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F400 Platemeter Manual

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1. ENTER Used to switch unit ON and OFF and to accept selections When the unit is first switched on the display will show the model number and the version number The menu options will then be displayed for selection with Measure being the first option to be displayed Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 35 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 12 3 Menu Options There are a number of menu options available for section on the F400 1 Measure This option allows for paddock and equation selection prior to starting Pasture Walk Please refer to section 16 Taking Paddock Readings The Pasture Walk for more information 2 Temperature This option displays the current temperature in Degrees Celsius e g 20 9 Celsius 3 Date amp Time This option displays the current date and time 24 hour in the following format HH MM SS DD MM YYYY 4 Battery Level This option displays the Battery Level in Volts Charged Volts 4 23 5 Zero Calibrate This option displays the Calibration status and allows you to re calibrate if required For more details on how to use the Zero Calibration feature please refer to section 12 4 4 how to Zero Calibrate your Plate Meter 6 Anti roll This option displays the Anti roll status and allows you to turn the Anti roll ON OFF Having Anti roll ON means it will wait for a period of time before taking a measurement If Anti roll is ON it will show the following o
2. assessment type a i Co IE Start date of reporting year to display on graphs along with years used Target Cover green shade Current today s AE RE A T E Cover black vertical line Previous covers by year Various colours Feed Wedge of the top twenty paddocks green and the average cover line red The green line is the trend The New button Brings up the Add Edit Pasture Cover Window see section 4 3 The Add Edit Screen for Pasture Covers This window is the entry screen for recording pasture covers Before recording select the method to be used for recording manual eyeball AG HUB Electronic Plate Meter Feed Reader etc as well as the Pasture Equation The Options button provides the following Page 18 Edit Covers edit an existing cover already recorded Delete a cover Show the graph key for the years of colours available Redraw the graph refreshes the graph Edit the Target Covers Pasture Cover Importer Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 4 5 The Add Edit Screen for Pasture Covers Click the Equations button to add or modify the plate meter or rapid pasture sensor equations Equations NK Add Edit Pasture Covers Adding or modifying Help Cancel gt Management Unit an units aad equations liane is l Full Partial D Estimate Walk Order List Order Date and Method 10 00 a Date 23705 2014 87 00
3. 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 23 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL A more accurate calibration can be achieved by taking cuttings or your consultant may be able to advice you on the most appropriate equation for you Today DairyNZ are promoting a new range of equations to more accurately reflect the changes in the growth stages of the pasture There may be some modification to these equations depending on the season and the influences of management practices e g irrigation Check with your DairyNZ or other consultant for the latest equations http www dairynz co nz You may choose to select your Plate Meter to not calculate the KgDM ha and use the equations This gives you the ability to use a different equation if you feel the monthly equation is not suitable for your pasture To configure the equation A is the add figure and B is the multiply figure Examples of Equations are Feed Reader Default A 250 B 27 5 C 0 No equation A 0 B 1 C 0 Rapid PM Default A 750 B 18 60 C 0 Page 24 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 5 USB Drivers 5 1 What are USB Drivers A USB Driver is software that provides users of Devices containing an FTDI chip the ability to connect and use the device on computer running Windows 98 or Windows ME 5 2 How to install the USB Drivers Under Windows 98 and ME the Found New Hardware Wizard should be used to install devices when the
4. ERASE F400 amp reload paddocks C Get measurements from F400 ComPort is closed Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 41 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 14 Uploading Data amp Equations to F400 14 1 1 14 1 2 14 1 3 14 1 4 14 1 5 14 1 6 14 1 7 14 1 8 14 1 9 14 1 10 14 1 11 14 1 12 14 1 13 Page 42 Connect the Mini USB cable to both the F400 and a spare USB port on your computer If this is the first time you have connected a F400 Plate Meter to your computer please follow the prompts to install the driver if the drivers cannot be found automatically by windows please select c pplus drivers as the location for windows to check Please refer to section 5 USB Drivers Start up P Plus Farm Management Software on your computer if it is not already running If your farm name is not displayed in the main grey title bar the screen shot below shows the farm name as Own Farm then from the Farm menu click on Select Farm This will display a list of your farms to choose from If you have not yet created your own farm please follow the steps in section 4 1 Pasture Cover Setup to create your farm s and paddocks Select the Pasture Covers button from the main tool bar 4 P Plus Pasture Covers Demonstration Farm Weather PDF Manuals AgHub Help Pasture Click on New as if you were creating a New Pasture Cover The Add Edit Pasture Cover
5. Map this enables you to utilise a GPS map an aerial photo or an existing map You can create maps measure paddocks alter fences plus create a host of layers of information including drainage water supply trees and physical features such as contours soils and productive areas You can load GPS data some conditions apply or images that are in a jpg or bmp file format Paddock monitor fertiliser and pesticide applications plus any activity associated with paddocks including cash inputs and outputs Pasture Cover for recording pasture covers from Plate Meters and other measuring devices to provide covers over time growth rates and feed wedges This is provided free with any purchase of the Ag Hub Electronic Rising Plate Meter or the Feed Reader Pasture Cover also runs as a standalone module for those only wanting to record their pasture cover details Page 58 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub Feed Forecaster Budget for dairy sheep beef and deer This enables daily weekly and annual budgeting Farmers can proactively anticipate and therefore more effectively manage their feed plan and requirements Includes Weather and Pasture Cover modules F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Computer Specifications What size computers will P Plus operate on and what version of Windows do I require We recommend the following computer specification for P Plus e Operating system Windows ME 2000 XP wind
6. The F400 remembers the state it was in so when you switch it back on it will carry on from where you left off If you need to negotiate an obstacle e g fence or creek switch the unit off so that no readings are taken if the plate moves On the other side of the obstacle switch the unit back on and continue taking readings The F400 remembers the state it was in so when you switch it back on it will carry on from where you left off Pressing the RIGHT arrow key changes the units which the average readings are displayed in KGDM to Millimetres to Clicks LEFT arrow keys then changes the units for the average readings from Clicks to Millimetres to KGDM Clicks are measured in 0 5cm and will be displayed to one decimal place i e 0 0 or 12 4 Note 1 click 0 5cm Issue Date August 2014 Page 45 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 16 1 9 UP arrow key will display Last Cover in KGDM Ha Last height in mm Last Equation used Paddock Size in Ha Application Date and Application Rate KgN Ha Press Esc to return to the current readings To show Nitrogen Application date and rate you will need P Plus Map and Paddock 16 1 10 When you have completed the paddock press the ENTER key for the option to save the readings Use the LEFT arrow key for No and RIGHT arrow key for Yes Selecting No will show an additional prompt which requires the ENTER key to be pressed to confirm the deletion of the readings 16 1 11 If Yes is sel
