PiCUS TMSO Manual
40
In the case of the TMSO.CU, the positioning is much more flexible as the solar cell is not
permanently connected to the device, so that it can be installed remotely.
6.5.2 Optimization of the Radio Connection
The radio that connects the TMSO.IM with the TMSO.CU has a long range under optimal
conditions (see also
). Optimal in this case means a direct obstacle-
free line of sight between the devices.
In addition it is strongly recommended that the TMSO.CU is positioned at least 2 m above
ground level so that uneven ground cannot interfere with the line of sight between the devices!
The positions of the TMSO.IM are already given by the trees to be monitored.
It is basically very easy to plan the positioning of the TMSO.CU by aiming to see all the trees
to which TMSO.IM are to be attached from the available attachment locations.
The place where short distance to all sensors is achieved and few obstacles block the lines of
sight is the best.
NOTE!
In practice it has proven to be useful to select 2 or 3 positions in this way in order to have direct
alternatives in case not all TMSO.IMs can be reliably connected at the first position during the
system test (see 7.6Preparation for System Activation).
If the TMSO.CU is to use a local WLAN for the connection to the Internet, the line of sight to
the router must of course also be included in the planning!
To solve the problem of an insufficient radio connection to all trees to be monitored, it is also
possible to use several TMSO.CU within the same area. In this case they should be positioned
as far apart as possible so that they do not interfere with each other. The TMSO.IM must be
assigned to the central units and several monitoring projects must be created.
This approach is also a solution to circumvent the limited number of TMSO.IMs that each
central unit can handle.
6.5.3 Positioning Base Sensor
Basically, the base sensor should be installed as close as possible
to the ground so that the sensor centre is about 5 - 10 cm above
ground level. This is important to measure only the inclination of the
root plate. If the sensor is mounted higher, the bending of the trunk
will gain greater influence.
If the tree has strong buttress roots the sensors should be placed in
between the roots if possible.
For trees standing on a slope we recommend that the sensors be
mounted laterally, i.e. between the upper and lower ground entry
point of the trunk. This determination is arbitrary. In order to ensure
good comparability between different trees and different
measurement dates, it is essential to always proceed in the same
way at other sites.
Of course it is also possible to mount several sensors to get a wider
choice of data.
Figure 12 - Tree with
buttress roots
Figure 13 - Tree on a
slope
