π•pistrelle Bat Detector

π•pistrelle handheld bat detector / 384kHz full-spectrum recorder / 384kHz USB microphone : APPROX £20 BUILD COST

pipistrelle mini handheld bat detector / 384kHz USB microphone : APPROX £15 BUILD COST

pippyg static bat detector with 384kHz full-spectrum recording. Runs for up to 7 days powered by 3x AA rechargeable batteries, records to microSD card : APPROX £15 BUILD COST

"Griff" and "Griff Mini" 384kHz USB microphones. Use a compatible app to hear and record bats on bat walks, in the park, garden or on formal surveys. APPROX £5 BUILD COST

FEATURES

π•pistrelle, pipistrelle mini and pippyg offer high-end features previously seen only on high-cost equipment, despite being the lowest-cost bat recorders on the market.

π•pistrelle and pipistrelle mini - handheld active bat detector

Heterodyne detection
- Rhythm of bat calls is preserved
- Scans automatically for bat calls
- No manual tuning - "eyes to the skies" operation
Advanced "Time Expansion" mode reveals true nature of bat sounds
- Harmonic relationships of bat calls are preserved
- Slows down bat calls 16x or 10x (user-configurable)
Audio output over headphone socket
- Connect to external powered speaker to lead bat walks
10-LED real-time spectrum display
- indicates approximate frequency of calling bats
- More detail available via frequency speech synthesis
Auto-detect USB microphone mode
- When powered off then plugged into an iPhone or iPad, pipistrelle handheld detectors power up as 384kHz USB microphones for use with the Bat Detector app : apps.apple.com/gb/app/bat-detector/id6504186190
π•pistrelle adds pippyg recording features

pippyg - passive bat detector

Records 384kHz / 16-bit wav files to microSD
- File size optimised for analysis by BTO Acoustic Pipeline
- Files timestamped and location-stamped
- Geolocation metadata stored in industry-standard "GUANO" format
- iOS / MacOS / Android app configures devices for recording
  - Sets up device ID
  - Date and time
  - Geolocation
Devices typically run for 4 to 7 days
- Based on measured performance using 2450mAh rechargeables
- Achievable run-time depends on number of recordings
Device can be reflashed with new firmware to operate as a 384kHz / 16-bit USB microphone for use with the Bat Detector app for iPhone and iPad : apps.apple.com/gb/app/bat-detector/id6504186190

pippyg and π•pistrelle are both powered by 3 AA batteries, pipistrelle mini by AAA
pipistrelle mini and π•pistrelle both operate as 384kHz USB microphones when powered from USB port

Designed for use with the iOS App Bat Detector

USB microphone is recognised by iOS, MacOS, Windows and Linux - does not yet work with Android

Suite of support tools provided both as C++ source code and as precompiled cross-platform binaries

Binaries are JavaScript for running in Node.js®, which is available for Microsoft, Apple and Linux
- Download Node.js® for your operating system here : https://nodejs.org/en
sonogram.js creates .jpg sonograms from a folder of recordings, and creates a .CSV of the latitude / longitudes of those recordings for uploading to Google My Maps, allowing you to visualize a bat walk
chirpwav.js creates .wav file to configure devices
patchpip.js modifies firmware images to support device re-flashing with custom behaviour

Example recordings : all recorded by pippyg 13th April 2024
click any image to download zip file containing original wav files

Daubenton's Bat

Lesser Horseshoe bat

Common Pipistrelle

Serotine

Common Noctule

Brown Long-Eared bat

SELF-BUILD BAT DETECTORS and USB MICROPHONES

BUILD YOUR OWN π•pistrelle bat detectors / 384kHz USB microphones

Buy blank PCBs, solder paste stencil and optional 3D printed cases here :
https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/pipistrelle_version_5_3_0375ab21.html
Component shopping list (DigiKey) is in the PCBWay description

Bat Detector for iPhone : https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bat-detector/id6504186190
User manual : drive.google.com/file/d/10723PcyZgnePU8nobF-nY_hJWGYkW_kx/view?usp=share_link

