PRECISION FARMING TROUGH INTERNET AND MOBILE COMMUNICATION 1 2 2 3 Pavel Gnip , Stanislav Holy , Stepan Kafka , Karel Charvat , 1 MJM
[email protected] 2 Help Service Remote Sensing
[email protected] 3 Lesprojekt sluzby
[email protected]
Introduction Precision farming is a new agriculture technology designed to monitor, analyse and control plant production to optimise cost and ecological effects. The basic principle is positional control of fertilisation with an accuracy of a few meters. To control the process a huge amount of data must be collected and analysed. The paper described integrated solution, which is designed and implemented on the base of two EU IST projects WirelessInfo IST-1999-21056 and Premathmod IST-2000-28177. The solution is build on the central information system (service organisation) based on central warehouse with Internet and wireless access..
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY High efficiency in crop production is one of many requests, which are coming every day to Agriculture. To grove up on any position in production means to have precise, good and at time information for management. The 20th century noted a big explosion in development of information technologies and their applying in production. Agriculture on this way stays every time one step behind Industry. However experience, information and data were carried over from generation to generation. Main reason for reducing number of people owned land and working in food production was applying better and better technologies and agriculture machines with higher and higher horsepower and service operation. This trend of development in Agriculture was not applying evenly in whole Europe. The biggest break was making after Second World War, when the Europe was strictly divorced by force on two parts with totally different politically and life conditions. It evoked progress of two different systems in food production. End of 90th of 20th century started a big fusion of East system and West system of agriculture production. Both systems achieved a high level of production of the World, but unfortunately both had got a bad influence on around environment. One of the biggest steps to set right a situation and limited a bad influence of Agriculture production on environment was improving of data collection on the field, their processing and back using in agronomic recommendation and field application. Generally we can say, good data or information are in right place and in right time. This simple rule is applied in Agriculture production too. For many people is still farm work very hard work within free time during spring, summer and fall season but reality is little different. And just Precision farming broad latest technologies in to farm work. Since time, when GPS system was unblock for civil using, Precision farming have got better and better condition to grove up year by year. The most important question, what by solved in past is to find optimal level of using fertilizer and chemicals in crop production and their application on the field with reducing bad influence on soil, crop and surround environment. Research on the field of Precision farming goes very fast forward, important thing is how close is cooperation between University and research institutes on one side and farming on the other. In the present time exist many systems and tools of Precision farming in Europe. Using these tools and systems in farming is state by state different; according to how big is a press of government to farmer and of course farming condition and marked competition. Precision agriculture as any other working systems is continually changing. In many ways what we have done so far is easy part. Whole work has concentrated on the spatial aspect of where the GPS has given to system a big amount of data, which are important, but more work must by done on their applying in really Farming management in Agriculture production. In this case is our attention focused to data transport, data processing and delivery of results to end-users. Also has to be done a sorting of data and setting their role in Precision farming system. This is first part of whole process and must be done as a fist step in practical farm work. We start to analyse a data important for farm management and field management. We can divide this data according to who collect this data as follow: • Data collected by farmers • Data collected by service organisation • Data collected by government
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• In other side we can easily divided data according to how they are used in farm process as follow: • Data used by farmers • Data used by service organisation in service for farmers • Data used by government for Agriculture support and controlling The all data has got different sources of their origin, but for right using the data must be set in one database and be accessible in any time in farm and field management. Current situation in farm production use many elements of information technologies as is: • PC computers • Hand held computers • Notebooks • Board computers in farm machines • Net communication • Internet • Mobile phones • GPS (global position system) • and other Current Farm management is still limiting data collecting and transport to central database and also data access from central database. Whole this system is contingent on possibility of data storage in each data logger and character of way to get collected data to central database for next processing. This is only first half of way of data transport. Second half of way is data access by end user. Also this part is still limited by data storage or distance between location of end user and central database. Amount of data and character of final data using are very specific. From short messages or information to multiple variable application maps or yield maps is used different technology for data transport. Common system use for data transport: • data storage (floppy disk, CD disk, PCIMCIA card) • WAP, GSM, Internet This product solve specially the last mentioned data transport via GSM, Internet and as new GPRS in Commercial agriculture system.