7. The cog has wound off F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Replace Request a spare cog from Apollo Electronics Ltd Potentiometer damaged The Potentiometer is the blue part that drives the cog NB Under no circumstances should you apply CRC or light oil to the potentiometer It is a dry bearing and any lubricant will render the potentiometer useless Check the metal shaft is coming right back into the base of the black tube Ensure there is no grass or soil build up preventing it from doing so Also check the large washer at the bottom of the shaft is not catching on the bottom of the plate Check the cog is running smoothly on the shaft If the counter is mounted too close to the metal shaft there will be quite a lot of friction when taking a reading If the counter is mounted too far away from the metal shaft the cog is liable to jump a notch easily 20 3 Cog becoming worn Check Send to Apollo Electronics Ltd for service and repair Clean the Plate Meter and zero calibrate if required Re assemble the Plate Meter Resolution Not aligned correctly on the shaft Re align the cog or replace the cog Order from Apollo Electronics Ltd 20 4 The counter continuously beeps and eventually turns off This is normally due to a low battery The counter requires a given level of power to operate correctly If the battery doesn t have sufficient power it may continuously beep to warn you Re
8. bracket with the holes in the back of the counter Place a screw and washer in each side of the clip and half tighten making sure that the Cog is not too close or too far away from the metal shaft tighten the four screws The metal shaft should move freely inside the black tube Turn it to make sure it moves easily in all positions If it sticks then either the black tube or metal shaft may be damaged bent or corroded and may need replacing or it is not correctly aligned on the counter Attach the plastic plate by screwing on to the bulb of the black tube Place the Plate Meter in an upright position on a hard surface to check the plate closes fully IMPORTANT Before attempting your first pasture walk follow the instructions in sections 12 4 Things to do before you start your walk and 12 4 3 Zero Calibration Page 32 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub Enhancement In early 2006 the black tube has been modified to accept a single saddle arrangement that will reduce the need for the rubber strips and provide greater binding therefore reducing the chances of the saddle moving on the shaft F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 9 Caring For Your Plate Meter 9 1 Avoid getting the counter wet The counter is in a robust case which is splash proof however as it is an electronic device so try to avoid getting the counter saturated 9 2 Keep the shaft clean The shaft can get a build up of dirt that affec
9. Cover Graph Graphs the average farm cover by year Also shows the cover target line as well It can be used to compare different year s average cover on the farm Tonnes Grown This will provide a report on Tonnes of DM grown per Ha in each paddock along with the number of days growing and the annual total for each paddock Cover Entry Form Prints a form to write down your paddock covers The paddocks are in your walk order or list order and each paddock has the last two covers available so you can see how each paddock compares to its previous readings while out on the farm HINT Fold the printed form in half long ways and staple onto a piece of hard cardboard The sheet should fit in your pocket while still displaying all the information you need while out on the farm Page 48 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 19 Updating the F400 Software Version 1 10 Start up P Plus Farm Management Software on your computer if it is not already running Connect the USB cable to a USB socket on your computer Ensure the F400 unit is switched OFF Press and hold the DOWN Arrow key on the F400 unit while plugging the Mini USB Cable into the Mini USB socket on the top of the F400 unit If connection has been established then the Green LED will flash above the Disk symbol on the front of the unit Ensure that the file containing the new version of software for the F400 is copied into your P
10. Key please check the licence key you have entered is correct otherwise contact Ag Hub Technical Support for further assistance Page 10 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 3 3 Re Licensing P Plus may need to be re licensed on a replacement computer or in the event of significant changes being made to your computer In either case P Plus may become un licensed This will require the generation and issue of a new licence file In this case contact AG HUB or print out the licence from the new or modified computer and forward this accordingly On the receipt of this request for a new licence file this will be emailed back to you where possible A small charge 25 will be made to cover costs associated with this to ensure all user details can be maintained to allow support and upgrade conditions to be continued 3 4 Solutions to Licensing Issues The 30 day trial period screen will not go away but I have received my licence from Ag Hub There is often more than one problem Firstly you may not be saving the PP txt to the C PPlus directory Often users are saving it to their My Documents directory or the Desktop You will need to ensure that your press the browse button and then use the scroll bar to select the P Plus folder on your Local Disk usually Drive C When saving the file to disk ensure that it pops up the question Do you want to over write the existing file By over wr
11. Meter Reading x 115 850 Plate Meter Reading x 120 1000 Plate Meter Reading x 140 1200 The P Plus Farm Management software allows you to select your own equations or use those recommended by consultants DairyNZ or Meat amp Wool Please refer to section 3 Current New Zealand Dairy Equations for more examples of the DairyNZ equations 12 4 3 Start up Self test Switch On The unit will beep and display F400 and the version of software followed by the first of the menu options Measure If the battery is low the F400 will beep and will then display Recharge If the battery gets down to 3 3 volts the Red LED will blink twice the unit will beep and turn off automatically and no further readings can be taken until the battery has been fully recharged 12 4 4 How to Zero Calibrate your Plate Meter To ensure the Plate Meter accurately measures the compressed height of pasture the counter must be calibrated This requires setting a base level of zero so measurements can be benchmarked against this If the counter does not return to zero after each plonk it will not record the measurement hence the counter will not beep If the counter is removed from the black tube or receives a severe knock it may jump a groove on the steel shaft which will put the counter out of calibration It will need to be re calibrated To perform the calibration please refer to the following steps gt Switch the unit on by pr
