Quick Start: Record Bats Overnight - SM5BAT

Song Meter SM5BAT User Guide
Core Product
SM5BAT
Accessory

To get familiar with the SM5BAT for the first time, configure it to run a preset, ultrasonic recording schedule for one night.

About this task

Below are a set of condensed instructions you can follow to configure the SM5BAT for a one-night deployment and retrieve your data, learning some of the recorder's basic functions along the way. These steps make use of the free Song Meter Configurator app for iOS and Android to quickly set the SM5BAT's date, time, location, and settings, but you can alternatively configure the recorder entirely using the built-in screen and buttons.

We will select one of the available preset schedules, which tells the SM5BAT to record every night from 30 minutes before sunset until 30 minutes after sunrise. Schedules like this are commonly used for monitoring bats.

You will need the following:

  • 1x Song Meter SM5BAT
  • One of the following:
    • 1x 18650 lithium-ion battery, fully charged
    • 4x D alkaline batteries, brand new
    • 4x D NiMH batteries, fully charged
  • 1x SD card, any size
  • 1x smartphone or tablet running iOS or Android
  • Optional: 1x SMM-U2 ultrasonic microphone with built-in cable
  • 1x laptop or desktop computer with a built-in or USB-connected SD card reader

Procedure

  1. Install batteries:
    • Install four D batteries.
      The two batteries in the left column should face positive-up. The two batteries in the right column should face positive-down.
    • Install one 18650 lithium-ion battery, then use the included battery bracket to hold it in place. One fully charged 18650 battery is enough to power a deployment for at least several days.
      Install one battery in the lowest battery slot facing positive-right. The battery bracket is stored in a narrow compartment to the right of the battery compartment when not in use. When used to hold 1–6 18650 batteries in place, it should span from the top to the bottom of the battery compartment.
  2. Turn on the SM5BAT.

    If the SM5BAT had not been configured previously, it will prompt you to choose a Battery type.

  3. Select Set, then select the type of battery you installed.
    This sets the SM5BAT's shut-down behavior to match the output voltage of the chosen battery type.
  4. With any menu item highlighted, press and hold Enter to view a short description.
  5. Update the SM5BAT's firmware.
    If you received your SM5BAT during or before May 2026, it is very likely that it does not have the latest firmware version installed.
    1. Create or log into an account on the Wildlife Acoustics website.
    2. Download the latest SM5BAT firmware update, and save the file to an SD card.
      The firmware file is named sm5_system_VersionNumber.sm5.
    3. Eject the SD card from your computer and insert it into the SD 1 slot on the SM5BAT.
    4. Using the SM5BAT's buttons, go to Utilities > Update FW from SD > SD card 1 and select the firmware file.
      The SM5BAT will update its firmware, then restart.
    5. To update more SM5 or SM5BAT recorders, insert the same card into each recorder's SD 1 slot and repeat step 5.d.

Use a mobile device to check the SM5BAT's status:

  1. Install the free Song Meter Configurator app from the App Store® or Google Play™, then open the app.
    The App's Recorders screen should list your SM5BAT with an option to view the recorder's Status. When SM5BAT is powered on and nearby, the app will receive status updates from the recorder several times per minute.

  2. Tap Status to view the information that the SM5BAT broadcasts to the app.

    The Status screen displays information about the SM5BAT's SD cards, temperature and battery status, and other information.

Pair the mobile app with the SM5BAT to configure the recorder's settings:

  1. Press the Pair button on the SM5BAT. Then, in the app, tap Pair > Yes > Yes to update the SM5BAT's clock, time zone, and location settings.
    The SM5BAT uses your time zone and location info to determine when sunset and sunrise occur each day. These settings are required for the schedule to run correctly.

    The physical Pair button is on the left-inner panel of the SM5BAT, near the upper-right corner.

    The Pair icon appears in the app next to the Status icon for the recorder.




  2. In the app, select Configure to open a screen where you can edit the SM5BAT's settings and schedule.
  3. Under Schedule, set the Acoustic schedule to None, and set the Ultrasonic schedule to Record bats from 30 min before sunset to 30 min after sunrise (subject to triggering).


  4. If you are using an SMM-U2 cabled microphone, connect that microphone and map it to ultrasonic channel 1:
    1. Plug the SMM-U2's cable straight into the Ext Mic 1 port, then rotate the bayonet collar clockwise to secure it.

      The Ext Mic 1 port is the left-most port on the bottom face of the recorder.
    2. In the app, select Channel > Ultrasonic Channel 1 Source > External mic 1 > OK.
  5. In the app, select Utilities > Format SD card 1 to erase the card's contents and reset it to a clean state.

    The Utilities menu is located in the upper-right corner of the main configuration screen.
    We recommend formatting your SD cards prior to each deployment.
  6. Press the Pair button on the SM5BAT again to unpair.
  7. Close and mount the recorder and microphone in a location where you expect overnight bat activity.
    While powered on and closed, the SM5BAT will automatically run its programmed recording schedule.

When you are done recording, retrieve your audio files from the SM5BAT's SD card:

  1. Turn off the SM5BAT, then remove the SD card, insert it into your computer's SD card reader, and view its contents.

    The SD card will contain the following:

    • A summary file, named RecorderName_Summary_1.txt

      The summary file contains a log of the SM5BAT's status over time during recording. We recommend keeping this file as a record of when the recorder was active.

    • A folder named Data_UC1, containing all audio files recorded from ultrasonic channel 1

      By default, all audio is recorded in the full-spectrum .wav format. Each file records a short span of time when the SM5BAT detected bat activity nearby. Periods of silence are not recorded in order to save card space.

  2. Copy the contents of the SD card to a long-term storage location, such as your computer's internal drive, a USB hard drive, or a network drive.