# Receivers

The Motus Network mostly consists of stationary automated radio telemetry stations which continuously record incoming radio pulses. Mobile stations also exist, either affixed to a moving vehicle, boat, or in a backpack on foot. Other receivers are used for manual tracking so that wildlife can be located in and observed in-person for more precise location data.

## Automated Telemetry Receivers

There are three types of receivers compatible with Motus that can be purchased, or built yourself in some cases: Lotek Wireles Inc (SRX600, 800 and D-series receivers), CTT Sensorstation and Nodes, and the open-source SensorGnome.

Sensorgnomes can be purchased from [Compudata](https://compudata.ca/sensorgnome/) or [RFS Scientific](https://www.rfsscientific.com/) or built with the [following instructions](https://archived.sensorgnome.org/How_do_I_build_a_SensorGnome/). Note these instructions are very outdated and require revision. New instructions will be posted in the near future.

|                                                               | [**SensorGnome**](https://sensorgnome.org)                     | [**CTT SensorStation**](https://store.celltracktech.com/collections/wildlife-telemetry-products/products/ctt-sensorstation-for-sensorgnome-v-2-0)                                                                                                                                                                                                      | [**Lotek SRX-800**](https://www.lotek.com/products/srx800/) |
| ------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Compatible with Lotek Tags**                                | Yes                                                            | Yes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Yes                                                         |
| **Compatible with CTT Tags**                                  | Yes                                                            | Yes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | No                                                          |
| **Compatible with BlūSeries tags**                            | No                                                             | Yes (with BlūSeries Receiver)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | No                                                          |
| **Base Price**                                                | $625 USD **(3)**                                               | $589 USD board only **(1)**                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            | \[Contact Lotek]                                            |
| **Accessories**                                               | DC power converter (for solar installations): $45-75 USD       | <p>Waterproof case: $45 USD<br>BlūSeries Receiver + Antennas $425 USD</p><p>Wi-Fi Module: $30 USD</p><p>Cellular Module: $50 USD</p><p>Power supply (for AC installations): $25 USD</p><p>Bulkheads (1 required per antenna): $10/each USD</p><p>Health Reports Data Plan: $5 USD/Month</p><p>Automatic Upload Data Plan: $5 USD/Month Base + Data</p> | \[Contact Lotek]                                            |
| **Price per Lotek-compatible antenna dongle**                 | $200 USD                                                       | $200 USD                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | $0 (included)                                               |
| **Price per CTT-compatible antenna dongle**                   | $100 USD                                                       | $0 (included)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          | Not compatible                                              |
| **Remote data download and diagnostics? (Requires internet)** | Yes                                                            | Yes                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Yes                                                         |
| **Internet connectivity?**                                    | Ethernet and Wi-Fi; cellular modem can be installed separately | Cellular **(2)** OR Wi-Fi; Ethernet                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Cellular (modem purchased separately)                       |
| **License**                                                   | Open-source hardware and software                              | Open-source hardware and software                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      | Proprietary                                                 |
| **Used for manual tracking**                                  | Possible with added battery pack, but not well tested.         | No, but see CTT Locator and CTT Sidekick                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               | Most models can be used for manual tracking.                |
| **Build-your-own**                                            | Yes **(3)**                                                    | No                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     | No                                                          |

***(1)** Price does not include cost of: Wi-Fi module; cellular module; data plans; case; power supply; bulkheads (1 required per antenna); or testing time.*

***(2)** CTT charges $5/month base plus data costs for cellular data plans and an additional $5/month for station health reports. Contact CTT for more details.*

***(3)** Cost for self-built SensorGnomes is estimated to be \~$150 USD without dongles, but prices may vary. Instructions on building SensorGnomes can be found* [*here*](https://archived.sensorgnome.org/How_do_I_build_a_SensorGnome/) *and* [*here*](https://sensorgnome.readthedocs.io/en/latest/raspberry_pi_sensorgnome.html)*, but note these are outdated and require revision. New instructions will be posted in the near future. **We do not recomend collaborators build their own SensorGnome without prior experience**.*

## Manual Telemetry Receivers

For manual telemetry, we need a portable receiver that can decode tag IDs in real time.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://docs.motus.org/en/stations/station-equipment/receivers.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.