 BAT STUDIES
 Bats have always been a passion of ACS owner, Mike Balistreri, ever since his undergraduate days at the University of Wisconsin when he learned in a physiology class that these small mammals are capable of maintaining body temperatures below the freezing point. The more he began to study these remarkable creatures, the more fascinated he became. This eventually lead to bats being the subject of his M.S. and Ph.D. theses. Having worked with bats for over 20 years, Mike is happy to have the chance to apply his in-depth knowledge of the biology, ecology, and natural history of these animals to wind energy projects. ACS is proud to provide the following bat-related services:
 Roost site surveys
Cave surveys
Vertical cliff face surveys
Post-construction surveys
Mist-netting and other other live-capture methods
Ultrasonic detection studies
X-band radar coordination
Remotely-operated detection systems
Bat call analyses
ULTRASONIC DETECTION
 For years, ultrasonic detectors have been a mainstay in bat distribution and activity studies. The ability of these devices to "hear" the ultra-high-pitched frequencies emitted by bats has proven useful in many applications. Currently, the most common systems in use at wind farms across the country are manufactured by AnaBat, Pettersson, and Binary Acoustic Technology. ACS is experienced with the use of these and other systems and specializes in adapting these units for use in long-term remote monitoring applications where weatherproofing and dependability are essential.
THE NEXT GENERATION
Most of the detection systems in use are built around antiquated detector designs that were not originally intended for long-term or remote operation. While technical improvements in weatherproofing, data storage peripherals, hardware control features, and the like, have been steadily coming over the years, these units are still limited by their original designs. This is soon to change as ACS is currently involved in the design and testing of a system that will enable remote programming, downloading, and adjustment to the bat detectors from anywhere with satellite or cellular coverage. This system will "out detect", cost less, and be more readily available than any other system. The new system should be ready to go by mid-spring 2008. This should be about the same time the next generation of bat call analysis software is released by SonoBat. Check back for full details as they become finalized.
BATS AND RADAR
 Although bats can often be distinguished from birds and insects on radar screens by their size and erratic flight patterns, this is by no means a steadfast rule. ACS has been working with DeTect, world leaders in X-band radar technologies, to develop a protocol that will enable the differentiation of bats from other targets in radar images. Because of its far greater range and acuity compared to ultrasonic detection devices, radar is proving itself to be the most useful tool in assessing bat movement and activity. ACS is excited about these possibilities and is proud to be a part of these landmark innovations.
THE BALUN METHOD
 The need to mount bat detectors on towers at heights in excess of 50 meters is one of the common technical problems that must be overcome while designing and implementing effective pre- and post-construction wind site monitoring studies. Difficulties and expense of erecting the support towers aside, the bat researcher is faced with the dilemma of gaining access to the recorded data. Common solutions to this problem have included the use of telescoping towers, microphone extension cables, and FM or other wireless transmission devices. Unfortunately, all of these methods have inherent physical or electronic deficiencies and limitations.
After consultations with wind research colleagues, bat detector manufacturers, and professional audio and video technicians, ACS developed the "balun method" to address this data transmission problem. A PDF document describing the balun method is available here.
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