Yearly calibration is an important step to ensure realistic numbers for your yield data. If you are going to fuss over GPS accuracy, you should be equally fussed over this crucial yearly maintenance task.
AgLeader Technology offers this advice in the June 2011 Insights Newsletter:
I know that some of you are already harvesting wheat, but this is a good list to look at before you start each crop. Getting ready for harvest means checking and servicing 4 important components:
1. Completing a vehicle inspection
2. Calibrating your sensors
3. Setting up your monitor in the cab
4. Get your software ready in the office. In fact, I recommend you start with software FIRST! Here is how:
I don't know of a single yield mapping customer who has not had a "D'OH" moment, when reviewing yield data, only to see a duplicated field name, yield data which shows up in the wrong field and other disappointments. The more of these wrongly assigned bits of data, the greater the frustration of the software user. Many have simply thrown up their hands in surrender, blamed the brand or abandoned the exercise in confusion. My general reaction to these problems is to say "No big deal..."
So you have downloaded some yield data. Now what?
I recommend every user become familiar with the following basic functions.
1. Learn to bring data in and out of the main map window.
2. Look at the summary details as well as the map.
3. Change the legend to 'see' the data in different ways.
4. Learn to change from point view to region views.
Anyone who said you can't learn anything from one year's yield maps should be taken out behind the barn and slapped! HARD.