THE GOALS OF SYSTEM The complex system for service organisation in commercial agriculture was designed and implemented. System combine modern Internet and mobile communication systems with GIS and remote sensing tools and special tools for precision farming. System was designed as prototype for commercial organisations, which offer services to farmers in bigger region. System is established for support of agrochemical services, which offer organisation to farmers, but also for direct information services for farmers. The main aim of companies performing services and consulting is to provide their customers a high quality service and really professional consulting based on true information. For the best result of service and consulting a company needs ensure precise information as many as they can. The mobile communication are very useful in communication between a manager and the people in the field, which is collecting data, or applying a service by final application. Until now the next was weak link of the communication with customers is a data transfer, which is important for management in crop feeding. The realised market analysis show an undercharged using and exploitation of information technologies for management of the process in crop production even if there has been a big advancement in an agriculture production during the last tree years. In the crop production, this advancement helps a lot a new trend of management named Precision farming. Exploitation of wireless communication for the data transport has to short down a time between data collection and data processing. In the present time, a service company collects data far away from their centre and the time spent between the data collection and data processing is much more longer than an optimal working system needs. By using this technologies we also short a time to obtain data from end users or the other way we can ensure a flexible data using in applicable machines or in the farm management. The system offer following functions: Precision farming functionality Support for data collection by services organisations Support for fertilisation application by service organisation
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Support for data collocation by farmers Data access for farmers Other information services Yield forecasting for farmers Support for data collection for yield forecasting
POTENTIAL DATA SOURCES Maps - the very important data sources for precision agriculture are field maps. These maps are typically accompanied by soil maps, parcel maps etc. Such data are digitised from existing papers maps but the data do not required density and majority of analysed parameters is not described in such maps, therefore soil samples positioned by GPS device have to be captured in the field. In central database of Precision farming can be this data used as a background information layer for field boundary maps and other control points. GPS measurement, soil sampling and field measurement - Soil samples have to be analysed for the main nutrients to show their availability for plants in surface and in subsurface layers of soil. There are also other parameters which can affect the mobility of nutrients through soil profile and soil intensity and capacity factors. Fluctuation of individual analysed parameters is different in time and field relief. Field boundary are measured in WGS 84. Signal GPS and DGPS is received by TRIMBLE AgGPS 132 DGPS. Receiving data are collected by H-GIS software in Arc view or MapInfo data form.(.shx, .shp, .mid, .mif, .dbf). GPS and DGPS signals are receiver with sub meter accuracy. Each field is transport to the central database separately under central geographic coordination.(wgs_Lat, wgs_Lon) with six decimal places. Area and distance of field can be presented in metric units (hectares, square meters, square kilometres, meters, kilometres). Any other information, which is coming to database, is sorted and assign tor field boundary. Future data processing is limited by field boundary. Field boundary is on the top of database tree. All future created maps is created on this field boundary. Also this field boundary can be changed according to end user needs up to specific crop rotation. Field area can be separate on several parts and set back after particular use. Basic Lab analysis are done to determinate a level of Phosphor (P), Potash (K), Magnesium (Mg), Calcium (Ca) in mg in 1kg of soil and pH of soil. The Lab determination of contain of each nutriet is done by method MEHLICH III.The Lab results of