Converted old cell phones (no smartphones), e.g. by Samsung or Nokia, are occasionally used as so called "Sow Cell Phones". These phones are modified to respond to vibrations and then make a call to a previously stored recipient number. After a certain dead time/downtime, the sow phone is activated again and reports further movements.
Compared to Simple Clocks Sow Cell Phones are an improvement, because several visits per night are reported and the devices do not need to be read out daily on location. Moreover the knowledge about current activities gives the user the ability to react and stalk, if the users’ local and personal circumstances permit this.
However, Mobile phones are characterized by several major weaknesses:
- The hardware is not suitable for the use in rough environments and tend to break very often. These phones were not designed for harsh operating conditions on feeding places (shock, humidity, cold).
- The batteries often last only for a very short time in the cold.
- In addition, the sensitivity is usually not adjustable.
- The lack of systematic evaluation and processing of the data is another disadvantage. From the call times in the list of missed calls the user has to tinker with the time patterns at the individual feeding places. If you are operating parallel with several feeding places this evaluation quickly gets very exhausting and confusing.
The BOARMASTER technology was developed for permanent use on the hunting ground and under harsh conditions. The operational time of one battery-charge is several months. The sensitivity is individually adjustable to your needs.