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Abby Whitmore
Abby Whitmore

Stopped recording despite space on SD card and charge in batteries.

Hello,


Last year, I purchased 20 AudioMoths via GroupGets. I deployed them for 2 months at a site Feb - Apr 2025, each in the weatherproof cases. I configured them to record at a sample rate of 48 kHz and 16-bit depth, with bursts of 1 min recording periods, then 4 mins of sleep 24/7. We changed the batteries mid-way through, using the chime app to reset date/time, and upon review of the devices, the batteries lasted for 3 weeks (AA Ni-MH 1.2V 2400mAh). 256GB SanDisk Ultra SD cards were used. All went smoothly, and recordings were as expected.


This year, I have come to repeat my survey, following the same protocols as the previous year (other than accidentally using 4 min burst of recording with 1 minute of sleep!). Upon reviewing the SD cards, not a single device has recorded as expected. Some have no recordings at all, whilst…


218 Views

Hi Abby, Can you use the 'Summarise AudioMoth Files' option under the 'Process' menu in the Config App to generate a summary of the contents of one of the SD card. The 256GB SanDisk Ultra SD card use about 3-4 times the energy of the 32GB SanDisk Extreme card that the Config App uses for the energy calculation so you may just be running the batteries down much faster with the four minute recordings.

Were the SD cards reformatted before use, or were the files just deleted from them? If the latter, that may be the reason as AudioMoth cannot recover the space in the file allocation table in realtime.

Alex

Thatiane Oliveira
Thatiane Oliveira

Problem with the time for recording.

Hello, I am having problems with the recording time. Since that I have to set up the timer with the software already running it is not saving with the five minutes time that I want. How can I solve this problem and set up the software to run for five minutes correctly?

181 Views

Hi, Can you use the 'Summarise AudioMoth Files' under the 'Process' menu in the Config App to generate a summary of the contents of the SD card, and share the CONFIG.TXT file that is on the SD card. Alex

No sound files when uisng GSP hats

I'm testing five audiomoths with a gps hat, the gree light stays on with red light flashing. No sound files and the attached GPS.txt files created. If not uisng the GPS, the audiomoth records


299 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Dec 05, 2025

Hi Luiza, The GPS modules are not getting a good fix. Are you testing inside? They will likely need a clear view of the sky. Alex

No sound on my audiomoth recordings.

Hello everyone.

I am researching bird migration on Spain and I have a problem with my 1 month age audiomoth 1.2.0. Records are now with no sound at all. At the begining it was recording ok but something seem to happened. Now leds are working ok, schedule is ok but when I open archives with 5 different software, there is no sound at all. It is the same with different configurations and sd cards. What could be the problem? Can I solve it attaching an external microphone?


Thank you very much.


Jorge


306 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Dec 04, 2025

Hi Jorge,

Can you share one of the WAV files. Microphones can be affected by water and moisture damage but that normally results in white noise.

Alex


Edited

Disturbing “tick” noises from the AudioMoth

Hello everyone,

I have a problem with my AudioMoth device and hope that someone may have had a similar experience or found a solution.


Almost every recording is preceded by a ‘ticking’ noise. Whenever there are no bat calls, the AudioMoth still produces short recordings by itself, and these contain a tick that seems to be generated by the device. I have attached an image of this noise.


My question:

Are there any known causes or settings that could cause these internal ticks?


303 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Nov 26, 2025

Hi,


What you are seeing here is the data embedded into the WAV file that encodes the skipped sectors in the T.WAV file. These are blocks of 512 audio samples with values of -1, 0 and +1, but since the recording has no content, other than these values, your WAV viewer is scaling up the amplitude and showing them as audible sound. If you use the 'Expand AudioMoth T.WAV Files' option in the Config App, the file will get expanded to the correct 5 second length, the encoding block will get replaced by a period of zero value audio samples of the correct length, and the noise above will disappear. If the recording has some content, such as a bat pass, then this 'tick' also effectively disappears as your WAV viewer will not scale up the signal and it will be tiny compared to the actual sounds.


The full technical description of the T.WAV file format is here, but if you always expand the recordings then you will no longer see this additional embedded information.


https://github.com/OpenAcousticDevices/Application-Notes/blob/master/AudioMoth_Triggered_T_WAV_File_Format/AudioMoth_Triggered_T_WAV_File_Format.pdf


Alex


Edited

AudioMoth stopped recording months early

Deployed 19 AudioMoths units over 8 sites in the southern half of the lower pennisula of Michigan. AudioMoths were deployed the end of February, with batteries and memory cards changed out the end of July and all devices collected the middle of November.


Based on the configuration  they should of lasted ~150 days.

(Sample rate: 48 kHz; Med gain; Enable sleep/record cycle; 00:04:45 sleep duration; 15 sec recording duration; Enable LED; Enable battery level indicator; 24 hrs/7days recording period = Each day will produce 288 files, each 1440kB, totaling 415 MB; Daily energy consumption approx. 19 mAh).