12. Meter is available via Bluetooth e Integration with the Ag Hub downloadable Plate Meters F300 and F400 via USB e All modules can be standalone or integrated into one system as required You do not have to purchase the full program e Integration with the Ag Hub Feed Reader What do I have to do to get started with P Plus We can send you a demonstration disk or you can download P Plus from our website All the modules will be enabled for a trial period of 30 days Prior to the end of this period you will need to purchase the relevant modules before you can continue using the software The new modules cannot be registered until Ag Hub has received and processed payment for them Any data you have entered during the trial period will be available for you to continue with after registration is complete If Ag Hub have drawn a farm map for you for a small fee we can load the map file into the demonstration version so that you can evaluate the software as it relates to your property Where do I get an Aerial Photo If you choose to draw your farm map you may need an aerial photo There are a number of aerial photo suppliers You can get colour aerial photos from Terra link or NZ Aerial Mapping Ag Hub can fly your farm and provide a digital farm photo Contact the Ag Hub Sales Team if you are interested in this option Can I connect a handheld GPS device to P Plus Yes you can P Plus communicates with the Garmin Etrex Legend Garmin GPS 72
13. P Plus Pasture Covers Demonstration Farm Weather PDF Manuals AgHub Help Setup Reports 13 1 4 Click on New as if you were creating a New Pasture Cover If it is the first time you have connected a Plate Meter to your computer you will be asked for the Com port number that it is connected to 13 1 5 The Add Edit Pasture Covers window appears 13 1 6 Make sure that the F400 Electronic Plate Meter is the selected method If this is the first time you have selected the F400 as the method you will be prompted for the COM port number it is attached to using the Mini USB cable 13 1 7 Pressing the Equations button at the l Equations OK Add Edit Pasture Covers top of the Add Edit Pasture Covers aa U Help a window allows creation of new Assessment is Estimate Covers 3 ear ge Full Partial 7 Estimate equations and editing of existing Walk Order List Order Date and Method equations mi 1l g Date 470672014 El E 0 00 Select Method 13 1 8 When you have either created or edited a F400 Electronic Platemeter an Equation press the Close button to ae EET save 0 00 Paddock Details ou Area 1 74 hectares Cover Equati 13 1 9 The New or Updated Equation can now a Pand PM Contebuy pl be transferred to the F400 unit Please ae P San refer to section 14 Uploading Data amp 0 00 Equations to F400 for detailed ao instructions on how to do this T LETE F400
14. cover or average cover displayed for the property Use the scroll bar to see the lower part of the page The report can be sorted by Cover by selecting the Sort Group Data option Note the growth shown is the growth between walks NOT average growth Average Growth will be displayed in a future version BUT you must use the pre grazing and post grazing flags when entering your pasture covers for this new report to work Cover on Date All units File No4 No4 o Date 70820065 7 08 2006 1881 kgDM ha Paddock Crop Pre Cover Total Last Growth Name ped Post kgDMha Cover kgDMha d Flag 3 08 2006 1 alea et 1202596 1222 O 3io2 J 2a S S S T al aera 333 e 1434 3685 gag 1544 4678 1555 1666 4265 1666 O arrr 4727 1777 27 8 2000 6480 2333 ttt 4982 2444 13 G17 24 2232 5357 2555 ee Ts Yt fd O 1777 4727 vi7 O O 7 Yt Feed Wedge on Date This report is far more configurable than the default feed wedge that is automatically displayed You can display all paddocks not just the top 20 and exclude cropped and shut up paddocks If you require you can adjust the kgDM ha range for example 1700 2300 kgDM ha so you can more easily see the difference between the paddocks To adjust the kgDM ha double click on the graph and another window will appear Set the minimum and maximum value as required The green trend line is configured from the Target Covers Window Section 4 6
15. help identify any possible issues Make amp Model Optional If you know the brand and make of your computer please enter it here It usually appears somewhere on the front of the computer box Processor Type Optional Only enter this if you know Printer Some printers react differently with different programs The make and model assists identifying printer issues Windows Version Optional Enter your Windows version 98 through to Vista When you have completed the licence details you can select to either email them directly to Ag Hub or print them off for faxing or posting Email Button Press the Email button and confirm if you are connected to the Internet Your email program should appear with the address completed and your licence file request attached Press Send from your email program to complete your licensing request Close Button Once you have emailed or printed the licence document select Close P Plus will then prompt you to enter your farm name Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 9 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 3 2 Entering Your Licence Key A P Plus Licence file will be sent to you once the Licence Details have been received and processed by Ag Hub Issuing of the Licence file is subject to you complying with the licensing agreement which is attached to the licence email Allow five working days for your licence file PP txt to arrive by email For further assistance y
16. 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 19 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL If you are using the F200 Electronic Plate Meter and you are entering Kg s of DM select the no equation If you are entering Height select the appropriate equation Grazed State The Grazed state should be set to indicate that stock have just left the paddock When set the previous cover will be displayed which should be greater than the current cover The Grazed flag is used by reports for determining grass grown and growth rates At this time no decisions are made on this data but in future versions the grass grown and grass growth reports will use this information and thus give far more reliable grass data In the meantime we suggest setting the pre post or snapshot flags correctly so that future reports will have a good history of pre grazing and residual measurements to work with Equations Refer section 4 8 Communications Method Dependant Depending on which method is selected some configuration for the Communications may be required E g the F400 Electronic Plate Meter requires the COM port on your computer which has the device plugged into to be selected Also you can choose to upload paddock data from the F400 or download measurements to the F400 Upload Paddock Data will display a warning to let you know that all existing data on the F400 will be deleted if you choose to continue with the upload Upload will transfer select
17. 2 4 1 Ensure the P Plus Farm Management Software is Installed Before you can begin using your F400 you will need to ensure that you have P Plus Farm Management software installed on your computer If it is not installed you will need to refer to the section on How to install P Plus Pasture Cover With P Plus Farm Management Software installed on your computer you will need to setup your farm by creating a property paddocks and equations and define the walk order before you can upload paddock details and equations for your Pasture Cover walks into your F400 Plate Meter Ensure you are not using the demonstration Farm 12 4 2 Entering the Formula Equations When you receive your Plate Meter it will NOT have any data on it You will have to use your P Plus Farm Management software to load Paddocks and Equations into your F400 Please refer to section 14 Uploading Data amp Equations to F400 for instructions on how to transfer the Formulas to your F400 In 2001 new research provided new formula options that were more relevant to regions pasture types and management techniques i e irrigated pasture The research also provided equations to more accurately reflect the physiological state of the pastures e g vegetative versus reproductive state Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 37 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Some examples are Winter April Sept Plate Meter Reading x 140 500 Factory Default Plate
