It is true GPS equipment like receivers are designed to be weather resistant, but if your equipment will be stored for an extended period of time it is recommended you remove the hardware from your machinery and take it out of the elements.

When the receivers and other equipment are removed, it is also advised to dock the cabling so it is not exposed to the elements.  In the case of the ParaDyme roof module, use the provided dummy connectors on the roof rail.  If you have one of our other receivers it is best to remove the cable from the roof and store it in the cab so water and dust are prevented from entering the cable ends and possibly damaging or allowing corrosion to take effect.

As Nathan Tebbe advised in an article on PrecisionPays.com, we do also recommend removing the display as well as the combine grain flow sensor from the combine.  This will better protect your touch screen from damage and it will prevent mice from snacking on the potting material on the flow sensor.

If you have any questions about this or any other subject please don’t hesitate to call our tech support line at 515-232-5363. We would be happy to help you in any way we can!

There are many service options available and depending on what you plan to do with it, this choice will make or break the success you will have with your new purchase.

The three dominant GPS differential correction sources available are WAAS, OmniSTAR and RTK.  The differences between the three can be substantial. This information will help you decide which source is right for your operation.

WAAS & OmniSTAR

WAAS is a satellite based correction source that utilizes ground stations to generate a correction and broadcast it via a radio signal.  The correction is derived from combining the data from GPS satellites taking into account the GPS satellite orbit, clock drift and timing delays.  It is calculated by ground stations across the US and is broadcast through three geostationary satellites fixed over the equator.  Using WAAS will get a user 6 – 8 inch pass-to-pass accuracy.

OmniSTAR is a wide-area differential GPS service.  It uses GPS satellite data and ground stations similar to WAAS to derive a multi-station correction to increase accuracy over the service area.  OmniSTAR offers two types of service: HP and XP. The HP signal is a higher accuracy solution providing the user 2 – 4 inch pass-to-pass accuracy.   The second service is labeled XP and offers the user 3-5 inch pass-to-pass accuracy.  To find out more about these options, you can find more information: http://www.agleader.com/2010/07/06/lessons-in-precision-ag-differential-correction-part-3-omnistar-and-waas/,  http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html or  www.omnistar.com.

RTK

RTK offers users the highest accuracy available in GPS technology.  It combines GPS satellite data with a ground station in the same location as the user to broadcast a correction via radio or cellular data connection.  The increased accuracy is possible because the ground station is broadcasting from an area within miles of the rover; therefore the conditions of the two are virtually the same negating accuracy compromising differences in the atmosphere.  With this technology it is possible to achieve sub-inch pass-to-pass accuracy and year-to-year repeatability. Go to http://www.agleader.com/2010/07/02/lessons-in-precision-ag-differential-correction-part-2/ for more information.

With differential correction, you can achieve different levels of accuracy. The key is choosing the one that’s right for your operation.

GPS Products from Ag Leader Technology

Ag Leader Technology offers GPS receiver products to satisfy your GPS needs at all levels of precision utilization.  Check out http://www.agleader.com/products/gps/ for more information on our current product offerings.

Displays
Install the display in the cab and start it up.  If the display hasn’t been used since last year, it’s time to install the current firmware version. You can check the current firmware versions for all of our monitors on our knowledge base.

It may also be time to start a new season of crops if the monitor is only used for yield monitoring; you should be prompted by the display to do this.  The reason for creating a new season is to separate data for use in analysis software, such as SMS.

GPS Receivers
The receiver should power on with the display if it’s an Ag Leader receiver, such as the GPS 1500 or GPS 2500.  After a short wait – given a clear view of the sky – the GPS icon should show that the GPS is tracking satellites and is locked on to the set differential source.  If you are using an OmniSTAR subscription, make sure you are up to date on your dues to avoid any delays as the harvest season gets going.

Now is also a good time to familiarize yourself with the information in the GPS Information area of your display. You can reference the owner’s manual for details on the information provided in this screen.

