Data Matrix is a data collection mode in LabQuest
that was specifically designed for doing fieldwork.
Typically for data collection,
you would collect one thing,
such as temperature over time.
But in fieldwork, not only do you want
to collect data versus time,
but you'll want to do that over different days.
So you have two parameters
against which you're collecting data.
So you can do that in Data Matrix,
and I'm going to plug in a temperature probe
and a conductivity probe.
Notice how they are auto-IDing,
showing the live readouts,
and we're going to be putting them into a stream
at two different places today.
So turning this into Data Matrix mode,
I tap on Mode and then choose Data Matrix
from the list of different modes.
It brings us to this screen,
where you're asked to choose
what your rows and runs are going to be.
And typically you would put a different site
and a different day
when you're collecting data out in the field.
So you can change these if you want,
but I'm going to leave them Site and Day for now.
Also notice the checked "automatically increment number" box.
This is just going to number our sites 1, 2, 3
and our days 1, 2, 3.
And again, you can customize that if you want.
So we're going to move on by tapping the OK button.
And notice that the mode has now changed to Data Matrix.
So let's start data collection
by tapping the button in the lower left.
This screen has you identify which day and which site
you want to start with, so that's correct,
Day 1 and Site 1.
I'm going to Continue.
And this is your screen
where you're going to actually take the data values.
I'm going to put my temperature probe
into my stream at Site 1.
Wait for that to equilibrate.
Also notice there's an unlocked padlock
on the red square.
And I'm going to tap this now
anywhere in the red square,
and it turns that white and locks the padlock.
So that has grabbed that number.
If I've made a mistake,
I can tap it again and unlock it.
Let me show you that.
Unlocked and lock -- I can just toggle back and forth.
All right, I have saved my temperature value.
Now I'll put in the conductivity probe.
So this is looking at total dissolved solids.
Pretty low in this sample.
Once that's pretty stable,
I'll tap that and it's locked.
All right, so now we're ready
to change to a different site.
I tap the Change button...
and I'm going to move on down the stream to Site 2.
So I tap the Add Site button.
Now we're at Site 2, still on Day 1, and Continue.
I'm going to move my temperature probe to the Site 2.
It's cooler here.
OK, I'm going to go ahead and grab that value.
And then the conductivity
for Site 2 is much higher.
So we must be going into some brackish water here.
All right, that's pretty stable, and we'll grab that.
OK, now we're going to Change,
and we are ready to move on to Day 2.
So I've closed everything up, gone home for the day,
heading to Day 2, so I'm going to add a day,
tap that button.
Day 2: I start again at Site 1,
so I'm going to change this back to Site 1.
So Day 2, Site 1, Continue.
Now I'll go back,
put my temperature probe in Site 1...
Grab that data.
Conductivity probe into Site 1.
Grab that data.
OK, I made a mistake.
I didn't grab that data.
If I go back and Continue, you can see it kept it.
Temperature was saved, but conductivity wasn't.
So I'll tap conductivity, now it's saved.
You can just keep on going.
I Change, I want to go to Site 2 now on Day 2.
I already have it, so I choose it from the list
instead of adding another one.
Day 2, Site 2, and I continue on to collect the data.
Moving back to temperature in Site 2.
Got that.
And finally, conductivity in Site 2.
And grab it.
All right, I'm done, so I tap
the Stop Data Collection button.
And now we can go to the data table by going to that tab,
and notice I have my two data sets,
Day 1 and Day 2.
Each one has two sites
with a temperature and conductivity all filled in.
To look at that graph, I'll go to the Graph tab,
and there they are with the sites on the X axis
and Day 2 -- if you see in the upper right there
next to the filing cabinet, it says Day 2.
That means I'm currently looking at Day 2.
There's a graph for temperature, a graph for conductivity.
I can choose Day 1 instead -- there it is --
or I can go to All Days
and see them graphed on top of each other.
Now, I'm looking at a particular day or days
at various sites.
But what if I want to flip that around
and look at various days at each site?
There's a feature called Pivot the Data
under Analyze, Advanced, Pivot Data.
And now instead of the site being on the X axis,
the day is on the X axis.
And I can plot Site 1, Site 2, or All Sites.
For this look at Data Matrix,
I was only using two sensors,
but you can use three, because there are three ports.
But the beauty of Data Matrix
is that you can also use more than that
because you can plug and unplug
any time you want during data collection.
So you can have virtually an unlimited number of sensors
you can continue to plug and unplug.
Another nice thing about LabQuest 2
is that it has built-in GPS.
So if you enable that,
you can get latitude and longitude
while you're collecting these data.
There will be columns
specifically for latitude and longitude
so that if you choose to import this data into Logger Pro,
you can use the File Export to Google Maps feature
and map your data very quickly and easily.