soil analysis are placed in .xls or .dbf format. This data are transport to geographic coordinates in central database, according to ID number of soil sample. Yield maps … measuring of crop - Yield maps are important data source for controlling the fluctuation of soil parameters. The yield maps construction is connected with spatial technological equipment on the harvesting machines. The goal of this project is not to directly develop the equipment for measuring on harvesting machines, but the methodology of yield maps constructions. Another important part is measuring of nutrients level, other chemical elements, moisture during harvest and etc. Data are collected in row format according to producer technology. (.yld … Ag Leader, .fsy … Massay Ferguson and etc.) In fact , data are collect as follow: mass flow in kg.m-2 moisture in % yield volume kg.m-3 harvest spead km.hour-1 id field crop GPS time and etc. Those row data are processed and the final result is present as grain in kg.ha -1 in calibration moisture. For example: Winter wheat’ ..6,000 kg.ha-1 , moisture 15% Satellite imagery - Remote sensing images were not usually to use in Europe. Small image resolution and cloudy weather are the most important reason for that. High-resolution data are also affected by cloudy weather, so that radar data seems to be the most interesting remote sensing data. To set a managements zone on the field, check a lack of Nitrogen during a spring vegetation or predict a yield before harvest was used a data from Landsat 5 and Landsat 7 TM with accuracy 30x30 m one pixel in multispectral. Landsat 5 … 7 spectral bands, Landsat 7 … 8 spectral bands Data format :CEOS, Level:SYSCOR, Cal: Pre-Flight, Rsmlp: NN Air pictures - Aerial photographs can be used until now more effectively than RS data. Colour infrared materials are mostly used in agriculture, because plant production can be easily identified on these images. Row data was make up as a spectrozonal photo in geodet format … 3 bands( infrared, near infra red and false colours). High of fly 2,500m, accuracy one pixel = 60cm x 60cm, 1 scene 5km x 5km Fertilisation maps … amount of fertilisation- the fertilisation maps from previous season are also important information sources for evaluation of soil parameter. Application data are store in central database as a information layer. Data could be stored as application map - .sti, .tif (simple or multi level variable application maps) or as apply data - .rpt (monitoring of application what was done by application machines). According to
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needs we can this data export in .xml format. All variable application maps are in .tif format (demo maps) or .sti format(controller map).
ARCHITECTURE OF COMPLEX SYSTEM The data are stored on a central computer, which is an Internet and database server of the organisation. For the Wireless communication, the server is connected to a GSM modem 9.6/14.4 kb/s (HSCSD or GPRS). For the parallel data access using fixed connection, the central computer of the organisation is connected to wired network using ISDN modem. The central commuter uses also standard network interface. As tools for data mapping , there is used also a set of standard commercial GIS products (GeoMedia, ArcView, Orbis, Topol). The data access for the users is realised by a Internet viewer which is based on the application Mapserver + PHP + Java Applet + DHTML. The Internet user is limited using Mapserver in the editing of predefined map layers. For clients, working with more simple equipment like HANDHELD ( Ipaq H360s Windows CE / Pocket PC), there is implemented an universal and more simple application of Mapserver for Internet viewer supported by HTML. For clients exist the possibility, to do simple edition of the point and data base data. GIS tools
Communication scheme WIRELESS COMMUNICATION 1) GSM Phone 9,6/14,4 kb/s IrDA Port or Serial Cable - Eurotel 14,4 kb/s - Paegas 9,6 kb/s - Oskar 9,6 kb/s
GPRS provider
2) HSCSD Phone IrDA Port or Serial Cable (Nokia 6210, Siemens S40, Motorola TimePort 250, - Eurotel HSCSD
(EUROTEL CZ 2000, PAEGAS 2001, OSKAR 2002?)
3) HSCSD Card Phone PC Card Expansion Pack (Nokia Card Phone 2.0) - Eurotel HSCSD
GSM provider (EUROTEL CZ, PAEGAS, OSKAR)
4) GPRS Phone IrDA Port or Serial Cable (Motorola TimePort 260, Ericsson R520m) - Eurotel GPRS - Paegas GPRS - Oskar GPRS?
INTERNET provider -WAP applications -Mapserver applications
5) GPRS PC Card PC Card Expansion Pack (Xircom CreditCard GPRS, ....?) - Eurotel GPRS - Paegas GPRS - Oskar GPRS?
