Thursday 27 October 2011

Trailcampro Springfield, Missouri – Rich Howe and Crew

I have spent the last couple of days with the very busy Rich Howe, his Dad and staff at Trailcampro.  Rich took two days out of his outrageous schedule to show me the traps ! Trailcampro provide some of the best independent information on camera traps on the web and most of you will know of their website. The very competent team carry out any number of comparisons between camera trap and equipment and provide excellent summaries of their findings. I have been using this website for several years now so if you are not accessing this information yet, I suggest you have a look. They have done some very interesting tests on detection zones, trigger speeds, electrical outputs and batteries;  a new report on battery power will soon be uploaded to the website and gives some very helpful insights into battery type and charge.


I was fortunate to see and have described how Trailcampro carry out their tests including seeing the Triggernator in operation – a funky device designed by their Engineer (who sadly had gone bush so we didn’t meet) to measure trigger times between camera traps. If you check out their site you will see it in action, its very ingenious.

Trailcampro has access to every camera available as well as a range of equipment. I had a chance to see the new Spypoint camera, Moultrie, Leupold and Scoutguard with SMS functionality. The Spypoint Tiny-W has is a dual system and uses a wireless function to send the images to a detector that can be buried or hidden with just the antennae pointing towards the sensor device. It will be interesting to see how this camera performs – it certainly scored well in the shoot-out tests.

I suggest everyone should read Rich’s synopsis on batteries too. He has done some interesting research on batteries and charging and gave some good advice today; never ever mix charged and uncharged batteries together in the device – it can have serious consequences, one of which is battery melt down or a reversal in polarity. Always make sure each battery is charged equally.

Rich’s knowledge, and his staff for that mater, on camera trap functionality across all the makes and models is unsurpassed. We had some interesting discussion about the Ultimate Camera Trap specifications and how some of the functions have either been in previous models or are about to be released in new models.  Trailcampro have a dedicated staff member who monitors the camera list server site so we have a great resource of knowledge reading out questions.

Handy hint 1 - for those of us in Australia who order from Trailcampro, experience shows that if you can keep your order below $1000 the additional costs at our end are reduced !!!!! ………… if you know what I mean ? .

Handy hint 2 – if you are working in dangerous critter country, I have found a dual purpose camera setting device.

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