Remotely Monitoring Pallid Sturgeon Movement in Real Time
By Aaron DeLonay and Chad Vishy
December 17, 2019
During the summer of 2019, scientists at the Columbia Environmental Research Center developed hardware and software solutions to enhance the communication capability of data-logging radio receivers used to detect pallid sturgeon implanted with transmitters in the Lower Yellowstone and Upper Missouri Rivers. The new remote communication capabilities developed for passive radio-telemetry receiver stations were installed and tested at a single location on the Lower Yellowstone River immediately downstream from a known spawning location (see previous blog entry A Spawning Recorded in the Yellowstone River).
The new equipment was designed to be installed within the environmental enclosure of existing telemetry stations. The improved telemetry stations can use cellular or satellite-based technology to upload data from the receiver to a remote server twice per day. The receiver station can also be remotely queried hourly to receive updates on fish detection and movement. The technology is ready for broad application at designated telemetry network sites as needed in 2020 to provide near real-time fish movement data to study migration and spawning in response to environmental cues and management actions.
- Overview
By Aaron DeLonay and Chad Vishy
December 17, 2019
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsRadio telemetry station hardware enhancement configured to insert into existingenvironmental enclosure, including radio receiver, antenna switch, cellular modem signal booster, and Windows-based mini-computer. (Public domain.) During the summer of 2019, scientists at the Columbia Environmental Research Center developed hardware and software solutions to enhance the communication capability of data-logging radio receivers used to detect pallid sturgeon implanted with transmitters in the Lower Yellowstone and Upper Missouri Rivers. The new remote communication capabilities developed for passive radio-telemetry receiver stations were installed and tested at a single location on the Lower Yellowstone River immediately downstream from a known spawning location (see previous blog entry A Spawning Recorded in the Yellowstone River).
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsRadio telemetry receiver station with enhanced communicationcapability installed with sealed 12-volt batteries and solar panelcharge controller. (Public domain.) The new equipment was designed to be installed within the environmental enclosure of existing telemetry stations. The improved telemetry stations can use cellular or satellite-based technology to upload data from the receiver to a remote server twice per day. The receiver station can also be remotely queried hourly to receive updates on fish detection and movement. The technology is ready for broad application at designated telemetry network sites as needed in 2020 to provide near real-time fish movement data to study migration and spawning in response to environmental cues and management actions.
Sources/Usage: Public Domain. View Media DetailsSolar-powered radio telemetry station installed on the bank of the Lower Yellowstone River withtwo Yagi antennas monitoring upstream and downstream movement of pallid sturgeon.(Public domain.)