AmericanCowman.com: Timely, practical production and management strategies that will add efficiency, value, and profitability to cattle herds with up to 100 head.
The Radius CT200 system continues to be Motorola's mainstay in the commercial market, but the company's latest offering for the professional market (the tier above commercial) offers additional features that could be of value in the agricultural market. Called the Mototrbo, it communicates via a digital signal instead of the analog signal offered by the Radius CT200. This allows the radio to broadcast more effectively where radio bands are crowded. Digital transmission also enhances battery life and range and provides other features. These include background noise canceling (the sound of a tractor in the background virtually disappears) and Internet connectivity, which allows handsets to send text messages to cell phones, computers and other Internet devices anywhere in the world (in addition to being transmitted to other radios on the system).
Mototrbo also has built-in telemetry and GPS. The latter allows a central computer to see locations of all users and stamps individual radio transmission with location data. As used by Hinze and his crew, this capability allows a field scout's location to be linked with scouting observations when they are relayed to the mobile office.
All this technology comes with a higher price tag — about $1,000 for a handheld radio with GPS, which is about twice the cost of CT200 handhelds. A repeater radio, which Hinze uses to extend his system's range to about 150 miles, costs $1,000 to $2,000 for the CT200 system and $2,000 to $2,500 for the Mototrbo digital system. Visit www.motorola.com/mototrbo for details.
Workhorse printer
When Hinze bought his first Hewlett Packard Business Inkjet 1200 color duplex printers a few years back, he paid $550 for each printer. Today, the list price is in the $350 range and was available for $100 less in late April. That's about half the price of the duplex version of Hewlett Packard's top-of-the-line color ink-jet printer, the Business Inkjet 2800.
Although the monthly duty cycle rating of the high-end model is about twice as large (12,000 vs. 6,250 pages) as that of the less-expensive model, the printing speed is actually faster with the economy machine.
“We have found HP 1200 to be an economical machine,” Hinze says. “We get about three seasons of use per machine.”
Hinze prefers two-sided printing, so he buys the duplex model, which costs $100 more than the non-duplex version.
Information about the HP Business Inkjet 1200 printer is available at www.hp.com.
Power to spare
To power mobile office laptop computers and printers, Hinze installed a 1,000W power inverter from Xantrex. An inverter provides reliable AC power. A high-quality truck battery, kept in good condition, is critical.
Hinze chose the Prowatt 1000 inverter, which has a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $300 and provides a modified sine wave (MSW) output, which can power laptop computers, most ink-jet printers and radios, according to Xantrex. True sine wave (TSW) output is needed to power laser printers, power tool chargers and high-end audio visual electronics. The Xantrex Prosine 1000, which delivers TSW power, has an MSRP of $890.
The Pro series is the newest MSW inverter line from Xantrex. The 1,000W model features a detachable, digital remote control to display inverter, AC source and battery status information. Its MSRP is $275. Visit www.xantrex.com for details.
Innovative system
In Hinze's first mobile office, his laptop computer was mounted inside a home-built wooden cabinet lined with carpet to protect the computer and pickup upholstery. Now his laptop is mounted on a low-cost rotating post typically used for mounting seats in fishing boats.
Hinze buys his posts from Cabela's, the sporting goods company. The post's base is bolted to the floorboards and centered in the cab. The rotating feature makes operating the computer from the driver or passenger seat convenient. A locking feature holds the swivel in place.
“The post offers strength, support and somewhat of a shock absorber in the physical center of the cab of the truck,” Hinze says. For a look at fishing boat seat post options, visit www.cabelas.com. Search for “boat seat pedestal.”
