Spydaq 1000 Base Station

Spydaq base station connected to a local computer via USB.

At the heart of the Spydaq system is the base station. This receives the signals from the transmitters, which can be positioned up to 400m away, checks the data is correct and in the case of this Spydaq base station, it sends the readings to a computer via the USB port. As with all Spydaq base stations, the SPYDAQ-1000 will accept signals from up to 16 transmitters. The base station has LED indicators along the front panel that flash either red or green depending on alarm state. There is also an audible alarm to attract attention. The LCD display on the top of the base station shows received values as well as system information. On the rear of the base station is a push button to cycle through the various menu options, alarm relay that can be connected to a light pole, klaxon or similar device. There is a USB port for connection to a computer that would run our SPYMONITOR-LOCAL software. There is also the BNC connector for the two receiving antennas. These are used for our antenna diversity algorithm that selects the aerial with the strongest signal, therefore improving reliability of the radio signal. A mains power supply is also included.

This base station should be used if the system is to run locally on a Windows computer.

If the connected computer has an Internet connection, the SPYMONITOR-LOCAL software can be configured to send reports via email on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. There is also the option to send email or SMS / text messages in the event of an alarm.

The transmitters have a transmission range of approximately 400m, line of sight in an open field. This will be reduced if the transmitters are located indoors, where walls, especially metal-clad walls, can shorten the transmission range. Care should also be taken to ensure that objects with a high water content are not placed between the transmitter and the base station. Repeater stations and high-gain antennas are available to increase the distances between transmitters and the base station if required. The transmitters use a patented transmission protocol (Patent Number GB2479520) that even corrects multi-bit errors. The transmitters transmit the last five readings, enabling the base station to backfill any missed readings. The base station also uses antenna diversity, with two receiving aerials, and selects the one with the strongest signal. Finally, the transmitters also use a "transmission wobble", so if the transmissions do coincide with another transmission on the same frequency, they will drift apart over time. All of these features combine to give a chance of a missed reading of once every 76 years!