starter GPS advice

[EJS]

Thinking about investing in a basic GPS system, only farming 300ac but do some spraying for neighbours - I know I should be able to stay parallel but I seem to drift, especially on hilly and awkward fields of which we have several. Just wondered which systems others started out with.

 

[Flat 10]

I am interested in the above- would basic light bar guidance be enough?

 

[Tim G]

I have a limited experience of GPS systems but would suggest you try to get either a system that steers for you or one you can update to steer as following a little row of lights is a real pain in the harris.

 

[JD6920s]

http://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/Patchwork-Blackbox-Go.40112/

 

[SilliamWhale]

If you can find a second hand raven/patchwork cruizer I'd recommend.

 

[Captain Mainwaring]

I have an Ez guide 250 which is simple enough to use, I would recommend the upgraded antenna though as the small one supplied with it wasn't good enough here. If i was in the market for another one I'd definitely be looking at the ones with the larger touch screens. The ability to measure and log fields etc is worth the extra over a simple light bar too IMO.

 

[super4]

I would speak to a few dealers, must be loads of older kit about at reasonable cost. If your just going to do grass spraying a lightbar might surfice, but once you've had auto steer your never go back.

 

[nick...]

I have no experiance of guidance systems but surely concentrating on a light bar would give you a head ache and drive you nuts
Nick...

 

[Badshot]

Speak to John Sutton at haynes great chart, I have his number if you don't, he is the salesman or Simon Lowdell at Birchington, he is the one who fits them.

 

[Captain Mainwaring]

I have no experiance of guidance systems but surely concentrating on a light bar would give you a head ache and drive you nuts
Nick...

No headaches, but if used for long periods does lead to a form of lightbar psychosis.
Symptoms include; squinting, sudden violent direction correction and shouting at in-animate objects(signal loss)!

 

[Brisel]

I am interested in the above- would basic light bar guidance be enough?

Yes. A second hand Centreliner, Cruizer/Raven, Outback, Ez Guide would do well. Expect to spend your life staring at the light bar not the booms though. Manouvering around telegraph poles isn't easy whilst staying on track. One with a steering guide is better than a plain light bar IME.

 

[milkloss]

Get a blobber. No overlap or underlap, works under trees. Only thing it won't do is measure area.

It is more of a nightmare trying to follow flashy lights on a slope than doing it by eye.

 

[EJS]

Speak to John Sutton at haynes great chart, I have his number if you don't, he is the salesman or Simon Lowdell at Birchington, he is the one who fits them.

Thanks Mark
Have his number so will give him a call. Friend of Dad's has a Trimble(?) EZ 500 I think he said, so am hoping to have a look at his to see if it will fit the bill and see what cost is, if not then blobber for spraying maybe better.

 

[John 1594]

I have no experiance of guidance systems but surely concentrating on a light bar would give you a head ache and drive you nuts
Nick...

id agree with that, its a bit like when you go to the opticians and they ask you to stare at those two dots while they examine your retinas

and while your staring at the light bar, what about that telegraph pole you passed without noticing thats now folded the boom right round the back of the sprayer

 

[warksfarmer]

Thinking about investing in a basic GPS system, only farming 300ac but do some spraying for neighbours - I know I should be able to stay parallel but I seem to drift, especially on hilly and awkward fields of which we have several. Just wondered which systems others started out with.

What's the budget?

A removable steer kit that can go in a number of machines with a basic signal is around £6k.

Apply for the next round of FFIS grant and it would be a net figure to you of about £3600 + vat.

 

[EJS]

What's the budget?

A removable steer kit that can go in a number of machines with a basic signal is around £6k.

Apply for the next round of FFIS grant and it would be a net figure to you of about £3600 + vat.

Was thinking of spending less than that, more £1500 mark, can see by comments in this and other threads though that autosteer would be an advantage, particularly to allow to work in evenings. Might try to get to Lamma and have a look there.

 

[RTK Farmer]

EJS
Get yourself a Trimble 500/750 screen and an EZ Steer motor for steering wheel. Don't muck about with blobbers or light bars or any other cheap half measures (been there done that). It won't cost the earth but it will change the way you operate on you farm more than you can imagine.

 

[RTK Farmer]

EJS

Have a look at this link, this entry level system is very capable, I doubt you'll get to these speeds.

 

[Brisel]

Was thinking of spending less than that, more £1500 mark, can see by comments in this and other threads though that autosteer would be an advantage, particularly to allow to work in evenings. Might try to get to Lamma and have a look there.

Lamma would be a great place to look at the multitude of systems available. Then you can hunt around eBay & the Classifieds in here to find a second hand unit. I doubt you'll get a steering system new for £1500 that is similar to the one in RTK Farmer's link.

TFF is full of members with opinions & experience of GPS. Especially @John 1594

 

[super4]

id agree with that, its a bit like when you go to the opticians and they ask you to stare at those two dots while they examine your retinas

and while your staring at the light bar, what about that telegraph pole you passed without noticing thats now folded the boom right round the back of the sprayer

Reminds me when I had to pull my uncle out of a wet hole he drove in whilst looking at his light bar, it was on a jd self propelled sprayer, thought the wheels and hydro units were going to be left behind when pulling him out, he was in that deep.