OnTrac2
Make sure the system is set up properly in the cab of the vehicle.  If it’s being moved from one machine to the next, mounting the ECU securely will be very important.  Also, if the OnTrac2 was used on a different machine prior to going into the combine, it will be necessary to change the active vehicle to the combine and verify the calibration is up to par.  Even if the system performed to spec last spring or fall, it’s always a good idea to double check your calibration.

ParaDyme
Like the OnTrac2, it is a great idea to start the harvest season off by verifying the active vehicle is set properly and the calibration is still operational.  If it’s a new installation, a trained dealer who has been to classes at Ag Leader Academy to prepare them to best serve you should perform the calibration and setup.

Beyond the setup and calibration of the steering system, you will also want to make sure you have active subscriptions to your differential source provider.  If you had a 4 month RTK Ready Connect unlock this spring, there is a chance it is now expired.  Contact your dealer to renew this subscription.  Also, if you are on a private NTRIP network or using OmniSTAR, your subscription to these services may be up for renewal, too.

For NTRIP users I recommend either you or your dealer setting up several connection options.  This will allow you to change your connection based on the current conditions.

I hope this information helps prepare you for the fall harvest season.  If you have questions on this or any other topic related to Ag Leader’s products I invite you to give us a call at 515-232-5363; our tech support team would be more than happy to explain anything to you.

Over the years, this process has gone from walking the rows and pulling each individual tassel to riding on machines that eliminate the walking part of the equation.  One of the latest developments has been detasseling machines that mechanically pull the tassels off the crop, reducing the manual labor to checking the fields for tassels missed.

One operator of a detasseling machine has come to utilizing automated steering to make his day go a little easier.  Dave Granzow of McCallsburg, IA has had his Hagie Chassis fitted with a ParaDyme® steering system.  With the steering system installed, he can concentrate on making sure the tassels are getting pulled properly and let the ParaDyme worry about steering down the corn rows. Below are some pictures of Granzow’s detasseling machine fitted with the ParaDyme. As with other operations around the farm, the use of autosteer can make the simple operation of the machine less stressful and reduce operator fatigue.

The guidance and steering videos – available for both the EDGE and INTEGRA displays – include an explanation of the guidance patterns available from Ag Leader and demonstration of the SmartPath pattern.  Another video outlines how to navigate the ParaDyme user interface and where to find some basic settings.  We have also created an overview of the OnTrac2, showing how to create a new vehicle and calibrate the OnTrac2.

Click here to watch the videos.

We will continue to create videos throughout the year, so keep checking back for more!

Mike Olson and Lori Costello receive Ag Leader's FinOvation award.

In recent months, Ag Leader has received awards recognizing our products and their importance to the precision agriculture industry. Last month, Ag Leader received a FinOvation Award from Farm Industry News, presented during the 2011 National Farm Machinery Show. This award commended Ag Leader and AutoFarm for precision navigation with the INTEGRA display and ParaDyme automated steering system.

The FinOvation Award recognizes new products that benefit corn and soybean growers. This year, 22 winners were awarded for their innovative agricultural products of 2010 based on reader interest. For more information about the FinOvation awards, visit http://farmindustrynews.com/farm-equipment/2011-finovation-awards.

In November 2010, Ag Leader received the Ag Innovations Award at Western Canada’s Agri-Trade exposition for the OptRx™ crop sensor.  The Ag Innovations award recognized Ag Leader for the innovative features and applications of the OptRx™ crop sensor and its importance to the ag industry.

Stuart Lawrence receives Ag Leader's Ag Innovations award.

Ag Innovations honors inventors, innovators and fabricators in the agricultural industry who are advancing the interest of farmers everywhere. The award was first presented in 2008 as part of the 25^th anniversary of the Agri-Trade exposition, and the awards are chosen by an impartial panel of farmers representing an ag specialty reflected by the entrants for the award. Learn more about the Ag Innovations award at http://agri-trade.com/aginnovations.html.

Ag Leader is honored to have received these awards, and we will continue to be a leader and innovator in the precision ag industry for years to come. Thanks to the agricultural industry for supporting us!

