Installing and set-up of Application

Beginning of work with the app.

​1) Save the received application in your archive.

2) Check settings of your smartphone

• Check that loading of external applications is enabled in the setting of smartphone.

• Check that the GPS geo location is enabled

• Verify that your smartphone is connected to your Google Account which you have specified in the order.

3) Download the application to your smartphone. Find it using file manager and execute it. When asked whether to install the application, answer in the affirmative. After downloading, you can launch the application.

If during the start of the app you'll see the verification error shield then,

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If you see code 1 - then check that the Google account you've specified, you have installed on this smartphone.

If you see code 2 and numbers, then your IMEI or Serial, which you sent us, incorrect. Numbers - correct code. Please send us screenshot and we'll repare your app.

If you see 3, then you forget the name of your native country )))

QUALITATIVE SETTING and control of correctness of setup of the wired and built-in MICROPHONE

​If you do not have acoustic system or you do not have acoustic system of good quality, with characteristics of frequencies range not worse than 70(80) Hz-18000Hz or you are not sure that you can correctly make settings, then in principle, if you have a smartphone of sufficiently high quality, it is possible not to do set-up at all . At least you will not degrade the characteristics of your device. But with good equipment and skills, the settings are preferable. If you already made settings, but you think, that they are not so good, click the "All settings reset" button in the menu. This will return all settings to the original value.

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Bluetooth headset. Set-up and Manual

For smartphones with the Android operating system version up to 5 we have developed a beehives control program which can use Bluetooth headset. To work with it you need to:

• Turn Bluetooth mode on your smartphone to On.

• Turn On the headset.

• Search and connect the headset to your phone.

• If the headset is not compatible with your smartphone, then our program will not be able to operate it.

Further, our program can work with or without Bluetooth headset. If you want to set up Bluetooth headset, you must make the following :

• Turn on the headset and connect it to your phone.

• Insert it in the ear as it is necessary to control sounds and headset communications.

• enable APIVOX SMART MONITOR application.

• Enter Main menu by pressing the "Menu" button on the main screen.

• When the main menu appears, press "Mic. selection ". The unit will switch to the next menu level. Select "Bluetooth Headset". All control signals you will hear in the earphone of the headset.

• If you want to work with Bluetooth headset for the first time, then you must make settings. To do this, click "Mic. set-up". You will hear a sound signal and the equalizer settings window will be opened to give you opportunity to adjust the microphone settings. We strongly recommend you to make setting using the automatic mode. Turn on the "white noise" signal ( we have av track on this page) on high-quality speaker system, place the headset in 10-20 cm. from the speaker column and click the button "Auto" on the screen. The procedure lasts 10 seconds. When set-up is finished, the equalizer sliders will occupy the position corresponding to the new setting. If you think that the setting is not very good (perhaps because the influence of acoustic noise) make set-up again. Then, you can make changes manually if it is necessary. After this, click "back" button on the EQ screen. The program will return to menu screen. Click "back" and the program will go to the Main menu window. Press "Menu" button on the main screen of the device. You will hear a sound in the headphone, and the Main menu window will be closed. All this procedure is necessary for the correct set-up of your headset.

• If all settings were made earlier, and you only want to change mic type, then, after selecting "Bluetooth headset, click "back" and the program will go to the Main menu window. Press "Menu" button on the main screen of the device. You will hear a sound in the headphone, and the Main menu window will be closed. All this procedure is necessary for the correct set-up of your headset.

​ After the setup procedure the device is finiched, You areready to operate using the internal\wired microphone. It is enough to make adjustments only once. Re-adjustment may be necessary if the program data has been erased or lost..

• After that you can place the Bluetooth headset in the beehive, or in the framework of a controlled beehive, and go to make the control remotely. This is especially useful for the control of the hive during all day. Average time of the headset 8-10 hours.

• Do not turn off the headset during the time when the program is still working. This may cause program failure.

• To turn off Bluetooth headset correctly, it is strongly recommended that you must access the Main menu and switch the unit to "built-in mic." mode, an go out keeping correct sequence of actions ( "built-in microphone", "back", "menu"). All the sounds of the buttons you will hear in the headset earphone. After your device is switched to work with internal microphone, you can turn the power of your headset off, and if you want, Bluetooth mode of smartphone too. After this, all sound you will hear from built-in speaker.

