The guide (https://github.com/kitzeslab/opensoundscape) states that the enclosure must be "acoustically transparent over the mic". In this regard:
1. When using the provided bag, should we try to get the mic in contact with the plastic?
2. Are all "Ziploc baggies" made of the same material and are actually equivalent in terms of "sound transparency"?
3. Could anyone post which "Ziploc baggies" brands have been successfully used?
4. In general, are there tests on recording quality degradation using the different enclosure alternatives? Should we not have a consensus test of the type "recording an standard sound without any enclosure, with the standard enclosure and with the proposed enclosure"?
Cheers!
Agus
Ziplock baggies are probably quite similar, but the requirements of different AudioMoth users differ very widely. A form of protection which is good enough for detecting and recording tropical high frequency bats is probably over-restrictive for someone trying to detect gunshots, or frog calls. Requirements may also differ between those simply for a species identification compared to someone who is trying to look at detailed signal structure or complex acoustic signatures. It is also difficult to know just what the formulation of a given baggie is when comparing rather anonymous items originating in different continents. As a general principle, the thinner and lighter the material the better, but beyond that ...