Building MAARU
MAARU recorders can be built cheaply and easily using just a power drill and a screwdriver.
You’ll need to make sure you have all the kit first, so please see our non-exhaustive
kit list.
Please find downloadable setup resources below:
Basic Setup (all deployments)
Kit List
This section contains the full component list, associated costs (prices rounded up and accurate as of August 2023),
and purchase links. Note this has been setup for deployment in the UK and is not exhaustive of compatible elements.
Other equipment with the same specification should work just as well.
MAARU can be deployed to suit different levels of required autonomy. Powering and Networking can be altered to suit
local resource availibily
Core Device (for all MAARU deployment types)
| Item | Price | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Raspberry Pi 4 (4GB) | £55 | here |
| ReSpeaker 6-Mic Circular Array | £37 | here |
| High speed micro-SD card 256GB+ | £22 | here |
Weatherproofing, Teathering and Other
| Item | Price | Links |
|---|---|---|
| Waterproof container (sandwich box) | £2 | here |
| Acoustic Vents (x6) | £3/vent | here |
| Waterproof fabric tape | £18 | here |
| Electical insulation tape | £1 | here |
| Clear silicone sealant | £7 | here |
| Silica gel packets | 15p/packet | here |
| KwikLok straps | £2.50/ strap | here |
Autonomous Powering (optional):
| Item | Price | Links |
|---|---|---|
| 60W 12V Solar Panel | £62 | here |
| 20A Solar charge controller | £11 | here |
| 12V 24Ah LiFEPO4 Deep cycle battery | £137 | here |
| 12V to 5V Step down converter | £10 | here |
| Armoured 2-core 13AWG power cable | £3/m | here |
| Teathering: slings (x4) | £6/sling | here |
| 10L Dry Bag | £8 | here |
Networking (optional):
| Item | Price | Links |
|---|---|---|
| 4GB USB Dongle | £40 | here |
| Male to male USB extension cable | £2.45 | here |
| Unlimited data SIM card | £20/month | here |