AudioMoths stopped recording after ~30 days (btwn Feb. 24 and March 29) and after ~60 day (btwn July 22 and Sept. 24).


I was using Energizer Ultimate Lithium AA Batteries and Amazon Industrial Alkaline AA batteries with Amazon basics microSD XC1, 64 GB, V30, Class 10, U3, A2.


Batteries were a couple years…


335 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Nov 22, 2025

Hi Cory, I did a quick test the Amazon Basics SD cards and they have very high energy consumption compared to SanDisk Extreme cards. Recording at 48kHz, the Amazon Basics average about 34mA compared to about 13mA for the SanDisk Extreme card. They also have much higher peak currents, and consume a lot of power when not actually being written to (when they should automatically go to sleep). This will explain the shortened deployment time, along with the potential for long file opening periods for comparatively short recordings. We recommend to always use SanDisk Extreme cards that show 'Made in China' or 'Made in Malaysia' on the back. These consistently have low energy consumption. There is a comparison table here (https://www.openacousticdevices.info/sd-card-guide).

Alex


Edited
Friedel Nollet
Friedel Nollet

two audiomoths showing same problem

Hi,

I ordered one audiomoth (Labmaker, Germany) May 2025, version 1.2.0,

flashed it with 1.11.0 (can't remember if I had to switch off the USB HID flashing, I think I needed to). This one is working perfectly, recording already for two months now in the field.

End of sept 2025 I ordered 2 extra Audiomoths 1.2.0. Flashed to 1.11.0 (needed to switch off USB HID flashing for both). Configuration with same .config as first one. But for both a lot of electronic noise is heard, the spectrogram shows horizontal lines at 4, 8, 12 kHz and sounds seem to repeat in between. I tried downgrading to 1.10.0, but the problem was the same. What is your advice?

296 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Nov 01, 2025

Hi,


These have a hardware manufacturing problem affecting the external SRAM chip. That’s why the USB HID flashing doesn’t work (the firmware is written to the external SRAM and the checksum compared before it is applied to the flash). It looks like a data line or adddress line has a bad connection. Can you post a WAV file here and I can check.


If you install the AudioMoth USB Microphone firmware you’ll find that they appear to be working okay then as that firmware doesn’t use the external SRAM.


Ask LabMaker to send you replacement devices.


Alex


Edited

AudioMoth microphone issue

Dear Open Acoustic Devices team,

I’m writing from Spain regarding an issue with my AudioMoth v1.2 unit, which I purchased about 8 months ago through GroupGets.

Since about a month ago, the device has stopped recording properly. It still creates WAV files of normal size and I can hear the typical background noise, but no real audio is captured — just constant white noise.

Here’s what I’ve already tried:

  • Updated the firmware to version 1.11.0 (latest release).

  • Tested with several SD cards (properly formatted) and new batteries.

296 Views
Andy
Andy
Oct 21, 2025

Thanks for the thorough troubleshooting list. From these points I'd also suspect a damaged microphone, which can occur when exposed to water. Is there any signs on the board of water damage or corrosion. It would be worth getting in contact with GroupGets to see if they can help before considering any DIY repair.

Laura Rosario Sánchez
Laura Rosario Sánchez

Some are recording well, others don´t

Hello,

I am conducting my undergraduate thesis on amphibian bioacoustics in the Dominican Republic. I’ve been experiencing some issues with my recordings; out of my seven AudioMoths, only three recorded properly. Some devices recorded for only four days, others for about twenty, and only a few completed the full month. I’m wondering what could be causing this.


Could it be due to humidity? At my study site, humidity often reaches 100% and rarely drops below 75%. Daytime temperatures are around 25 °C, while nighttime temperatures can fall to 7 °C. I noticed that some of the batteries showed signs of corrosion, with bluish residue on the devices. I use the protective cases for the AudioMoths, but they might not be sufficient against moisture. I’m considering placing them inside Ziploc bags with silica gel, as I suspect humidity might be the main issue.

All units use Duracell AA alkaline batteries, Kingston…


256 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Oct 10, 2025

Hi, It looks like it was all operating fine up to the point when it stopped. There are no SD card write errors reported beforehand so power loss or a reset due to corrosion/humidity would seem more likely. Do you have any photographs of the batteries? The case looks to be a custom 3D printed case. Do you know what acoustic vent it is using? Does it have an o-ring seal to make it watertight? Alex

Jaclyn Tolchin
Jaclyn Tolchin

recordings have blank spots

Hello,


We're using audiomoths for a largescale monitoring project and we noticed a few recordings having "blank" spots. It's very intermittent and seemingly random. The files attached show the recording "blanking out" after some amount of minutes and remaining "out" for the rest of the file. In all cases, the sensor continues to record the next file that day and the following days with no issues. Ie, these are not files that are recorded as the battery is dying or the card is filling up. This project has over 100 sensors and this has happened with about a dozen of the sensors, usually one time per sensor (with one exception where a sensor had recurring blank spots and thus we stopped using it). Does this indicate an issue with the sensor, microphone, or something else? Can anything be done? Files are too large to attach so I've shared via googledrive. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CI83Keo-8pMcCXT-KrX00rfRZR7zQuCS?usp=sharing


Thank…

347 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Oct 02, 2025

Hi Jaclyn,


Can you confirm what make and model of SD card you are using?


