom SonoBat cable. Connect middle and base connectors only; do not connect tips. Example parts: Mouser parts 171-3311 or 568-NYS231G, 172-2017.

6. Method 2: patching together from off the shelf components. Connect right channels of 3-Way adapters with a female-female RCA cable. Method 3: quick and dirty. Take a standard stereo-stereo patch cord. Grab the tip of one end and twist it side to side until it breaks off. Done! The modified plug will work better in the Zoom H2 as it has a grabbier jack than the D240x*. * Disabling the left channel by this method also disables the primary mechanism for retaining the plug in a jack. You may need to otherwise secure the plug to hold it in the jack.

7. Samson Zoom H2 recorder not used not used not used use to select & confirm settings use to access settings use to navigate settings not used

8. Samson Zoom H2 recorder not used not used not used not used connect audio cable from detector here Connect external power input here. 9V DC. Note that plug polarity is reversed from common coaxial plug usage; the outer conductor is positive and the center conductor must be negative.

9. Setting up the Zoom H2 to AutoRecord Power up the Zoom H2. After booting, the record screen will display. Then push the MENU button to bring up the settings menu.

10. Menu display & settings • Recording settings to use: • Low cut off filter: off • Recording format: 44.1 kHz/16 bit • Automatic gain control: off • File display: displays list of recorded files navigate up menu use record key to select menu items and confirm selections navigate down menu

11. Zoom H2 autorecord settings • Folder:default folder 01 ok • Monitor:off • Plug-in power:off if using internal batteries, on if using external plug-in power • Pre record:off

12. Zoom H2 autorecord settings • Autorecord:select AUTO REC menu, and set to • On/Off:on • Start level:-42 dB • Stop level:-44 dB • Auto stop:1 second

13. Zoom H2 autorecord settings • Mono mix:off, to separate stereo channels • Left/right position:N/A, leave default setting • Metronome:N/A, leave default setting

14. Zoom H2 autorecord settings • Tuner:N/A, leave default setting • Play mode:N/A, leave default setting • AB repeat:N/A, leave default setting • Light:15 seconds, or longer if desired

15. Zoom H2 autorecord settings • Contrast:default setting of 5 ok • Battery:Ni-MH if using rechargeable batteries, Alkaline if single-use batteries* • SD card:can display remaining memory capacity, or use to format an SD card • USB:N/A, leave default setting * Alkaline or Ni-MH batteries will make it all or most of the way through a night of recording. Single-use Lithium batteries will readily make it through a long night of recording.

16. Zoom H2 autorecord settings • Date/time:select and set to proper date and time* * Essential to properly date and time stamp files.

17. Setting up a D240x to autorecord Set speaker select switch to TIME EXP to avoid any heterodyne interference from speaker during recording. Leave on “NORMAL” setting. (This unit has the switch disabled to avoid inadvertently changing this setting.) Turn on to lowest volume setting. Use HIGH gain for most situations to maximize range reception of bats; use low gain in situations when the detector might be very close to the bats. Connect stereo patch cable to TAPE jack.

18. Setting up a D240x to autorecord Set trigger setting to AUTO. The HF setting triggers the detector with any high frequency sound, including audible bats. Use this setting unless you desire to limit detection to a narrow bandwidth based on the heterodyne frequency selected. Use 1.7 sec recordings for most recording sessions. This will provide sufficient calls and sequence data for most bat species, while optimizing the number of passes recorded. Use a LOW trigger level for most recording situations. The HIGH setting may be useful in situations with much insect noise. Note that this would limit the triggering to only bats that make a close approach to the detector.

19. Detector placement Avoid recording with a detector placed directly on the ground. Simply elevating a detector one or two meters above ground can dramatically improve recording quality by reducing surface echoes, avoiding thermal layering or near-ground air convection currents, all of which can distort ultrasound signals. Place detectors out of a flyway to best record routine search phase call samples. Where possible, place detectors to blend in with (but above) vegetative clutter and listen out into a flyway. Conspicuous placement in a flyway may interfere with routine foraging activity at that site and will often result in many recorded sequences of short "inspection calls" from bats investigating the novel object in their flyway.

