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Eastern Iowa | TS79, looks like your setup was working very well for you. In fact, your setup sounds very similar to what we're running. I'm using a mini HP, US Cellular wireless card, GNSS, Autopilot, 252, and Insight. We've finally started strip-tilling this spring and have been running off the IA DOT's RTN. We've started slow, taking time to make adjustments and work out any unforseen quirks that come up. With a few hundred acres of field testing, there are some commonalities that we've been seeing day in and day out that I don't completely comprehend yet.
Using GNSS and selecting CMRP_IMAX (network)
Prior to connecting to the DOT network, lets say that the Insight is reporting 8 satellites. Once I connect to the DOT server, the Insight typically drops down to 5 or 6 satellites. I can disconnect from the network and satellites jump back up to 8.
Using GNSS and selecting CMRP_NEAR (single base)
After talking to another Ag Talk member, I decided to try the single base solution to see if there was any difference in performance. Using this option, the Insight could be reporting 8 satellites and when I connected to the DOT server, the Insight would typically continues to display 8 satellites. I really didn't see any degradation of performance when switching from CMRP_IMAX to CMR_NEAR in a day to day setting while strip-tilling a field. Guess rows measured correctly between the rows made using CMRP_IMAX and CMRP_NEAR and using CMR_NEAR I could drive down the rows that were made using CMRP_IMAX with no problems.
As I've stated on here before, there are certain times during the day that I see a low number of satellites, typically around 2-3pm and again around 7pm. During those times, it's not uncommon to be running on just 5 or 6 satellites before losing RTK fix. With the lack of satellites I see at different times during the day, I thought after trying the CMRP_NEAR, it might be my best option in times of low satellite coverage. So last night I moved to a new farm about 7:30pm. I logged on using CMR_IMAX because from 7:30 on, we usually start increasing from 5 satellites and moving up to 7, 8, 9... Then about 9:30ish last night, the RTK fix disappeared with the Insight reporting 8 satellites. Switched from CMRP_IMAX to CMRP_NEAR and had an RTK fix within a few seconds. Continued strip-tilling for 5 or 10 minutes and then lost the RTK fix again with the Insight reporting 9 satellites. I can understand losing RTK fix when running on just 5 satellites but not with 6,7 or more.
I've also had a problem once in a while with GNSS disconnecting. Of course it immediately tries to reconnect, most of the time successfully but did have a time or two where we had to shut GNSS down, wait a minute, and then turn it back on and hit start. There was even one instance where it connected and then timed out as it was waiting for data from the DOT server.
What part of Iowa are you located at? How many satellites did you normally see when you had an RTK fix? You said you lost your RTK around 3pm which can be a troublesome time for us as well. Do you connect using CMR_IMAX? Did you ever have any issues with GNSS disconnecting? Most of the time my setup works very well but low number of satellites seems to be my biggest burden right now. | |
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Intellislope, Iowa RTN, and GNSS Inet Radio (video)
