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3.
Fitting the Collar
3.1.
Introduction
Once you have captured the animal, fitting the collar is a straightforward task.
However, if your VHF collar has been programmed with behaviours to preserve
the battery’s charge, it is important that you understand the implications that
behaviours can have on the success of your tracking efforts.
3.2.
Power Management – Behaviours
Some VHF collars are programmed with behaviours. Behaviours determine:
When the VHF transmitter broadcasts a particular pulse pattern,
and/or
The rate at which the pulse is broadcast at any particular time.
IMPORTANT: Behaviours are not calendar or time-zone based.
Behaviours count down from the time the VHF transmitter is switched
on.
If behaviours were specified at time of purchase, then prior to fitting the collar,
you may have to turn the VHF transmitter on, hours or days in advance. For
more information, refer to the order summary form that you received. The
order summary will help you determine what time of day, and if relevant, what
day of the week the VHF transmitter must be turned on.
IMPORTANT: For example, the VHF transmitter may have been programmed to
transmit its nominal pulse rate for only 14 hours out of 24 – five days a week,
and to broadcast nothing for the other 10 hours and the remaining days (two)
each week. If you want to track during daylight hours on Monday to Friday, the
transmitter must be turned on early in the morning, on the Monday prior to
fitting the collar.
NOTE: If programmed with behaviours, turning a VHF transmitter off and on will
reset its behaviours. If the VHF transmitter you are about to fit was turned on at
the required time, e.g., a couple of days ago, turning it off and on now may
