Magazine - John Deere Introduces StarFire™ 3000 GNSS Receiver

By Editor in Industry News on 31st Aug 2010 6:00

Crop producers using precision guidance systems in their farming operations now can experience faster system startups and less downtime with the new StarFire™ 3000 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) receiver from John Deere Ag Management Solutions (AMS). This next-generation technology is a direct replacement for the popular StarFire™ iTC.

"Because time is money, farmers want to be able to acquire a satellite signal quickly and complete their fieldwork without that signal being interrupted," says Audrey Bartlett, product marketing manager, Ag Management Solutions, John Deere. "StarFire 3000 builds on proven technology for better performance and greater efficiency."

The StarFire™ 3000 is compatible with the StarFire™ 450 RTK (currently not available in New Zealand) and 900 RTK radios as well as GPS and GLONASS satellite signals. It incorporates a number of technical innovations that contribute to greater efficiency in the field:

* Reduced startup time and downtime. StarFire™ 3000 significantly reduces the time needed to acquire a signal when starting equipment for the day. If that signal is lost, the receiver can reacquire it quickly.
* Terrain compensation response. The receiver detects changes in roll, pitch, and yaw of the vehicle and adjusts its position relative to the ground.
* Better shade performance. Receiver performance is improved in shaded conditions because StarFire™ 3000 automatically tracks weak satellite signals and acquires new ones.
* Over-the-air activation. Receiver upgrades with activations and subscription renewals can be handled over the air, which eliminates the need to manually type in activation codes.
* Diagnostic display. LED lights on the front of the unit notify the operator about receiver status and can help quickly diagnose problems that may arise.
* John Deere reliability. The StarFire™ network remains the first and only system developed exclusively for agriculture and backed by the John Deere name.

"John Deere is proud to be a pioneer in developing precision agriculture solutions that help farmers become more productive,” Bartlett emphasises. "Our new StarFire™ receiver keeps producers up to date with industry-leading technology to improve the accuracy and efficiency of their field operations."

The new StarFire™ 3000 receiver is available now at your local John Deere dealer. For more information on John Deere Precision Ag solutions, visit our Web site or FREECALL 1800 800 981 in Australia and 0800 303 100 in New Zealand to contact your local John Deere dealer. www.deere.com.au

Read more articles in Industry News, by Editor or from August 2010.