BRANDON Ñ Much of the problem with accuracy in agricultural global positioning systems stems from the quality of the components in the antenna, says Greg Setter of Setter Manufacturing in Russell, Man.
“Back when we were selling other brands of antenna based primarily on competitive pricing, we were running into a lot of technical problems,” he said.
“So we started tracing things back to the manufacturer to see what could be done about it. Once you realize that all antennas are built to the specifications of the retailer, it’s easy to solve the problem.”
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What it comes down to, he said, is that the company that puts its name and decal on the antenna gets to call the shots on what goes under the plastic lid.
A wide range of components is available at the factory level. Lower quality means a lower price tag at the factory and on the retail shelf. Higher quality components are available, but they cost more.
CSI Wireless in Calgary builds many of the GPS components on the market today. Products from its factories are marketed under a number of familiar brand names. And now, two of the antennas coming out of CSI have decals that read Setter IQ and Setter Max.
“We went to CSI and told them we want to brand our own antenna and here’s the specifications we want,” Setter said.
“It wasn’t complicated. Our antennas are basically no different from other antennas on the market. They just have better components. It’s not a new design. We asked CSI for more than any of their other clients asked for. I guess we’re just more demanding. Since we started selling our own brand of antenna, we have yet to have a single problem. It’s all in the specifications.”
The AG IQ comes with a WAAS antenna and engine.
“It is totally programmable, so it’s compatible with every WAAS system on the market,” Setter said.
It sells for $2,515, including the cable.
The DGPS MAX has a larger roof dome to accommodate three different antenna systems for WAAS, Coast Guard Beacon and a private signal provider. MAX must run through a separate modular box, which houses the three GPS engines. The complete unit sells for $4,195.
“Your accuracy with MAX is six to 12 inches if you want to pay a signal provider such as Omnistar,” Setter said.
“This is the most programmable antenna on the market. You can format it to run with any system out there.
“In dryland farming, there’s really no need for better accuracy than six to 12 inches. But if you’re row cropping, you need better. Our next step up is the L1 RTK. By setting up your own differential signal, you get down to a horizontal accuracy of five centimetres.”
Prices for the L1 RTK start at $15,000 US.
