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 passive 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" 384kHz USB microphone. Use the iOS "Bat Detector" App to hear and record bats on bat walks, in the park, garden or on formal surveys. LESS THAN £10 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

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

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" microphone 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

Download "Bat Detector" for iPhone / iPad : https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/bat-detector/id6504186190
Public beta of "Bat Detector" for the absolute latest / experimental version : testflight.apple.com/join/M5R8kipW
User manual / help file for "Bat Detector" : drive.google.com/file/d/10723PcyZgnePU8nobF-nY_hJWGYkW_kx/view?usp=share_link