Not recording at configured times after deployment - Maximum durations on AudioMoth?

Hi everyone!

So I've been trying to configure my AudioMoths so that they will record 10 minutes, then rest for 20 minutes etc from 7:30am-7:30pm. Since that time period is more than the 5 allowed periods, I've set the device like in the photo below.

I've been deploying them around different sites the past week, but every time I check on them in the morning, there aren't any files on the SD card (which were all formatted to FAT32 before I used them and I double check the configuration before putting them in place).

What's weird is that the indicator lights are all correct (solid green when configuring on the USB/OFF setting and flashing green when on standby or blinking red when recording when on the CUSTOM setting) and the clock is still correct when I collect them later, it's just that there are no files in the card.

I'm wondering if there is a maximum time allowed on the duration for the sleep/record duration that I'm hitting and if so, what should I do about it?

(The devices seemed to be recording just fine when I was testing them out in DEFAULT mode, so I'm pretty sure it's not a hardware issue, but I could be wrong).

If there isn't a limit, is there anything I should do to troubleshoot the issue and figure out why it's not recording properly?

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6 comments

6 Comments

Rebecca Wang

Aug 10, 2019

Hi Alex,

Thanks for your thorough reply, I've done what you suggested and it seem to be working properly now! (Red lights are flashing for the full 10 minutes and I can get files off of the SD card). I'll do the same with my other AudioMoths and leave them out for a full 12-hour recording test tomorrow to see if any other lingering issues arise with them. Thanks for the help!

-Rebecca

Alex Rogers

Aug 09, 2019

Hi Rebecca, That should be working fine and the way you've set the configuration app is how we would do it in your application. The firmware on your device is quite an old version so you should probably update to the latest version - the instructions are here - https://www.openacousticdevices.info/flashing. Also check that you have the most up to date version of the Configuration App.

Do you see the red LED flashing for the full 10 minutes when it is recording in CUSTOM mode? If you configure the device and start it at any time, it will wait and then join the schedule at the appropriate time (i.e. starting to record at 0 and 30 minutes past each hour between 06:00 and 18:00). I'll double check on one of hour devices that this configuration works as expected for us. Alex

Rebecca Wang

Aug 11, 2019

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Alex Rogers

Aug 11, 2019

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@Rebecca Wang I think this is a different issue and is because the device hasn't been powered down completely since running the last firmware and has carried over some settings from the previous configuration (specifically some settings controlling the rate of the internal clock which we changed to improve timekeeping).

To fix that you just need to take the batteries out, wait a couple of seconds, and then put them back in. They should then keep time correctly when you view them in the Configuration App. The time viewed in the Configuration App should always be changing every second and should keep perfect time.