Fieldbee
- Thread starter scotston
- Start date
A year's work but finally... organic field was shallow ploughed then drilled with the hydraulic autosteer 415. Barley through the ground and using the same AB lines on a 312 with an electric motor steer system. I'm weeding with the robot weeder at 10k using 70mm duck foot tines in between 150mm rows. The camera guidance is providing the extra accuracy to make the job a good 'un. And before you ask, I stopped for rain 5 mins later. I was only testing!
Were you happy with accuracy of the weeder in work?
Yep, delighted. Occasionally jumped the rows but that needs more tuning. I'll need to wait until the crop moves on to see if it was a success but the possibility of no till organic just got a little bit closer...
Northern farmer
Member
- Location
- North
What do you mean by camera guidance? Looks to me like an active camera based implement steering system? The tractor only needs to drive roughly straight to keep the implement within the implement steering adjustment range?
True. Didn't think the term would be construed any other way.
tomildinio
Member
Has anyone been able to get a speed reading off the fieldbee for another controller. Been trying to get my bogballe zurf to communicate with it and nope!
Final install. Brand new (2020) fendt 516 steer ready working with fieldbee. I had to cut into the canbus in the roof with help from fendt dealer and some basic wiki knowledge of canbus. Used the main x4250 plug, cut up the loom from the roof and found two canbus channels. One runs the majority of the system, one to make the armrest buttons work. Constant 12v and switched ignition power with a little external switch attached to roof cover. Fitted an external lora aerial and there's space for the modem for ntrip. Not had it out in anger yet but basic functionality seems sensible.
Ok my final update this year.
first fieldbee have sorted the mini router, config problems now with an app update that can reset and setup the mini router if you mess it up.
RTK is now working via my mobil phone sim in the mini router,
Next I found it tricky to start the auto steer from the tablet when in ruff going. Stopping is simple just take manual control, but disengaging it is cleaner.
To solve this, handily they include in the wiring a lead with remote written on it, if you add any type on momentary switch you want to it and enable the remote wire to switch on or off auto steer then it will in the software the same place you calibrate the steering, it’s under accessories it’s tab.
I found they used an odd cable connector, I just replaced it with my own water proof one, and ran 2wires to my momentary rocker switch £7.50 from Amazon and off it goes. You can engage and disengage the steering from a switch.
if you prefer a foot switch just again buy a momentary one and wire it up the the wire that’s labelled remote.
Total cost for me £12.
Foot switches will cost more.
first fieldbee have sorted the mini router, config problems now with an app update that can reset and setup the mini router if you mess it up.
RTK is now working via my mobil phone sim in the mini router,
Next I found it tricky to start the auto steer from the tablet when in ruff going. Stopping is simple just take manual control, but disengaging it is cleaner.
To solve this, handily they include in the wiring a lead with remote written on it, if you add any type on momentary switch you want to it and enable the remote wire to switch on or off auto steer then it will in the software the same place you calibrate the steering, it’s under accessories it’s tab.
I found they used an odd cable connector, I just replaced it with my own water proof one, and ran 2wires to my momentary rocker switch £7.50 from Amazon and off it goes. You can engage and disengage the steering from a switch.
if you prefer a foot switch just again buy a momentary one and wire it up the the wire that’s labelled remote.
Total cost for me £12.
Foot switches will cost more.
scottishsnake
Member
I'm wondering if that's one of the things you lose with the cheaper price? I know with my Trimble i had to select bogballe in a drop down list to get the two boxes to talk, maybe there's a menu in the bee app for this? I also recall having to mess about with the pulse per metre of forward travel to get the screens both registering the same speed... And then a big price unlock code to get the Trimble to do variable rate... Maybe the field bee can't do it, in fact at the price it is I'd be shocked if it can, seems good value as it is. Unless you're going to do variable rate, you might as well just pick up a speed signal from your tractors own iso socket.. No?
Weare Cham
Member
- Location
- N. Devon
Are you running a similar thing this year?
- Location
- North Yorkshire
I've just had a Fieldbee advert pop up on fb with black Friday offer of 35% off??
https://products.fieldbee.com/black...ldBee++products&utm_campaign=Without+Offer+En
From the email they sent me it’s 35% this year, but I have no clue about what the start cost is this year.
install is relatively simple a wiring loom, a plate to mount the giro scope box, a roof mount for the cab.
