Best GPS for spraying using ATV?

[PiranB]

Hi everyone,

I'm a bit new to all this so if I'm rehashing an old thread or discussion then please accept my apologies. My questions is this. What GPS or more likely DGPS or RTK is best for use when applying sprays using an ATV? I'm really trying to limit cost here and need a fairly simple system so I'm hoping that someone has experience of how best to approach this.
Many thanks and best regards
Piran

 

[PSQ]

No need for anything high cost like RTK when you’re steering manually, the free Egnos signal is ample. We use an older Trimble Ez Guide 500 on the quad for pelleting to show coverage and give an idea of where we should be on 12m passes, as we usually pellet in the dark as the last job of the day.

 

[Robt]

if I was you and using a quad . Is you boom 6m? If so use blob markers much better than trying to follow a light bar while bouncing around on a quad! A light bar will drive you mad

 

[PiranB]

Hi, thanks for the advice. That looks like a splendid unit. I had a look on eBay and my goodness they're still quite a bit of cash (unless i can find a used one). Looks like it's the bees knees though! Any experience using a stand alone bluetooth GPS linked to a tablet or some such? I did install the tractor navigator app on my phone but it's just not accurate enough. I assume that all GPS receivers were not created equal? It seems to be somewhat unclear which receivers can and cannot take advantage of EGNOS

 

[PiranB]

Just seem you message Mr Robt. Many thanks for the advice and suggestion. My spray boom covers 4.5m area which is handy for the awkward little paddocks I end up doing. I did ponder the use of a blob marker and had a google od such items but once again they all seem to be set up for tractor sprayers with big booms.....or am i looking at the wrong things?

 

[steveR]

Hi, thanks for the advice. That looks like a splendid unit. I had a look on eBay and my goodness they're still quite a bit of cash (unless i can find a used one). Looks like it's the bees knees though! Any experience using a stand alone bluetooth GPS linked to a tablet or some such? I did install the tractor navigator app on my phone but it's just not accurate enough. I assume that all GPS receivers were not created equal? It seems to be somewhat unclear which receivers can and cannot take advantage of EGNOS

The internal GPS of a tablet/phone will not be accurate enough for field work. See if you can find a Garmin Glo on ebay which will improve position accuracy substantiall;y after it is hooked via bluetooth to your tablet.

Get a good quality motorbike tablet holder for the tablet. There are mounting units that are weatherproof pockets that fit to the bars.

I believe the new GG2 has egnos capability, I am still unsure about the GG1 which I have, in theory it does, but....

 

[PiranB]

Good morning SteveR,

thanks for your input. I've looked at the Garmin Glo 2 and from reading it seems to be EGNOS enabled so perhaps coupled with a high gain antenna it will do the business well enough. Thanks also for the tips on mounting the tablet. Anyone got any good tips on what IOS software to use? Obviously something that guides the swathe and ideally it would be good to have something to map fields with. Clients often ask me to quote and being able to measure a field beforehand would be really handy.

 

[Chae1]

Good morning SteveR,

thanks for your input. I've looked at the Garmin Glo 2 and from reading it seems to be EGNOS enabled so perhaps coupled with a high gain antenna it will do the business well enough. Thanks also for the tips on mounting the tablet. Anyone got any good tips on what IOS software to use? Obviously something that guides the swathe and ideally it would be good to have something to map fields with. Clients often ask me to quote and being able to measure a field beforehand would be really handy.

Can measure it before using various apps. My measure being one.

 

[steveR]

Good morning SteveR,

thanks for your input. I've looked at the Garmin Glo 2 and from reading it seems to be EGNOS enabled so perhaps coupled with a high gain antenna it will do the business well enough. Thanks also for the tips on mounting the tablet. Anyone got any good tips on what IOS software to use? Obviously something that guides the swathe and ideally it would be good to have something to map fields with. Clients often ask me to quote and being able to measure a field beforehand would be really handy.

The GG is an "all in one", no external antenna,, unless you can plug one in the USB port! ;-)

Cannot help with IOS apps I am afraid. If you are not happy with the Apple store apps, grab a cheap android tablet for 40 quid, and get one of many FREE offerings from the Play store

 

[milkloss]

Personally I'd go with the blob marker idea. With awkward corners, turns and undulations it will save your sanity, not forgetting that if you've got tall hedges etc then you will very likely lose gps signal for a time as you go round.

