Is Norac UC5 actually any good?

[Timbo1080]

Hearing mixed reviews. Some rant about it, some turn it off and continue to control the booms manually. Talking really about widths greater than 28m, in this case, 36m, and optimum speeds etc.
Does it work well with VG booms? I can understand it working very well on level land, smooth hills, concave and convex bowls and so on, but what about say, 36m, 12kmh, pre-ems, with a gentle lateral rolling element...like driving at 15 degrees to a plough finish from days gone by....? Could you put little jockey wheels near the wing tips to stop the booms stoving into the ground if the Norac couldn't keep up, or would that interfere with it? There is no option to make the fields more level, so it's really down to what the limitations of Norac are.

All thoughts and experiences very much appreciated!

TIA,

Tim

 

[Oscar]

Its not 100% and no where near as good as the Horsch system but would nt be without it . . I m on 32 m but spray 50% @24m which means sensors are then backwards [as boom section is folded in] and other than increase the number it still works well even though it s looking backwards. This is on a RB35 VG boom but the boom travels well anyhow [better than the Contour]. It gets caught out when you have a sudden change of terrain or a wheel drops in a furrow but you can help it by manually lifting before if you know its coming up. It is much better at 10/12 km/hr than 14/15 just because it can t react quick enough. See your from Somerset same as me. If you fancy drive to W Somerset then have a go if you like.

 

[Timbo1080]

Thanks Oscar that really useful to know, and will PM you to come and have a look in a few weeks time, really appreciate the offer!

My main problem is with constant pitching and rolling when spraying headlands. Currently having to manage this by constantly tilting the booms up and down, rhythmically and pre-emptively, all the way around headlands. Dessicating and stale seedbeds with glyphosate isn't funny with the constant pitching and rolling when there are very sensitive borders around the fields, and pre-ems can get streaky where the wings get too low. Some headlands really do require constant adjustment (Always tilting left then right, never letting go of the spool lever). Would say, 8kmh and Norac cope with 36m do you think?

 

[ajd132]

I had a go in a horsch the other day and it made me realise how pathetic norac really is.

 

[Clive]

why are Horsch doing differently re boom control that others are so seemingly behind on ?

 

[Timbo1080]

why are Horsch doing differently re boom control that others are so seemingly behind on ?

Look ahead technology....it's awesome. Norac only looks straight down, so the response time is critical.

 

[ajd132]

why are Horsch doing differently re boom control that others are so seemingly behind on ?

The boom sat at 30cm perfectly the whole time even on really challenging terrain the norac would have been all over the place on

 

[Clive]

The boom sat at 30cm perfectly the whole time even on really challenging terrain the norac would have been all over the place on

I know they are very good

I was quite impressed by the Chafer we demo'ed as well, better than our Bateman but that could partly be wear etc

 

[warksfarmer]

Hearing mixed reviews. Some rant about it, some turn it off and continue to control the booms manually. Talking really about widths greater than 28m, in this case, 36m, and optimum speeds etc.
Does it work well with VG booms? I can understand it working very well on level land, smooth hills, concave and convex bowls and so on, but what about say, 36m, 12kmh, pre-ems, with a gentle lateral rolling element...like driving at 15 degrees to a plough finish from days gone by....? Could you put little jockey wheels near the wing tips to stop the booms stoving into the ground if the Norac couldn't keep up, or would that interfere with it? There is no option to make the fields more level, so it's really down to what the limitations of Norac are.

All thoughts and experiences very much appreciated!

TIA,

Tim

We got on really well with a UC5 negative camber version which was new in 2014. This might sound silly but if you find a software version that suits your machine, don't upgrade the software when new versions come out. That was Batemans advice and it was spot on.

Should say that we went wider booms in order to spray at a slower forward speed at around 10kmh and it works a treat at that speed on various terrains. It's always switched on which says it all. If rain has been looming and I've done a bit at 14-16km/h then it's still ok but you have to watch it.

Another we do is change the sponges in the sensors every couple of months as it seems to work without issue if the sponges are dry and not weathered. All in all well worth the cost to maintain boom height.

 

[Robt]

Look ahead technology....it's awesome. Norac only looks straight down, so the response time is critical.

That's not quite true, the horsch they actively roll the back frame.... ultra sonics sensors point down and measure the reflectancw that comes back (for want of a better phrase) if you aim the sensor at 45 degree it will reflect nothing!

 

[Timbo1080]

That's not quite true, the horsch they actively roll the back frame.... ultra sonics sensors point down and measure the reflectancw that comes back (for want of a better phrase) if you aim the sensor at 45 degree it will reflect nothing!

I probably stand corrected there, for the current offering, but as far as what Horsch are doing now, it's 3D scanning of the terrain in front of the sprayer, as was shown at the factory in Bavaria....It really is pretty epic stuff. Given that their current offering is reported to be so much better than anything else, there not far away from leaving everyone else for dead.

 

[Feldspar]

I probably stand corrected there, for the current offering, but as far as what Horsch are doing now, it's 3D scanning of the terrain in front of the sprayer, as was shown at the factory in Bavaria....It really is pretty epic stuff. Given that their current offering is reported to be so much better than anything else, there not far away from leaving everyone else for dead.

Is that to do with spotting telegraph poles that are approaching so that you don't crash into them whilst spraying at night, or is it to do with predicting contours so that boom control is improved further?

 

[Timbo1080]

Is that to do with spotting telegraph poles that are approaching so that you don't crash into them whilst spraying at night, or is it to do with predicting contours so that boom control is improved further?

As far as I'm aware, both. Like the fence post in the field that's a couple of foot above the crop. They were going a fair lick at the time, too.

 

[Feldspar]

As far as I'm aware, both. Like the fence post in the field that's a couple of foot above the crop. They were going a fair lick at the time, too.

How long until it's available to buy?

 

[T Hectares]

My 6GS boom control is worse than the UC5 Bateman I had before !!

Long story, but this is an early one and it needs modifying to make it work which was going to cost to sort out, the owners here were unwilling to pay out after spending a small fortune on it and then being told a part of it doesn't work very well and is going to cost to rectify.

I should add this was before my time here, and Horsch have been good with other parts of the machine that needed supporting, but I think in the same situation Bateman would have sorted the issues f.o.c based on my dealings with them in the past, and I could ring up and get decent phone support from them.

These GS's have some nice features, but Bateman back up is first class, and I miss it !!

 

[Timbo1080]

How long until it's available to buy?

Sorry for delay...just lost my IPad while out spraying....Praying that I find it in the morning.
I wasn't given a time frame, except that M Horsch likes to use things on his own farm for several years (sometimes even a decade), before he is happy that all of the gremlins are found. Couldn't get any more out of them. The other brilliant thing was the seed "de-buncher" for cereal drills...this is out and available now I believe.
Will have a chat to my rep who was there with me.