What level of accuracy/ cost do I need for drilling?

[nonemouse]

As in the title,
Just specking up a new direct drill, was wondering if should not include markers in the options, and use the saving towards a gps set for the tractor,.
So I will need something to provide guidance and probably connect to a steering wheel motor etc.

Any recommendations and idea on cost.

 

[Will Blackburn]

You need autosteer, the level of correction required is quite literally debatable.

 

[Tractor Boy]

I drill with an EZ steer motor on the steering wheel. The only time it’s not as good as full autosteer is finding the line to start with. What I mean is you need to be fairly straight on when pressing the ez steer to take over or it will wander from side to side for the first 10 yards while getting straight.
As for signal accuracy some get away with less than others. I found I needed a more expensive subscription signal as I couldn’t justify all the unlock codes and extra hardware for RTK but found the cheaper subscriptions left me with wide and narrow joints.

 

[clbarclay]

There are a lot of choices and alternatives when it comes to auto steer. I have been drilling fairly happily with a trimble EZ-pilot and rangepoint correction, It's not perfect, but pretty good. I have been building up a second steering system using AgOpenGPS and RTK with my own base station for less cost than the bout marker options on new drills, but I have not logged my hours from working on it and added on a cost for that.

 

[Boysground]

I would buy the markers. Not having them limits the resale market. I drill with ntrip rtk but often run the markers, i seem to make more tramline mistakes when I don’t run them, if the marker is on the wrong side something is up. I am not ready to not put tramlines in yet. Also with markers you always have the option to drill if the signal is down.

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[Steevo]

I would buy the markers. Not having them limits the resale market. I drill with ntrip rtk but often run the markers, i seem to make more tramline mistakes when I don’t run them, if the marker is on the wrong side something is up. I am not ready to not put tramlines in yet. Also with markers you always have the option to drill if the signal is down.

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Likewise.

Also, don’t forget headlands. I always drill them manually.

 

[B R C]

Likewise, drill headlands manually with tramline then rest of field with range point rtx tending to not put tramlines in. All tramlines stored on gps and easy to use these all season.

 

[Matt77]

Years ago I used to not think rangepoint wasn’t good enough for drilling headlands but if you give a good try it’s bob on, apart from sweeping corners, I just take over there and then ping it back on again after the corner, obviously if it’s a tight corner you’ll probably be picking up and turning or backing up so it’s not going to do that. I guess this wouldn’t apply to a big wide drill, I was fine on 4m.
I use the “curve” setting on trimble stuff for the headland.

 

[Boysground]

I am using Fendt varioguide (novatel and Trimble kit) headlands are now much better with the contour segments wayline setting.

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[Matt77]

As in the title,
Just specking up a new direct drill, was wondering if should not include markers in the options, and use the saving towards a gps set for the tractor,.
So I will need something to provide guidance and probably connect to a steering wheel motor etc.

Any recommendations and idea on cost.

As to the cost, hopefully others will correct me if I’m wrong as I’m sure it’s gone up since I sorted my bolt on kit, (this also varies as to how much you’ll fit yourself or if you need it all done for you) but I’d say you need around £6k to get a screen and bolt on system, and I think rangepoint is/was around £250 per year, centrepoint is good if you want repeatability year after year, and then RTK is even better, but all cost more than rangepoint.

 

[clbarclay]

The receivers I am using with AgOpen each cost a bit less than a years Rangepoint subscription (not including sim data cost for Ntrip), unfortunately my Trimble display won't accept non Trimble receiver input for auto steering (should still work the isobus controlled spreader though).