Does anybody do demo's?

[rjs15t]

Am keen to enter the world of Assisted steering but have no experience, do any of the dealers let you try before you buy?

With 1000 acres of maize to drill annually and 1500 acres of grass/forage crops it needs to be the correct package.

 

[hesston]

We had demo from Soil Essentials for a while certainly long enough to let us know how good it was. Excellent back up from them usually over the phone.

 

[An Gof]

Neighbour just had a demo of a Vaderstad Tempo maize drill on an autotrac JD. He said it was an incredible bit of kit (both drill and autotrac). He was previously sceptical about value of autotrac but had now modified his view. Demo was through Masons, JD dealers in Devon.

 

[General-Lee]

Neighbour just had a demo of a Vaderstad Tempo maize drill on an autotrac JD. He said it was an incredible bit of kit (both drill and autotrac). He was previously sceptical about value of autotrac but had now modified his view. Demo was through Masons, JD dealers in Devon.

Buggers aren't they!! We run all McCormicks and wanted a Vaderstad Carrier drill to demo, expecting them to drop it off for us to use they brought out a 6930 with autotrac got us going an left it with us. So drilled with that for the day! Then a couple years ago we had problems with our old combine, out of the blue my boss lined up a T550 so I had a big day combining with that and loved the autotrac!!

Needless to say got green-star fitted in 1 of our red tractors 3 years ago.

 

[rjs15t]

Understand what you're saying chaps, just wondered whether Patchwork or Trimble etc had demo units?

 

[General-Lee]

Understand what you're saying chaps, just wondered whether Patchwork or Trimble etc had demo units?

I'd say that they'd all do demos of screens, I had Trimble 750 for the weekend. But there's a fair bit involved with assisted steering.
Can't speak for other manufacturers but Masons have had over the years a few ams events/workshops where you can you drive the tractors with the different levels. Guidance, bolted on steering wheel and full blown integrated.

 

[An Gof]

Masons are excellent on Greenstar equipment. Clayton, their demonstrator is top man on this. I bought my system from a Cornish/Devon JD dealer but learnt far more about it from Clayton when he set me up with my Vaderstad drill. Greenstar expertise with my local dealer sadly lacking perhaps JD should take note!
Masons are a very good firm to deal with.

 

[Slick]

A S Comms do demo Trimble kit, you can hire it as well.

 

[gjm]

Our local JD dealer gave us a demo, fitted it onto one of our Masseys and left it with us for a couple of days. Topcon offered the same, said they'd come out, fit up the tractor and leave it with us for a few days. We ended up going down the JD route as they were he only ones with Mobile RTK base station set up in my area. Was impressed with both though, you shouldn't have any bother getting a demo from whoever you want.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

Our local JD dealer gave us a demo, fitted it onto one of our Masseys and left it with us for a couple of days. Topcon offered the same, said they'd come out, fit up the tractor and leave it with us for a few days. We ended up going down the JD route as they were he only ones with Mobile RTK base station set up in my area. Was impressed with both though, you shouldn't have any bother getting a demo from whoever you want.

Hope you get on great with your new system. Just goes to show that I do not mention EssentialsNet often enough as it provides mobile RTK covering just about all the arable areas in UK (except RTK farming area)
http://www.essentialsnet.co.uk/
Sorry for the ad, Robert

 

[rjs15t]

Unfortunately the inconsistent mobile coverage in Cornwall doesn't give me great confidence in that type of correction signal. Unless you can convince me @Robert Ramsay

 

[Vernon]

You might get a demo tractor with a system fitted to try, but its about a days work to fit assisted steering to a tractor. We had Trimble 750 with EZ-pilot using Rtx range point fitted to one of our 7030's last week. Used it for 1 day maize drilling so far and have to say really is excellent. You wouldn't regret heading down the assisted steering route.

 

[rjs15t]

What sold you on the Trimble compared to other systems?

 

[Vernon]

Basically I've been using a 250 for mapping silage acres and guidance for fert spreading for a few years and got on well with it, and I know the chap very well who sold/ fitted it and trust his advice.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

Unfortunately the inconsistent mobile coverage in Cornwall doesn't give me great confidence in that type of correction signal. Unless you can convince me @Robert Ramsay

Not going to try to convince you but maybe have a discussion.
There are certainly pros and cons with either system. If you are on very flat land and only want 1 way communication then a radio base will deliver that for miles. If, however, you are spread out and there are plenty of trees and hills around then it can be difficult to get adequate coverage. In the end you start to try to build a huge infrastructure of bases and repeaters. The telephone companies have already spent millions doing this, so it may be worth using that infra structure. Whatever system you use there will be a risk of some downtime even just on GPS when there are lots of sunspots. With mobile RTK the biggest risk is farming on an urban fringe. You do not need a great amount of data but working next to a texting happy school at break up time could be a problem.
The systems now are very good at running on without data and converging back again as soon as data is received. Add to that the use of dual modems if necessary. Remember your phone is looking for lots of data from a small computer with a small battery and no external antennae. The GPS system is using an antennae on a large tractor roof with a big battery and only needs the odd packet of data. We have hundreds of customers on mobile and a few on a small radio network in an area with literally no phone coverage. The other advantage of using a modem is that it will future proof you as you will be able to send information backwards and forwards between implements and the web. Whatever way you go you will not regret going to RTK.

 

[rjs15t]

As a contractor it would be easier to use the system you are describing rather than a tripod mounted Base station.

My mind would have to be put at rest by a demonstration in a couple of deadspots locally.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

As a contractor it would be easier to use the system you are describing rather than a tripod mounted Base station.

My mind would have to be put at rest by a demonstration in a couple of deadspots locally.

We should be able to sort something like that out.
Could you give me an idea of the area in which you work and the equipment you would be planning to use.

BTW GPS systems do not work 100% of the time and so a demo can be slightly misleading. Examples are, you could try 1 system and it works well and then the next day try another (better) system and the satellite geometry is worse and so is the sun spot activity and the system is not as quick to get a signal. The other classic example is where people do a radio RTK survey in the winter and then try to use the system in the summer when the trees have leaves on them. Do the demo but also talk to local users of a system.

 

[Steevo]

If you know anyone locally who wants some maize drilling then bring your tractor up here, hitch our tractor and EZ-Pilot on and take it for a spin. I'll split the money with you...!

Nobody else has offered you a demo you can get paid for!

 

[Robt]

Robert, I agree with a lot of your posts. However our (LH Agro) fixers base RTK is not affected by daily sun spot activity. We also don't do surveys until the trees are in leaf. We also have a network of bases covering often moderately "hilly" terrain.

 

[rjs15t]

@Robert Ramsay. I am thinking of using assisted steering for precision maize drilling in Cornwall. Often on steep ground and near the coast where mobile signal is not good.