Best cheapest positioning hardware?

Hi,

I’m working on a project to put together a blueprint for a basic guidance setup using AgOpenGPS for grassland use. Spreading fertiliser and spraying really is all, no need for auto steer or high precision. This is work that’s normally guided by looking sideways at your wheel marks 6M or more away in the field and staying the same distance from them so anything is better than that :slight_smile:

Cost is one of the biggest drivers in my project, I’m trying to make this as accessible as possible for the small farmer.

I’ve already been posting in the light bar thread and have that bit figured out so now I’m looking at the huge array of options around receivers but also the inclinometers and the like.

This type of work doesn’t need centimetre accuracy, 30-50cm would be enough, what it can involve is relatively high speed work in modern tractors and the ground will tend to be more hilly than your typical tillage field.

What should I choose for the GPS hardware? I don’t have a free RTK option available and I’m hoping not to need one. For my sub 50cm target do I need an f9p or is something like an m8p sufficient for pass to pass accuracy?

Also what about inclinometers/accellerometers? these are important for hills right?
Would the dog2 bring much benefit in my type of application over the cheaper bno+mma solution?

As I say, budget is a key factor here, trying to come up with something thats only as expensive as it needs to be.

Cheers,

John

An inclinometer is not needed for the purpose you are talking about but I would not give up RTK. A single receiver will not give better accuracy than the one you have on your phone. So either rtk or some other correction system is rather necessary.

What part of the world are you in?

The popular f9p will now support free SBAS correction signals such as WAAS and EGNOS (depending on your region). You could then upgrade quite easily to RTK later, but there is probably plenty of cheaper receivers if you never intend to go that far.

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Sorry I should have mentioned that.

In Ireland so egnos is available.

I was wondering about receiver tech, saw this article elsewhere Comparing a uBlox Zed-F9P GPS with a M8P without external corrections - Blog - ArduPilot Discourse

Is that still not going to be good enough?

Do commercial receivers do any better? Entry level stuff like the Trimble 250?