Subject: [Tweeters] RFI on bird song devices
Date: Dec 13 11:53:26 2012
From: Lyn Topinka - pointers at pacifier.com



hi ... I've just am now trying out a relatively cheap device to play
bird songs and to take notes with in the field ...

a couple of weeks ago I purchased the Z431 GoPhone available for
around $50.00 (I got mine at BestBuy, but Amazon has them for $43.00)
... the Z431 is an ATT pre-paid phone BUT quite a few of its features
work well with NO SIM card in .... including the music player ... the
Z431 doesn't have enough internal memory to put all of my collection
of bird songs into it (mp3s) so I had to purchase a micro SD card ...
downloaded around 350 bird calls onto the micro SD card (via
computer) and inserted card into the SIM-card-less phone and I was
all set to go ... the speaker isn't overpowering but IMHO it is just
loud enough ... since I primarily use mine to ID birds I've heard, I
have found it to be just perfect volume for carrying in the car or my
camera bag ... it fits great in my pocket too ... AND I CAN SEE THE
SCREEN !!!!!!!!! ... the only bird I've tried to call in has been the
Black Phoebe at Whitaker Ponds and the reach of the speaker was just
fine for that ... the search music feature works great assuming you
organize your songs correctly ... it searches alphabetically from the
beginning of the song name so all my phoebe files begin with "phoebe"
and all of my sparrow files begin with "sparrow", etc. ...

there is a voice recorder which also works well ... I haven't tried
it on birds yet but have taken "notes to self" on it just fine ...

the camera with it is passable if you have nothing else available and
just want to show "see that bird WAYYYYY out there !!!!" (grin) ...

I haven't had the device long enough to see how rugged it will be ...
I did buy a rubberized case for it (all of $4.00 online) just for a
better grip in our wet cold winter weather ...

anyways, I'm finding it my FAVORITE FIELD DEVICE of the 4 methods
I've tried ... in the past I've also used my ipod but I didn't like
carrying the external speaker too, and I couldn't take notes to
myself ... a digital recorder where there was no search feature and
the viewing screen was really puny as I went thru the songs to search
... and my smartphone I found is almost IMPOSSIBLE to see its screen
outdoors ...

Lyn
Vancouver, Washington







At 07:48 AM 12/13/2012, Gary Bletsch wrote:
>Dear Tweeters,
>
>My portable cassette deck is acting up; my phonograph is busted, so
>I can't make bird-song tapes from records any more. I reckon it's
>time to tiptoe into the century instant.
>
>I don't really want a smart phone or a tablet computer.
>
>What I want is some sort of modern device that will let me play bird
>songs in the field, loudly enough for them to hear. It would also be
>nice to have the ability to make the occasional recording of their
>voice, although my little digital camera does a halfway decent job
>of that already.
>
>I also would like to be able to capture sound recordings off
>websites such as Xenocanto, and store them on the device, for future
>use, if that is possible.
>
>I am really not interested in getting a field guide--I still prefer
>a book. I just want the sound recordings.
>
>The device I choose should be able to store bird songs from other
>countries, for overseas trips, and not be limited to ABA-area sets
>of recordings. How one acquires a set of overseas recordings for,
>say, Thailand or Kenya, is beyond me.
>
>The device should also be reasonably small and robust. The small
>size of the device rules out any sort of portable CD player, as far
>as I know. I don't mind having external speakers--many bird guides
>overseas have such a setup, and it seems to work fine.
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>Yours truly,
>
>Gary Bletsch
>
>
>
>Gary Bletsch
>
>Near Lyman, Washington (Skagit County), USA
>
><mailto:garybletsch at yahoo.com>garybletsch at yahoo.com
>
>"Nun," sagte ich, "wenn ich ein Taugenichts bin, so ist's gut, so
>will ich in die Welt gehen, und mein Glueck machen." Und eigentlich
>war mir das recht lieb, denn es war mir kurz vorher selber
>eingefallen, auf Reisen zu gehen, da ich die Goldammer, welche im
>Herbst und Winter immer betruebt an unserm Fenster sang: "Bauer,
>miet' mich, Bauer, miet' mich!" nun in der schoenen Fruehlingszeit
>wieder ganz stolz und lustig vom Baume rufen hoerte: "Bauer, behalt'
>deinen Dienst!"
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Lyn Topinka
http://EnglishRiverWebsite.com
http://ColumbiaRiverImages.com
http://RidgefieldBirds.com