[Rn4]

Tossing around the idea of getting some form of guidance. What are some decent light bar guidance systems that won’t break the bank? Auto steer would be nice but we don’t really need it. Mainly need something to help keep a person straight when visibility is bad or following last pass is tricky do to soil conditions. Is agricision ontrak something I’d be after? Don’t think I need a 3-4K+ system. Just something cost effective to get from point a to point b that has small margin of error since it would be used for seeding. And it probably won’t be used all the time if seeing isn’t an issue. Don’t farm 1000’s of acres so don’t need to break the bank to have all the bells and whistles. Just would like some feed back instead of going out on a whim

 

[torriem]

In my opinion, the cheapest, most effective low-cost, ready-to-go, off-the-shelf system is the Trimble EZ-Steer with a EZ-guide 250 monitor. If you install it yourself the cost ist about $6000. So that's quite a bit higher than your desire, but frankly once you have auto steer, you'll never go back to just light bar guidance, even though the ez-steer is only mediocre compared to the more expensive systems.

That said, if you want just a light bar, visit AgOpenGPS and talk to folks on there. For just the cost of a x86 Windows 10 tablet computer plus a GPS receiver (any WAAS usb receiver would work for a light bar but the ZED-F9P receiver isn't terribly expensive and capable of RTK), you can have lightbar guidance. The software is free and you can run it in simulation mode on your PC to get a feel for it. If you wanted to invest much time and effort beyond that, you could get full autosteer down the road.

Eventually we hope AOG will run on Android, which would make your light bar even easier to set up with any old android tablet.

 

[lanwickum]

Cheapest one I have seen that works for the most part is Ontrak from the UK. battery powered unit you mount on the hood. Very easy to move around. Links to ipad or iphone app for mapping. Don't think you can save the map. You can not make A+ lines only A-B lines. No curved lines that I know of. Get what you pay for unit. Less than $1000. I think I paid around $500 a few years ago. Got it for rolling peas. Used it a bit with an old sprayer. Better than an old outback light bar. Or a trimble 150.

Cheap enough and does come in handy on occasion or I would sell mine. Tractor I used it in the most got a full guidance system last year. Autosteer is worth it if you plan to do much work with it.

onTrak - Agricision Ltd

agricision.co.uk

 

[serf-farmer]

If there was ever a bell and whistle that was worth spending a bit of cash on it would be autosteer

 

[bob123]

Another vote for ez steer. Can be moved to any peice of equiptment you have

 

[lanwickum]

Another vote for ez steer. Can be moved to any peice of equiptment you have

Agree with the vote. Moving it does take a bit. If you have all the harnesses installed in each piece of equipment and the mounts, then it is fairly quick. I did it once. Then I bought another used system.

 

[Rn4]

Cheapest one I have seen that works for the most part is Ontrak from the UK. battery powered unit you mount on the hood. Very easy to move around. Links to ipad or iphone app for mapping. Don't think you can save the map. You can not make A+ lines only A-B lines. No curved lines that I know of. Get what you pay for unit. Less than $1000. I think I paid around $500 a few years ago. Got it for rolling peas. Used it a bit with an old sprayer. Better than an old outback light bar. Or a trimble 150.

Cheap enough and does come in handy on occasion or I would sell mine. Tractor I used it in the most got a full guidance system last year. Autosteer is worth it if you plan to do much work with it.

onTrak - Agricision Ltd

agricision.co.uk

ever do any tillage or seeding with it? Or even rolling how was it for accuracy? Think something like that is what I’m leaning to as it’s seems simple enough and isn’t outrageously priced. Plus it mounts In front of you so your not looking to the side to see if you are on your line

 

[bob123]

I would keep your eye out for a used ez steer system over the winter, I have seen them for as low as 2k for the older ones. Would be a massive upgrade over just a light bar. If spring rolls around and you still haven't found one you could order that ontrak then. I paid 4k from a dealer for their demo unit in new condition

 

[tswanson]

At the very least, buy a system you can add auto steer to later. I don't know anyone who would go back to a light bar from auto steer.

 

[Mags]

Light bar is as strenuous as free hand IMO. Get full auto steer, I was late to the table adopting it but it’s almost a must now. I could live without it but would be super painful knowing how good auto steer is now.

I’ve not used the older Trimbles that everyone raves about above. Sure there good but we started with outback. They work well. Sure you can can get an S2 setup cheap.

9270 packer/harrow tractor, which used to be seeding tractor still works great on the old outback using WASS.

 

[sasksodbuster]

Light bar by itself is a bit dangerous as your looking at your light bar instead of looking for power poles, go to the full auto steer and save your body.

 

[Last gen farmer]

Watching a light bar all day and especially at night has ruined my eyes. Auto steer although you think it’s not justified is cheaper than overlapping or missing and it’s a one off cost. My eyesight I feel was damaged after years with a light bar. Buy a used ezsteer and enjoy it.

 

[rcyung]

Watching light bar all day, not an enjoyable experience.
Autosteer, priceless.
Your mind will thank you.
Easy steer works pretty darn good.

 

[makar]

I quess I am the odd man out, my raven lightbar suits me fine and have no intention of going to autosteer.

 

[Snapper22]

Have an old Trimble Ez guide plus with easy steer for spraying. It’s alright for that purpose but I wouldn’t trust it for seeding. Seeding tractor came with a 700 monitor with autosteer. Works on level ground okay but never use in hills. Alright for harrows though. I’d never go back to lightbar

 

[NWsask]

I quess I am the odd man out, my raven lightbar suits me fine and have no intention of going to autosteer.

Have you ever used autosteer?

 

[CRToney]

I use a light bar to spread fertilizer. Left over from when I had a Pulltype sprayer.

 

[makar]

Have you ever used autosteer?

Nope, never had a reason or the money for it.

 

[Christian A. Herrnboeck]

Cheapest autosteer is an Outback S2 Lightbar and steer box + valve. It's precise. It runs a really long time. And it's fairly inexpensive second hand.

Next up Outback S3 with colour mapping, sectional capabilities, and still works with those valves.

The original Trimble T2 boxes, and the 500/250s are getting really old and requiring quite a bit of maintenance. Especially the T2s.

Just my two cents from seeing what comes in for repair / how much it costs to repair / how long they run.

 

[lanwickum]

I have used it spraying and rolling. My ability to steer straight all day long is worse than its ability to be accurate. It is better than nothing. Saying that, I had plenty overlap.