Transect Mode

The Transect function allows you to record audio along with your mobile device's position during a moving survey.

During a transect, the Song Meter Configurator app must be paired with the Song Meter Mini Bat 2. Location information is saved to a Keyhole Markup Language (KML) file every five seconds, recording the position of your mobile device. Location information is also saved to the metadata of each audio file recorded during the transect. During the transect, a map interface will display a path of the mobile device's movement, and the saved location of each audio file will be shown as a flag on the path. At the end of a transect, the app will prompt you to export the KML file to another app on your device.

During a transect, the Song Meter Mini Bat 2 ignores its programmed schedule while using all non-schedule settings programmed in the Configuration Editor. It will monitor for the entire length of the transect, regardless of the programmed schedule. When a transect ends, the Song Meter Mini Bat 2 will resume its programmed schedule.

Keyhole Markup Language (KML) Files

Keyhole Markup Language is an XML-based language for storing GPS location information. The raw data in a .kml file can be viewed in a text or XML editor, and it can be visualized on a map in Google Earth™ and other mapping software that supports the format.

The KML file produced by each transect records the path of the mobile device, as well as references to the location of each audio file saved during the transect.

Triggered and Non-Triggered Recording

Transects can use either triggered or non-triggered ultrasonic recording. The mode is determined by the Non-Triggered Recording setting in the Ultrasonic Settings Screen.

In both modes, a new GPS location point is written to the KML file once every five seconds.

In triggered mode, when Non-Triggered Recording is disabled, each triggered recording file will be saved with the mobile device's location. This location is saved when the triggered audio file ends.

In non-triggered mode, when Non-Triggered Recording is enabled, the Song Meter Mini Bat 2 will record continuous audio, broken up into segments defined by the Maximum Recording Length parameter. At the end of each recording segment, the mobile device's current location will be saved to the metadata of that audio file.