A source is a device, such as a GPS radio or camera trap, that collects data about subjects. EarthRanger supports five main types of sources:

• Tracking Devices: Devices like radio collars used to track the movement of subjects.
• GPS Radios: Portable radios capable of transmitting their GPS location.
• Camera Traps: Cameras that capture images when detecting activity nearby.
• Seismic Sensors: Devices that record ground vibrations.
• FIRMS Data: Satellite information on fires, distributed by the Fire Information for Resource Management System.

Most sources are linked to a subject, such as associating a radio collar with the animal wearing it. 

To manage sources, navigate to Observations › Sources from the EarthRanger Administration homepage, which opens the Sources page.

Adding a Source Provider

When adding a new source, you must configure its Source Provider—the organization supplying tracking data for the source (e.g., Savannah Tracking).

To add a source provider:
 

1. Navigate to Home > Observations > Source Providers.
2. Select Add Source Provider.
3. Fill out the required fields:
   1. Natural Key: Enter a unique identifier, such as a combination of site name and sensor type (e.g., liwonde-savannahtracking).
   2. Display Name: Provide a descriptive name, such as liwonde-savannahtracking.
   3. Notes: Optional field for additional details about the provider.
   4. Provider Configurations: Enter any required configuration details. 
4. Click Save to finalize the addition.

Viewing Sources

To view source details, go to Home > Observations > Sources. The page organizes information into the following columns:

• Device Manufacturer ID: The unique ID assigned by the device manufacturer.
• Type of Data Expected: Identifies the source type (e.g., Tracking Device, GPS Radio).
• Device Model Name: Specifies the model (e.g., Vectronics Iridium, AWT Satellite).
• Source Attributes: Additional device properties, such as radio frequency (e.g., 148.94 MHz).
• Provider Display Name: The name of the Source Provider (e.g., Seattle-inreach).

Adding a Source

1. Select Add Source in the Observations > Source page and provide details:
   1. Device Manufacturer ID: Manufacturer's identifier. e.g. 0ae07a488e229829
   2. Type of data expected: Type of data collected (e.g., tracking, camera, GPS radio).
   3. Device model name: Add the device model name. e.g. ertrack:and-mobile 
   4. Provider: The Source Provider is the source of data about the device, for example, the device manufacturer
      1. Select a Source Provider from dropdown or
      2. Add new Source Provider by clicking on the green plus icon and follow the Add a New Source Provider instructions 
2. In the Source Attributes section, you can set up a special case configuration such as: 
   1. Note: Source Attributes are not routinely used.
      1. Enter a Collar Status.
      2. Enter a Collar Model.
      3. Select whether or not the device Has Accelerometer Data.
      4. Enter the Data Owners.
      5. Enter the Adjusted Beacon Frequency
         Among others. 
3. Select Advanced Source Attributes 
   1. In the Additional data box, you can enter additional data for special configurations.
4. Select Save. 

Configuring Notifications for Delayed or Missing Data

EarthRanger allows you to set up email notifications to alert users when data from a source is delayed or not received. 

There are two types of notifications:

• Lag Notifications: Triggered when the time between when a message is sent and when it is received exceeds a specified threshold. For instance, if you configure a 20-minute lag threshold, a notification is sent if data sent at 12:00 PM arrives at 12:20 PM or later.
• Silent Source Notifications: Triggered when no messages are received from a source within a specified timeframe. For example, if no messages are received from a source since 12:00 PM, and the silent source notification threshold is set to one hour, a notification will be sent at 1:00 PM.

Configuring Notifications

To enable notifications for delayed or missing data:

1. Access Source Provider Settings
   1. Go to Observations > Source Providers.
   2. Select a Source Provider from the list or choose Add Source Provider.
2. Set Notification Thresholds
   1. On the Change or Add Source Provider page, locate the Provider Configurations section.
   2. Enter the desired threshold for notifications in hours:minutes:seconds format.
   3. Click Save to apply changes.
3. Assign Notification Permissions
   1. Navigate to User Accounts > Users.
   2. For each user requiring notifications, enable the appropriate permissions:
      1. Receive Silent Source Notification
      2. Receive Observation Lag Notification
   3. Click Save to finalize user permissions.

Once configured, EarthRanger will automatically send email alerts based on the defined thresholds and user permissions.