A fully operational planter and sprayer are being utilized as training aids for SeedCommand™ and DirectCommand™.  The planter features the current supported row units, dual hydraulic drives, vacuum, PMM & STMM modules, SureStop® clutches, and the INTEGRA™, EDGE™ and InSight™ displays. The sprayer features OptRx™ crop sensors, inline, bypass and PWM 12v components, along with direct injection. In addition, we have brought in a fully operational strip till cart and spinner spreader bed.

We are also using four tractors – one Case, one John Deere and two Challengers – fully equipped with ParaDyme® and OnTrac2™ steering units to provide hands-on training of our guidance and steering products.

Finally, one of the classrooms at Ag Leader Academy is equipped with 25 INTEGRA displays, 25 EDGE displays and 25 InSight displays for hands-on display training. In addition, this classroom contains a computer at every workstation and is used for SMS Software training as well.

As you can see, we have worked hard to ensure that our dealers receive a very involved and comprehensive training so they can share that knowledge and expertise with their customers. To see the list of customer training dates available please click here; we look forward to seeing you at training!

Ag Leader Customer Trainings: http://www.agleader.com/customer-support/training-sessions/hardware-training/

The INTEGRA firmware update will enable Virtual Terminal on the display.

The INTEGRA display will gain several new features with this update, including compatibility with the ISO 11783 Virtual Terminal standard, Advanced Seed Monitoring for corn planting, and support for the OnTrac2™ assisted steering system. Both the INTEGRA and EDGE displays will now support Ag Leader’s new GPS 2500 smart antenna/receiver.

Several enhancements have been made to both the INTEGRA and EDGE displays’ firmware as well. The update will provide a reduction in gaps on coverage maps when using AutoSwath with SeedCommand, and the on-screen map will now exclude undesired log points outside of the field operation that previously required a user to “Clear Bounds.” For more information about the latest updates to the INTEGRA and EDGE firmware, see the full release notes on the firmware download page.

Download Version 2.1 Firmware for the INTEGRA display

Download Version 4.1 Firmware for the EDGE display

In addition, the latest firmware update for the ParaDyme® automated steering system has also been released. Click here to download the ParaDyme firmware update.

December 2009 Ag Leader Dealer Meeting

Sitting at Ag Leader Academy during our annual dealer event, I have had plenty of exposure to the brisk breeze blowing across Iowa this week.  It is a great reminder of the fact that the season is probably winding down for most of us, and the machinery is being stored in the shed for the winter.  With that being said, I wanted to take a minute and remind all of our dealers and customers about proper storage of your GPS equipment.

It is true GPS equipment like receivers are designed to be weather resistant, but if your equipment will be stored for an extended period of time it is recommended you remove the hardware from your machinery and take it out of the elements.

When the receivers and other equipment are removed, it is also advised to dock the cabling so it is not exposed to the elements.  In the case of the ParaDyme roof module, use the provided dummy connectors on the roof rail.  If you have one of our other receivers it is best to remove the cable from the roof and store it in the cab so water and dust are prevented from entering the cable ends and possibly damaging or allowing corrosion to take effect.

As Nathan Tebbe advised in an article on PrecisionPays.com, we do also recommend removing the display as well as the combine grain flow sensor from the combine.  This will better protect your touch screen from damage and it will prevent mice from snacking on the potting material on the flow sensor.

If you have any questions about this or any other subject please don’t hesitate to call our tech support line at 515-232-5363. We would be happy to help you in any way we can!

One way farmers are using the ParaDyme® automated steering system is for controlled traffic tillage systems with consistent wheel spacing and swath widths from implement to implement.  This allows the grower to drive over the same rows every pass through the field, isolating the wheel tracks in the field.  By doing this, the overall effect on the crop is better than in non-controlled traffic situations.  By minimizing the number of overall passes through the field and controlling where those passes are made, a farmer can significantly reduce the effects of compaction on his farm.

