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Adams, MN | For about a year now we have been testing and using the MnDOT VRS/CORS system with Trimble 332 and 252 receivers. If you are a Minnesota tax payer, you have already purchased the system. You probably have no idea how good we have it. CORS and radio base stations work with one base reference station at a time. With VRS, it makes your location a reference station (Virtual Reference Station,VRS) and uses several of the nearest reference stations. This removes errors in ways that a single station can't. (Trimble white pages on the website.) The current system covers the southern two thirds of Minnesota. We have actually tested it in the northern tier of Iowa countys, as well as western Wisconsin. Among other things, we used it to plant sweetcorn last spring, with very good results. In my opinion it blows away radio base stations.
We have partnered with InTime to make this connection very easy for the grower. Someone mentioned that "all you have to do" is contact MnDOT. The programs we used for testing would sometimes take several attempts to log on and it was not uncommon to work at it for thirty minutes to an hour, just to get started. Now, with the InTime Connection there is a Start and Stop button on the touch screen (finger sized, not stylus sized) and as mentioned there is a button for current weather radar. Along with other convenient features, the connection can be set to log on using a preset virtual base reference station. This is to give even better repeatability.
There is also software for transmitting a growers own (or shared or rented) base station to the cell phone connection. We are going to use this for those out of the range of the Minnesota network, or just want a very good connection to the base. No radios.
We currently have units out working and several more going out this spring and more for fall fertilizer banding.
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DG N.AL Cellular & RTK