Industrial PC
DLoG LOGISTICS has designed an industrial, mobile personal computer that works in challenging environmental conditions. The new DNet MPC 5/110 features
Take your office on the road
WHILE A discussion about how to trick out your truck usually includes talk about various pieces of chrome, tips on how to trick out your truck office
New formulation
DUPONT'S STEWARD EC insecticide in a new formulation has received registration approval from EPA. The new formulation is in a more convenient form, according
No-shake shots
CANON'S NEW Elph PowerShot SD700 IS digital camera uses image-stabilization technology from its video camera and high-end still camera lines to improve
Switch hitter
THE PIONEER Inno portable satellite radio plays XM Satellite Radio's 160 digital radio channels, plus MP3 and WMA music files. It also has memory to record
Less chemistry, more biotechnology
BY NOW, it's no surprise to most agricultural retailers that few new herbicides are entering the corn and soybean marketplace. Because new product development
Computers don't get tired
The sole purpose of Tri-State LLC, located in Fairmount, ND, is to supply either raw or blended fertilizer for other retailers. For that reason, it has
PRODUCTS
New fertilizer grades Honeywell has launched two new grades of Sulf-N ammonium sulfate (21-0-0-24S) and improved quality specifications and supply for
Software developers and suppliers 2005
AGRIS Corporation 800/795-7995; Fax: 770/238-5205 E-mail: info@agris.com; sales@agris.com Web site: www.agris.com What's new: AgroGuide is an agronomy
One up on Wal-Mart
AN IMPORTANT part of the success of Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, is attributed to its sophisticated inventory management systems. In the world
Inoculant application system
PIONEER HI-BRED International says silage producers can save time and wear and tear on their choppers by using its patented Appli-Pro Super Low Volume
Pollen blocker
HOEGEMEYER HYBRIDS, a regional seed company based in Hooper, NE, appears to have found a way to prevent cross contamination of pollen from genetically
Wireless grain
COMMODITY Resource Corporation (CRC) based in Caledonia, NY, is one of a growing number of operations that are working to bring bulk commodity handling
Super sprayer
MODERN Flow Equipment reinvented its big sprayer line from the ground up. Built for high-acreage growers and custom applicators to service both large
Grain aeration system
BROCK GRAIN Systems has developed the Parthenon support system specifically for use with the Brock Tri-Corr aeration and drying floor. The new floor system
State-of-the-art facility
SYNGENTA SEEDS recently celebrated renovations to its Phillips, NE, corn production facility. The $4.7 million project increases the plant's seed-conditioning
Highlights from Louisville farm show
THE NATIONAL Farm Machinery Show held February 15-18 in Louisville, KY, had a record-setting attendance year, with more than 312,000 people visiting the
A boom in control
AUTOMATIC BOOM section control is emerging as one of the most popular features on high-tech sprayers. As controller manufacturers have added this option
Aerial detective
DEALERS INTERESTED in applying variable rates of crop inputs based on current crop conditions have another service option in 2006, courtesy of John Deere
Friends of the environment
THE DECISION to invest in new storage and handling facilities in the last few years has reaped rewards for Eastern Farmers Co-op and Farmers Elevator
Spiral stairway
BROWNIE'S NEW Safe-T-Max spiral stairway system is made of all-galvanized steel and modular construction for easy installation. Smooth, circular, 1-in.
Signal interrupted?
THE TEMPORARY loss of a base signal on a guidance system no longer means lost work time. John Deere Ag Management Solutions (AMS) recently received a
Be your own weatherman
Dynasen For remote monitoring, Dynasen's custom-built Sens-Alert systems offer three choices: a radio-controller interface unit (RCIU), digital cell phone
Buy big, run hard, work smart
In an era of higher costs and increasing competitive pressures for custom application services, Meadowland Farmers Cooperative has relied on a three-pronged
Next level of guidance
When lightbar guidance systems came on the market a few years back, agricultural retailers and custom applicators quickly saw their potential to improve both application quality and the quantity of work that could be accomplished in a day
Sprayer upgrades
CASE IH expands its commercial sprayer lineup with four new floater models. The FLX 20 series floaters offer more power than the previous 10 series floaters
Droppable laptop
Panasonic's new business-rugged Toughbook notebook computer line is designed for maximum reliability and rough handling including a drop from a foot off
Paid Content 
Enhanced for the Web
