AN advanced range of field monitoring equipment is allowing local farmers to fine-tune growing conditions and maximise yields of their crops, while avoiding potentially catastrophic crop failures as a result of pests or chemical damage.
HOBOnet Field Monitoring Systems are being used across the globe wherever high-value crops are being grown. In most instances these are sensitive to micro-climate variations such as temperature, rainfall, and soil moisture, which directly affect quality and profitability. The systems can also monitor water and pesticides usage, which represent significant costs and are under greater scrutiny as governments and consumers place a higher priority on sustainability.
Distributed and supported by local technology provider, Euca Technologies, on behalf of one of the world’s leading logging and monitoring systems specialist companies, Onset Computer Corporation, the local distributor has access to the vast range of field monitoring systems that can be tailor-made to almost any farming requirements.
Cloud-based monitoring
According to Euca Technologies managing director, Ernest Campling, the scalable HOBOnet Field Monitoring System includes everything needed to capture near real-time outdoor or greenhouse data. Based on its field-proven remote monitoring station and powerful cloud-based HOBOlink software for remote system management, HOBOnet features a full suite of wireless sensors covering a range of outdoor measurements.
He said that HOBOlink is a web-enabled software platform that makes it easy to view data and manage the HOBOnet Field Monitoring System remotely. It works with the RX3000 Remote Monitoring Station and new wireless smart sensors to provide growers and research scientists with instant access to site-specific environmental data anywhere, anytime from mobile or desktop devices, integrated with Google Maps, so growers and researchers can quickly view the connection patterns for their HOBOnet system and details such as alarm status and readings from the last connection.
At the heart of the HOBOnet system is the HOBO RX3000 Remote Monitoring Station, which is easy to setup and robust enough for tough African farming conditions. It features flexible support for a broad range of wired and wireless smart sensors, an LCD display for easy field deployment, a rugged double-weatherproof enclosure, and 24/7 cloud-based data access through configurable cloud access.
Easy-to-use
“Our new wireless SmartSensors for monitoring temperature, humidity, rain, wind, soil moisture, solar radiation, and PAR, are compact sensors that include a built-in solar panel for battery charging and can be placed anywhere they’re needed, up to 457 metres apart, providing coverage for hectares of land or groups of greenhouses.
“With the simple push of a button, the sensors connect and create an intelligent wireless mesh network that provides an adaptive and highly reliable communication path for data to stream back to the RX3000 Remote Monitoring Station and to HOBOlink running in the cloud,” Campling said.
“The HOBOnet Field Monitoring System is available from Euca Technologies with an online configurator also available to help growers and researchers choose the system components that support their specific needs.” – GeekWire.co.za