One method  of controlled traffic farming is strip-tilling.  This practice involves disturbing the soil in zones inches wide instead of tilling the entire field.  Strip-till carts often integrate two or more passes across the field into one by allowing the farmer to place liquid fertilizer such as anhydrous ammonia at the same time they apply a dry or liquid nutrient blend.

Image courtesy of MFA Inc. (http://www.mfa-inc.com/web/guest/StripTillOct09).

In order to get the most out of this tillage system the farmer uses a strip-till cart with applicator shanks centered on the same width as the planter.  This allows the planter to place the seed directly in the prepared seedbed, which is also where the nutrients had been placed.   In order to accurately place the seed in the strip, a grower needs to be able to drive down the same line every time; this is where autosteer can help a grower.   An autosteer system – such as Ag Leader’s ParaDyme steering system – properly equipped with RTK can guide a machine down the same path every time with sub-inch accuracy, allowing the grower to know his seed is consistently being placed where it can get to the nutrients placed in the first pass.    This is the key to the success of the strip-till concept: placing the nutrients where the seed can get to it.

Research and testing is one of INTA’s main priorities. INTA tests new technologies and tries to adapt them to the unique needs of Argentinean farmers and educate the farmers on the benefits of these technologies.  One area that INTA has spent significant time on is precision farming.  The group has tested and analyzed technologies such as yield monitoring, variable rate application, autoswath, autosteer and, most recently, crop sensors.  In fact, INTA will soon start a second round of field trials using crop sensors when applying nitrogen and we will be looking forward to their results.

In addition to research, INTA also focuses on education. Ag Leader was introduced to INTA through our Argentinean distributor D&E.   D&E and INTA have worked together to educate Argentinean farmers on the benefits of precision farming.  Part of this education is INTA’s annual trip to the US with a group of 50-60 Argentinian farmers. This trip allows the farmers to talk with various agricultural companies and see the latest products at the Farm Progress Show.

Andres Mendez, the National Coordinator of the Precision Farming Machinery Project at INTA, says the technologies that Argentinian farmers have adopted the most are planter monitors, yield monitors, guidance, steering and variable rate application.  Moving forward, he believes Argentinean farmers will look to bio-mass and crop sensors along with row-by-row planter control for the greatest improvements in their operations.  “As Argentinean farmers increase their knowledge of their crops, this will lead to a more efficient use of inputs and machinery,” Andres stated.  This, as we know, is the common goal of farmers around the world.

It is always rewarding to work with organizations such as INTA that promote the benefits of precision farming to growers.  INTA has been performing research and providing education to farmers on precision farming for fourteen years, and I hope they continue to do so for many more years to come.  I look forward to working with them in the future and meeting their group at the next Farm Progress Show.

You can learn more about the INTA group by visiting their website at:  www.inta.gov.ar (The website is in Spanish but you can use Microsoft Translator to translate the pages:  http://www.microsofttranslator.com/Default.aspx .  Just copy the URL into the first box, select “Spanish to English” and the web page will be translated.)

At Ag Leader Academy we are receiving questions about topics other than rain. Some of the common questions involve guidance and steering, SeedCommand on planters, DirectCommand on applicators and yield monitoring on combines.

Guidance and Steering – How long does it take for ParaDyme to start up after the INTEGRA display or EDGE  display has been powered on?

ParaDyme will start up approximately one to two minutes after controlling display is powered on.

SeedCommand – What is the difference between a RowCommand 1-row section cable and RowCommand 2-row section cable?

I have a John Deere planter with RowCommand.  I’m controlling the planter sections using an Ag Leader display and SeedCommand.  What is the difference between a RowCommand 1-row section cable and RowCommand 2-row section cable?

When using the RowCommand 1-row section cable, you will have 2-row sections on the far left and far right of the harness.   Then it has individual-row shut offs for each row between the 2-row sections.  For example the planter below is a 24-row planter with 1-row sections.  Therefore it has a total of 22 sections divided into 2 2-row sections and 20 1-row sections.  In the diagram below the red is used to show the 2-row sections and the blue is used to show the 1-row sections.