18. 4 Page 29 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 6 Assembling the Rising Plate Meter Normally the Plate Meter will come already assembled and will only require two steps to complete ready for use as follows gt Screw the inner tube of the yellow handle onto the threaded top of the graduated shaft gt Screw on the black plastic plate to the lower end of the black tube If you are retro fitting an electronic counter to a Manual Plate Meter then follow the steps outlined in section 8 Retrofitting an Electronic Counter to a Manual Plate Meter Page 30 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Sing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 7 Component Parts If your Plate Meter is damaged or you require replacement parts please refer to the diagram below to identify the correct part In general all components are readily replaceable by the user except for the potentiometer membrane or components within the counter Contact APOLLO ELECTRONICS LTD to discuss servicing options Ya x 1 Flat Metal Shaft Washers Handle Inner Tube Back case wit f battery retainer inserted Black Tube Yellow Handle 4 M4 x9 Flat Washer and 1 2 Pan Head Pozi P ks Saddl Cog attached to ao Potentiometer on case Mini USB Socket Clear Front lt i Potentiometer Cover Mini USB Cable KgDM ha Membrane keypad Black Plastic Plate Battery Retainer Inserted Rev No 1 Issue Date A
19. Ag Hub F400 Electronic Rising Platemeter Sing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Dear Plate Meter Purchaser RE YOUR P PLUS PASTURE COVERS SOFTWARE AND PLATE METER MANUAL Please find enclosed the following Your copy of the P Plus Software licenced for Pasture Covers Your Ag Hub Electronic Plate Meter Manual P Plus with Pasture Cover Module Installation Guide Pasture Covers User Guide Frequently Asked Questions Demonstration of Full version of P Plus Farm Management VVVVV WV We suggest that you keep your manual with the Plate Meter at all times as it has valuable information on how to recalibrate and trouble shoot any issues with your Plate Meter From time to time Plate Meters need to be recalibrated and the battery charged Full explanations on how to do this are covered in the Manual We suggest that you follow the P Plus with Pasture Cover Module Installation Guide to get the program running and encourage you to promptly send back your licence details Remember P Plus with the Pasture Cover module is free with the purchase of any Ag Hub Electronic Counter Electronic Rising Plate Meter or Feed Reader Although P Plus has been tested ona number of Windows platforms and computers there is always the possibility of a conflict with other programs or hardware Please call Ag Hub on 0800 MYAGHUB 0800 692 448 if you experience any problems with the installation of the P Plus software The CD enclosed in
20. E METER USER MANUAL 2 How to Run P Plus with the Pasture Cover Module Once the installation is complete go to your desktop and double click on your P Plus Icon to start the program A pp Alternatively from the windows task bar click on select All Programs EJ a then from the P Plus Program Group select P Plus Aus On opening P Plus the window in figure 3 will appear This is simply a warning window advising the number of days left in the trial licence to evaluate your P Plus software This screen will disappear when You haye 30 days a a eis before your trial licence expires Please click on OK to close the screen Go to lt Help gt menu amp lt Enter Licence Details gt Fill in your details print the form and fax or e mail it to us in order to obtain your licence file Your Cor uter ID is 02A36B4D Figure 3 P Plus 30 Day Trial Licence Expiry Warning If you are upgrading from a licenced copy of P Plus newer than 1 87 then the screen above may not appear Page 6 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 3 How to Licence P Plus Software This screen will automatically appear after ok button is pressed on the 30 day trial period screen If it does not appear or you want it to reappear then from within P Plus select Help and Enter Licence Details Remember you must request a licence otherwise the software will prevent you from accessing your farm data in 30 da
21. Garmin GPS 76 Garmin GPS 60 and Garmin GPS 60MAPCSx This will allow you to take waypoints on every fence post on your property then simply join the dots in P Plus to create your farm map Page 60 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 PO Box 433 Feilding 4740 New Zealand F 64 6 323 1371 E sales aghub co nz A l b 0800 MYAGHUB 0800 692 448 www aghub co nz g u
22. Plus directory The file is called Update enc Also make sure that there is a file in the P Plus directory called Update exe From the tools menu select F400 and then Update F400 You may like to select Get F400 Version prior to performing the update to find out what the version number of software currently is installed on your F400 A P Plus Farm Demonstration Example Dairy cfm Farm Map Photo Crop Weather eS PDF Manuals AgHub Help Paddock Pasture Stock Feed Budget Filter Records F ds j Reports O14 Edit General Lists Edit Unit Lists Edit Ingredient List Locate F400 Get F400 Version Export to Feed Reader Format F400 Download F400 Firmware Replace F400 Firmware A message will be displayed and will require your confirmation to proceed with the update The first time an update is attempted you will be prompted to select the COM port to use A progress bar is displayed A blue light will flash very quickly on the F400 while the file is being sent to the unit When the update has successfully completed a message will be displayed in P Plus stating that Target updated successfully Also the F400 will beep and then display the new version number briefly If Failed Target not responding message appears please check that the Green LED is flashing on the front of the F400 Unplug Mini USB cable from the unit and hold down the DOWN arrow key while plugging the Mini USB ca
23. Select Method 96 00 1 90 00 1 Pasture Meter Select Equation 11 00 108 00 ml Rapid PM Canterbury 110 00 1 Paddock Details sata Area 1 74 hectares 108 00 1 Cover Equation 75 00 1 Rapid PM Canterbury 87 00 86 00 1 Grazed Shut up Cropped 75 00 1 92 00 1 96 00 1 76 00 1 20 00 1 83 00 1 86 00 81 00 88 00 1 84 00 1 60 00 87 00 1 81 00 1 Estimate Covers Date of Pasture Equation to be used for entire pasture cover Equation to be used for a specific Grazing state Date and Method Date is the date of the Pasture Cover Select Method is the Pasture Cover method used e g manual AG HUB Electronic Plate Meter F200 F300 or F400 Electronic Plate Meter Pasture Probe Feed Reader etc Select Equation no equation by default When using a manual plate meter with two counters select Rising Plate This will allow you to type the start and end readings from the bottom counter and the plonk count P Plus Pasture Covers will do the maths and work out the average cover Paddock Details Paddocks can be included in the walk or excluded by clicking on these buttons These will record if the paddock has been grazed has been shut up e g for silage or hay or are being cropped Therefore these can be removed from the average cover You must use the cover reports to exclude these paddocks the default feed wedge and average cover does take these options into account Rev No