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION Central computer
4
-Windows NT/2000, -Internet server Apache or Microsoft IIS -MapServer + MapScript -Geomedia WebMap applications -Mapserver applications -GIS data collection
PDA -Compaq iPAQ H3630 -Pocket PC, -Internet browser
GPRS modem GSM modem
1) GSM Modem 9,6/14,4 kb/s Serial Cable RS-232 (Wavecom GSM, Siemens M20) - Eurotel 14,4 kb/s - Paegas 9,6 kb/s - Oskar 9,6 kb/s 2) HSCSD Card Phone PC Card in PCMCIA Slot (Nokia Card Phone 2.0) - Eurotel HSCSD 3) GPRS PC Card PC Card in PCMCIA Slot (Xircom CreditCard GPRS, ....?) - Eurotel GPRS - Paegas GPRS - Oskar GPRS? 4) GPRS Modem Serial Cable RS-232 (Wavecom WMOi3-2 GSM/GPRS, ....?) - Eurotel GPRS - Paegas GPRS - Oskar GPRS?
WIRELESS COMMUNICATION 4
Mobile PC -Windows 95,98,ME, -Internet Explorer, -GIS tools, -GPS
1) GSM Phone 9,6/14,4 kb/s Serial Cable RS-232, without GPS connection - Eurotel 14,4 kb/s - Paegas 9,6 kb/s - Oskar 9,6 kb/s 2) HSCSD Phone Serial Cable RS-232, without GPS connection (Nokia 6210, Siemens S40, Motorola TimePort 250) - Eurotel HSCSD
NO WIRELESS CLIENTS -Windows 95,98,ME, -Internet Explorer, -GIS tools, -network card, -modem for Internet access
3) HSCSD Card Phone PC Card in PCMCIA slot (Nokia Card Phone 2.0) - Eurotel HSCSD 4) GPRS Phone Serial Cable RS-232, without GPS connection (Motorola TimePort 260, Ericsson R520m) - Eurotel GPRS - Paegas GPRS - Oskar GPRS? 5) GPRS PC Card PC Card in PCMCIA slot (Xircom CreditCard GPRS, ....?) - Eurotel GPRS - Paegas GPRS - Oskar GPRS?
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GIS solution Mapserver is an OpenSource development environment for building up the spatially enabled Internet applications. The software is built upon other popular OpenSource or freeware systems like Shapelib, FreeType, Proj.4, libTIFF, Perl and others. Mapserver will run where most commercial systems won't or can't, on Linux/Apache platforms. Mapserver is known to be compile with most UNIXes and will run under Windows NT/98/95. Properties: • vector formats supported: ESRI shapefiles, simple embedded features, ESRI ArcSDE (alpha release) • Raster formats supported (8-bit only): TIFF/GeoTIFF, GIF, PNG, ERDAS, JPEG and EPPL7 • Quadtree spatial indexing for shapefiles • Fully customizable, template driven output • Feature selection by item/value, point, area or another feature • TrueType font support • Support for tiled raster and vector data (display only) • Automatic legend and scale bar building • Scale dependent feature drawing and application execution • Thematic map building using logical or regular expression based classes • Feature labeling including label collision mediation • On-the-fly configuration via URLs • On-the-fly projection
PRECISION FARMING SERVICES Basically we can say, that system of Precision farming is based on collection of field data and information in Geographic Information System (GIS). Exist many data sources, which can be used for final recommendation in the field or to make a decision in farm management. This model was built on basic data, which are the most used in Precision farming in Europe. Lab results soil samples, soil conditions, yield data and crop rotation becomes a main source of database information to build agronomist recommendation. On character of soil condition are periodically collect soil sample lab results, year by year is yield mapped by harvest machines equipped by yield monitor and all data are every year processed in agronomist recommendation. Every year is packed more new information layers to do more precise decision. Farmers or service organization creates this database. Final recommendation, decision and all other data are accessible in central database. Whole system of data collection has got specific rules. All data are collected precisely in WGS 84(or other compatible positioning system) and each information and data has got specific place in central database under location of their collection. Also time of their collection is important.
