Field Navigation Apps

[Paul swpa]

Anyone use their smart phone with an app for field navigation? I remember some discussion of this a while ago and was wondering if there is any success apply fertilizer or spraying with them. Thanks, Paul
Too small to justify a regular guidance system.

 

[SVcummins]

Tried one once that was supposed to calculate acres but I didnt have unlimited data yet and it burned 3 gb in about 5 minutes. Havent tried it since . I have a Trimble guidance light bar but I havent ever tried using it yet it has auto steer capability. Only thing Id use it for is spraying and Ive done that for 30 years without guidance so I havent really ever messed with it

 

[jsborn]

(quoted from post at 02:41:33 03/21/21) Anyone use their smart phone with an app for field navigation? I remember some discussion of this a while ago and was wondering if there is any success apply fertilizer or spraying with them. Thanks, Paul
Too small to justify a regular guidance system.

I have tried several different apps on my I-phone and every time I use them my field either grows or shrinks. I have never got the same thing twice. The GPS they use on a phone just does not seem repeatable. Also the screen on my phone is so small I cant see it while trying to drive in the field..

 

[Paul swpa]

Thanks, that is some of the things I was seeing on the reviews on some apps. Small screens are a problem for us that have glasses, could try my bifocals but about only time they work for me is at the computer!

 

[Paul swpa]

Thanks SV. Yikes on the data usage. My phone is a Trac Fone so not a whole lot of data available there. About only time I've used it like that was for directions to find a guy's place to look at (and buy) some equipment. He wouldn't even give a phone number just an address so had to use google directions to find the place! Surprised me how little battery and data it used for the 60 mile trip. He had the ad on Facebook, which I don't do but my brother does so it was a three ring circus for information.

 

[onefarmer]

I've tried it several times. Not near accurate enough.

 

[paul]

Most phones are not very accurate on gps. They get better if you sit still and they can focus in on the seats a little while, but of course you cant sit still and spray....

You at least need waas to get some accuracy for driving. The next step up in gps.

Paul

 

[Paul swpa]

Thanks for the information. Not really up on this electronic stuff! I've got about 6 tons of fertilizer to spread and couple of fields are bigger(at least for me (10-12ac.)) and a bit of odd shaped, thought something like this would help given the cost of fertilizer any more. Paul

 

[Paul swpa]

Thanks. No sense in repeating a mistake, even if it was someone else's.

 

[SVcummins]

Maps is nice for finding things and places but you have to be a little bit careful or youll get into trouble

 

[Paul swpa]

Haha yep! Thought I was going to take the oil pan out a couple times on dad's ford minivan looking for a way to get in someplace to do some fishing once, and that was with an old fashioned paper map. Didn't think the van would make the grade a couple times either, some of those stick your head out the window to see where your going grades! Paul

 

[johnsonh93]

The gps on your phone won't be good enough to be consistent. I use an app to map my fields, just to give me a rough idea what I have, and you could do the same field back to back times and you'd get a slightly different boundary. In order to do a good job, especially with the auto steer, where you need to be within 0-3 inches either way, a gps booster is needed. It is simply a device which plugs into your phone and boosts the signal, or picks it up better i should say. Your phone can also have a slight lag time relaying where you are at. If youve ever noticed using google maps, sometimes it shows youre almost to your turnoff, but youve already turned. for example.

Even with the signal booster, it wont be near as good as, for example, the john deere guidance system with the globe on the cab, but definitely cheaper!

 

[Paul swpa]

Thanks for the additional information. Nothing is ever as simple as it would seem to be. Already have most of my broadcast fertilizer on this year. Did it this week when the buggy became available to use. Just looking for an easier and more accurate way to get it applied. Paul