Patent ID: 7418866

Claim:
An apparatus for testing the wood of trees comprising: a) a first and second acoustic probe attachable to a tree at different heights along the trunk to engage wood of the tree and to provide an acoustic transmission signal and an acoustic reception signal indicating, respectively, a time of initiation of an acoustic wave into the wood by the first acoustic probe and a time of receipt of the acoustic wave through the wood at the second probe; b) analysis circuitry communicating with the first and second acoustic probes to receive acoustic start and stop signals and to provide a speed of sound measurement of the acoustic wave through the wood; and c) a wireless communication link transmitting at least one of the acoustic stop signal and acoustic start signal to the analysis circuitry, the wireless communication link providing a speed of transmission substantially greater than a speed of propagation of the acoustic wave; whereby the first and second acoustic probes may be unencumbered by interconnecting cables.