Data collected from soil by field sensing Soil condition monitoring Field boundary mapping - description of work Before operator starts field boundary measuring, coordinator connects a central database via wawecom modem a computer on the field. Coordinator has to follow these steps: • Open a window with hyper terminal • Dial a number of terminal of central database • Select in browser a file, which has to be sent to field. • Sent a file • Write a text short message to confirm a sending. • Receive a confirmation about receiving a right data • Disconnect Operator receives:
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complete list of the field to by done(.txt file) satellite picture or area pictures of area with for orientation on unknown region plus other work instructions.(.tif file) Operator starts collect a field boundary data by follow these steps: • Start H-GIS software • Open layer (.tif file) as a background layer • Open operation layer • Define layer • Save layer as template • Start GPS and DGPS • Start mapping • Follow a field boundary (auto data collection) • Stop mapping • New field
Data transport description: After work is done, a operator send a file with field boundary, list of fields and satellite image can be deleted. Field boundary is first main information layer in central database. Operator has to follow these steps: • opens window with hyper terminal • dial a number of terminal of central database • after connection is done, he send a file to central database • after data transport is done, he makes disconnection.
Terrain care equipment: The terrain care 4 wheel drive is equipped by follow: Notebook, windows 98, software H-GIS (for automatic on-line or manual data collection) Com port 1: GPS receiver Trimble Ag 132, 10hz(GPS and DGPS signal with sub meter accuracy), combine antenna for GPS and DGPS signal. Com port 2: Wawecom-WMOD2B-G900/1800, antenna
Electromagnetic soil conductivity mapping description of work Before operator starts collect a data, coordinator connects a central database via wawecom modems a computer on the field. Coordinator has to follow these steps: • Open a window with hyper terminal • Dial a number of terminal of central database • Select in browser a file, which has to be sent to field. • Send a files (.shp, .shx files plus .txt file with work instruction) • Write a text short message to confirm a sending.
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• • • • •
Receive a confirmation about receiving a right data Disconnect Operator receives: Complete field boundary file( .shp, .shx files) Complete list of work (.txt file)
Than operator on the field can start collect a row data by EM-38. The H-GIS software collects data automatically. Data collection-description of the work: • Set the EM 38 on the field (calibration on each field individually, set the working position) • Start H-GIS software • Open a layer with field boundary • Start GPS and DGPS signal • Set auto data collection • Start collect a row data (mS.m -1) • Finish a field • Stop data collection • New field
Technology of data collection: EM-38 is placed on slider, which is pulled by 4weel drive car. Slider is placed at least 4 meters behind car. Data are collected automatically 1 point in square 18 meters by18 meters, 30 sample points on 1 hectare . After work is done a file with row data of EM 38 and file with field boundary are sent back to mapping centre. Data transport - description of work: • Open window with hyper terminal • Dial a number of terminal of central database • After connection is done, he send a file to central database • After data transport is done, operator makes disconnection
Terrain care equipment: The terrain care 4 wheel drive is equipped by follow: Notebook, windows 98, software H-GIS (for automatic on-line or manual data collection) Com port 1: GPS receiver Trimble Ag 132, 10hz(GPS and DGPS signal with sub meter accuracy), combine antenna for GPS and DGPS signal. Com port 2: Data switch … EM-38 instrument and wawecom-WMOD2B-G900/1800, antenna
Soil sampling Before a operator start work, he contacts a mapping centre, he receive a file with field boundary and spots for soil sampling. A big distance between mapping centre and work on the field are a limiting factor for using all information”s and data for sampling grid planning and corrections, which have to be done in mapping centre, but they come up during the field boundary mapping. (Different in field boundary mapping, different place for work and so on.) Before operator starts collect a data, coordinator connects a central database via wawecom modems a computer on the field. Coordinator has to follow these steps:
