Rainier-S20
The Rainier-S20 is a solar-powered, GPS-equipped Argos transmitter (PTT) tag specifically designed for birds. The Rainier-S20 is suitable for birds weighing as little as 650 grams to be tracked with GPS precision and accuracy over land and sea for multiple seasons.
The Rainier-S20 has a very low profile and sports a powerful and flexible antenna, smooth surfaces, and rounded edges with no sharp/cutting finishes. The design helps minimize mass, drag, and risk of injury to the bird.
The tag’s intelligent, low-power design incorporates our latest Argos-certified transmitter, a 48-channel GPS receiver, temperature, battery voltage, tilt, and accelerometer sensors. A non-volatile memory with the capacity to store up to 58,000 locations (about 6.5 years of GPS locations based on one location per hour). The small, solid cast 20 g package is waterproof and tested to 100 m depth.
Want free tags? Learn more about our Early Adopter Program
Want free tags? Learn more about our Early Adopter Program
Below are the physical specifications of the Rainier-S20.
Dimensions(LxWxH) | 56 mm x 18 mm x 14 mm |
Tag weight (excluding neoprene) | 20 grams |
Construction | Solid cast/hermetically sealed in biologically inert epoxy resin |
Antenna | GPS patch antenna embedded. Argos antenna 200 mm. Protrudes from back edge of transmitter at 30° to the horizontal |
Pressure Rating | Tested to 100 m depth |
Memory/Archive | Approximately 58,000 GPS locations timestamped to the nearest second |
Operating Frequency | 401.678 MHz |
Operating Life | Solar tags >3 years |
Sensors | GPS, temperature, battery voltage, accelerometer, tilt |
GPS Accuracy | Coordinate positions are recorded to four decimal places yielding accuracy to +/- 11 m |
GPS Channels | 48 |
GPS Datum | WGS84 |
Operating Temperature Range | 0° C to 65° C |
Communications | Via USB port and Tag Agent user interface software |
Battery Charging | Solar or USB |
Recovery Pinger | Optional in future designs, not currently activated |
Battery | Lithium polymer rechargeable battery |
RF Power Output | Maximum 500 mW, typically 200 mW when deployed |
Tag On/Off Protocol | Using a magnet cover |
Supply Voltage | 3.0 to 4.0 volts |
Here are some of the key features of the Rainier-S20.
- Specific avian design—the “smaller is better” approach to design means there is no need for a bigger tag on a bigger bird. The rounded edges of the tag allow for streamlined aerodynamics while preventing any bird damage from sharp cutting finishes. We also offer either harness loops or holes for attachment depending on your preference.
- Argos antenna—minimally intrusive, low-lying antenna exiting the rear of the tag is lightweight, highly robust yet super flexible. The antenna is securely anchored in epoxy resin and withstands over 100 pounds of tensile force ensuring it will stand up to abuse from birds.
- Solar cells and power—solar cell design and circuitry efficiencies allow for improved charging in low light conditions and partial feather coverage.
- Flexible calendar scheduling—hundreds of duty cycles if required, not limited to just five.
- Smart algorithms differentiate shifts in day length and times of civil sunrise and sunset—Rainier-S20 tags’ smart day/night algorithms accurately calculate civil sunrise and civil sunset to the minute for any location on the globe. The algorithms are integrated within the scheduling and automatically and dynamically control the scheduling which is particularly impressive on migratory birds crossing multiple time zones or on resident birds as the seasons change.
- External communications port with multiple benefits including:
- Administer your own tag setting through Wildlife Computers Tag Agent Software
- Charge your tags indoors with visual LED feedback
- Download the entire tag archive if it is located after deployment (it does not need to come back to Wildlife Computers)
- Transmitted locations and status messages—the Rainier-S20 method of sending GPS locations and other data through Argos builds on Wildlife Computers more than 20 years of experience of sending information via satellite in the most challenging marine environments and time stamps each to within two minutes of the actual fix. Status messages and cumulative status data sent can be used to infer the basic health of the tag.
Rainier-S20 Quick Start Guide
This document guides you through interacting with, and deploying, the Rainier-S20.