Hello, I am completely new to the world of Ag Open GPS. I want to utilize this in Ukraine as a small farmer who doesn’t want to purchase an expensive newer tractor that comes with a expensive subscription to use the gps/autosteer functionality.
But I haven’t seen anywhere on how to connect the AOG receiver to a satellite network. Would/could I have to buy like three or four RTK base stations and just put those at the four corners of my fields so that I don’t need to connect to any satellites? Or how do I connect it to a satellite network? How much would that cost? Are there any networks that aren’t geolocked in Ukraine? Can I just tap into the cell towers for the triangulation?
Also is there anyone here in Ukraine that we could pay to walk us through the setup and also be able to provide in-person support when we break down?
Satellites are the core component to any gps system. You just need an antenna and receiver board to connect to satellites.
I would highly recommend reading through this documentation
Ok thanks! I read through that but I still didn’t find what I was looking for. See, before I knew about AOG I had looked into using hardware from Global Star to accomplish basically the same thing. I had a phone call with one of the sales guys and he told me that I would have to pay for each packet sent to and from my receiver and the Global Star Satellite network.
So that’s kinda where I’m coming from, like I was under the impression that I would have to pay a subscription to get access to satellites, kinda like how Garmin is and how the iPhone’s are.
But your saying that I can just buy a receiver from AOG and have it connect to satellites with no extra cost beyond the cost of the hardware? And without having to pay a subscription to access those satellites?
I don’t know if Ukraine has satellite restrictions, but any where else in the world, you can get 20 cm accuracy with a free connection using any off the shelf hardware.
I am wondering??
Does your question concern a way to access the internet?
Maybe because you have no mobile connection in your field/area?
If no mobile connection is available, you could go down the road of xbee radio.
Which mean a base at your farm xbee radio to your rover in tractor to get rtk precision.
I believe you are allowed to use the long range xbee in Ukraine.
So one base is enough. Distance can be around 50 km, but better to stay below 35 km.
In Denmark we have mobile connection all over, so a base at the farm connected to internet, and then receive messages for rtk with the phone in tractor (and passing to AOG program, or Bluetooth directly to GPS receiver)
If you are talking about gps satellites, My understanding is that multiple countries have satellite networks up that broadcast location information to the ground globally. it is a one way communication, the tractor hardware does not transmit anything back. it is a one way communication, not a two way “connection” . simply recieving this data from multiple satellites (more is better) gets you a “GPS Fix” and is roughly accurate. if you want centimeter accuracy, then you build or borrow a link with a base station. this link is eithier done via internet (most users here) or via radio (xbee’s or similar). i believe there are some companies that broadcast this correction information via satellite rather then from a local base station. this is probably what your other guy was talking about when he talked about a price for each data packet.
Yeah your right. After I posted that, I realized that the subscription you pay with Garmin and iPhones is not for Global positioning, but for the ability to send text messages over satellites when there isn’t any service.
Th Ublox F9P is a popular model. The Unicorecom UM98X is gaining popularity on new builds. Either works well and both are available from a variety of vendors.
I read once, that gps can be restricted by its owner in war zones, so that nobody else can’t use it or only with poor accuracy. Thats why, all major countries will built up there own gps satelite system.
My nephew was in Ukraine for a few weeks to help with rebuilding. He talked with someone that was modifying older tractors to be self driving. I was under the impression that they were using AOG but not absolutely certain.
I understood that they were burning off the field which would explode some of the mines. If they found some, they would shoot them to detonate them. Then this man would send his self driving tractor into the field with a plow to make sure it was safe to enter.
GPS jamming
Most days he would draw the borders onto the map, then send his tractor out to plow, using GPS.
Some days the Russians would jam the satelites so that he couldn’t use them. Then he would set up three or four stations around the field. I don’t know what he used or exactly how it worked. I would really like to know more about it. Somehow he was using the positioning off those stations to give his location.
The people that wanted their land de-mined would make an effort (by burning) to get some of the mines. Then he would come in with an older tractor - so that if he did hit one, not so much was lost. If his tractor was destroyed, he would retrieve the parts he could and put them on another tractor…