Cheap gps wanted

Mur Huwcun

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North West Wales
I can’t see that you would really benefit from a ‘cheap’ one for mowing and seeding as a lightbar type is only a guide!

We have an Ontrak one working with ipad for fertilizer spreading, there’s a curved A-B line on the way in an update for it soon apparently. Can’t see how we would really use it for mowing other than following an A-B line to open out but rather just pick a tree for that job!! The only benefit if sowing would be the screen woukd show if you have some awkward bits not covered.
 

DrDunc

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Dunsyre
I can’t see that you would really benefit from a ‘cheap’ one for mowing and seeding as a lightbar type is only a guide!

We have an Ontrak one working with ipad for fertilizer spreading, there’s a curved A-B line on the way in an update for it soon apparently. Can’t see how we would really use it for mowing other than following an A-B line to open out but rather just pick a tree for that job!! The only benefit if sowing would be the screen woukd show if you have some awkward bits not covered.

Again this ^^^

In the days before auto steer, lightbars were a revelation to those of us schooled "properly" in the art of picking a mark to cut a break, or dobbing a bit grease on the windscreen for the fert spreader width

Think it's still only about £400 for the tablet and dome antenna. Nothing comes close for price, and it's WAY more accurate than many still using a small puck antenna

Dome antenna is superb; pass to pass accuracy is exceptional for such a simple low cost setup. I've experimented using it for field rolling at 3m, and to get any better you'd need autosteer

Drift over time is the only possible issue: I've seen over a meter deviation when it's taken over an hour to fill the fert spinner, check cows, kiss the wife, etc. Also, I've not found an an option in the software to adjust your AB line to compensate. Haven't striped anything yet though!

Tablet that came with mine is OLD. It works fine, but slowly! Really it needs faster refresh rate because much over 5mph at the headland and it won't keep up. The latest model tablet may be improved though?

If you're after an easier life spreading fert, cutting breaks, tedding grass, then for a few hundred pounds this is more accurate than some systems costing thousands
 

jondear

Member
Location
Devon

Again this ^^^

In the days before auto steer, lightbars were a revelation to those of us schooled "properly" in the art of picking a mark to cut a break, or dobbing a bit grease on the windscreen for the fert spreader width

Think it's still only about £400 for the tablet and dome antenna. Nothing comes close for price, and it's WAY more accurate than many still using a small puck antenna

Dome antenna is superb; pass to pass accuracy is exceptional for such a simple low cost setup. I've experimented using it for field rolling at 3m, and to get any better you'd need autosteer

Drift over time is the only possible issue: I've seen over a meter deviation when it's taken over an hour to fill the fert spinner, check cows, kiss the wife, etc. Also, I've not found an an option in the software to adjust your AB line to compensate. Haven't striped anything yet though!

Tablet that came with mine is OLD. It works fine, but slowly! Really it needs faster refresh rate because much over 5mph at the headland and it won't keep up. The latest model tablet may be improved though?

If you're after an easier life spreading fert, cutting breaks, tedding grass, then for a few hundred pounds this is more accurate than some systems costing thousands
Looks ok but not the greatest video of it working .! Would it be better more accurate than say ontrack guidance which is 30 cm accurate and costs £700 and doesn't include screen .
 
Last edited:

DrDunc

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Dunsyre
Looks ok but not the greatest video of it working .! Would it be better more accurate than say ontrack guidance which is 30 cm accurate and costs £700 and doesn't include screen .
The accuracy at this level is really down to the driver when you're doing 10mph spreading fert across a bumpy field trying to follow a lightbar (£700) or arrows on a screen (circa £400)

The tractor GPS software (it's either fieldnav or fieldbee which are apps available on Google's Play store) maps field boundaries, saves their names, saves AB line tracks, and can record jobs.....

..... But the ontrack bonnet lightbar will be much easier to use I'd reckon

Anyway, I'm away to spread some fert, carefully and accurately!
 

Bucks Boy

Member
Mixed Farmer
I use onTrack for mowing. Have a field on the brow of a hill so cant line up with any land mark. Keeps all working bouts parralell. Not accurate enough for drilling; still use markers, but useful for ring rolling.
 

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