Making time for RTK

As the editor of a busy farm paper, I don't have as much time to write articles as I used to. But now that the winter and spring rush is slowing down a little — just at a time when farmers' spring and summer rush is ramping up — I had a little extra time to write a more in-depth article. The topic is RTK guidance systems.

What inspired me was Titan Machinery, based in Fargo, North Dakota. The Case IH dealership has a few dozen locations in the Red River watershed. Titan teamed up with RDO, a John Deere dealership with a few dozen locations of its own, and Butler, the Cat dealer, to form the Rural Tower Network. Through this joint venture, the dealerships built a network of 100-foot towers up and down the valley. Each tower has an operating radius of six or 10 miles -- the newer ones are built farther apart.

In other regions with networks, dealerships are going their own way, putting up their own towers. Titan, RDO and Butler decided to share the cost of the towers, and each put their own RTK receivers and antennae on them. They compete on products and service, but they decided it was foolish to each put up their own towers.

This is sugar beet country, a crop that benefits when equipment works on sub-inch accuracy. With the tower network, farmers get RTK base station signals for a fraction of the cost of a mobile tripod-based unit. What's more, the farmers don't have the hassle of moving mobile units around, keeping them powered, and maintaining them. It's a great system, and it makes RTK accessible -- price-wise -- to more farmers. It will still cost $25,000 to equip a tractor for RTK, but you don't have the extra $15,000 cost of a base station.

I don't expect a stampede of grain farmers will move to RTK any time soon, but I can foresee a time when researchers have figured out ways for all farmers to make this precise guidance pay off.

I'd like to thank farmers Mark Hood (pictured) of Carberry, Man., John Van Tryp of Burdett, Alta., and Trent Brekken of Crookston, Minnesota for sharing their experiences with me. The article will run in the April 20 issue of Grainews.