During using Bluetooth headset it is important not to forget that a considerable distance from the hive in which you placed your gadget can lead to a distortion of the measurement results becouse due to deterioration of communication quality. It is not very essential for human voice transfer but for the accurate measurement of bee's acoustic signal parameters - it is not acceptable. Therefore, we recommend you in the process of monitoring not to go further then 4-5 meters from the hive, or about half the allowable distance specified for headset in its instruction.

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When you are making tuning of the device using generator of "White noise" , you must produce it close to the speaker of sound system on which reproduced audio track. ( 20-30 sm.) The volume shall be high enough to ensure that you drown out every possible acoustic interference in the room where the tuning is performed.

Correctness of settings can be checked :

1) In Monitoring mode on the uniformity of the "white noise" chart line across the entire width of the range.

2) In mode Swarming Control - right indicator. The arrow should be in the middle of the scale or at least in the yellow zone.

3) In mode Readiness to Accept new queen - left indicator. The arrow should be in the middle of the scale or at least in the yellow zone.

4) In mode Acceptance Control

Window 1 - both indicators. The arrow should be in the middle of the scale or at least in the yellow zone.

Window 2 - the central indicator. The arrow should be in the middle of the scale or at least in the yellow zone.

​If you do not have speakers with good quality in low frequencies, ( normaly, you don't have ) and after automatic tuning you can see in the "Monitoring" mode in the absence of noise some bars at frequencies of 50-100 Hz, then you should do the following ( we recommend to do this) :

- Find the quietest room in the house where there is no extraneous noise

- Go there with smartphone, and close the door )))

- Connect the microphone and the corresponding setting.

- Enter the microphone equalizer adjustment mode.

- You have to see in full silence, 2-3 left columns of equalizer chart, raised. The number depends on the quality of your audio system. The worse it is, the more you will see the raised bars. Normally, you'll see 2-3.

- Align them so that they will be equal in height, to the other columns. To do this, use the sliders corresponding EQ bands. To make the adjustment more accurately move the slider "Scale" down. Scale will increase and you will be able to make the adjustment more accurately

Microphone gain for Monitoring mode

First of all, when you start to work with the hive, adjust the microphone gain in order to see all the peaks and highs from blue to red. With microphone gain, (use the rotary control with the toggle "MIC", switched to ON ) you can choose the most suitable signal amplification to draw a clear picture of the signals. This adjustments are made in Monitoring mode, which is the "default" mode, when you are starting your work with device, and between measurements, if any other mode is not selected.

Name setting of screenshots group.

The application has a feature that allows you to make a screenshot of the screen during operation. Also, you can now specify the name or number of the hive to which a series of screenshots belongs. "Foto" button is used for both functions. A short press - and it makes screenshot and saves the file as "the name or number of the hive_ Year. Month. Date. Hour. Min. Sec " And "the name or number of the hive" is always added to the name of the screenshot. If you want to take screenshots when working with another hive, do a long press on the "Foto" button. You will see a screen for entering the name or number of the hive. Click on the line and virtual keyboard will appear. Type the name or number of the hive and click "yes." New prefix for files group name, will be saved in memory and will be added to all subsequent screenshots. You may change prefix at any time. The last written prefix, persists after the application is turned off.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1) In our device it is very important to make good tuning of microphone tract. Almost all modes use a balance between signals in the high and low frequencies, so the smoothness of diagram of microphone characteristics is very important. Be sure to do the setup procedure, following the instructions. Be sure to check the settings, and if the deviation is too large, then make the adjustment again and again ... Of course for boundary states, this is not so important .... But the time of the transition through zero may be somewhat shifted. This is not particularly important, but not pleasant. The fact is that the device is made so, that it forgives small and even average errors.

All the results that the device shows, are relative. The basis- is the general background of the hive. Therefore, strong and weak families produce the same results if they have equal percentages of the works, performed in the family. In addition, to issue diagnostic messages it is used the system of threshold values. This means, that between two thresholds there is a certain range, in which the value of the measured parameter can fall. Exactly this, allows you to have some deviations and errors in the setup.

