# Hive Tracks... Who is using this



## laketrout (Mar 5, 2013)

There site said they were going out business when I was thinking about it but you could still get it for awhile at very reduced prices .This was quite a few months ago . I don't like the program at all .


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## rweaver7777 (Oct 17, 2012)

A google search showed only BeeTight as the other option. I have no idea if it is any good or not.


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## lemmje (Feb 23, 2015)

Being fairly new I am not even sure yet what should be tracked, so i have a couple composition books (one for general notes including my ideas for my personal philosophy and a couple inventions i have come up with, the other for the hive particulars). I'm guessing software written specifically to hives would know better, but i kind of like having it in notebook form --- and I am a software engineer by profession! Still, i like the hands on when it comes to this hobby including woodworking and notekeeping.

Any suggestions on what notes i should be taking? Not meaning to hijack the thread, but i would think that before anyone purchased any software one should know what you want in said software.

Again, i am a software engineer by profession, but still think some things are better done by hand. At least, as a hobbyist. Then again, i spend WAY TOO much time in the software world, and beekeeping is such a nice break that my view here may be tainted.


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## brettj777 (Feb 27, 2013)

They arent goign out of business. Yes I use it. And a 1$ per hive is reasonable to small operation. I imagine that would make sense to about 15 hives and then they need a different model of I am out. They have made alot of changes and tried to improve their product.

But I have seen nothing to indicate they are going out of business.


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## Brad Bee (Apr 15, 2013)

Yes, I used it my first year.

Haven't been able to log back in and can't get an email answered by them. I gave up after trying last year to log in umpteen times and sending them a dozen emails.

It stinks to lose all your bee data. 

I wouldn't use it now if they paid me to.


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## gezellig (Jun 11, 2014)

I use it, eight colonies so I didn't know the free version limited. I like it. I haven't seen anything about them going out of business.


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## spammy_h (Jul 2, 2014)

For free you can create a Google Docs form that will fill out a spreadsheet with all the information that you need to track - I did one in about half an hour, and fill it out from my phone while I'm at the hives.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I have about 15 hives & played with the software. Considered it a fun novelty. Shouldn't need that kind of help unless you have 100's of hives.
If there is a problem write it on paper, & write it on the hive so you remember to fix it next time out.


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## Michael B (Feb 6, 2010)

Who has time to enter all this information by hand in notes then enter the data into a program? I forget after 2 hives. I go through hives very fast. Usually can get to 30-40 in an hour or so. Gorilla tape and a silver sharpie gets all the information I need.

Frames of brood, pollen, honey, age of queen, mite counts, temperament, queen cells, drones, equipment added, moved brood to what hive....simple


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## Thershey (Mar 12, 2014)

I use beetight, been really happy with it. First six hives are free, then up to 1000 hives for $15 annually. Just made up 13 nucs today that I'll be adding tonight, takes about a minute each is all. Helps track lineage if you're raising your own queens.


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## WBVC (Apr 25, 2013)

Thanks...most have reflected my own feelings. I would never recall what I saw to enter the data so would have to write it down twice I am using weather proof paper and will see how that works.
Thanks for sharing.


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## hvacrich0 (Aug 25, 2014)

Beetight is a much better bargain and I added a tablet that I can take to the bee yards with me. I can add photos and record anything I want at that time. Like others have said,15 dollars a year for up to 1000 hives.


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## Ravenzero (Sep 26, 2012)

I use Hivetracks, its very cool to use for us Millennials, I am grandfathered in so I don't have to pay the dollar a hive.
I will say that If I had to pay that now, it would not be worth it.


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## KQ6AR (May 13, 2008)

I think the idea is to input the data while in the field with you're smart phone. That would be one sticky phone.


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## Ian G (Jul 29, 2014)

I use hivetracks for my 6 hives. They've got a new android app that makes entering the data while I'm in the yard super easy. I'm happy with it.


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## BadBeeKeeper (Jan 24, 2015)

WBVC said:


> I went to the I've tracks site.. I was surprised by the cost. The free version is limited to only a few hives.. Once you go beyond that they are charging 1$ per hive per month.. Do others think this a bit pricey?


The front page at hivetracks currently claims $1/month for less than 5 hives, and $5/mo for an unlimited number. 

I don't think that $60 a year is unreasonable, if you want/need the feature of having all of your data available from anywhere, are disciplined enough to use it, and there is at least *some* sort of tech support available if you need it.

In my most recent job, I was responsible for maintaining the the data collection devices and remote storage capabilities, and I can tell you that the cost of that sort of thing can make $60/yr look like chump change (actually, $60 per MONTH would have been chump change, compared to what we were paying).


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## BernhardHeuvel (Mar 13, 2013)

The sticky phone is a problem. I tried beetight and found some bugs+had some wishes. Found out, there is noone developing it anymore. Also it takes way too much time to hack the data into the app. Shortly: it is not really practical.

The Michael Palmer duct tape method (MPDTM) works great, plus pen&paper after you finished working the hives. Only disadvantage is, you need to transfer the data to your pc by hand. 

What I would need is a simple sticky-proof reading device plus a quick&dirty wizard to enter the data.


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## nobull56 (Mar 30, 2013)

I use it & was a Bata Tester for the Android application. You can make bar codes, place them under the cover & read the hive as you go, making notes if needed (also can add photos or video attached to that hive or yard).
Pro User was $50/year unlimited hives. Does inventory, Queen tracking, inspections (with option for weather, temperament, feed or stores & treatments), Harvest records and I can run reports on a hive or a yard or all that I select.

BTW zip-lock baggy keeps the Smart Phone clean. And with the move to Voice control on my phone I'm hopping I can stay in the truck and the phone will do all my chores for me!


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## nobull56 (Mar 30, 2013)

Sorry


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## David LaFerney (Jan 14, 2009)

KQ6AR said:


> I think the idea is to input the data while in the field with you're smart phone. That would be one sticky phone.


To me it would need to be voice input - then it would be useful.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

lemmje said:


> Being fairly new I am not even sure yet what should be tracked, so i have a couple composition books (one for general notes including my ideas for my personal philosophy and a couple inventions i have come up with, the other for the hive particulars). I'm guessing software written specifically to hives would know better, but i kind of like having it in notebook form --- and I am a software engineer by profession! Still, i like the hands on when it comes to this hobby including woodworking and notekeeping.
> 
> Any suggestions on what notes i should be taking? Not meaning to hijack the thread, but i would think that before anyone purchased any software one should know what you want in said software.
> 
> Again, i am a software engineer by profession, but still think some things are better done by hand. At least, as a hobbyist. Then again, i spend WAY TOO much time in the software world, and beekeeping is such a nice break that my view here may be tainted.


I think you have the right idea. Like you, I am fairly new. I keep a manual journal and my format changes occasionally. When I get enough experience to know what I want to know, I will develop a computer-based system that will allow for analysis of the collected data.


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## dsegrest (May 15, 2014)

spammy_h said:


> For free you can create a Google Docs form that will fill out a spreadsheet with all the information that you need to track - I did one in about half an hour, and fill it out from my phone while I'm at the hives.


Would you be kind enough to share your template?


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## shinbone (Jul 5, 2011)

The last thing I want to be doing is messing around with a phone or tablet in the bee yard. 

Get in. Get out. Scratch a few notes. Move on. Its all right there in front of your face the next time you approach the hive. 

Put the rain-proof paper in a notebook at the end of the season if you want long term record keeping, which is particularly helpful for tracking queen performance. 

No re-typing. No transcribing. No sitting at a keyboard later in the day. Records are easily accessible anytime, anywhere.


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