Extended Tracking with the GPS System
Owner's manual. GPS systems
How to track a long recovery
Most recoveries are over within the hour. Some run long, or overnight. Use this page to manage the GPS battery and still find the bird.
2 to 3 days on factory settingsReserve starts at 60 percentFly two transmitters
Getting started
Fly two transmitters
Marshall recommends two transmitters on the bird. Use the GPS as the primary. Add a long-life beeping transmitter as the backup. A Marshall ultra high frequency transmitter lasts 5 to 10 days and is a good backup. The default beep frequency is 434.005 megahertz.
How the battery is used
On factory settings the GPS transmitter runs 2 to 3 days. It tracks live for about 4 hours in Economy, or about 2 hours in High definition. The screen may show the letters ECO or HD. At 60 percent battery it switches to Reserve on its own.
In Reserve, the position updates once an hour. You can change that interval. The same position is sent again every few seconds for the rest of that hour. A faster Reserve update uses the battery sooner. A slower update makes it last longer.
You can also pinpoint the transmitter with a Field Marshall ultra high frequency receiver, on the default 434.005 megahertz, or on the frequency you selected. That works in Economy, extended mode, and Reserve. High definition falls back to Economy if the transmitter flies out of range.
Set a mode before you need it
While you are still in range, you do not have to wait for Reserve. You can send a battery-saving mode from AeroVision7.
Extended
Stretch the time between GPS updates. You can set it from 2 minutes to 12 hours. The screen may show the letters EXT. Overnight, 15 or 30 minutes is a good choice. If the bird moves in the dark, the last coordinate is never older than the interval you set.
Sleep
For a bird roosted in a known place that will stay there. Always set a wake time. While asleep, the transmitter sends no GPS position and no radio beeps. It wakes into the last mode, so command Economy or extended mode before you command Sleep. Waking into High definition uses the battery quickly.
Reserve
The long recovery mode. A yellow dot means Reserve is on. An ultra high frequency receiver can track the beeps between updates. Commanding extended mode, Economy, or High definition cancels Reserve. Then set the Reserve percent lower, for example 30 percent, so it can start again if the recovery continues.
The Reserve percent is your ceiling. The default, 60 percent with 1-hour updates, gives the longest total run, 2 to 3 days. A lower percent, or faster updates, shortens it.
Read the dot and the PocketLink light
If the PocketLink keeps flashing white
In hills or mountains, go to the highest ground you can.
Lift the PocketLink on a drone, as high as you can. Any signal it hears is delivered to AeroVision7 when the PocketLink is back in Bluetooth range.
Add a high-gain omni antenna, or an ultra high frequency yagi, to the PocketLink.
Listen for the beep with your Field Marshall ultra high frequency receiver.
What to bring
High-gain omni antenna
Extends GPS tracking range by 2 to 3 times.
Ultra high frequency receiver
Up to 5 times the ground tracking range, and it pinpoints the bird between GPS updates.
Fresh batteries
For the PocketLink as well. After 8 hours or more, restart it and connect it to AeroVision7 again.
Learn the GPS and the ultra high frequency gear before the day you need them. Practice a recovery with a friend.
If the bird is out overnight, leave the PocketLink running near the roost, for example at the base of the tree. That lowers the transmitter power use and keeps a record of the last GPS update. It syncs to AeroVision7 when you connect again. More on Reserve mode is in the tutorial videos and the GPS runtime PDF.
Troubleshooting
Work down this list. Stop when you have a fresh position or a clear beep.
The dot stays colored but the position does not update. You are in range, and the transmitter is in Reserve, extended mode, or Sleep. Command Economy or High definition if you need a live position.
The dot is grey and the PocketLink light flashes white slowly. You are out of range. Go higher. Use a drone, a high-gain omni antenna, or an ultra high frequency yagi. Listen with a Field Marshall receiver.
The PocketLink light flashes orange. Data arrived. Wait for the next scheduled update.
Reserve will not come back. Commanding extended mode, Economy, or High definition cancels Reserve. Set the Reserve percent lower, for example 30 percent, so it can start again.
Sleep used the battery quickly. Sleep wakes into the last mode. Command Economy or extended mode before Sleep. Always set a wake time. While asleep there is no position and no beep.
The PocketLink has been on for 8 hours or more. Put in fresh batteries, restart it, and connect again.
FAQs
How long does the GPS transmitter run?
On factory settings, 2 to 3 days. It tracks live for about 4 hours in Economy, or about 2 hours in High definition. At 60 percent battery it switches to Reserve on its own.
What does Reserve do?
The position updates once an hour. The same position is sent again every few seconds for the rest of that hour. A yellow dot means Reserve is on.
What is the difference between Extended and Sleep?
Extended stretches the time between GPS updates, from 2 minutes to 12 hours. Sleep sends no GPS position and no radio beeps. Always set a wake time. Command Economy or extended mode before Sleep, because it wakes into the last mode.
The PocketLink light keeps flashing white.
You are out of range. Go to the highest ground you can. A drone, a high-gain omni antenna, or an ultra high frequency yagi can help. You can also listen with a Field Marshall receiver.
What should I bring on a long recovery?
A high-gain omni antenna, an ultra high frequency receiver, and fresh batteries for the transmitter and the PocketLink.
