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Radio Telemetry

Kumari Sonali

Radio Telemetry:

Radio telemetry data helped conservationists repeatedly protect the radio-tagged White-rumped vulture Z25, but the bird was ultimately killed in a collision with a power transmission line.

  • Radio telemetry involves using radio waves to automatically transmit data from remote or inaccessible sources to a receiving station for monitoring and analysis.
  • It is commonly used in wildlife tracking, weather monitoring, industrial process control, and medical monitoring to gather data without needing physical access to the source.
  • Since the 1960s, scientists have been using radio telemetry to track wildlife, studying their migration patterns, behaviors, and habits.
  • Radio telemetry uses radio signals, which are made up of invisible and silent electromagnetic waves, to determine location.
  • A radio telemetry system is made up of three parts: a radio transmitter, a radio antenna, and a radio receiver.
  • The transmitter can be attached or tagged to the subject using a collar, an ear tag, or a wing tag for birds in particular. It is the part that transmits, or sends, the radio signal.
  • The operator uses an antenna, attached to a receiver, which is programmed to the transmitter’s frequency, to pick up the radio signals given off by the transmitter affixed to the target animal.
  • Receiver antennas may be hand-held, mounted on an object, or affixed to towers to avoid interference from buildings and trees.
  • They may also be fixed to a vehicle, boat, or aircraft to allow the operator to exploit larger areas.
  • The radio signals are then transformed into a beeping sound by the receiver.
  • As the receiver gets closer to the transmitter, the beeps get louder, meaning the animal wearing the transmitter is close by.
  • The researcher can use this audible clue to locate and follow the animal wearing the transmitter.
  • However, unlike GPS satellite tracking, radio telemetry requires researchers to remain within the signal range of the transmitter to locate the tagged animal.
  • The other limitation is the size and lifespan of the battery required to power the transmitter.