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• Open a window with hyper terminal • Dial a number of terminal of terrain car • Select in browser a file, which has to be sent to field. • Send a files (.shp, .shx files plus .txt file with work instruction) • Write a text short message to confirm a sending. • Receive a confirmation about receiving a right data • Disconnect Operator receives: • Complete field boundary file ( .shp, .shx files) • Complete soil sample point file (.shp, .shx file) • Complete list of work (.txt file)
Data collection
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
description of work
Start H-GIS software Open a layer with the field boundary Open a layer with sample points Start receiving DGPS signals Focus a control point on the screen (soil sample points on the field) Drive to the control point Take a soil sample by soil stick according to a valid methodology Place the soil-sample to a samplebag Focus next control point’ ’ . Set auto the data collection Finish the soil sampling Stop the data collection New field
Soil sampling - manual 1-hectare grid - 2 persons 25 part soil samples in circle with radius 25 meters Sample sticks 3-hectares grid - 2 persons 25 part soil samples in circle with radius 45 meters a sample sticks 3-hectares grid … 1 person 25 part soil samples in marked zones (different diagram of soil sampling)
Soil sample machines Terrain care equipment: The terrain car 4 wheel drive is equipped follow: • Notebook, windows 98, software H-GIS (manual data collection) • Com port 1: Data switch- GPS receiver Trimble Ag 132, 10hz(DGPS Receiver with sub meter accuracy), combined antenna for signal, wawecom-WMOD2B-G900/1800, antenna The Operator sends, after finishing the operation, the data to a central database. Before he starts each operation, he receives the processed data from the central database. The operator collects the data on a large area, so a fast data transfer, data access and data process is very important. Beside Notebook, which does have a full operation system Windows 98, we can use for data collection also a Pocked PC. In common testing in fall time season will be used for the data collection an iPAQ
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Crop monitoring Yield mapping … yield-monitoring data are beside a soil sample data the most useful information for a final recommendation in crop feeding. Yield monitoring is more expensive then soil sampling, but the farmer can get more data from every field. The Yield monitor is placed on the harvest machines, like this the amount of data is limited by the harvesting only. Before the operator starts the harvesting, he has to set up theYield monitor and : • Defining the field and set-up the crop • To name the field • Starting a new load (GPS automatically open) Pocked PC: • Start PC pocked • Set the directories Data a will be automatically saved in the setted up directories as a .„*yld„ file When the fieldwork is finished, the operator send the .*.yld file to the central database by follow steps: • Open the dial window • Choose the dial number • Connect to the central database • Send the file • Close the connection • Then the operator can process a new field. Harvest combination • • • • • •
Yield monitor LH 565 with LH software OS Microsoft Windows CE 3.0/ Pocket PC / EpoC, serial interface Yield sensor … placed in the grain conveyer Moisture sensor- placed in the grain conveyer GPS receiver Trimble Ag 132, 1Hz(DGPS signal with sub meter accuracy), combined antenna for DGPS signal. Special serial cable, SUB 9 D .
Data processing in Central database of Precision farming •
The collected data have to be processed individually according to the character of the data. • Field boundary mapping … wrong data are eliminated in the file, chainges are updatedElectro-magnetic conductivity mapping- wrong data eliminated out off the file, • Data processing and data classification of the selected field. Data process and data classification of the monitored area. Setting of the soil zones. Setting up a grid for manually soil sampling or soil sampling by soil sample machines • Soil sampling data … Controlling of the process of soil sampling in the net. • Pre-processing of the soil samples before staring the lab analysis … air drying, sorting and aliquotation, lab analysing after ⣵Mehlich III„ • Soil test maps … data of the lab analysis are integrated in the central database and they are processed there. • Soil test maps are an important information layer for further recommendations.
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• •
Yield data- the row yield data are processed to a yield map. Such a yield map is another important information layer for other recommendations Agronomic data … data are coming from an end user (crop rotation, organic matter, plan of yield and so on.)