When using a RowCommand 2-row section cable, you will have 2-row sections all the way across the planter.  For example the 24-row planter below has 12 2-row sections.

DirectCommand – What are auxiliary valves used for?

Auxiliary valves are used to control up to two additional on/off valves when all sections are off.  These types of valves have been used on sprayers manufactured overseas, multi-section NH3 applicators, some Hardi sprayers and other applicators.

Harvest – What do I do if my motor does not turn on my elevator mount unit?

Here are three things to try:

-Check the adjustment of the proximity sensor.   If the light on the proximity sensor comes on when you place your finger across it then it should be set correctly.

-Check the fuses in the power cable leading up to the elevator mount unit.

-Try hooking power directly from the battery to the motor on the elevator mount unit.  If the motor turns you may need to check the module or the relay that controls the motor.

If you have other questions, attend an Ag Leader training session near you.  A list can be found here.  Or Ag Leader Technical Support is always there to help you.

Well, whatever your rule of thumb might be, we all know fall is coming and preparations need to be made for the upcoming seasons. This summer Ag Leader dealers have been preparing by attending dealer training at Ag Leader Academy.  When visiting the Academy they get hands on experience with installing, calibrating and troubleshooting Ag Leader products on tractors, planters, application equipment and combines.  The result is our dealers take pride in continuing to provide excellent support and training for the end user.

To help prepare users for fall, Ag Leader dealers are passing their knowledge along by hosting training events to ensure their customers have a smooth harvest season.  The topics that will be covered at these trainings include yield monitoring, DirectCommand for fall application operations, as well as ParaDyme and OnTrac2 steering systems.  At these trainings attendees will learn what needs to be done before taking their combines, applicators and tractors to the field.

A complete list of trainings can be found here.  We look forward to seeing you at training!

With the dual-antenna roof module, ParaDyme uses Logic 7D™ technology to track pitch, roll and yaw as well as vehicle position and heading at all times, even when the vehicle is not moving. This feature provides operators with very precise vehicle steering performance. The dual-antenna system also makes rapid line acquisition possible in forward or reverse.

“We’re happy to introduce a steering system with unmatched accuracy and repeatability. This is a new direction for Ag Leader, and I’m confident our customers will be pleased with the quality and performance of the ParaDyme system,” says Al Myers, Ag Leader President. “The ParaDyme dual-antenna approach eliminates the need for a vehicle wheel-angle sensor to achieve RTK accuracy. This simplifies system installation immensely for both dealers and customers.”

Once installation has taken place, ParaDyme offers an “Auto Calibration” routine for steering calibration. The automatic routine allows ParaDyme to learn machine-specific steering characteristics.

Ag Leader’s INTEGRA or EDGE display will serve as the user-interface for ParaDyme. All set up, calibration and run-time operation of ParaDyme is done through the display.

“With the combination of ParaDyme and our INTEGRA or EDGE display, we are pleased to offer our customers a truly all-in-one precision farming solution,” says GPS and Guidance Product Manager, Matt Leinen. “Operators will also have access to in-field technical support with the remote diagnostics capability of ParaDyme. This will save users valuable time during peak field operation periods throughout the growing season.”

Using the integrated cellular communication capability, ParaDyme allows operators to request help through the INTEGRA or EDGE display for in-field technical support. When help is requested, dealer service technicians receive both an email and text message alerting them to a service request. Service technicians can access ParaDyme remotely to diagnose the problem while operators are still in the field.

ParaDyme supports WAAS, OmniSTAR HP/XP and RTK differential signals and over 350 vehicle platforms. RTK correction can also be received through a cellular network allowing operators to take advantage of CORS networks in their area.

About Ag Leader
Ag Leader Technology, Inc. is a pioneer and recognized technology innovator of precision agriculture hardware and software. Located in Ames, Iowa the company manufactures and markets industry leading precision farming technology designed to help growers make smart, profitable business decisions. Founded in 1992 the company has achieved consistent growth and expansion by providing value-based products that help growers and ag professionals achieve and maintain a successful operation.

For more information visit: www.agleader.com