Guidance Systems

Mounts Machinery has its own RTK network system with coverage throughout the region – click here to check if your property is covered – and a full range of guidance solutions available to suit your needs.

Manual Guidance

Automated Guidance

Field-IQ crop input control system

Introducing new and expanded variable rate and boom control options for the Field-IQ™ crop input control system.

Manage pest and nutrient applications by avoiding spray overlap with automatic or manual control of up to 48 sections—more sections controlled than any other variable rate system in the industry today.

The same display that guides your vehicle now controls your planter, sprayer, spreader.

Please contact us for more information.

Trimbles Guidance range is designed to assist you with all your Spraying, Planting & Tillage operations.

Spraying - Eliminate the need for Foam Markers. On-Screen Mapping shows exactly where you’ve been, which allows you to spray 24hours a day, regardless of visibility problems. This Event Mapping also allows you to continue an event after several days break, beginning where you finished off.

Upgrade Options include Trimbles Field IQ Application Control System for full Variable Rate Control and Section Control.  This will automatically turn each Boom Section on or off when leaving or entering an area that has already been sprayed, such as a headland.  – The Ultimate in Chemical Savings, especially in odd shaped fields like contour bays.

Planting -  Save time by minimising overlap.  Most reports include time savings of approximately 2 hours for every 200 acres planted, which equates to 10 hours per 1000 acres.  This means 10 hours less labour/operator time, 10 hours less on the Tractor & Implement, 10 hour less fuel used and 10 hours less seed or fertiliser used, for every 1000 acres planted. (Depending upon operator experience & implement width)

Productivity is also increased, because it is also possible to work for more hours each day, as fatigue is also reduced, as continuous operator concentration is no longer required during operation.

Higher accuracy systems also allow straight, evenly spaced rows to be planted for “Controlled Traffic” use.  This system allows Sprayers to use the same swaths set by the Planter, which helps reduce crop damage when carrying out “In-Crop” spraying.  It also allows the Planting Tractor to run down the same set of wheel tracks year after year, to reduce soil compaction.

Event Coverage Mapping also helps the operator to see if there are any “Skips” or “Misses”, which is particularly useful if the field has recently been worked or had an application of fertiliser.

Tillage-  Similar time, fuel, wear & tear savings, as with planting, along with reduced operator fatigue.

Accuracy Options

Currently there are 4 different levels of accuracy. Due to the actual design of the GPS Satellite system, using Orbiting Satellites, around a rotating planet, the average accuracy of any GPS position is somewhere less than 15 metres. Uncorrected positions will constantly move or “Drift” within this 15metres.

Uncorrected - With Trimble’s “On Path” filter, this accuracy can be reduced down to 20-45cm pass to pass (within 15 mins.)  This level is known as “Autonomous” or “Uncorrected”.  The longer the time taken between passes equals greater error. 

DGPS - Also known as VBS (Virtual Base Station), requires an Omnistar satellite based subscription to give 15-20cm pass to pass, with a maximum error of 60-90cm.  The downside of this level is that it requires a high subscription fee, for a low level of accuracy.

HP - HP is the next level of accuracy, which requires an annual Omnistar HP Subscription, as well as the purchase of an upgrade code for the GPS Receiver.  This gives 5-10cm pass to pass accuracy.  Disadvantages of HP are the cost of the annual subscription fee, as well as having to wait 20-30minutes for the system to “Converge” every time it is restarted, before you can use it.

RTK - This is the highest level of accuracy, giving 2cm pas to pass accuracy, as well as 2cm repeatable year to year accuracy.  This means that every time you drive into a field, the wheel tracks will not have moved more than 2cm from last time, or the time before.  This requires the purchase of a second unlock code for the GPS Receiver, as well as access to an RTK Base Station – Either Operator Owned, or Mounts Machinery’s RTK Base Station Network.

Mounts RTK Network - Currently consists of 5 RTK Base Stations, located at Roma, Muckadilla, Merino Downs(south of Roma), Wondolin(south of Wallumbilla) and Ludlow(east of Dulacca).  With the use of VHF Data Radios, each Base has a range of approximately 25-30km.  We currently have over 95% of the prime farming country between Drillham & Amby covered, with additional bases planned.  Give us a call to arrange a property survey, to see if your property is covered.