# GPS Guidance Systems



## joey55 (Jul 28, 2015)

Would like to hear from farmers who have used the Trimble FM-750 gps guidance system or one similar. Thinking of installing a 750 on my Case IH MX110 tractor for spring planting season. Wondering if I also have to install the EZ Steer or AutoPilot feature to get best satisfaction. Does the light bar drive you crazy if you operate with only the basic guidance hardware? Wouldn't mind adding the steering feature but it is an additional $3000. Look forward to your comments.


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## RC Wells (Dec 26, 2008)

Case IH, JD, and New Holland offer similar systems in their new tractors. What I would recommend is getting one of them to bring a demo unit to your farm and your spending time using the system.

I use comparable systems, but would have serious reservations about installation in an older tractor. The prices you are looking at are the tip of the iceberg. Your field maps have to be built and installed, the installation in the tractor is not at all like plopping a GPS in a vehicle, the electrical power must be very well regulated, and the tractor needs to be sealed against dust, and not left in the field with the doors shut or the electronics get cooked. One jump start and the system will be history.

There is no question the field management systems are the future, but the return on investment needs careful consideration. Operator training is required, as is total system management and maintenance of the system and databases.

In the first year of use the system manager will be fully consumed getting it tailored to your fields and use profiles That takes a skilled operator out of the seat of the tractor, and time away from the farm are they are being trained. 

Once you get the system nailed, it can be used to operate flow rates for everything from drills and sprayers to fertilizer systems, and that is where it begins to pay for the investment. But, to make those capabilities work there is a significant investment needed and the ability to map the fields and verify soil and crop conditions for inclusion in the database. This is a several time a year undertaking to get near real time crop condition data into the system.

As for steering, it is seldom used except in summer fallow where the operator is flying blind in the dust. 

Attend the vendor's training session for real insight as to how the system will apply to your operations. 

I would venture a guess that for a 500 acre operation with only three tractors, the real cost would be close to $60,000 without system management labor, and the cost is not scalable except for the tractor equipment only. 

There will be service bureaus offering equipment, data maps, crop condition maps, and so forth before long. Then these systems will be usable for the smaller operations. When drone IR photography becomes commonplace, these systems will be the ticket. For now it requires a field person to run around checking crop, moisture, and soil conditions, building the database and getting it entered into the system. Without that data the systems are just another toy in the cab.

My observations, yours may be different.


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## joey55 (Jul 28, 2015)

Thank you very much RC. Your insight on these systems and the preparation required to operate them and manage the data obtained effectively is very helpful. Lots to think about before making such a large investment for sure. Your comments are most appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to respond to my inquiry.


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## marc_hanna (Apr 10, 2017)

Trimble does seem to be the way to go. There are a lot of 3rd party developer add-ons. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tractor Forum


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