GPS systems

[wd9]

Having no existing GPS, what kind of a cost is there to go to autosteer? Rough number is fine.

[shamrock]

WD9,
The EZ-Steer system complete with the EZ-Guide Plus is $8300.00 including one mounting bracket. Or you can go to the EZ-Guide Plus and an Accutrak AX5 for $11100.00 or to an EZ-Guide Plus and an Accutrak AX4 for $9600.00

[seedsman]

The complete basic Trimble system running on the free WAAS signal is about $8-8500. This unit can be moved from one tractor to another, or to combine, swather, etc in about 15 minutes. If you want more accuracy, then you can pay up to something like 40 grand for or - 1 inch (only used for mounted implements).

The basic Accutrak unit last fall was quoted to me at $6500 plus reciever, and about $5000 for each additional unit (tractor, combine, etc).

For a complete listing of all 29 companies in the GPS guidance system market, check out http://www.onlyguidance.com/index.html

[seedsman]

Oh, by the way, the Outback E-Drive was advertised a couple of weeks ago at $US5699 in Southern Alberta (don't think that was installed).

The price I was quoted for the Accutrak was installed price.

[raymondb]

How complicated is it to run any of the above systems if you had a field like the one I have that is 700 seede acres in one block but has about 37 sloughs,tree bluffs and rock piles on it? Also has some pretty good sized hills olong one end of it. I get lost combining this field in the middle of the night-loose all my sense of direction.

[johnnytill]

raymond ,sounds like you need (a) a cat or (b) posts, wire, grass seed and call that 700 acre field a pasture.

[shamrock]

The Accutrak additional platforms are only 1250.00 each. I will not be responding to this string for about 10 days while I'm on holidays. Talk to you all when I get back from Mexico!!!!!!!!!!

[poorboy]

RaymondB,

A sitewinder system from Terradox, will do everything you need and more on your big field with sloughs, hills, etc. It is a very impressive unit for the fields you describe. Yes it is more expensive, but it is the BEST unit for extreme fields. For sqaure fields with no obstacles and back and forth travel all of the lightbars will work very well.

Most GPS units fail when you are in the middle of your field and you wand to make 2 passes with your sprayer around your slough/tree patch/ rock pile, etc. Most GPS units will not allow you to do another 2 headlands around the slough, without losing the headlands around the outside. So, in a sprayer you would need to use FOAM or GUESS how to make your second round around every slough,rock pile, etc.
I currently own a older trimble unit, and am looking for a new unit. I have lots of uneven fields with hills, sloughs, etc. and the trimble unit works excellent for back and forth guidance. It is useless for trying to guide you around very curvy outside rounds, and you need to use foam to mark a second round around every slough in the field. The simple lightbar was better than nothing or foam in my extreme fields, but I am going to buy a sitewinder next, because it way better for what I need.

I urge every one to demo the unit you are thinking of buying.

[claust]

Hey all--a more economical and perhaps more usefull option to the site winder is to add a mapping portion to your existing GPS. Trimble EZ map is a very nice and powerfull little program that will aid a lot in guidance around all those nuisance pot holes and rock piles.
The EZ guide plus has now introduced many new features as well to help with a lot of guidance challenges.
It now saves the last 97 ab lines that you made and you can toggle between them if you have a field that requires going in differnt directions.

[cris]

I think if you are going to seed and run multiple opperations at slower speeds you should consider a double receiver like a trimble 251. Alot more accurate for seeding than a single receiver, a single is quite allright for spraying. It runs good on Waas or subsciption. This is what I would be buying if I was replacing my trimble. They cost the same as a good single receiver did two years ago, with alot more performance.

[cris]

I mean trimble 252

[poorboy]

Claust,

You seem to have good knowledge of the EZ guide plus, so I am hoping that you can help me with my irregular fields with lots of hills and pot holes. I spray with a high clearance sprayer and need to have 2 passes around the outside of the field and around pot holes so that I have enough room to turn on.
With my 5 year old trimble 132 and lightbar I found it almost impossible to guide myself on the second headland pass, and on the second pass around every pot hole. It is not unusual for me to have 5 to 7 pot holes to spray around in every field. The mapping part to add to the trimble is great, I have looked at that in the past, and it will tell you if you have remembered to spray all of the field, but how does it help in the guidance of the second round around each pothole? Is the little screen on the bottom of the EZ guide plus good enough to do lots of curve guidance for the second headland pass?
I didn't know that you could save a-b lines from one direction in the field, and switch to spray in an opposite direction. I assume that you can switch back again to your first a-b line and continue on at that point.
If all these things will work for me, then I am all for it. I like the looks of the EZ steer system, I just have had a hard time to find a system that will give good 2nd pass guidance around every pot hole that I have. The sitewinder system looked like the only one that would do it. Hopefully the EZ guide will do it all and more at a cheaper cost.

[claust]

Hey Poorboy,

The EZ guide plus gives very nice guidance for headland and curves. BUT--the second and/or third headland patern is identical to the first. You can however choose an adaptive curve that is essentially a "disc" mark. Again, EZ map will also aid in the visual's of curve guidance. No matter what brand of unit you chose, curves will always be a bit of a challenge. The only way to beat curves is to go to a steering assist IE"EZ Steer. I've been getting to know mine and although I'm proud of my own driving,it drives better than me. Tried it in my JD8770, JD 4710 sprayer and a 946 versatile and all looks very good. We'll have more to say after a season, but this one get's my vote so far.

[JD_7520IVT]

If I were you I would check out the John Deere Star Fire I hear they are expensive but have excellent reviews

[kenzie]

I'm leaning strongly to the EZ steer system due to the fact that it is EZ to move between units. Outback does not have the hydraulic blocks for my older equipment. The conserns I have are, the drive wheel... will it grip well...or slip and 2. Is the drive wheel in the way when you "palm' the steering wheel as you make headland turns?