24. a black line indicating the current date The feed wedge can be displayed at the bottom of the pasture covers and will provide the top 20 paddocks of the total feed wedge If you wish to see all the paddocks you will need to print this out via Reports Note You cannot print until you receive the licence file from our support staff At any time you can edit the pasture covers by double left clicking on the date of the cover that you wish to edit and alter the figures accordingly This also applies to the cover targets which can be edited at any time Page 22 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub Note Examples of Equations F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Feed Reader Default A 250 B 27 5 C 0 No equation A 0 B 1 C 0 Plate December A 1200 B 140 C 0 Plate Dexcel All Seasons A 500 B 140 C 0 Plate February A 1200 B 185 C 0 Plate Historical All Seasons A 200 B 158 C 0 Plate January A 1250 B 165 C 0 Plate March A 1100 B 170 C 0 Plate November A 1000 B 120 C 0 Plate October A 850 B 115 C 0 Plate Winter A 500 B 140 C 0 Rapid PM Canterbury A 750 B 20 C 0 Rapid PM Default A 750 B 18 60 C 0 Rapid PM Wairarapa A 450 B 18 60 C 0 Rapid PM West Coast A 522 B 14 30 C 0 Height Equation in the default this is set the same as Eyeball kgDM ha equation 4 8 Pasture Cover Equation The cover equation provides a mechanism for taking pasture height measurement e g a rising plate meter or other measures such as the pasture probe
25. ach property Complete the rest of the details if you wish although it is only for your information Only create one property in P Plus if you have more than one property you need to purchase P Plus Professional In some cases you can use land management units to operate with two farms but this is not always the best way Issue Date August 2014 Page 15 Sing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 4 3 Creating Paddocks You will need to open the Paddock Land Areas screen From the Setup screen and in the Paddock Lists section click the Paddocks button This screen allows you to create and edit paddocks and other areas La nd Areas Options Edit List Property and Land Type Example Dairy Description Paddocks Monitoring Number fi Walk Number 1 Stock Holding TE oo Location Example Dairy Shift List Order Move Up C Walk Number Move Down Order WalkOrder Name Total J 174 hectare gt Grazing 1 74 Arabe 1 74 Headland Value ha 0 00 ther Weather fo Station The left side of the screen lists the Paddocks and other Land areas created The tabs on the right display the details for the area selected in the list The list can display land areas for All Properties or a specific property by selecting the Farm Property in the drop down list Paddocks and Other Land Areas Paddocks are one type of land area Click on the list to select another area to view Other areas are Monitoring for
26. addocks see section 4 3 NOTE Please ensure that you have created your properties paddocks and setup the paddocks sizes before attempting to use the F400 4 2 Property List To open the Farm Properties screen open the Setup screen and in the Farm Setup Section click the Properties button This screen allows you to create and edit the property details within your farm Page 14 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Sing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Options Edit List Example Dairy lt l PO Box 433 Feilding New Zealand 06 323 9059 06 323 1371 pplus aghub co nz The left side of the screen lists the Farm Property created The tabs on the right display the details for the property selected in the list Click on the farm in the list to change the farm selected Only one Farm Property can be created Land Management Units LMU s are used to group paddocks together See Section 3 8 in the P Plus User manual for more details E g on dairy farms Land Management Units may be the home farm and a runoff Creating a New Property 1 2 Rev No 1 Click the New button to create a blank form Type the property name and press lt Enter gt on the keyboard The property name will show in the list on the left The Short Name will be automatically set to the first letter of the name You may change this We suggest you keep the Short Name to one or two characters and that they be different for e
27. aff and contractors which can be printed out for distribution With quality assurance and auditing needs P Plus has significant advantages The Feed Forecaster Budget module allows you to proactively manage your feed situation rather than waiting until you are on top of a feed issue Simply email our support team and they will assist you Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 59 Bing Hub What management decisions can we make utilising the software Depending on the module you use you can do a number of regular operations e Pasture cover reporting in conjunction with your Plate Meter or Feed Reader e Produce grazing rounds for dairy farms or intensive beef operations e Prepare feed budgets daily weekly yearly e Plan fertiliser applications to minimise over ordering e Plan new fence lines build farm maps water systems drainage systems etc e Provide contractors with property details for fertiliser or pesticide applications F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL What special features does P Plus offer e P Plus can directly import GPS maps generated through our GPS mapping service as well as other line features such as soils and contours referred to as shape files e Garmin GPS60 handheld units can be used to create a map of your farm or to draw new features on your farm map e The Feed Forecaster Budget is easy to configure and use with all the complexity behind the scenes e Integration with the C DAX Rapid Pasture
28. ail If you do not supply an email address we will need to send you a disk to complete the Licensing process First Name This is used to personalise letters to clients We would appreciate knowing your first name so that we can direct contact to you personally Page 8 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Preference for Licence File You can specify to receive your licence file via Email or Fax Selections You can choose to licence for the Farm version one farm only or Professional version more than one farm If you select Professional you will need to specify how many blocks of 5 farms you wish to licence For example if you have 1 to 5 farms enter 1 or if you have 6 to 10 farms enter 2 There is an additional charge for Professional New Module Purchases This is a list of the various modules which are available within P Plus Indicate the modules that you would like to licence by clicking with your mouse on the appropriate check boxes It is important you select only the modules you wish to purchase Please ensure that you check the box for Pasture Cover only if that is the only module you wish to use Note There is a document located on the Help menu called View Feature List which outlines all the features included with each module Pricing for additional modules is available in the Frequently Asked Questions section Computer Details Optional Optional information that may
29. ally boot and the screen below will appear Please ensure you select the P Plus Farm Management Software Option Once you click on P Plus Farm Management Software the installation will start automatically Simply follow the prompts until the installation is complete Once the installation process is Farm Management Software complete your desktop image will appear and you will note a P Plus icon on your desktop Ka Effluent Soil Weather Water Page 4 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 1 1 Moving P Plus and your farm data to a new computer On the old computer You will need a floppy drive or external USB memory stick to put the backup on Backup your farm data go to Help and Backup for details on how to do this Browse to your USB memory stick so it becomes your selected backup location Backup your farm data BR WN FB On the New computer 1 Install P Plus and request a new licence State it is a replacement computer 2 Make a new farm with the same name as the old computer 3 Select Farm and Restore Use the TOP browse only and browse to the USB Memory stick 4 Find the backup file 5 Select the backup file and then select OK in Restore 6 This will put your farm data into P Plus 7 Check the data is ok Wait for new licence to arrive to licence your copy of P Plus Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 5 Ag Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLAT
