I have a question for the SOTA Community and hope that answers will be available from those with more technical knowledge than I have. I am installing a Wildlife Camera in the garden to try and find which type of animal is causing damage in the garden. I need to know if RF from my Radio Equipment would cause damage to the camera. Enquiry on the internet produced no answer. Can Anyone Help , PLEASE.
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Hi Paul,
I have never heard of any camera (incl. wildlife camera) being damaged by RF.
I heard of someone having focussing issues near overhead power lines but never had this myself.
Most wildlife camera have a Passive Infra Red motion detector that triggers when changes in heat are detected. I have not heard of RF triggering this before.
I have never had my camera nor my iPhone camera nor my GoPro experience any negative impact when I key up on a summit; but this is of course with lower power, yet nearby.
Good luck,
Robert
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Hi Paul,
I have used my wildlife camera in my garden to take footage of the fox we have had for 5yrs and never had any bother with it when using the radio.
Terry
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Thank You Robert, for your input. This is good news. I hope to hear you again soon. Paul M0CQE.
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Thank You Terry. Your reply is most welcome. Do you use FM and HF and with different Modes? Paul. M0CQE.
I can add further reassurance. We have installed a wildlife camera right underneath the feedpoint of a doublet about 8m AGL and I have used all bands between 160m and 20m at 100w without triggering it.
My guess is that you will get some nice pictures of badgers, they have become urbanised in many cities and do damage when digging for worms. In a few areas wild pigs cause serious damage, like the badgers they only forage at night, but they eat the roots of a lot of garden plants.
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Brian. Thank You for your reply. Just what I wanted to know. My radio/camera is almost the same setup as yours. All should be OK. Many thanks. Paul M0CQE.
Paul if you had enough RF to damage electronics floating about your garden, how did you manage to pass your ICNIRP checks?
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Hello Andy. It would appear that I do not have enough RF floating about the Garden to damage anything in there. What I did not know was the workings of a Wildlife type of camera. having never had experience with one. And as the only position I can mount the camera is directly below the Ariel, (it is a Very Small Garden). I was looking for information from someone already in the same position at their QTH. I have no intention of keeping this camera once I have positively identified the animal causing the damage the camera will be removed. I will return it to its owner, with my thanks.
Many Thanks to the SOTA community for supplying the necessary information that I needed.
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Good luck with the big game hunting, Paul! 73 John. Ps-keep us posted on what you discover!
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What model camera is that? My wife is keen to try one of these wildlife cameras. I’m put off by reports of poor images, cameras that are too easily set off by moving leaves in the wind (resulting in dozens of blank photos) and very poor battery life.
If someone has one that is OK I’d love to know.
Thanks
Gerald
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My wife got it at Aldi or Lidl. Mostly it works, but it’s not usually somewhere where it can be triggered by stray leaves or branches blowing in the wind. It chews batteries, sometimes gives me a thousand or more images a day to look through, and didn’t cope that well with 29th Feb (though I didn’t spot the problem for several days)…
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Yes Paul I use HF/FM/AM, my antennas are a Hexbeam at 35’ and a HyEndFed 130’ long wire and that runs around the garden at 20’/30’
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Many thanks Terry. You have a very fine Antenna Setup at your QTH. Thank You for the information. 73 de Paul M0CQE.
Many thanks to all of you who have replied to my request for information. I am very pleased with the results. To bring this thread to a conclusion , I can confirm that a Badger is indeed the cause of the damage in the garden. The Wildlife Camera proved that. I was most impressed by the quality of this camera. For anyone interested the Details are Make Voopeak… Digital Trail Camera. TC23. IP66. TFT LCD DISPLAY 2.0". from AMAZON. You will need an SD Card, details with the camera on AMAZON. It has proven to be Very Waterproof in use here. Excellent Value below £40.00. Thanks All 73 de Paul.M0CQE.
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