20. Detector placement Place detectors away from large echo-producing surfaces: asphalt, building facades, bridge structural surfaces, flat water, etc. When you must record near such surfaces, attempt to position the detector to listen away from these surfaces rather than toward them. If possible, have the microphone end of the detector above any mounting hardware. If recording overnight, use fresh batteries in both devices. When possible, use a handheld detector to acoustically sample the potential detector placement site to reveal sources of ultrasonic noise before a recording session. Many things that seem quiet to our human ears can emit overwhelming ultrasonic noise, e.g., dried leaves or other vegetation rustling in a breeze, insects, or metal structures cooling and creaking in the evening.

21. Initiating an autorecording session * Suggestion: check the date and autorecord settings on the Zoom H2 before each recording session as that can sometimes reset when changing batteries. With the D240x and Zoom H2 powered up, push the Zoom H2 record button (the one with the red dot) and the red LED will begin flashing to indicate its status as ready to record signals from the detector.

22. Initiating an autorecording session The red recording LED will blink and the display will indicate “Wait For Signal…,” unless already receiving a triggered signal from the detector.

23. Initiating an autorecording session If receiving a signal from the detector, the time display will indicate the current signal duration of the recording.

24. Autorecording When the signal ends, the Zoom H2 will display this screen while saving the digitized signal to the SD card. Test the detector/recorder setup by generating some sound to trigger the detector. With all settings and connections properly set, you should see it record as in the previous slide, and save as shown here, and then return to the “Wait For Signal…” display.

25. Zoom H2 autorecording file management Download autorecorded files from the Zoom H2 using the SonoBat Dated Batch Attributer utility. The Zoom H2 writes sequentially named stereo wav files with embedded file creation date and times onto its SD card. When transferring these files with the SonoBat Dated Batch Attributer the utility reads this information and uses it to write date and time-named mono attributed wav files with embedded SonoBat attributes and notes. SonoBat Dated Batch Attributer panel.

26. Zoom H2 autorecording file management With the Zoom H2 power off, connect it to a computer with a USB cable*. Navigate to or drag and drop the Zoom H2 folder with the autorecorded files into the “directory to process” field. Create a folder on your computer to accept the attributed files and navigate to or drag that into the “location for output” field. * Although you can transfer files directly from the Zoom H2, removing the SD card and using a card reader will likely transfer files more quickly.

27. Zoom H2 autorecording file management Enter a filename start, if desired, and the attributed files will all have this name with the date and time appended to them. Using the site name can help manage your data. In the absence of any "filename start,”files will just be named by their date and time. For example, if you recorded at Bat Spring on 4 July, 2010, you might enter "Bat Spring" in the "filename start" text box. The attributed files will then appear named like Bat Spring-04Jul10-20,32,45.wav Bat Spring-04Jul10-20,37,12.wav Bat Spring-04Jul10-20,38,51.wav and so on.

28. Zoom H2 autorecording file management Enter detector attributes (values for Pettersson D240x shown). Enter field notes to embed in the wav file headers. Suggestion: entering the site name and date here provides redundancy to recover this information if the filename ever gets changed.

29. Zoom H2 autorecording file management Option: Scrubbing high-grades the files to remove low quality and obvious non-bat files. Read the help message for more information about scrubbing. Recommendation: Do not scrub if using the automated classifiers of SonoBat 3 as the SonoBatch operation performs a more thorough and sophisticated evaluation to determine bat/no bat presence.

30. Zoom H2 autorecording file management After completing all fields and settings, click the “process files” button to batch transfer, name, and attribute the files from the Zoom H2.

31. Zoom H2 autorecorded files Finally, delete files from the SD card to prepare it for the next autorecording session. Done! Example listing of files transferred, named, and attributed from autorecording with a Pettersson D240x and Samson Zoom H2, and after batch processing with SonoBat 3.