Maximum Uptime with The RowSense system

AUTOTRAC ROWSENSE SYSTEM

Reduce operator stress while following crop rows with AutoTrac™ RowSense™ system

Post-emergence operations such as spraying fungicide in July or harvesting corn in October can be stressful for operators. On top of steering the machine, an operator is required to monitor several other areas such as spray rates, ground terrain, grain or forage quality, or managing tender trucks and grain carts. Operating at night, in windy conditions, or while harvesting lodged corn can add even more stress for the operator.

Using feelers that engage the crop rows, AutoTrac RowSense has revolutionized the ability to use AutoTrac for post-emergence applications in later-season corn.

IMPROVE YIELDS THROUGH ACCURATE ROW FOLLOWING

Producers cannot afford to leave any potential yield in the field. Unfortunately, when spraying in standing corn, yield-limiting damage or losses can occur.

When spraying, some operators choose to cross crop rows to simplify spraying and reduce stress. However, this method of spraying can damage more the 2 percent of the plants in the field. To improve yields, many operators follow the crop rows, keeping the wheels between the rows to minimize damage.

Even when driving between standing corn rows, a small lapse in attention can result in significant crop damage. For example, an operator spraying at 15 miles per hour who is misaligned with the row for 1 second could damage more than 90 corn plants. During the course of a day, a few minor misalignments could lead to major damage. With AutoTrac RowSense, the operator can be confident that the sprayer is staying in the row, even if they cannot physically see the sprayer wheels.

 The kit includes two RowSense sensor assemblies with brackets (one for each front wheel). This design detects separate crop rows for better performance in poor crop stands. The paddles can be removed in less than 10 minutes for trailering or operating in other crops where RowSense is not compatible.

NOTE: It is recommended that RowSense sensor paddles should only be installed on the machine when operators are intending to use them for guidance. This should happen later in the crop stages when the crop rows are starting to shade over, making it harder to see the soil. This will help to ensure maximum crop safety.
 

For compatible John Deere sprayers, different sensor brackets are available to support varying row widths. The brackets are mounted within the wheel to help protect them in challenging terrain.
• Original sensor bracket (AKK19252) supports 76.2-cm (30-in.) row spacing
• Revised adjustable sensor brackets (KK66131 and KK63782) are available to support row spacing from 50.8 to 76.2-cm (20 to 30-in.). These brackets can be ordered through Service Parts for producers operating in narrower row spacing.
• Extension bracket kit (BPF11507) orients the sensors 9.4 cm (3.7 in.) closer to the center of the machine to support row spacings from 76.2 to 101.6-cm (30 to 40-in.).

You are accustomed to the benefits that AutoTrac provides. However, in some standing crop conditions, AutoTrac performance may be limited.

Examples include:
• Crops planted without AutoTrac
• Unavailability of guidance lines from planting
• Global positioning system (GPS) drift when using StarFire™ SF1 or SF2 corrections
• Strip-till and ridge-till conditions

In these conditions, AutoTrac Vision provides all the benefits of AutoTrac in post-emergence operations in corn, soybeans, and cotton. A monocular camera is used to detect crop rows and guide the vehicle through standing crop.

Operator benefits include:
• Reduced fatigue as manually driving in standing crop increases fatigue and mistakes
• Less crop damage due to a reduction of operator errors
• Higher speeds, thus increasing productivity. AutoTrac Vision can spray up to 20 percent faster compared to manual driving
• Increased focus on other key functions rather than focusing solely on steering
 

Decrease crop damage, reduce operator fatigue, and operate at higher speeds compared to manual driving by enabling the equipment to follow the actual planted crop row.

• AutoTrac™ Vision uses a front-mounted camera to see early-season corn, soybeans and cotton at least 4 to 6 inches high. An industry exclusive from John Deere.
• This guidance system helps sprayer wheels stay in the center of each row and dramatically reduce yield-robbing crop damage, even if planter drift causes misalignment or the AB line from planting isn’t available at spraying.
• You can spray faster with less fatigue - especially valuable in tight application windows. Increasing sprayer speeds from 14 up to 18 mph (22.5 to 29 km/h) can allow an operator to cover more than 20% more acres every day. Plus, both systems dramatically reduce yield-robbing crop damage.
• This helps sprayer operators of all experience levels do their jobs with higher productivity because they can better focus on other things besides steering.
• Each guidance option features its own unique input system. It detects the location of the crop in the row and then signals AutoTrac™ so it can steer the sprayer wheels precisely between the rows.
• Couple with AutoTrac™ RowSense™ for reliable guidance in later-season corn. Isnt it time to control your Row Rage? See your John Deere Dealer for details. Performance that pays.

Straight tracks

When working in a field that allows for straight guidance lines, you are able to create an initial straight line. Once the track has been defined, all subsequent track lines in the field are created parallel to each other at the defined track spacing distance. Subsequent passes are identical to the first pass Identical subsequent passes

Curve tracks

When working on terrain that does not allow for straight lines to be used, such as rolling hills or contours, curve track mode enables you to follow the curvature of your guidance lines. AutoTrac provides you with the following curve types:
Adaptive curves allow you to record a manually driven curved path
A/B curves allow you to drive a curved line in the field with two end points

Circle tracks

Designed for fields with a center pivot, the Gen 4 AutoTrac activation allows you to create concentric circle guidance lines by either driving the circle or by entering latitude and longitude coordinates.

Boundary Fill Tracks

By creating a guidance line that is ½ track spacing inward from the exterior boundary of the field, you are provided with a quick and easy way to get started with the initial passes around the field. This allows you to create guidance lines along fence lines and exterior boundaries inward until a regular guidance line is selected for use throughout the rest of the field.
 

NOTE: This tracking method is intended for use with exterior passes and not as a one-line solution for the entire field. It requires a boundary used for creation to be present in the display for the boundary fill pattern to be used. If the boundary is deleted, the guidance line will be deleted as well unless selected as current track. Set and follow tracks on the guidance run page

Get started quicker with easy-to-use interface
Gen 4 AutoTrac™ leverages the simple, modern interface offered with the Gen 4 family of displays. The following features allow both you and your machines to be more productive with AutoTrac on the Gen 4 displays:

• Set an A/B line without losing visibility to the guidance map.
• Name and edit guidance lines.
• Select straight track or curve track by toggling between two tabs.
• Tracking options include a picture to illustrate the difference between each tracking mode.
• Swap track allows you to quickly switch between tracks.
• Utilize improved curve track interfaces.
• A/B lines extensions can be turned off.
•Add a Quick Line softkey to the shortcut bar using the Layout Manager.
• Machine access patterns allow you to insert field roads between crop passes.
• Create guidance lines from boundaries.
• On-screen help is available at any time to keep you informed.
• Warnings and diagnostics lead you to quick solutions.