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. 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.

Further Information:

"Which Mini Bat Detector" - a guide by the Bat Conservation Trust (pdf, 56Kb)
"Digital Recording with Bat Detectors" - a guide by the Bat Conservation Trust (pdf, 780Kb)
"Sound Analysis Software" (for Time Expansion or Frequency Division bat detectors) - a guide by the Bat Conservation Trust (pdf, 64Kb)
Betrik's bat detector pages

Magenta Electronics Ltd
Magenta Mk II heterodyne The original MkII bat detector Kit. Suppliers: Magenta Electronics Alana Ecology	Magenta Bat 4 heterodyne Suppliers: Magenta Electronics Alana Ecology
Magenta Bat 5 heterodyne Suppliers: Magenta Electronics Alana Ecology
Batbox Ltd
Batbox III D heterodyne Suppliers: Batbox Ltd Alana Ecology	Batbox Duet heterodyne & frequency division Suppliers: B atbox Ltd Alana Ecology
Baton frequency division Suppliers: Alana Ecology
Ultra Sound Advice
Mini-3 heterodyne Suppliers: Ultra Sound Advice Alana Ecology	U30 heterodyne Suppliers: Ultra Sound Advice
Pettersson Electronik
D100 heterodyne Suppliers: Pettersson Electronik AB Alana Ecology	D200 heterodyne Suppliers: Pettersson Electronik AB Alana Ecology
D230 heterodyne & frequency division Suppliers: Pettersson Electronik AB Alana Ecology	D240x heterodyne & time expansion Suppliers: Pettersson Electronik AB Alana Ecology
D1000x heterodyne & frequency division & time expansion Suppliers: Pettersson Electronik AB Alana Ecology
Anabat
Anabat SD1 CF frequency division Suppliers: Alana Ecology	AnaBat SD1 PDA Package frequency division Suppliers: Alana Ecology
Anabat II frequency division Suppliers: Alana Ecology
CSE-Lenk
CSE (mono) heterodyne Suppliers: CSE-Lenk	CSE (stereo) heterodyne Suppliers: CSE-Lenk
Ciel Electronique
BATZ heterodyne Suppliers: Ciel Electronique	CDB105 R2 heterodyne Supplier: Ciel Electronique
CDB205 R2 frequency division Suppliers: Ciel Electronique	CDB103 R3 heterodyne Suppliers: Ciel Electronique
CDB305 R2 heterodyne & frequency division Suppliers: Ciel Electronique	CDB101 R3 heterodyne Suppliers: Ciel Electronique
CDB301 R3 heterodyne & frequency division Suppliers: Ciel Electronique	CDP102 R3 heterodyne Suppliers: Ciel Electronique

page last updated: 8 August, 2008

bat detectors

Further Information:

Magenta Electronics Ltd

Batbox Ltd

Ultra Sound Advice

Pettersson Electronik

Anabat

CSE-Lenk

Ciel Electronique