I suggest a roof plate so you can remount it in the exact same place if you remove it.
The roof mount receivers have screw threads in there bases, https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01GH37HN6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So do there base stations if your going for RTK with no subscription.
I used a cut section from a metal lintel. It was unequal angle about 150mm wide by 100mm I cut a section leaving part of the unequal angle on so it has a 10mm ish lip making a flat edge this works well with there equipment as the round receiver and base stations have a flat side, where the connection go, so I can always put it back in the same place and the same angle. Then I drilled a hole to use the large screw hole in there base, the screws I linked to fit, the hole is basically for using a tripod mount hole so, those are tripod threaded screws which are non standard. This is to avoid just relying on the magnetic bases they have which are strong but tractors get more than normal shock loads.
Last edited:
- Location
- Oxfordshire
I’ve been toying with purchasing an auto steer fieldbee system recently and with the current offer I’m more than tempted.
What I can’t get completely clear is how the installation works, I’ve been told on the phone it’s about an hour, yet reading this thread it seems a lot more complicated and time consuming than that.
For those of you running this setup are you pleased with the working results? And how was the installation process?
many thanks
What I can’t get completely clear is how the installation works, I’ve been told on the phone it’s about an hour, yet reading this thread it seems a lot more complicated and time consuming than that.
For those of you running this setup are you pleased with the working results? And how was the installation process?
many thanks
It’s not very complex, I did a motor on the wheel kit, on a MF 5465, the wiring was simple, a positive and negative to the battery, mf have rubber boots that go to under the control console, then an on off switch in a empty space on the side pillar, all can be done with a few cab dash covers off maybe 10 screws, and the floor mat up to thread the wire to the steering box that fits on the steering wheel, just add it to the ones already under the floor mat. the plate to mount the giro scope control box fitted to the tractor seat base simply.
Passing the wire to the roof mount for the receiver was not hard a little bit to working out the best way to do it and where I wanted the receiver mounted, I took a leaf from John Deere and made a mount to fit the receiver just past the cab over the windscreen then routed the wire to that location.
the final thing to mount is the mini router again the side pillar in the cab it’s plastic again I used existing holes in it so cosmetic changes to the tractor are minimal.
after that it’s get a tape measure out and follow the calibration guide that asks for measurements to locate the gyroscope box and receiver.
then do a calibration drive.
setting up the base station if you buy one is simple, I struggled for a bit with it because I messed up my mini router but they have automated the setup now, the base station works in 2 modes radio and Mobile phone sim, in the mini router and the base station via WiFi, ( yes the base station has to be able to connect to WiFi if you use a mobil phone signal.)
They had not activated my base station on there server so if your having problem check they have done that, radio mode works without WiFi and SIM card in the router, and if there server is not registering your bases station.
But it’s range is more limited, 5km and that doesn’t include hills blocking it.
You can run the system in free gps mode without the base station but your running at around 12cm accuracy ish fine for basic cultivation’s top dressing grassland etc, or crops without tramlines.
With drilling you would struggle.
You can improve on that with joining a correction service or by a base station.
While doing it for the first time will take more than an hour to hide the cabling when done, nothing is tricky to do.
Hope that helps.
- Location
- Oxfordshire
That’s very helpful, thank you
Planning on buying the base station as well, it sounds like radio mode might work for me as I’m all in one block with the farmyard in the middle. I could add the sim if radio mode wasn’t sufficient later I guess? Phone signal generally poor so would prefer radio.
Planning on buying the base station as well, it sounds like radio mode might work for me as I’m all in one block with the farmyard in the middle. I could add the sim if radio mode wasn’t sufficient later I guess? Phone signal generally poor so would prefer radio.
- Location
- Darlington
What price does it come out at with the 35% off offer?
Radio is great very simple to setup, you get a instruction book that guides you through setup as well.
- Location
- Oxfordshire
4400 euros for the auto steer kit not inc base station. This is with delivery in early spring, a 30% discount is available for earlier delivery.
Price may vary slightly depending on which tractor possibly.
Base station about 1100 I think.
- Location
- Lincs / Notts
Why aren't you buying it earlier to take advantage of a 30% discount.
Surely It would be quite a saving?