DATATOUCH Puts You In Control

The same user-friendly terminal that places you in control of crop yield monitoring and variable-rate planting puts spray control and monitoring at your command. View that field, as well as the sprayer as it moves across the variable-rate application map clearly displayed on the screen.

And don't worry about having to keep an eye on other monitors, or reaching all over for sprayer switches. The standard sprayer switches, which control the regulating valve and boom section valves are retained, but connected to the Fieldstar system... so you con control everything from one location.

In the meantime, the sprayer "work" screen provides a real-time overview of the working state of the sprayer - including speed, pressure, tank content, actual rate, target rate and master and boom sections On/Off.

Menu settings used for setup and monitoring also include:

Job settings:

• Tip selection

• Target rate

• Tank content

• Density

Machine settings

• Flow /pressure /speed (auto) calibration

• Simulated speed

• Tip spacing

• Tips per section

• Boom valve type

• Regulating valve calibration

• Tank capacity

• Tank / agitation warning levels

Accumulated Data

• Sprayed area

• Working time

• Total time

• Working distance

• Total distance

• Sprayed volume

Equally important, the system includes alarms and warnings to alert the operator to a wide array of problems that could affect spray results and productivity, including valve failures, power failure, low pressure, sensor supply, etc.

Data Collection Protects Your Reputation

Interestingly, one of the reasons a growing number of producers are installing a Fieldstar Precision Agriculture System on their crop sprayer isn't because of its ability to control variable-rate applications... even though that is an exciting benefit.

The biggest feature, they believe, is Fieldstar's ability to log job data and create an "as applied" map using the Fieldstar Office Package. Job data being logged as you apply fertilizers or pesticides includes area covered, product applied and working time. All can be transferred from a data card and downloaded to a personal computer to produce a permanent record of work performed.

High Speed Accuracy

The Differential GPS system used with the Fieldstar-controlled lightbar operates at a fast 5 Hz for guidance accuracy, even at high application speeds. With five signals per second, the operator need only trim steer the sprayer through the field - without erratic direction changes.

To maintain the necessary accuracy and speed, the 5 Hz signal requires a multi-system DGPS unit that combines Satellite (WAAS), Beacon (Coast Guard) and Global Satellite (L-Band). Although the WAAS and Beacon signal are free, an annual subscription is required for the global satellite (commercial) system.