30. and converting these to KgDM ha The range of equations can be extensive and you will need to refer to the relevant operating manual for the given tool There will be different equations for different times of the year to allow for variations in the physiological state of the pasture vegetative flowering and seeding and the pasture composition D M q u atio ns bal Options Close ice Feed Reader Default No Equation Name Feed Reader Default Active V Plate December Plate Dexcel All Seasons Source ID 24 Plate February dred aia Plate January Plate March Plate November A 250 00 B 27 50 C 0 00 Plate October Plate Winter Rapid PM Canterbury Rapid PM Default kgDM ha 4 Bxheight Cx height height If you are using a AG HUB Electronic Rising Plate Meter then this section does not apply as the mathematics are already performed on the plate meter in this case the equation is set to the height or no equation as the multiplied value B 1 It is important to ensure you are using the correct equation to calculate the KgDM ha value given the pasture height the plate meter reads For rising plate meters traditionally the equation F2 158 height x 200 was used throughout New Zealand The main exception being Taranaki where F3 158 x height 1000 was preferred The F400 Ag Hub Electronic Rising Plate Meter default equation is the modern equation 140 height x 500 and is used throughout New Zealand Rev No
31. ate Meter Rapid Pasture Meter etc can also be selected from the list of Methods if required There are two main categories of equation available 1 The first category of equation is when the measurement you wish to enter is already in units of KGDM Ha The cover may have been assessed by eye or an electronic rising plate meter or the Rapid Pasture Meter may have already performed the conversion from height to KgDM Ha externally This is normally the first equation that appears in the list and is called Height Eyeball No Equation Actual It is recommended that this equation be used for electronic rising plate meters 2 The second category of equation is used when a raw height measurement in mm or cm is entered and the conversion of height to KGDM Ha is performed internally by P Plus P Plus comes with some pre canned equations relevant to common pasture measurement devices If you wish to enter a personalised equation click on the Equations button at the top of the screen On the left hand side of the screen the readings that you have taken from the electronic rising plate meter or the Rapid Pasture Meter in kilograms of dry matter per hectare If you have only recorded height then you will need to change the equation relevant to the type of measurement device and season e g Pasture Meter Winter After entering all pasture covers for all paddocks you can click on the Close button On the middle screen the red line will be shown along with
32. ble in again Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 49 Sing Hub If couldn t open port is displayed try changing the baud rate of you COM port from 9600 to 115200 This can be done by selecting Start gt Control Panel gt System then on the Hardware tab select Device Manager Under Ports double click mouse on the USB Serial port and select the Port Settings The bits per second are where you want to change the settings F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL USB Serial Port COM16 Properties Press ok to save changes You may need to disconnect your device from the USB port and reconnect Page 50 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 20 Trouble Shooting 20 1 There is no visual display The Unit is switched on Press the ENTER key again The battery is not flat Recharge the battery using Mini USB cable If battery is holding charge Replace the Battery If you have just changed a battery you Service send to Apollo Electronics Ltd may have damaged the battery snap clip to top of the battery 20 2 The counter does not beep when taking a reading If it doesn t beep this means the counter does not know where the bottom is therefore does not record the plonk Check Resolution The counter can Zero calibrate become un To do this work through the following steps calibrated if it Switch the unit on by pressing the ENTER key until y
33. cludes the full P Plus program although it will only be licensed to run the Pasture Cover module You will be able to view the Demonstration farm data for the other modules at any time by selecting the demonstration farm Full version prices are available in the Frequently Asked Questions Prices start at 400 GST If you have any concerns about your farm data then please make sure you attach a copy of your most recent P Plus backup to the email being sent to Ag Hub This can be achieved automatically from within P Plus simply by selecting Email Support from the Help menu For further reading see the Frequently Asked Questions printed further on in this manual Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 1 Sing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL F400 Electronic Rising Plate Meter User Manual The F400 Electronic Rising Plate Meter provides farmers with a reliable and accurate method of measuring pasture within a given range It provides a valuable tool for maintaining consistency in the measurement of pasture when undertaken by more than one person providing a benchmark to reduce variations in visual assessments It has been widely used in the dairy industry for a number of years and more recently in sheep beef and deer enterprises The Ag Hub Plate Meter is sold in a number of countries including Australia Chile Argentina Uruguay Mexico USA Canada United Kingdom and South Africa In New Zealand both farmers and consu
34. dai farm feed wedge When reporting on sub groups of Date lt Hes paddocks Land Management Units e g Herdi or Herd2 ae ee gt i year then the number of paddocks in the Land Management unit 2 10 2014 7150 ies will be used instead 16 10 2014 2175 30 10 2014 2200 13 11 2014 2250 27 11 2014 2260 Target covers Target covers can be set so you can see Ld a si how the farm average cover is trending as compared to how 9 01 2015 NN you hoped it would 22 01 2015 2100 5 02 2015 2000 To set the Target Covers click on the Options button and Edit Target Covers Press the Insert button to add a date the date will typically be 14 days ahead of the last date in the list These dates can be changed to give a spacing of one month for example Use the scroll bars to move around the list of dates Once this is completed click on the Close button and the targets will be shown on the middle screen The target covers and preferred trend line will be displayed on the feed wedge Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 21 Bing Hub 4 7 Entering First Pasture Cover F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL To enter your set of pasture cover measurements click on the New button and the Add Edit Pasture Cover screen will be displayed Ensure you enter the correct date and method in the right hand window If you are using the Ag Hub Electronic Plate Meter then select the method as Ag Hub Electronic Rising Plate The F200 F300 or F400 Electronic Pl
35. e paddock names numbers will appear in your chosen order when adding cover details on Add Edit Pasture screen In the top right corner of the paddock edit window is the walk order adjust this number to modify the walk order You will need change the shift option to Walk Number for your changes to take effect 5 Enter the total everything included inside the fence lines grazing and arable crop areas of the paddock If you are using a GPS map a scaled map or geo referenced map then the Total paddock areas will be automatically loaded from the map 6 Select the weather station to be used for analysis of paddock records If one weather station is appropriate for all paddocks there is no need to select a weather station for each paddock Once the task is completed click on the Close button to move on The P Plus Pasture Covers screen will appear 4 P Plus Pasture Covers Demonstration Farm Weather PDF Manuals AgHub Help Pasture Set Covers coe Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 17 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 4 4 The Pasture Covers Main Screen Click on the Pasture Covers button and the screen below will appear Your screen will not have as much information on it yet but once you have setup a few things and enter a few months of covers it will begin to look like the screen below List of PastureCover undertaken by date with average cover Greenies per hectare and 3 Stat Jan X a
