Near Intersection of I-35 & I-90 Southern Mn. | The question of what it would cost to improve your correction can be rather complex. Sometimes it would just involve the GPS receiver itself, this might be a one time fee. More commonly it would require a one time fee and an annual or 3 month fee. Still others might require a one time unlock in the display. Sometimes the display contains the GPS receiver so it can get very confusing.
Here's my personal example. I have 3 Ag Leader InCommand 1200s, with 3 SteerCommand controllers and 3 Ag Leader 6500 GPSs. The 6500's are unlocked for GLONASS (Russian Satellites) and TerraStar. These systems are installed in 3 tractors. The Terrastar I use requires a subscription. I purchase a subscription for just one of the 6500s. This is the one for the planting tractor. I could purchase additional subscriptions for the other two tractors but the basic WAAS correction (free) is sufficient for them. This means I have the better GPS correction in the planting tractor but just the WAAS correction in the other two tractors.
Later when I spray I do not use the planting tractor. The spray tractor has the unlocks but no paid subscription for its GPS. Since planting is generally done by then I could (but haven't) swap the GPS receivers between the planting and spraying tractors. This would be easy enough to do and would allow me to "use" more of my subscription. For spraying I only use auto steer to get me on the correct set of rows. I steer manually after that.
Later the spraying InCommand gets moved to the combine which does not have auto steering. Since accuracy in the combine is not all that important, I use an older Raven Phoenix 200 GPS that I've had for years. It does not have any unlocks so WAAS correction is my only source. Again I could move the 6500 with the unlock and paid subscription to the combine but it is not necessary.
Last Summer, I bought a used STX-450 on auction. It has a Trimble 750 display (which includes the GPS engine), dumb antenna and Nav II for controlling an external steering valve. This system has no unlocks although it could. Since I use it just for tillage, the basic WAAS correction is adequate. Should I decide I want more accuracy, there are various levels of unlocks that I could purchase, most of which would require some type of periodic fee also in order to use them.
Buying the unlocks does not require that you use the higher level but it would be foolish to purchase them if you never planned on subscribing. Some operators have the unlocks but only subscribe for a 3 month subscription. They get the advantage of the better accuracy while the subscription is in effect but drop back to the lower accuracy for the rest of the year. This may be a reasonable plan if higher accuracy is desired for planting but lower accuracy is acceptable for the rest of the year. The cost of these periodic subscriptions seems to be creeping higher each year.
One might ask given the above information it would seem foolish that I got the unlocks on all my 6500s when it appears I only have a subscription on one. The reason is that they were included in a package trade up deal that I participated in.
Edited by tedbear 3/16/2020 07:35
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What Ag leader displays worknwith what mdu's?
