Welcome back to another harvest season with FarmTRX! After a full year has passed, you may be scratching your head trying to remember the steps taken to get the yield monitor and moisture sensor ready for harvest. This checklist will guide existing FarmTRX customers through a complete setup of the system. Fortunately, over-the-air software updates have ensured that the latest operation and mapping advancements are available to you automatically, so you can take advantage of the latest in precision yield mapping capability.
To get the most out of the system, we suggest following these ten steps before harvest. While following this checklist ensures accurate live readings in the cab, remember that FarmTRX will still produce precision yield maps if the user post-calibrates by inputting a total known yield, by weight or volume, after the fact via the FarmTRX Web App. If you’re tight on time come harvest and need to just get out there, confirm there is power to the system and go confidently – you’ll still get precision yield maps.
Follow these ten steps to get your system ready before harvest:
- Renew your FarmTRX Web App account
- Copy field boundaries from the previous season and select crop types for each field
- Update the FarmTRX Mobile App
- Connect to your yield monitor to confirm power
- Double check installation with visual inspection
- Perform a sensor calibration/tare
- Confirm and edit headers and crop types
- Set header and crop type and begin harvesting
- Perform crop calibration once per crop type per year
- Enter your Web App credentials to upload your yield data (whenever you like!)
1) Renew your FarmTRX Web App account
Subscription to the FarmTRX Web App is paid annually based on farm acreage. While all users are always able to view, query and export their raw, unfiltered yield data, access to the suite of automatically generated precision yield maps in ESRI shapefile, AgLeader, Google Earth and Climate Fieldview formats is only included with an active subscription.
Returning users will be prompted to renew their web account subscription yearly directly in the FarmTRX Web App interface.
2) Copy field boundaries from previous season and select crop types
Users have the ability to create field boundaries and select crop types after harvest, but if you want to see your data processed sooner during harvest, copy over your previous field boundaries and select crop types for each field prior to harvest. As part of FarmTRX’s commitment to your data integrity, your boundaries and crop types must be set in the web app for any uploaded data to be processed.
Take the time to review your previous field boundaries each year for accuracy. Make sure there is no harvested area being missed from year– to– year. Copy your last year’s field boundaries by navigating to the Layers page under the Admin section of the web app. Select which year you wish to copy from/to and click “Create”. Assign the crop type for each new field created in the new harvest season.
3) Update the FarmTRX Mobile App
Through the FarmTRX Mobile App farmers can edit header width and perform sensor and crop calibration from the cab. With proper calibration, accurate live and average yield and moisture readings will display on your mobile phone or tablet while harvesting. Be sure to update the app to the latest available version.
4) Connect to your yield monitor and update to newest firmware
Your phone or tablet uses Bluetooth connectivity to connect to the yield monitor. Make sure your Bluetooth is toggled on in order to connect. You will be prompted to update to the latest firmware (if required) as part of the most recent FarmTRX Mobile App update.
5) Double check installation
Look over the installation of the yield monitor and moisture sensor. Ensure they are installed correctly by turning over the machine while the key is in the on– position. The optical sensor lights installed on the combine elevator should be flashing as the paddles go past. Perform a visual inspection of all cables and connectors and physically verify that the sensors are mounted securely in place.
6) Perform a sensor calibration/tare
To calibrate the optical sensors, engage your separator clutch and run the combine at full throttle while stationary, with no grain running through the elevator. Navigate to the Device Calibration page on the FarmTRX Mobile App to run a sensor calibration. Hit the “Start” button once the elevator is running at full throttle. The yield monitor will record the elevator and determine the width of the empty paddles in order to optimize recordings.
Find a more detailed guide on FarmTRX calibration here.
7) Confirm and edit headers and crop types
Confirm and edit the headers you will be using during harvest with this combine. Adjust or set the header width for each in the FarmTRX Mobile App by navigating to the Add/Edit Headers page of the main app menu.
8) Set header and crop type and begin harvesting
Select the combine header in use and the crop type to be harvested and get out there!
9) Perform crop calibration
To get accurate readings in the cab, calibrate during harvest by volume, by weight or by a combination of both. We recommend calibrating once per crop type per year.
Navigate to the main menu of the FarmTRX Mobile App and select Crop Calibration to begin calibrating. Press “Start Calibration” and hit the checkmark icon. After a hopper-full has been harvested, enter the measured weight and/or volume along with measured moisture if using the FarmTRX Moisture Sensor. If you left your smartphone or tablet behind, or didn’t have time to calibrate before harvesting, you can still calibrate halfway through or after harvest by inputting the total harvested volume or weight for each field in the FarmTRX Web App.
Find a more detailed guide on FarmTRX calibration here.
10) Enter your web app credentials to upload your yield data
Yield data can be uploaded to the web app for processing at any time using available WiFi or mobile data. Precision yield and moisture maps for the season will generate in the web app automatically within minutes of data upload, and are available to export as ESRI shapefile, AgLeader, Google Earth and Climate Fieldview files. All users have the ability to export their raw yield data at any time, while access to the complete suite of precision yield and moisture maps is only available with yearly subscription.
Upload yield data as frequently as your desire. To check that calibration is appropriate and get ahead of any possible errors, upload sooner than later for yield map inspection. If you prefer uploading less frequently in bigger data chunks, you can do that too!
For more detail and step-by-step instruction on installation, calibration and yield map interpretation, visit our Documentation page. At any time, contact our team to speak with a product expert or get technical support by emailing Support@FarmTRX.com or calling 1-800-991-5136.
