bat detectors


    Bat detectors are basically electronic gadgets that can translate the high-pitched sounds that bats use to fly in the dark and feed into sounds within our range of hearing. The three most common methods of converting ultrasound into sound that we can hear are 'heterodyning', 'frequency division', and 'time-expansion'.

There are a wide range of bat detectors available (pdf 54Kb). Some just use one method to detect bat calls whereas others can switch between two or even three different types of ultrasound conversion. The cheapest models specialize in one method, either heterodying or frequency division. Time expansion detectors have more complex electronics to replicate the bat calls more faithfully and this pushes the price up.

Below is a selection of those available, grouped by manufacturer, with prices starting around £40.

Magenta Mk II
heterodyne
(Magenta Electronics Ltd)

The Original MkII Bat Detector Kit – the original self-assembly kit for the electronics constructor – now easier to build with a ready drilled case (Kit 861).
Magenta Mark II kit - bat detector
Suppliers:
Magenta Electronics
Alana Ecology

Magenta Mk IIb
heterodyne
(Magenta Electronics Ltd)
pdf (590Kb)
Magenta Mark 2b bat detector
Suppliers:
Magenta Electronics
Alana Ecology

Magenta Mk III
heterodyne
(Magenta Electronics Ltd)
pdf
(590Kb)
Magenta Mark 3 bat detector
Suppliers:
Magenta Electronics
Alana Ecology

 

Batbox III
heterodyne
(Stag Electronics)
batbox 3 bat detector
Suppliers:
Stag Electronics
Alana Ecology

Microbat
heterodyne
(Stag Electronics)

This small detector uses 2 membrane switches. One toggles between high and low frequencies to pick up different bats, the other is the power on/off.
Microbat bat detector
Suppliers:
Stag Electronics
Alana Ecology

Batbox Duet
heterodyne & frequency division
(Stag Electronics)

Suppliers:
Stag Electronics
Alana Ecology

 

Mini-3
heterodyne
(Ultra Sound Advice)

Mini-3 bat detector
Suppliers:
Ultra Sound Advice
Alana Ecology

U30
heterodyne

(Ultra Sound Advice)
U30 bat detector
Suppliers:
Ultra Sound Advice

TD 15-2
heterodyne
(Laar Bioacustic Equipment)

pdf 26Kb
Laar TD 15-2 bat detector
Suppliers:
Laar Bioacustic Equipment

PX1
heterodyne
(Laar Bioacustic Equipment)
(pdf 27Kb)
PX1 bat detector
Suppliers:
Laar Bioacustic Equipment

Explorer II
time expansion
(Laar Bioacustic Equipment)
pdf 26Kb
Laar Explorer II bat detector
Suppliers:
Laar Bioacustic Equipment

TR 25
time expansion
(Laar Bioacustic Equipment)

pdf 57Kb
Laar TR 25 bat detector
Suppliers:
Laar Bioacustic Equipment

TR 30
time expansion
(Laar Bioacustic Equipment)
pdf 30Kb
Laar TR 30 bat detector
Suppliers:
Laar Bioacustic Equipment

 

D100
heterodyne
(Petterson Electronik)
D100 bat detector
Suppliers:
Petterson Electronik
Alana Ecology

D200
heterodyne
(Petterson Electronik)
D200 bat detector
Suppliers:
Petterson Electronik
Alana Ecology

D230
heterodyne & frequency division
(Pettersson Electronik)
D230 bat detector
Suppliers:
Petterson Electronik

D240x
heterodyne & time expansion
(Pettersson Electronik)
D240x bat detector
Suppliers:
Petterson Electronik

D1000x
heterodyne & frequency division
& time expansion

(Pettersson Electronik)
D1000x bat detector
Suppliers:
Petterson Electronik

 

Anabat II
frequency division
anabat 2 bat detector
Suppliers:
Alana Ecology

Anabat SD1
frequency division
anabat SD1 bat detector
Suppliers:
Alana Ecology

CSE (mono)
heterodyne
(CSE-Lenk)
CSE bat detector
Suppliers:
CSE-Lenk

CSE (stereo)
heterodyne
(CSE-Lenk)

Suppliers:
CSE-Lenk

CDB101 (stereo)
heterodyne
(Ciel Electronique)

Suppliers:
Ciel Electronique

CDB103 (stereo)
heterodyne
(Ciel Electronique)
Ciel CDB103 bat detector
Suppliers:
Ciel Electronique

CDB105 (mono)
heterodyne
(Ciel Electronique)
CDB105 bat detector
Suppliers:
Ciel Electronique
CDB205 (mono)
frequency division
(Ciel Electronique)
Ciel CDB205mono bat detector
Suppliers:
Ciel Electronique

CDB301 (mono)
heterodyne/frequency division
Ciel CDB301mono bat detector
Suppliers:
Ciel Electronique

coming soon from Ciel Electronique ...

CDB203 (mono)
frequency division


page last updated: 29 March, 2007