BUILD YOUR OWN pipistrelle mini bat detectors / 384kHz USB microphones

Buy blank PCBs, solder paste stencil and optional 3D printed cases here :https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/pipistrelle_mini_with_on_off_switch_0f69b7fd.html
Component shopping list (DigiKey) is in the PCBWay description

Bat Detector for iPhone : https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bat-detector/id6504186190
User manual : drive.google.com/file/d/10723PcyZgnePU8nobF-nY_hJWGYkW_kx/view?usp=share_link

BUILD YOUR OWN pippyg static detectors

Buy blank PCBs, 3D prints and solder paste stencil here :
https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/pippyg_3_6_20ba6dee.html
Component shopping list (DigiKey) is in the PCBWay description

BUILD YOUR OWN DEDICATED WEARABLE 384kHz USB Microphones

NO HAND SOLDERING. 10 MINUTE BUILD. UNDER £10 PER DEVICE WHEN BUILDING 10

"Griff the Superstar Noctule" / "Griff Mini" microphones here :
https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/USB_microphone_Griff_The_Superstar_Noctule_Edition_600dff08.html
Component shopping list (DigiKey) is in the PCBWay description

Bat Detector App for iOS : https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bat-detector/id6504186190
User manual : drive.google.com/file/d/10723PcyZgnePU8nobF-nY_hJWGYkW_kx/view?usp=share_link

BAT SYNTH
ECHOLOCATION SYNTHESIZER for education and bat detector training

BAT SYNTH

Simulate up to 10 bat species
384kHz synthesis
USB powered
Frequency response beyond 80kHz (limited by tweeter)

Coming eventually - bat calls and passes can be preprogrammed for non-UK locations

Default species collection :

Common Pipistrelle
Soprano Pipistrelle
Soprano Pipistrelle social calls
Noctule
Brown Long-Eared Bat
Brandt's Bat
Lesser Horseshoe Bat (110kHz 2nd harmonic is weak, limitation of tweeter)
Greater Horseshoe Bat
Coming soon - Daubenton's Bat, and Barbastelle

BUILD COST : Approx £35 per unit when building 10, including 3D printed case.

Buy Bat Synth PCBs and 3D prints : https://www.pcbway.com/project/shareproject/Bat_Synth_an_echolocation_synthesizer_d15f195c.html

3D printed cases for pippyg static detectors

Version 3.8 and 4.0 pippyg
File Size:	6094 kb
File Type:	stl

Download File

Apodemus rev0 and pippyg v3.7
File Size:	6095 kb
File Type:	stl

Download File

I've had dozens and dozens of requests for a pippyg case, so I went and "designed" one. I'm neither a product designer nor a 3D modeller, so be nice and save your breath to cool your porridge (thanks Miss Elizabeth Bennet).

These 3D printable cases are made available for you to download free of charge and 3D print at home, or via a 3rd party printing service. Note the word free. I make no money for this work, so I repeat, be nice. They are intended to be printed with a commercial HP MJF process, a material which I am told needs to be spray-painted or vapour-treated to be watertight. PCBWay spray paint by default when you order from them. I do not have access to a domestic filament 3D printer, so cannot advise on how well these cases may print - I suspect the captive hinge would be problematic. But give it a shot and let me know, it may in fact be great.

Note that these cases are not in any way guaranteed waterproof, even after recommended treatment. They feature holes for LED visibility so that the devices can be chirped inside the cases - the only feedback to a successful or failed chirp is the LED response by the device, so LED visibility is essential. To improve watertightness these holes can be filled with hot glue, which will act as a waterproof window / diffusing lens. The microphone hole is trickier as it needs to be there to let sound in. There may be effective waterproof membranes with minimal dB attenuation available from AliExpress that would be suitable, but I have not tried these. These cases are intended to offer a first layer of defense against the weather. rather than a secure level of rain protection, but if they can be tweaked to be truly weatherproof I would be delighted - let me know. They also have holes in the bottom to allow any rain that might get in to drip out.

These same STL files are also available as part of the pippyg 3.8 and pippyg 4.0 projects on PCBWay, and can be purchased pre-printed for around £15 each from there (price varies with US dollar exchange rate)