CLAAS releases mobile base station

CLAAS has released a mobile RTK base station that provides high accuracy for automatic steering systems in any location, however remote.

CLAAS Harvest Centre Product Manager – Precision Farming, Travis Ryan-Salter says RTK FIELD BASE is ideal for use in regions that are unserviced by a RTK base station network or have poor mobile phone coverage.

“Automatic steering systems are now standard equipment in large-scale cropping operations,” he says. “Real Time Kinematic (RTK) navigation improves the accuracy of GPS systems by correcting the signal against a known base point. However, many regions still do not have access to a reliable RTK signal. RTK FIELD BASE can be used anywhere where a correction signal reception is weak or non-existent.”

The unit utilises a dual-frequency GPS and GLONASS receiver to achieve an accuracy of two to three centimetres. “The quality of the correction signal can easily compete with that of stationary transmitters,” Travis says. “Depending on the topography, the system can achieve a reliable signal range of between three and five kilometres. An even greater range can be achieved through the use of external radio technology if permitted by statutory regulations.”

Travis says the unit’s tripod assembly and compact dimensions make it very easy to transport and set up. “RTK FIELD BASE is ready to use within a few minutes, so there is no great loss of time when changing paddocks or properties,.” 

Travis says the unit is also ideal for agricultural contractors during seeding, spraying or harvesting operations. “The signal can be used by an unlimited number of machines within its range without any licensing fees for transmission being incurred. The correction signal is supplied in a range of formats, which allows seamless integration for customers with mixed fleets.”