36. e where accuracy is not as critical Farm Maps can be drawn off the photos DESIGN SERVICES SUBDIVISION An existing property may benefit from a well thought out redesign programme Subdivision or buying a neighbouring property will significantly alter the farms dynamics Careful layout of paddocks and sizing water systems and central raceways can make more effective use of land productivity COMMUNICATION WHITEBOARDS Permanent laser engraved industry management tools for your farm or business Let Ag Hub create a customised whiteboard incorporating your farm maps or using one of our specially designed work grids Combine the two and have a management that will create a smoother work flow and greater communication powers for staff or single operators by eliminating mistakes communicating actions and recording important information Ideal for the dairy shed workshop or Office NOTE Services are available in New Zealand Only Software may be subject to individual Country licensing arrangements Visit our website www aghub co nz to see more about our products Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 57 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL P Plus Farm Management Software Frequently Asked Questions Here are some of the common questions asked about farming software and what P Plus can do for your management operation What is P Plus P Plus is an integrated paddock pasture covers fertiliser recording farm
37. ease refer to the section on 12 4 2 Entering the Formula for more information on how to enter the appropriate equation These formulas are in P Plus already and to use them you will need to upload them to your F400 Plate Meter Rising Plate Meter Equations Dairy Pastures Winter April Sept Plate Meter Reading x 140 500 Factory Default Plate Meter Reading x 115 850 Plate Meter Reading x 120 1000 Plate Meter Reading x 140 1200 Plate Meter Reading x 165 1250 Plate Meter Reading x 185 1200 Plate Meter Reading x 170 1100 Equations may change without notice and are influenced by seasonal differences If you are unsure of the current equation contact Dairy NZ or your local consultant There are also different equations suited to summer wet and irrigated pasture that are not recorded here Sheep and Beef pastures differ in density to dairy pastures and will therefore require different equations Page 40 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 13 1 Entering your own formula To enter your own cover equation or one that may have been recommended by a third party such as your consultant Dairy NZ or Meat amp Wool please do the following 13 1 1 Connect the Mini USB cable to both the F400 and a spare USB port on your computer 13 1 2 Start up P Plus Farm Management Software on your computer 13 1 3 Select the Pasture Covers button from the main tool bar A
38. ected you will be prompted to save the Grazing State only if the Grazing State has been turned ON prior to the paddock readings being undertaken The Grazing State options are None Grazed Shut Up Cropped The UP and DOWN arrow keys allow you to scroll through these The ENTER key is used to select the Grazing State 16 1 12 Repeat this process until you have completed every paddock 16 1 13 Switch the unit off by holding down the ENTER key for 5 seconds Page 46 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub 17 1 2 10 11 12 13 14 Rev No 1 F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Downloading from F400 to P Plus Connect the Mini USB cable to both the F400 and a spare USB port on your computer Start up P Plus Farm Management Software on your computer if it is not already running Select the Pasture Covers button from the main tool bar 4 P Plus Pasture Covers Demonstration Farm Weather PDF Manuals AgHub Help Pasture Click on New as if you were creating a New Pasture Cover The Add Edit Pasture Covers window appears F400 Ensure F400 Electronic Plate Meter is the selected method C ERASE F400 amp reload re C Get measurements from F400 From the F400 Communications section select Download measurements then press the Start button You may also be asked to select the COM port which you have ComPart is closed connected the Mini USB cable
39. ed equations up to 10 and allow you to assign a default equation Paddock data previous Covers Application Date and Application Rate are also included in the transfer Download Measurements will copy all of the pasture cover data from the F400 into the P Plus cover walk which is currently open for editing Also included are the Equations used and the Grazing states Estimate Covers P Plus is able to provide you with an estimated Pasture Cover using one of the following options e Use the Growth from last assessment done in 30 days e Use the Default growth curve which you can select from the Growth Rate setup The Add Edit button will take you there e Use User defined growth rate which you can configure Apply Growth Rate No estimate available Use the default growth curve BOP Pongakawa Add Edit Use User defined growth rate Page 20 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub Assessment Full shows that readings are for a full pasture cover walk Partial shows that readings are for a partial pasture cover walk Estimate shows that the readings are estimated by P Plus using the Estimate method selected F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Walk Ride Order The walk order is the order that the paddocks are visited when performing a set of pasture cover measurements over an entire property The walk order is used when the Cover Entry form is printed out to place paddock
40. essing the ENTER key for 1 second The unit will then beep and display the version number gt Scroll through the menu items on the F400 using the UP or DOWN arrow keys until you find Calibrate gt Pressing the ENTER key will show the current position making sure that the plate is in the home position Page 38 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub gt You will then need to turn the Potentiometer blue bit anti clockwise until it s calibrated When it goes down to zero it will mean it is calibrated and the F400 will do 2 short beeps and then display Calibrated F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL gt If a user enters the Calibration menu and it s already at 0 it will double beep and then show Calibrated gt If a user enters the Calibrate Menu and its not calibrated it will do 2 Long Beeps approx 1 second each gt An alternative method to use if a screwdriver is not available is to simply press the ENTER key and that will set the offset So if it s off by 5 points and you press the enter key the F400 will put an off set of 5 points However in order to ensure accuracy in the readings it is recommended that you calibrate it using a screwdriver Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 39 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 13 Current New Zealand Dairy Equations For your convenience the following are the equations promoted by DairyNZ for dairy pastures since May 2001 Pl