The final output from central database: • Basic geographic information • Digital soil maps for every analysed lab value. Maps for phosphor, potash, magnesium, calcium, cations exchange capacity (CEC), pH value, microelements (Cu, Zn, B, Mn’ .), organic matter and other. • Digital boundary maps of the field and marketing area. • Digital map of the soil sample network. • Digital crop rotation map for every agronomic year. • b. Recommendation - Variable and zoned application for the fertiliser. The fertiliser is variable applable. on the field by variable application maps (digital map for variable rate of fertiliser contain one ore several nutrients.) Variable application maps are: • Digital application maps for multi-variable applications. Two or more application maps for one field at one file. Two or more nutrients are applied at one drive independently from each other. (one application map for phosphor and one application map for potash or one application maps for phosphor, one application map for potash and one application maps for nitrogen) Digital application maps for every nutrient are stocked on each other.(MVRT) • Digital application maps for simple variable application maps. One nutrient or a mixture of two and more nutrients is applied on a variable rate as a ratio between each other. One variable application map for all nutrients.(SVRT) • Digital zone application maps. Two or tree variable rates on one field. The field is divided according to same or similar conditions into two or tree zones. In each zone is applied one rate of fertiliser.
Application machines-service company The wireless technologies will be installed on the board computer of the application machines. Before running the application, the operator has to contact the co-ordinator in the mapping centre by GSM net and he has to undertake a requirement for the data. The operator will return the data to the mapping centre after he has finished the applications.(once a day) Operator has to follow these steps: • Open a window with the hyper terminal tool • Dial a number of a terminal in the office. • Send requirement for application maps Co-ordinator responds: • Select in browser a file, which has to be sent to the application machines on the field. • Send the files (*.STI files plus *.txt file with work instruction) • Write a short message to confirm the transmission. • Receives a confirmation from the operator about receiving the correct data • Disconnect A data to be transferred … .STI format of multi- variable layer application maps, simple variable application maps, or one or more layers applications maps Board computer manage according to multi- variable application maps automatically a rate of each applying product independently from each other.
Application machines Multi bin application machines Service Company • • •
Board computer, Windows 3.11 or Windows 98 Software Falcon, HyperTerminal Wawecom-WMOD2B-G900/1800, antenna
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•
GPS receiver Trimble Ag 132, 10Hz (DGPS signal with sub meter accuracy), combined antenna for GPS and Reference signals.
•
Application machine - end user The wireless technologies will be installed on the board computer or on a palmtop. Before the operators are starting the applications, they will send requirements for application data to the co-ordinator in the mapping centre. The operators will transmit new data back to the mapping centre after they have finished the applications on the fields. The operators on the field have to follow these steps: Open a new connection Dial a number of the terminal in the service company Activate the connection Send the requirement for the application maps The co-ordinator in the office follows these steps: Responds to the operator Send the required data-files Receive a confirmation from the operator about correct transmission. Disconnect the connection A data to be transferred - TIFF file of Zone maps as a first layer of a colour application map The operator manually manages, according to the zone map, the rate for applying the products. According to this map, the operator can spread out a fertiliser with one or more nutrients. (Phosphorus, potassium, nitrogen, mix of nutrients, lime)
Application machines
One bin application machines
End user (Service company)
• iPAQ (Pocked PC) - OS Microsoft Windows CE 3.0/ EpoC • Laptop … Windows 95, 98 • Internet viewer f.e. MS Internet Explorer • Serial interface • Wireless data transfer - HSCSD/ GSM/ GPRS equipment • using Nokia Card Phone 2.0 in PCMCIA computer interface or others GPS without Differential correction for Location based services • Pocked PC) as follow: • OS Microsoft Windows CE 3.0/ Pocket PC / EpoC, • Internet viewer f.e. MS Internet Explorer • Infra port / serial interface • Wireless data transfer - HSCSD/ GSM/ GPRS equipment • using Nokia Card Phone 2.0 in PCMCIA computer interface or others GPS without Differential correction for Location based services
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