Evaluation of a New Miniature Pressure-Sensitive Radio Transmitter

Abstract

A miniature pressure-sensitive radio transmitter (tag) was evaluated and field tested as a tool for determining the depths of juvenile salmonids. The tag had an effective radiated power of −19.7 decibels (1 mW reference), dimensions of 23 mm × 7 mm, and a weight of 2.2 g in air. The pulse rate of the tag increased with pressure, resulting in an expected tag life of approximately 11 d at the water surface and 7.5 d at 10.5 m. The tags were accurate to within 16 mm with 95% of observations within ±0.32 m of the true depth. The resolution of the tags was 0.2 m. Errors in indicated depth resulting from differences between the calibration and operating temperatures were minimized by means of a correction factor. Tags surgically implanted in juvenile steelhead Oncorhynchus mykiss indicated a depth 0.2 m less than the same tags in water. This difference was not affected by pressure or temperature and was rectified by adjusting data from tags in fish. A test tag in a Columbia River reservoir was detected from distances of 1,133 m at a depth of 2 m and 148 m at a depth of 14 m. Results indicate the tag was miniaturized without compromising accuracy, precision, or resolution of the pressure components.

Notes

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