2) The smartphone is very specific device. Its built-in microphone the best for hearing in-hive signals. It is designed for use in "hands-free" mode, and therefore has an automatic gain control system .... it very well hears distant sounds. Especially it is valuable in autumn, spring, winter. Wired and Bluetooth headset on the contrary, hear the sounds worse. Smartphone limits their possibilities to hear distant sounds. After all, they are always used in noisy places and smartphone must muffle the noises, in order to detach speaker's close voice. But, as a rule, this does not cause serious inconveniences in the summer. (How to make a wired microphone, there is a video and instruction on the web page.) In winter, even putting a microphone on the frames with wintering bees, you can sometimes not to hear anything ... it is possible in situation, when the bees are doing well. This is especially true for bees of Grey Mountain breeds.

3) Do not start immediately after setting up work with bees in real conditions. Try to work at home using test signals. See what results you will get, how to adjust the gain to get a good picture in Monitoring mode, how the charts behave with different signals. What type of screens you will see in different modes, and what's the difference between them. All this will greatly facilitate your subsequent work with bees.

4) Have a look at my films on YouTube channel ... they will be useful to you in terms of what you can do with the device, and how I use a smartphone to get a good results. All this is not staged shooting. This video was shot during the real work.

5) Do not attempt to use the instrument continuously and continuously compare readings. The maximum averaging is only 3 minutes. For a longer interval, the readings become too much averaged, because the bees change jobs many times during the day, and the signals are not very stable. Just need to do the measurements at the right time. The best results on the general condition can be obtained in the middle of the day during the most active work. And in the evening, when the flights were almost over. Usually at this time, work on caring for brood is better heard. There is night mode, but it is unlikely to be used ....

6) It is very important to use the appliance correctly, that is, You must be sure, that the device accurately hears the bees inside, and not outside the hive. This is the main problem in getting bad results. Flying bees very much spoil the measurement results. If you see a powerful stream of arriving and departing bees, then it's better to postpone measurements until the evening. In principle, it's clear that the family works well.

7) The device we called - "Assistant of the beekeeper", and not his "substitute" ... use it according to this statement ... If the bees are all right, then it will not tell you anything supernatural, but if something is brewing, then you will see it both in the diagram and in the diagnostic messages ... Or if some family causes doubts in you .... Then the use of the device makes sense.

8) Do not use modes intended for usage in a certain time at another time. They are built on the identification of features that are characteristic or not characteristic for a certain season. So using them in another season, you will get a strange diagnosis. For example, swarming control - if in the beginning of summer it will give you a diagnosis of possible swarming, and it will most likely be true, but if you use it in the fall, its diagnosis may be the same, although there can not be any swarming ... just in autumn in the family accumulates passive bees, which will wintering, and do not participate in the work now. But in the spring such passive bees would constitute the basis of future swarm ... The same with the time of measurements. There are intervals (and we warn about them) when changes the composition of in-hive works and the signals turn into a kind of "semolina porridge". This time is good for scientists, not for practical beekeepers. But, in principle, we do not prohibit taking measurements at this time. Although not recommended.

9) You can always contact us and ask a question, provided that you read the instruction and your question concerns application of the device in some situation.

In order to find out if your Joyo mic can work with your device , you should simply do this:

1) Without Joyo mic, blow into you internal mic ( when app is working) - you must see signal of the wind.

2) Connect Joyo mic directly to the smartphone. a) Blow carefully into the mic - you must see signal of the wind. b) Don't disconnect Joyo mic . Blow carefully into your built-in mic. You must not see any signal on the screen. If a)+b) correct, then = Joyo mic cn work with your smartphone without cables. if a) + b) incorrect =Joyo mic cant work with your smartphone directly.

3) Connect Joyo mic using long cable. Do all the same . If a)=b) =yes, then Joyo mic can work with your smartphone with long cable. If not, Joyo mic can't work with your smartphone together with long cable.

4) Make all the same with short cable.

5) Make all the same with both cables and Joyo mic connected ....

This simple test will show you in what configuration Joyo mic can work with your smartphone or tablet. If all points say "NO", then Joyo mic can't work with your device.

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