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Post by northernfarmer on Jan 17, 2021 12:15:11 GMT -6
I would have been talking to both of them, keep in mind that any time one relays information its easy to misunderstand something and assume it meant such and such and relay some wrong information and certainly in my case as most of this is over my head in the technical department. But regardless of that, it was clearly stated that software updates were required for all JD receiver units no matter the accuracy system you are using and if that is doing like Torriem did with downloading directly from JD and plug in a stick, bringing the receiver in to have them do it or if you have JD link and can do it over the air. I would suggest Itk that if you have any questions about the upgrades to call them at the dealership and have them explain it and then can decide how you will update yours ( I assume you have JD GPS since you know Jason ) . Now is a good time to get them to do any work on your units as they will get more busy as spring gets closer no doubt.
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Post by northernfarmer on Jan 17, 2021 12:28:38 GMT -6
Torriem, sounds like if the RTK system you built works well you may migrate over to more Trimble units on your equipment if it makes sense to do so. I am dealing with ATU units for anything I want GPS in other then one tractor that is new enough that its integrated into the steering system so its GPS ready which is really nice as it steers far better, smooth and steady vs the ATU. I have to wonder if a more accurate GPS signal would even benefit units that are using an ATU due to the wander effect they tend to have although I have to admit that for some reason the swather does amazingly well and who would think a crazy drive wheel system that steers would adapt properly to auto steer.
That makes sense about Brian being busy with fall, I've never even seen the website you mentioned, AgOpenGPS
I had to laugh about the tree comment, I was certainly thinking about it when I was mentioning struggles with signal issues as it drops out completely just driving down the driveway as an example and along the edges of some fields if going along doing headlands it will show the signal dropping right down to a point where its sometimes non functional. I am guessing you are in an area where the only trees around are those "transplanted" ones without leaves that carry a wire on top !
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Post by torriem on Jan 17, 2021 18:45:01 GMT -6
Well if my future is with AgOpenGPS, then it will use any GPS from any brand (like the low-cost RTK ZED F9P) or source at a fraction of the price of a complete trimble system. Guys are either building their own steering wheel servo systems, or interfacing directly with the steering valves. AgOpenGPS has a long ways to go but already it can do some things better than any commercial system. Like automatic turns in the headlands, automatic lifting and lowering of hydraulics.
You're correct about the type of trees I have. Last year my neighbor's hired man hit a pole with the high speed disc. Broke it right off and it just hung from the arcing wires. That was kind of exciting. Usually when I hit them with the sprayer nothing happens thankfully.
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Post by Beerwiser on Jan 17, 2021 19:18:35 GMT -6
How is AOG making out torriem? I haven't had a chance to play with the new version yet.
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Post by torriem on Jan 17, 2021 21:21:04 GMT -6
I haven't played with it either, except in simulation mode. It's getting pretty advanced. It needs some UI work yet, and internally it needs some more code organization. But it's pretty impressive. You can download it from github and by default it runs in simulation mode.
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Post by northernfarmer on Jan 18, 2021 9:25:20 GMT -6
Well if my future is with AgOpenGPS, then it will use any GPS from any brand (like the low-cost RTK ZED F9P) or source at a fraction of the price of a complete trimble system. Guys are either building their own steering wheel servo systems, or interfacing directly with the steering valves. AgOpenGPS has a long ways to go but already it can do some things better than any commercial system. Like automatic turns in the headlands, automatic lifting and lowering of hydraulics. You're correct about the type of trees I have. Last year my neighbor's hired man hit a pole with the high speed disc. Broke it right off and it just hung from the arcing wires. That was kind of exciting. Usually when I hit them with the sprayer nothing happens thankfully. The fact that AgOpen has been able to do self steer turns and controlling implements tells me that those things have been developed or are being done but like anything new they like to saturate the market with little bread crumbs and hold back what they really could offer because it benefits them more to sell over and over again to the same customer, never mind add on's to subscriptions to allow this or that feature to be unlocked. That's called good business to milk the customer for all they are worth by leading them in a direction they can't easily back out of.
I don't have to think too hard to say that I have exactly zero fields which have no trees along the edges anywhere and some are surrounded fully or by three sides. Every move that is made has to be planned out and a greasy headland and a tractor that can't make the turn by trees and pulling multiple trailing implements or harrows that can't be backed up, that isn't a good day if that ever takes place. Also no leaves fallen onto a swath by trees or sheltered by trees and can't dry out a rain soaked swath. Always seem to be struggling these last years with trees that have fallen into the field, wind damage or late spring snow and trees that are dying or its beaver. That's another thing you don't have to content with is beaver, well the kind that swim in a creek and make dams anyway ! LOL.
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Post by torriem on Jan 18, 2021 10:10:18 GMT -6
John Deere (for a fee of course) has offered the ability to record a turn and replay it for quite a long time. Case started offering an automatic turn system a couple of years ago. Both systems work okay. AOG's version is more flexible and much more automatic. In fact, except for obstacles, AOG is quite a ways closer to being capable of full autonomy. Which is to say it's a long ways off, but much closer than the commercial systems. I think fear of liabilities are holding the big companies back.
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Post by northernfarmer on Jan 18, 2021 11:08:45 GMT -6
You can see how well I've been keeping up with the systems as I had no idea they have had turn systems available. I can see the liability issue with totally self driving equipment, it would have to be capable of seeing everything around itself to know when to stop or go around something as unplanned objects could pop up at any time like the farmer himself driving into the field and him and his pickup getting driven over by his own tractor, I don't believe that could be a repeat customer. Or lets say Its a Case tractor self driving in a field and a neighbour stops by and walks out into the field and happens to be wearing a JD hat and the camera's pick that up and decide its best to get rid of that awful JD buying farmer ( have to throw a little humour into this )
The question then is how can these cars on a public road interacting with all those variables of what can take place in front of it be reliable enough to put into use, again I have no idea how many of these cars are in use. There are all these unknowns driving next to it as its not as if all the vehicles are being controlled so collisions can be almost eliminated due to complete control. Obviously any slick road conditions or a tire blow out etc would tax even a fully controlled scene, pretty hard to do unless like trains which are on a track.
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Post by torriem on Jan 18, 2021 12:41:02 GMT -6
A guy in Indiana named Kyler Laird has been turning his tractors into robots for several years. I wouldn't quite call it fully autonomous. He tends to be in the field with his machines keeping an eye on them. He said one time he had his tractor out mowing or something. He was in his pickup truck at the side of the field, monitoring things with his laptop and working on some code changes. His dog liked to chase the tractor around the field. Some cars on the interstate saw a tractor mowing with no one in the driver seat and dog chasing it, barking. They thought the worst and called the state troopers thinking the driver had fell off the tractor and been killed by the mower. After that he kind of wondered if it would help to have a dummy in the driver seat just to keep people from panicking!
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Post by Albertabuck on Jan 21, 2021 19:16:18 GMT -6
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