Jewel stretches front feet toward camera - Jan 21, 2012While Jewel sleeps peacefully rather than showing real signs of labor, the technology team is trying to improve the signal to stop the hesitation we’re seeing in sound and image. They tested the cell signal strength and found it varied greatly in the area around the den shed. They tried installing a new powerful yagi antenna 50 feet from the shed where the signal was better, but it didn’t help. They installed a signal amplifier which improved their test results but didn’t improve the sound and image. Working with our technical advisers in other states and countries, the technology team is also working with Verizon officials and the equipment manufacturers in an attempt to solve problems before the big day.
Yagi antenna on mast - Jan 21, 2012Watching the den cam, we wish the sound and image didn’t hesitate. We wish the charge controller didn’t create a buzz on sunny days. But we’re delighted to see the best picture and hear the best sound we’ve had in any den.
Yagi antenna 50' from den shed - Jan 21, 2012The high end microphone is cranked up and giving super sound. Yesterday, pounding the grounding rod into the frozen ground at the den shed—over a hundred yards from den—sounded like gunshots to some. Talking at the shed over a hundred yards away sounded like people were near the den. Traffic on the highway far from the den sounds close. A small airplane that flew over the den sounded loud and we looked up at the sky nearly 3 miles away and saw it flying over, still sounding loud on the Den Cam. Meanwhile, we see Jewel sleeping peacefully. Does Jewel not hear sounds the microphone picks up? Or does she not care? She and other bears around here know the difference between distant sounds and approaching footsteps. No one has visited Jewel’s den since we repositioned the Den Cam a week ago on the 14th.
Jewel stands in her bed - Jan 21, 2012We are curious about Jewel’s trips to ‘the bathroom,’ as it seems. When she backs up past the camera to the entrance of the den, she becomes stationary, like she is urinating, defecating, or perhaps just straining to do one or the other. Is she feeling pressure on her bowels from the cubs? We can only guess. If there is a pressing need to visit the den, we’ll look for sign—urine spots in the snow, feces, or neither. But with everything working so well, we hesitate to go there just for that.
Jewel's nose wrinkles up as she chews her foot pad - Jan 21, 2012The technical team ‘borrowed’ the modem destined for Lily’s den shed so they could evaluate the cell signal reception near Jewel’s den shed. Unfortunately, the modem didn’t survive the workout it got yesterday in the extreme cold and needs to be replaced. This means the Lily and Faith’s Den Cam will remain down until a new modem arrives from PixController. It is proving a challenge to keep 2 cams going this year. We are anxious to resume monitoring Lily and Faith. Is Faith still suckling or has the cold weather driven them into a deeper sleep? Thank goodness, things are going as well as they are with Jewel’s Den Cam.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center