Fixing Incorrect Antenna Mapping

Stations Receivers
1

Hi Motus Enjoyers,

I’ve just identified that in our project (#294), we have incorrectly specified the antenna Port # for two of our receiver deployments, and want to ask the best way to fix this issue. For one receiver, it is the incorrect value (Port 1 instead of Port 2), and for the other we forgot to include antenna information when creating the deployment.

Below: error messages for the station with the incorrect antenna Port #.

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For the first case, I ideally want to simply change Port # to the correct value of 2, but am concerned about how this may affect the data and can’t find an answer in the documentation.

The ‘Edit deployment’ page states “If you change the configuration of a sensor (e.g. add a new antenna or change the position), you MUST create a new deployment record. In order for a new deployment to be considered active, the previous deployment requires an end date” - I am assuming this applies here to the case of incorrectly specifying the port (even though our physical hardware setup has not changed).

Considering this (and that deployments cannot be deleted), I am thinking the best solution may be to end the current deployment 1 minute after the start time, and then create another deployment with the correct antenna port.

My main concerns:

  • Will tags have been detected correctly during the period with the wrong Port #? (My instinct is yes because the SensorGnome web interface identifies the Port for radio antenna)

  • For the change to be reflected in the Motus-processed data, do we have to wait for the receiver data to be re-processed?

    • Can we manually request a reprocessing / a receiver rerun? (as opposed to waiting for the automatic rerun schedule)

  • Is it ‘safe’ to do the following: End the deployment with incorrect Port # (with an end time 1 minute after the start time), and create a new deployment with the correct Port #

Any advice is much appreciated!

Kind Regards, Callum University of Newcastle (Australia)

2

Hi Callum,

You’re not changing the configuration, you’re correcting an inaccuracy. You can (and should) update the deployment to correct the port numbers and fix/add antenna bearings. It looks like a couple of active deployments may be missing antenna bearings for some Yagi antennas.

The Motus server will take care of propagating those changes, and detections won’t have been lost, but you’re correct not to expect the changes to happen immediately. I believe you can request a reprocessing of the receiver (@jsrs can better convey that process).

The important part is that you correct the deployments to accurately and fully reflect your current configuration. Let us know if you hit any snags while trying to do so.

Cheers,

Adam

1 Like
3

Hi Callum, Adam is correct: you are not so much changing the configuration, but correcting an inaccuracy. You want the deployment metadata to reflect the actual configuration of station as closely as possible.

The general idea is that a receiver deployment should always consist of a static configuration. If you do change the station’s actual physical configuration, then you would terminate the old deployment and create a new one starting at the time the change occurred.

A bit of clarification about receiver data reprocessing… What we’re talking about here is just station metadata. It doesn’t actually affect the processing of the raw data. In that case, it’s tag deployment metadata that is critical and that, if not accurate and up to date when the data is first processed, won’t be rectified until that receiver’s data is is reprocessed. In this case, the actual detection data won’t be affected, and your changes to the station metadata should be reflected in detection data nearly instantaneously.

Specific answers to your questions:

Will tags have been detected correctly during the period with the wrong Port #? (My instinct is yes because the SensorGnome web interface identifies the Port for radio antenna)

Correct, the port number is reported by the SG. Until now, the port reported by the SG didn’t match the metadata, but once you correct the metadata that will all be fixed (including for any past detections).

For the change to be reflected in the Motus-processed data, do we have to wait for the receiver data to be re-processed?

No, because we’re only talking about station metadata, not tag deployment metadata.

Can we manually request a reprocessing / a receiver rerun? (as opposed to waiting for the automatic rerun schedule)

Yes and no. You can request it, but it may not get you much further ahead in the queue given the volume of data that needs to be processed at any given time. But rerunning is unnecessary in this particular case anyway…

Is it ‘safe’ to do the following: End the deployment with incorrect Port # (with an end time 1 minute after the start time), and create a new deployment with the correct Port #

In this case, the better approach is to edit your existing deployment to correct the bad port numbers.

1 Like
4

Since I just had to do this yesterday, and because I think this sort of more complex situation may be common, I’ll add a recent experience here. I recently went to work on a station that was no longer responding. I replaced the sensorstation and added two antennas that were not in the previous set up because I was worried about noise from a nearby electric power transformer. So these changes to the physical configuration required a new deployment on Motus.org. I did this, but as I entered the new information, I realized there were some issues with the compass directions and elevations (the direction and elevation of two antennas needed to be swapped). I fixed these in the new deployment. I also fixed them in the previous deployment. This was to fix the issue for past detections to associate the correct antenna direction with detections. So if you make configuration changes and discover metadata issues, don’t forget to fix any metadata issues in previous deployments.

1 Like
5

Thanks so much for the detailed information everyone! I’ll update those port numbers now - very glad that we haven’t lost any data.

Also thanks for the reminder re antenna bearings - I’ll have a look through our active stations and make sure to record them next time we’re out in the field.