Hi Robert, great work! The summary of my testing results are published here: https://somersetbat.group/advice/which-bat-detector/audiomoth/testing/ I was focusing on establishing the best AM config settings for UK bats, and the short summary is "the selected configuration has a huge impact on the number of bat passes detected per species" So I think it is key to factor AM configuation into your results when AM testing :-)

Fine SS mesh has been used very successfully. Details of my cases here: https://www.openacousticdevices.info/support/enclosures/smaller-case-for-am-v1-1-85x58x33mm "As was used in the recent British Bat Survey 2019 SW pilot (BBS19) I have used two layers of metal mesh treated with NicWax over the Mic- https://www.inoxia.co.uk/products/mesh/sheets/500-mesh " Since writing that I have done extensive testing, and so long as the vent is mostly horizontal (at least 60 degrees to vertical) and using Gorilla tape (not glue or hot melt), the cases stay mostly dry with single layer of 500 or 400 gauge mesh when out for weeks. If you order a free sample from Inoxia (£1 p&p) you will have enough for 3 or 4 cases. https://www.inoxia.co.uk/products/mesh/sheets/400-mesh The next experiments will be with a 80 gauge ss mesh rain flap above the vent angled to prevent ingress of hi engery raindrops even more

"Sleep periods between 0 and 5 seconds are now permitted" - that is great news, THANK YOU!

Agreed Davidlee, well put, that works. +1 for configurable sleep below 5sec

Could you not default to 5sec, but allow 2 or 3 seconds with a warning. The Amp Threshold has not worked well for Bats with me so far, so ideally I'd like to go back to 18 sec on, 2 off continual. (the low pass is useful, thanks!)

+1 on "why a minimum sleep duration of 5s" in this new version

Copy of FedEx invoice attached. I can't work out how they got to that amount of VAT. Having to pay a huge amount for shipping, then also pay the shipper for their admin of the shipping, is very disappointing.

Quick question: The release notes say "Improved low-voltage cut-off for use with rechargeable batteries." What has changed? Is it a decrease in the cuttoff voltage threshold? If so whats the new voltage level? For reference I had been using rechargeables and found I could get continual nighttime recording for 3.7 nights. I'm testing currently to see what difference the Amplitude Threshold and other changes make.

Reply from GroupGets support ... no offer to pay the VAT :-( As a not for profit community conservation group we can't afford this. "Sorry for the unexpected costs. The VAT for the cases was not included at checkout and is unusually high. We are aware of the issue and looking into why the VAT is so high for the cases. We will update you with more information as soon as it becomes available to us. Best regards, Griffin" I also asked about VAT on AM round 10 which arrived yesterday (poorly packed with 10 AM rattling about in a empty box with 6 popped air bags) "The good news is that you will not have to pay a VAT on the Audiomoths on delivery. It was included at checkout."

No reply from groupgets on the discussion, hence I've raised a ticket with them: https://groupgets.freshdesk.com/support/tickets/new Suggest others do the same. :-(

@Alex Rogers "Since the recorded file has all the relative timings it's also possible to have the configuration app 'chop up' the recording, rather than 'expand it'. That way you get the individual recordings that you would have had from the triggering approach but without the blind periods between recordings. We haven't done that but it would be easy to add if there was demand for it." That would be FANTASTIC, as it would allow AM recordings to be used in the normal workflow by the main Bat ID software. Ability to have configurable "chop up" times, would be ideal - 15sec, 30sec, .. etc, to allow easier analysis of bat passes.

Thanks for the reply, apologies I should have made it clearer that the membrane arrived stretched, and is domed outwards, even when the case is open.

Ok, so I'll be first to ask ... why you have chosen to go with complex Amplitude Threshold Recording (i.e. device recording all the time and discarding quietness), rather than seemingly simpler Triggering (device starts recording when it detects noise)? Is it a: Limitation of the hardware? More power efficient? ANO reason? Just asking, as the Amplitude Threshold Recording is far more complex to understand, and would seem to result in far more files and larger expanded WAVs, than triggering.

Agreed Lyndon, I also am unlikely to order more AMs if there is a risk of this happening again. In fact I'm VERY concerned about the batch of AM's I have coming in round 10, as there is no extra funding in this project to pay any additional fees.

Sorry to hear that sacha, I'll have a close look at my case. A couple of things that I have noticed on mine, and I wonder if you have seen this on yours as well? when closed the sides of the top of the case bulge slightly, where the pressure from the rubber is forcing the case lid up the vent membrane is bulged outwards. As this case has not been outside yet since it arrived, this happened in construction, or possibly in the reduced pressure of the cargo hold of the shipping aircraft (mine arrived closed) I would be interested in others cases.

+1 I also got a FedEx Invoice in the post a few days after my AM case. £21.38 for "original VAT" on one case. Bringing the total cost for one case to over £69! Ridiculous!! I've queried with GroupGets, as I suspect they made some error with the paperwork their side. As an aside why they send "international priority" at such high cost defeats me. We've usually waited months for stuff from GroupGets, so a few days (or weeks) extra on a cheap slow boat would not matter at all.

Hi, during the British Bat Survey SW pilot I used Amazon Basic 2400mAh rechargeables. With the AM set for continual (5min record, 5sec gap), from 8PM to 8AM, the rechargables lasted for about 2.7 nights, or put another way, they failed early hours on the third day. No issues with SD card writing until this point

@Shawn McCracken I started with a simple 5mm hole, but have now moved over to a 3.5mm hole, countersunk on the outside to about 5.5mm. I've no evidence this is any better, but I don't have clicking issues. Crickets on the other hand ... are a nightmare for batwork.

Finished some more cases this weekend. Attached photo shows eBay case (with solid and clear lid), and also OBO Betterman A8 cases in various Camo coverings. Interestingly the clear lid case was much easier to work on and get everything lined up nicely.

Pleased to report this case remained dry while out in the storm that flooded Ottery St.Mary yesterday. The case was on top of rocks, at about 10 degrees off horizontal, so I'm surprised the metal mesh kept the Mic. dry.