 

[Robt]

Just seem you message Mr Robt. Many thanks for the advice and suggestion. My spray boom covers 4.5m area which is handy for the awkward little paddocks I end up doing. I did ponder the use of a blob marker and had a google od such items but once again they all seem to be set up for tractor sprayers with big booms.....or am i looking at the wrong things?

Sorry for delay, the blob Marker is best as in tiny paddocks your GPS will be all over the place. By the time it has settled you will be finished. Put up your location and we can recommend some sprayer dealers that will happily get you a blob marker for very little money. Also in your world with a 4.5m boom misses would look horrible and be frequent! At least with a blob maker when your client watches you. Which they will. They will are you are trying to be accurate. This “vision” will be more obvious than you squinting at and swearing at a tablet strapped to your handlebars .
GPS lightbars have their place but at your side in tiny paddocks I think they would drive you mad

 

[Bury the Trash]

Personally I'd go with the blob marker idea. With awkward corners, turns and undulations it will save your sanity, not forgetting that if you've got tall hedges etc then you will very likely lose gps signal for a time as you go round.

I agree .Also the foam hangs around as a marker for some time especially if a quality mix is used.

 

[Bury the Trash]

Just seem you message Mr Robt. Many thanks for the advice and suggestion. My spray boom covers 4.5m area which is handy for the awkward little paddocks I end up doing. I did ponder the use of a blob marker and had a google od such items but once again they all seem to be set up for tractor sprayers with big booms.....or am i looking at the wrong things?

blob marker
Its only the length of pipe that takes the water and air along the boom that varies with the width and that canbe got along with joiners etc from many generic sources anyway.

Just needs a little 12v compressor and a couple of solenoid s plumbed in to switch from one side to the other and a reservoir tank for water detergent mix.

The whole thing canbe bought ready to for smaller booms actually for a bit less that he 24m one would be .

 

[Paul Knights]

The EZGuide 250 combine with the AG15 receiver is a very good option. Look up www.vantage-ag.uk and they have the complete Trimble range.
Good luck.

 

[PiranB]

Deepest apologies for being offline for so long. Thanks to all of you for your help and advice on this, all very much noted and very very appreciated. Mr Robt, I'm based in Market Drayton Shropshire. You mentioned you might be able to put me in touch with some sprayer dealers who might have a suitable blob marker? If you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction it would be very much appreciated.
I take the points raised that a visible marker might do wonders for "client confidence" and that is a big plus! While I'm fairly sure I could cobble something together to make a blob marker a "manufactured unit" would likely look better and as I'm turning up to other peoples properties the impressions do count for a lot, so i shall be keeping the home grown Heath Robinson bodgeries I come up with strictly on our farm and never to see the public light of day.

 

[tomg]

Would the ATV battery be up to running a sprayer pump and a little compressor? I used to do quite a bit of spraying with a quad and I put a bigger pump on it and I'm sure I had a few issues with the battery draining. It was a few years ago now so I could be remembering wrong.

 

[steveR]

Deepest apologies for being offline for so long. Thanks to all of you for your help and advice on this, all very much noted and very very appreciated. Mr Robt, I'm based in Market Drayton Shropshire. You mentioned you might be able to put me in touch with some sprayer dealers who might have a suitable blob marker? If you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction it would be very much appreciated.
I take the points raised that a visible marker might do wonders for "client confidence" and that is a big plus! While I'm fairly sure I could cobble something together to make a blob marker a "manufactured unit" would likely look better and as I'm turning up to other peoples properties the impressions do count for a lot, so i shall be keeping the home grown Heath Robinson bodgeries I come up with strictly on our farm and never to see the public light of day.

You cannot do better than: http://www.centralcropsprayers.co.uk/ Just up the road too.

 

[steveR]

Would the ATV battery be up to running a sprayer pump and a little compressor? I used to do quite a bit of spraying with a quad and I put a bigger pump on it and I'm sure I had a few issues with the battery draining. It was a few years ago now so I could be remembering wrong.

Most quads these day have adequate alternators which is the real secret... Check the specs of your quad, and then work out your loading from the compressor and pump together. Or carry a pair of jump leads


I did have a setup once where the slug pelleter was giving some issues and I had a piggy back battery fitted for a bit of extra oomph. Newer quad sorted that ;-)