Sencrop weather stations

[benny6910]

Basically are they worth bothering with? I have been offered 2 stations for “free” if I only pay the yearly subscription. I do farm in a 8 mile radius of base and a farm a contract farm is a lot higher altitude than my farm. Would be handy but maybe a bit of a luxury. Thanks in advance Ben.

 

[Jon]

Mine is handy for record keeping .

I feel it is a luxury, but handy.

I gave up with the Windcrop as signal was poor and sent the system back.

 

[Hard Graft]

All I hear is very mixed reports with most being poor but I can not complain about my pessl but definitely far more than just a luxury
as I use the soil moisture probs so much I am in the process off up grading it to a bigger longer deeper one

 

[Tractor Tim]

Been offered one as well but struggling to see what it gives other than record keeping or outlying land haven't meet the rep yet how much are they looking at for the subscription? The way he was talking they are desperate to get them.on farm and have a whole network of them

 

[An Gof]

I have one, it’s interesting and easy to see the data which is worthwhile. However I convinced that it under records rainfall by a significant amount.
My Sencrop is provided by a third party company, FOC, who then have the data for their own purposes.

 

[Tractor Tim]

@An Gof do you have to pay any subscription to see data, provide internet hook up or is it just a area of land to put it on?

 

[An Gof]

@An Gof do you have to pay any subscription to see data, provide internet hook up or is it just a area of land to put it on?

No, I pay nothing and just provide the site. It is a company I have worked with and who have numerous stations across the country on farms.

 

[Tractor Tim]

No, I pay nothing and just provide the site. It is a company I have worked with and who have numerous stations across the country on farms.

Ah right got someone coming early next week seems like a similar deal. Sounds like they want to get a nation wide network

 

[benny6910]

Been offered one as well but struggling to see what it gives other than record keeping or outlying land haven't meet the rep yet how much are they looking at for the subscription? The way he was talking they are desperate to get them.on farm and have a whole network of them

£300 subscription for 2 stations they’ll send a new battery when it’s needed and if it fails they’ll send a new one. I think he said it uses low frequency radio waves to send the data so no sim needed.

 

[Spear]

I know several of us have had these stations a while now. Have any of you had the batteries fail yet?
Mine failed last week and I emailed them for a quick reply via app about replacing battery. No reply, so I rang the following day and was told “oh yes I see your email there”.
They said they’d carry out a few tests and ring me straight back…… Nothing

The next day I rang again and spoke to the same lady. She said she needed to speak to a colleague and would definitely ring me back that day……Didn’t happen.
I did however receive an email telling me that it was not possible to replace the battery in my stations unlike the newer models which they could offer me a good deal on.
I replied saying that one of the selling points when buying them was the cheap and easy battery replacement. No… I would need to replace each station as battery failed.
I decided to take station apart and found the battery compartment flooded as it had not been assembled properly and that the battery was an easily obtainable one connected via a 2 pin molex plug.
I ordered a battery online (not from Sencrop) and installed it today and station is running fine again. Battery cost £11
So beware if your battery fails. I suggest checking yourself before believing what you’re told.
It seems to me that sales are more important than looking after the customer.

 

[Jon]

I know several of us have had these stations a while now. Have any of you had the batteries fail yet?
Mine failed last week and I emailed them for a quick reply via app about replacing battery. No reply, so I rang the following day and was told “oh yes I see your email there”.
They said they’d carry out a few tests and ring me straight back…… Nothing

The next day I rang again and spoke to the same lady. She said she needed to speak to a colleague and would definitely ring me back that day……Didn’t happen.
I did however receive an email telling me that it was not possible to replace the battery in my stations unlike the newer models which they could offer me a good deal on.
I replied saying that one of the selling points when buying them was the cheap and easy battery replacement. No… I would need to replace each station as battery failed.
I decided to take station apart and found the battery compartment flooded as it had not been assembled properly and that the battery was an easily obtainable one connected via a 2 pin molex plug.
I ordered a battery online (not from Sencrop) and installed it today and station is running fine again. Battery cost £11
So beware if your battery fails. I suggest checking yourself before believing what you’re told.
It seems to me that sales are more important than looking after the customer.

This surprises me.
The Sencrop app tells you when to replace the battery, and you order it through the app.
It worked for me.

I am having a lot of problems with signal.
I am just in a good area, but it drops out too much, and keeps telling me my station is off, or there are no rain and temp totals, which is annoying.

Anyone had a signal booster from them ?

 

[Spear]

This surprises me.
The Sencrop app tells you when to replace the battery, and you order it through the app.
It worked for me.

I am having a lot of problems with signal.
I am just in a good area, but it drops out too much, and keeps telling me my station is off, or there are no rain and temp totals, which is annoying.

Anyone had a signal booster from them ?

Only the newer stations send battery data. Mine are just coming up for 3 years old now so batteries have done well. Signal was a bit of an issue when I had them first, but moving them to a slightly higher spot (only about 20ft higher) gave me almost full signal

 

[Sencrop]

Been offered one as well but struggling to see what it gives other than record keeping or outlying land haven't meet the rep yet how much are they looking at for the subscription? The way he was talking they are desperate to get them.on farm and have a whole network of them

Hey tim, i saw your reply and was just wondering if our represenatitive got back to you ?

 

[Jon]

Hey tim, i saw your reply and was just wondering if our represenatitive got back to you ?

Hello @Sencrop News, I see you have a Niab address, are you connected to them in anyway ?

 

[Sencrop]

Yes, we have recently opened our offices there I am Julian Taylor, the newly appointed marketing coordinator

 

[Jon]

Yes, we have recently opened our offices there I am Julian Taylor, the newly appointed marketing coordinator

Arh ok, thank you for your reply.

What do you think of the free radio signal that is used ?
Sigfox or something ?

 

[Sencrop]

@Jon It is the best signal coverage that exists in this time and space, we have utilised the best solution for farmers in my own personal opinion.

I saw you gave up your windcrop, is there possibly anything we could do to help with that, we do have a signal booster that would probably sort that out

 

[Jon]

@Jon It is the best signal coverage that exists in this time and space, we have utilised the best solution for farmers in my own personal opinion.

I saw you gave up your windcrop, is there possibly anything we could do to help with that, we do have a signal booster that would probably sort that out

Thank you for your reply.

I am currently messaging one of your colleagues about my current Raincrop as it keeps losing signal.
It has been fine, and I have moved it again, it tells me it now has a good signal, although hasn't recognised it's new position.
Your colleague has mentioned the booster, and I did look into this with the Windcrop, but the booster then came at a cost, it is not charged for now in my case.
Line of sight could be an issue, as is internet access/ethernet cable length etc.

 

[Tractor Tim]

Hey tim, i saw your reply and was just wondering if our represenatitive got back to you ?

No haven't heard from him for six weeks he was going to come and see us and didn't show on the day. I didn't keep his number so couldn't get back in touch

 

[Sencrop]

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