26 Dec Tags in Stop Mode During Storage

If you’ve kept undeployed tags in the refrigerator in “Stop” mode for a while, you should consider pulling them out of fridge and giving them some exercise to remove the passivation layer surrounding the tag’s battery. To do this, we recommend hooking up your tag to the appropriate host software (Tag Agent, MK10 Host, or MK9 Host) and let the tag blow off some steam.

1. 1. In Tag Agent, for transmitting tags—on the right side of the main screen, the battery voltage automatically displays and should read above 3.2v. To determine the transmission battery voltage simply select the Advanced tab and “Send Test Transmission.” The transmission voltage should be around 3.5v.
   2. In Mk10 Host, for transmitting and non-transmitting archival tags—simply select the Test tab and “Test” the tag sensors. The battery voltage on the left side of the screen should read above 3.0v. For transmitting tags specifically, you should also perform an immediate test of the Argos transmitter. To do this, on the right side of the Test tab select “Transmit” to determine the current drawn from the battery. The transmission voltage results should be at least 3.0v.
   3. In Mk9 Host, for non-transmitting archival tags—under the Test Sensors section on the right side of the main page, simply select “Test” to sample the sensors and display what the battery voltage is currently measuring. The battery voltage may be a little low initially but should increase to 3.0v or greater after letting the sensors run for a minute.

You can read specific information about your tag’s batteries in the appropriate tag user guide.

When you test tags, it may take several attempts for the tag voltage to build up after being stored in the fridge for an extended amount of time.