The blank spots are all aligned with 512 byte SD card sectors and the AudioMoth carried on assuming it was writing okay, so I would initially suspect the SD card. Can you double check that if you copy the file from the SD card again then the blank patches are identical, or if you run DIFF on the two versions (on your laptop and on the SD card) that they match.


Alex

Edited

Recording issue, fails to start recording

Hi there, I have managed to use many audimoths and have got them to record on schedule.

I now have two that just fail to start recording. I have done software updates, firmware updates and even manually flashed the firmware too. It seems like something else is wrong. Tried different memory cards, all formatted first, new batteries etc. Once set in custom mode, just get the green flashing led approx every 2 seconds. At the time of scheduled recording, it give a single long green flash then returns to the two second interval flashing led. I wondered if you have ever come across this, these units have been used previously in the field. I was asked to try and get 6 units working. I have now got 4 working but these last two are being stubburn. Many thanks, Sean

174 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Jul 11, 2025

Hi Sean, Flashing both LED together indicates an SD card write error. I wonder if this is what your AudioMoth is doing and the red LED has also failed. When you reflash the firmware using the USB HID route, both LED should light for about 2 seconds whilst the AudioMoth restarts. If you only see a green LED then, there is definately a problem with the red LED. An SD card write error can be caused by SD cards taking high current (we only use SanDisk Extreme cards), low batteries, or a hardware issue due to corrosion. It sounds like the third cause might be the problem here.

Alex

Audiomoths stopped recording early

Hello!


I work for a non profit and we are currently using AudioMoths to conduct some bird research on our restoration sites in the San Joaquin Valley and Merced County in California. We thought we had them programed to drain the battery and fill the SD cards in ~30 days but we keep having about half of them die due to low voltage around 2-2.5 weeks.


Current set up and settings:

Model: Audiomoth 1.2.0

Schedule: 1min sleep / 29min recording between 5am-9am. March15-July 31.

Sample rate: 48kHZ


119 Views
Alex Rogers
Alex Rogers
Jul 03, 2025

The battery profile looks quite normal with the battery voltage dropping during the day and then recovering overnight. There is quite a lot of temperature variation but batteries are generally good with high temperatures. I suspect the cause is the energy consumption of the SD cards. We haven't measured 64GB SanDisk Ultra cards, but the 267GB ones have about four times the energy consumption of the SanDisk Extreme (red and gold) cards that we recommend. https://www.openacousticdevices.info/sd-card-guide




Alexandre MODI
Alexandre MODI

Mecanical or electrical noise ?

Hi everyone,


I got all my recordings with this kind of noise (in picture) on a Hydromoth Firware Basic 1.11.0. We used SD card SanDisk Extreme 64 Go.


Could it be the SD card when is writing? Do you have any recommandations?


Thanks,



164 Views
Alexandre MODI
Alexandre MODI
Jun 24, 2025

Hi Alex,


Thanks for the clarifications! Yes, please find in attachment one WAV file. We used 3 piles AA Energizer lithium.



Clara Thomas
Clara Thomas

AudioMoths stopped recording early - firmware issue?

Hello AudioMoth support community,


I have been having troubles with my AudioMoths recording half as long as expected for my Master’s research project. I deployed AMs at each of my urban sites in Stockton, CA, in February and March 2025, expecting to get 8-10 weeks of recordings, but instead the batteries have somewhat consistently died at around 30 days.


Here are my configuration details (file also attached below):

  • My recording schedule is: 1.5 minutes of recording every 15 minutes from 10:30-6:30 UTC (2 hours total of recording per day)

  • Sampling rate: 48 kHz

  • Gain: medium-high


135 Views

Kia ora - Chiming in here because I'm having the same problem. I have a number of older SanDisk Extreme cards which are recording 3.5-4x longer than brand new ones. All of my cards (old and new) are 128GB cards, recording 11.5 hours/day. The older cards typically ran for 16-18 days before battery death (on Powerex 2700mAh rechargeables), while the newer cards typically ran for 4-4.5 days. All of my cards, old and new, are red and gold and say "Made in China" on the back.


Info on the front of the cards is identical for the old and new ones: 128GB / V30 / U3 / A2.


I have a number of Samsung Pro Plus cards that are also lasting for 4-4.5 days (purchased because at the time I could not source any of the SanDisk Extreme cards in New Zealand) - I've since seen the card comparison info so this isn't surprising. But not being able to rely on new SanDisk Extreme cards is a real problem, so if anyone has found a solution I'd love to hear about it! 😊


Cheers, Laura

Edited

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