Pettersson D500x

The Premier Passive Bat Acoustic Monitoring Device.

The D500X is a full spectrum "direct recording" ultrasound recording unit intended for long-term, unattended recording of bat and other high frequency animal calls. Designed to be deployed for weeks or months, this device detects full-spectrum ultrasound and records in real time using the highest quality, highest signal-to-noise ratio microphone presently available on any passive bat detector today.

The Special BCM Edition FD is a new option requested by our biologists who wanted an easier method to record voucher calls and other active monitoring tasks. Live frequency-division output is available using user-supplied standard headphones and allows you to make full spectrum manual recordings for as long as the bat of interest can be heard. 

Why choose Pettersson?

Less than 1% of all D500x and D500x microphones ever sold have ever been returned for refurbishment. When you are conducting serious, time sensitive research, count on Pettersson equipment having more uptime than other detector platforms. 

What's in the box?

Either version includes (1)- 16GB SanDisk Gold compact flash card, external microphone with preamp, protective microphone capsule by BCM, and manual. 4- C batteries and mic extension cable not included.

What's in the Grab and Go Acoustic Survey Kit? This kit is the same setup BCM uses for professional surveys and training workshop events. It includes your detector version of choice, the protective BCM microphone capsule, (1) 25' external microphone DMX extension cable, (1) 24'' Looped Gear Tie, (1) D500x Survey Pouch, and (1) weather resistant storage box (holds all of the above including a 20 Ah external battery (obtain locally) in storage, travel, and deployment.)

General D500x Features:

• Cables are a major fail point in the field so Pettersson keeps is easy to replace. Microphone is independent of the detector, and is connected via a standard 5-pin DMX cable available from local music stores. Unlike some other systems the microphone can even be mounted directly onto the detector itself to aid in troubleshooting the cable and potentially save a night of sampling while a replacement cord is sourced locally!
• "Power Fail-Resume Recording" feature resumes a recording session if power is interrupted
• Four timers to turn the unit on/off at desired intervals, as well as a sunset/sunrise programmable offsets; the D500x knows when your local sunset/sunrise is
• Four levels of sophisticated trigger sensitivity actively rejects noise and minimizes the number of noise files recorded
• Storage capacity for weeks or months under normal conditions, generates *.wav files on CF cards. (BCM strongly advises leaving no recorder any manufacturer unattended longer than you can afford to lose your data!)
• Time, date, coordinates, & settings metadata stamped sound files
• Log file records each timer session on/off, status every hour, memory remaining, and battery voltage.
• Low power consumption <200 milliamperes. Uses commonly found inexpensive DC power plugs and is reverse polarity protected.
• No computer required to launch detector or record files. CF cards format in the device.
• Size: 165 x 170 x 53 mm, solid rugged aluminum housing that is weather and dust resistant
• Sampling rates: 44.1 kHz, 300 kHz and 500 kHz (optimized for 500 kHz)
• ADC resolution: 16 bits with onboard memory buffer that never drops data
• Selectable high-pass filter to attenuate undesired low frequency signals, or leave off to record other wildlife below 15 kHz
• Sync the D500x time with your existing handheld GPS and record a track on your GPS (or even an iPhone). Then use the inexpensive app from Myotisoft.com to combine your D500x bat files with your GPS track and display your bats on Google Earth. No complicated, expensive connectors required.
• One of the fastest post processing workflows when using SonoBat
• The D500x microphone is 1) inherently weather resistant without needing a windscreen that must be replaced frequently and 2) moderately directional without add-on "cones" that degrade the sound recording.
• BCM includes a handy microphone capsule for not only protecting the mic in storage and transport, but can also be used cleverly two ways to add even more weatherproofing during deployments if desired.
• Compatible with Myotisoft Transect
• Compatible with SonoBat Bat Call Analysis software

D500x Special Edition FD Features:

• Headphone jack to monitor live frequency-divison output. This feature was requested by BCM so that the D500x could effectively be used to selectively record when listening during active monitoring, and tracking voucher calls in particular. You can now monitor activity during mobile transects, and monitor audio during deployment to better assess if your detector is triggering on noise or real bats.
• The D500x Special Edition FD have an additional current drain of ca 14 mA in the Armed and Recording modes. This results in the following battery drain per 24 hours:
  • Assume the D500X FD is active for 10 hours and sleeps for 14 hours and records for 1 hours of the 10 active hours. This results in an approximate drain of 535 mAh per 24 hours. Without the FD circuit, this would have been ca 385 mAh, i.e. an increase by 38% with the FD.
  • Assume the D500X FD is active for 10 hours and sleeps for 14 hours and records for 3 hours of the 10 active hours. This results in an approximate drain of 1000 mAh per 24 hours. Without the FD circuit, this would have been ca 860 mAh, i.e. an increase by 16% with the FD.
  • If you have no interest using your D500x for Active Monitoring/listening to activity in real time, and would prefer the best battery performance for long term deployment, consider the standard D500x instead.

Pettersson's detectors continue to serve because they are among the highest quality, they are well thought out, and contain useful features end users need, instead of being rushed-to-market experiments. What is your data (and your time) worth?

"I spent the past two weeks teaching back-to-back workshops that focused heavily on acoustics..... and (as always) the D500X out-performed all the other models combined in number and quality of calls. I think our students were mightily impressed and my mantra "you get what you pay for" has started to sink in. Nothing beats how easy and user friendly the D500x is to operate and how easy it is to post-process the calls and get on with the business of analysis. I'm hoping it will become the "go to" device for applications requiring the best sound quality available in a passive detector." 

- Janet Tyburec, principal bat workshop instructor for BCI, BCM, USFS & others since 1992 and is an expert user of AnaBat, AnaLook, Wildlife Acoustics hardware, and SonoBat software

Availability changes rapidly, allow 2 business days to ship if in stock and up to 3 weeks if backordered; email sales@batmanagement.com for current estimate

See our Pettersson D500 Knowledge Base for frequently asked questions and answers . . .