Hands Free Farm RANGER User Manual

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User Guide

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Summary of Contents for Hands Free Farm RANGER

Page 1 User Guide...
Page 2 PN 875-0416-01 Rev A...
Page 3: Check Package Contents
Use the instructions in this guide to install RANGER. See page 4. Power on and Use RANGER Turn on RANGER and learn discover how to use RANGER to provide GPS guidance to efficiently working your field. See page 7. Get help when needed Visit handsfreefarm.com to learn more about RANGER or to download the full...
Page 4: Safety Warnings
The warnings below provide information that identifies hazards associated with potential injury or death and tells you how to avoid them. The warnings apply whenever you use RANGER. Read and understand this manual and all the warnings below before installing, operating, or performing maintenance or service on RANGER. Do not allow anyone to operate without instruction.
Page 5: Kit Contents
KIT CONTENTS Kit Contents Unpack your RANGER kit and identify the parts as shown. Part Number Description Photograph 803-0066-000 Console 150-1013-000# Antenna, 1575.42 MHz 604-0019-000# Console mounting (suction cup) hardware 675-1123-000# Screw, machine, 8-32, 7/16" Attach mounting ball to back of console...
Page 6: Mounting The Antenna
(see at right). Routing the Antenna Cable When routing the antenna cable: • Make sure the RANGER console is powered off before attaching the cables. • DO NOT bend the cable to a radius of less than 6”. •...
Page 7 INSTALLING RANGER Connecting the Console to a Power Source Connect the console to your preferred power source using one of the two options below. Option 1 Option 2 Connect to 12 V Power Source Connect to Compatible Rate Controller 1. Connect one end of the main power cable 1.
Page 8: Mounting The Console
To mount the console: 1. Using the four machine screws, attach the RAM ball mount securely to the back of the RANGER console. 2. Using the two self-tapping screws, install the RAM pedestal to the vacuum cup. Tighten the screws securely.
Page 9 USING RANGER Using Ranger The following sections get you up and running quickly to use RANGER to optimize your guided-steering work. • “Powering RANGER and Verifying Your GPS Signal” (below) • “Console Overview” on page 8 • “Guidance Mode Feature Comparison” on page 9 •...
Page 10: Console Overview
USING RANGER Console Overview The following table shows the front and rear views of the RANGER terminal and describes each numbered feature. Item Description Views Steering guide (LEDs arc) Illuminated LEDs left/right of center indicate direction you need to steer to become...
Page 11 USING RANGER Guidance Mode Feature Comparison RANGER supports two guidance options: Straight guidance mode and Contour guidance mode. Use the table below to learn about each mode. Feature Straight Mode Contour Mode Guidance mode Predefined parallel and Freestyle, where RANGER...
Page 12 USING RANGER Setting Up RANGER RANGER includes several settings that enable you to tailor your system to your needs. Review the following sections to quickly set up RANGER for your field. • “Settings Overview” (below) - shows all the settings in a single map and describes the buttons you use to access the menu, navigate the menu, and change/view settings •...
Page 13 Width of the implement or boom. Sensitivity Options: Low, Medium, Guidance sensitivity level that determines how aggressively the or High RANGER steering guide LEDs guide you toward your pass when Default: Medium approaching it from close proximity. • Low: Smooth guidance adjustments, eventual lack of...
Page 14 RS-232 serial interface using NMEA 0183 messages. Various third-party connecting cables and kits are available for such applications as yield monitors, rate controllers, and laptops. Make sure RANGER and the external application use the same baud rate. When using an output rate of 5 HZ use a higher baud rate (such as 19200) than the default (4800).
Page 15: Using Straight Guidance
All other passes are uniformly spaced on both sides of the first pass. Once an A=B line is established, RANGER generates an invisible array of equally spaced swath lines in multiples of the swath width parallel to and emanating from both sides of the A=B line (see figure at right) and provides guidance along any line you steer the tractor to.
Page 16 0 (zero). 6. Turn around and drive toward the next pass. RANGER auto-detects the pass and begins guiding. The steering guide indicates if you are centered on your pass (vertical yellow LEDs) or if you need to steer left or right to become centered on your pass (red LEDs on left = steer to left;...
Page 17: Using Contour Guidance
Calculating the Area of a Field At the beginning of each new field, you can use RANGER to calculate the field perimeter area of the first contour pass around the field. If you set units to feet, the area is in acres; if units are meters, the area is in hectares.
Page 18 Repeatedly pressing an arrow button cycles through the screens and heading at right; repeatedly pressing the other arrow button cycles through the same screens in reverse order. Snap distance (for A=B lines) Press Straight to generate parallel paths for RANGER to follow (the menu below appears) HANDSFREEFARM.COM...
Page 19 3. (Optional) Press MENU to return to the ‘Ready’ screen. Returning to a Saved Point RANGER can guide you to a previously saved point, such as the point you needed to reload product to finish working your field. 1. Press STOP Guidance to stop guiding (stop logging data) and display additional menu items.
Page 20 Item Description Correction Type Type of differential correction being used. RANGER supports two corrections types: SBAS (default) and e-Dif. Use e-Dif when/where SBAS is unavailable. Sats Number of GPS satellites currently visible in the sky (does not include correction satellites).
Page 21 USING RANGER Troubleshooting Flowchart Use the flowchart below to help you troubleshoot RANGER, if necessary. START Check integrity of Verify power input Turn power power cable voltage is switch on connections 9 – 36 VDC Does S-Lite Is power Is proper...
Page 22 Testing Antenna Voltage The RANGER antenna is powered by the console via the antenna wire. Using a voltmeter, test the antenna voltage to verify the console is supplying power to the antenna and that the antenna cable is not damaged.
Page 24 www.handsfreefarm.com...