Regardless type of the chosen logger (GPS-UHF or GPS-UHF-GSM) number of GPS fixes and frequency of Base station connection are the most important settings.

Number of GPS fixes
It is easy to predict that many projects require (or would like to have) a lot of data collected. In case of small GPS-UHF loggers like URIA type Ecotone Loggers the critical point is battery lifespan. In general this loggers allows to collect as many data as capacity of battery may handle. That is why we do describe each logger (please check GPS-UHF SRD loggers web page LINK) with information about number of fixes possible to collect by ech logger. It is important to underline that frequent GPS fixes may deploy battery very fast HOWEVER very low frequency of GPS fixes collection also deploy battery. Why? Well, GPS is working as fast as position could be calculated from LAST fix and GPS signal. Thus in case of frequent fixes GPS is working vary fast (= short time) while opposite when fixes are collected rarely. The long time for calculations means more battery used.
Is there any good formula to calculate best settings? Unfortunately NO. We have to take into consideration animal behaviour - and therefore the best "formula" is frequent Base station checking and data analysis. In some cases you may keep frequent GPS fixes while sometimes you may set longer intervals without important information loss and still keep battery in good capacity / condition.

Base station searching interval (Radio activity interval)
To receive collected data and to send a new settings to logger(s) you need a Base station running. Our base stations does not require to be connected to PC - both processes (data download and setting transfer) are automatic and started as soon as logger is within Base station range. In addition to optimise power consumption loggers switched off GPS searching (and collection of fixes) while in range of Base station. Thus "Radio activity interval" feature affect both logger lifespan and data download availability.
Our Tracker software allows you to choose within 3 settings: every 1 minute, every 5 minutes and every 10 minutes. It is easy to say that 1 minute interval gives best performance in case of "short time visitors" - animals spending only few minutes within range of Base station (breeding colony, nests). It help to collect GPS fixes as soon as animal leaves area without loss of important data. From other hand 10 minutes interval is less sensitive at this point BUT might be ideal in case of animals with wide foraging area and/or such which spend a longer period within Base station range. In such a case we do expect animal is moving for longer distances (and we do not lost much data within 10 minutes) while time spent within range of Base station is sufficient to collect all data from logger. At this point it is important to remember that 10 minutes interval settings might require similar (or little longer) time to download data into Base station. That is because logger will search for station only once per 10 minutes and in case connection is not established data transfer will be terminated to next searching time.