41. from the F400 to your computer A progress Bar on the Pasture Covers screen shows the rate at which data is being received from the F400 When the transfer begins the F400 unit beeps and in addition to the red LED the green and blue LED s switch on The F400 screen will display the words P Plus Transmitting When the data has been received from the F400 the unit beeps and the green LED switches off When the transfer is complete a message saying Download Complete will be displayed on your computer The data received will be displayed in the Pasture Cover you created and will be available for use in reports graphs etc within your P Plus Farm Management software Please Note before going out to do another walk please re upload the paddocks and equations Issue Date August 2014 Page 47 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 18 Pasture Cover Reports There are a number of different reports that can be selected for reporting your cover The main reports are Cover On Date Feed Wedge On Date Cover Graph Tonnes Grown and the Cover Entry Form Cover on Date This will provide a cover report for each paddock whose cover was measured on a particular date The Report window has a number of options that can be selected to include extra information This can include items such as paddocks shut up for hay paddocks already grazed or paddocks taken out for crop ping This will have an influence on the total
42. ils on your Licence Application P Plus Identification Details Information in this section is used to create your unique licence Licence Name This is the name of the owner purchaser of the software licence Enter your surname followed by initials If entering a Farm Name or company then use this first For example Bambie D Or Bambie Partnership Or Deer Enterprise Ltd Make sure that this name is correct as you can only change the name by ringing your distributor and having another licence code reassigned CD Serial Number This is the serial number on the CD CD Check Key This is the Check Key on the CD sticker Computer ID This is the unique ID of your computer and should be automatically filled in for you Purchased From Enter the name of your dealer Purchase Date Enter the date you purchased the program or if you are unsure then use today s date This is a required entry and cannot be left blank Enter the date in the format dd mm yyyy or click the button to select a date If this is unknown choose the closest date Your Details These details are used to contact you and send you your licence Initials Surname This should be the name or names of persons responsible for the program i e the owner s Usually it is the name of the owner or farm manager Address Enter your full postal address Phone Fax Enter your phone number in the format 06 123 4567 or 027 123 4567 Email Licensing is usually done by em
43. ion open MS Restricted sites zone More secure Outlook Express and select Tools Warn me when other applications try to send mail as me then Options then click on the Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus SECU rity tab Download Images Block images and other external content in HTML e mail 3 Un tick the box Do not allow Secure Mail attachments to be saved or Digital IDs also called certificates are special Tell me more Ra documents that allow you to prove your identity in ETIS opened that could potentially be electronic transactions a virus To digitally sign messages or receive encrypted messages you must have a digital ID 4 Close MS Outlook and reopen C Encrypt contents and attachments for all outgoing messages El Digtaly sign all outgoing messages ai r 5 Then follow the instructions that Advanced i P i came with the licence file to detach Ege ies ees P Plus software becomes un licenced when it was licenced before This tends to occur when an external USB hard disk drive is connected which then changes your computer ID and causes the P Plus software to expire The problem can be overcome by removing the extra hard disk drive then restarting the P Plus program If you are going to keep the external drive plugged in all the time then you will need to apply for a new licence file Please contact AG HUB for this Page 12 Issue Date August 2014 Re
44. ish New Zealand If not then select your country from the Country drop down list Please ensure the country settings use a full stop as the decimal separator in the number and currency fields To change click on Customize and on the Numbers tab change the decimal symbol to a full stop 5 Click on the Date tab in XP click on the Customise button first to check the short date is in the correct format For example in New Zealand the format should be dd mm yyyy The date separator should be a slash Make sure there are four y in the date format 6 On the Numbers tab ensure the Decimal Symbol is set to a 7 Click on OK Note There is an issue with short date formats in Windows 7 Basically dates will show in US order m d y even if regional settings and short date format is set correctly in Control Panel You need to change the language settings to English Australia for example Apply change it back to English New Zealand and Apply again The problem and solution can be found here http social technet microsoft com Forums en w itprogeneral thread b4f90f07 206c 494b 8d14 ee17bfa689e0 Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 3 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 1 How to install P Plus Pasture Cover P Plus needs to be installed before you can use the F400 as information from your farm in P Plus needs to be downloaded to your F400 Take the CD and place it in the CD drive It should automatic
45. iting the file you will overwrite the trial licence If the file is going into the P Plus folder and the problem still exists and you have upgraded from an earlier version of P Plus or P Plus Pasture Covers then the possible cause is that you could be starting P Plus with the Pasture Cover module from the wrong Icon on your desktop e g the old P Plus Pasture Cover icon instead of the correct Icon which is now the P Plus Icon The easy way to check is to look at the ICON on the desktop if it says P Plus then this will be your problem Delete the P Plus Pasture Cover icon from your desktop and Reinstall P Plus from the CDROM again If this still is a problem then reapply for a new licence Note that your computer ID will change if you have a portable hard disk drive plugged into your computer We suggest you unplug it and try to start P Plus this may resolve your problem If not then restart your computer with the portable hard disk unplugged and try again Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 11 Ag Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Unable to detach the licence from Outlook Express 1 Outlook is preventing the file from been saved by default Microsoft Outlook express will not allow attachments to be saved General Read Receipts Send Compose Signatures Spelling Connection Maintenance Virus Protection 4 Select the Internet Explorer security zone to use g z D 2 To enable this funct
46. itionally the equation of height X 158 plus 200 was used however there has been a series of equations produced to reflect changes in pasture types and physiological state vegetative flowering seed head which can alter DM levels in the paddock A more accurate calibration can be achieved by taking cuttings or your consultant may be able to advise you on the most appropriate equation for your situation This particularly applies to pastures under irrigation Issue Date August 2014 Check what equation you are using The Equations are configured in your P Plus Farm Management software and are downloaded to your unit Please check your unit has been updated with the P Plus Equations Page 53 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 20 8 Front Panel membrane problems Check Resolution Buttons not clicking or activating Service membrane needs replacing Send to Apollo Electronics Ltd for service and repair 20 9 Battery Retainer keeps falling out Check The counter screws have not been tightened sufficiently Resolution Make sure the centre screw is re tightened after the battery is replaced or ensure the battery retainer is properly clicked into 20 10 place How do I change a formula Page 54 Check The F400 is switched ON and Measure is the displayed option The correct Paddock has been selected The Equation assigned to the selected Paddock
47. llation guide that came with the CDROM Once you have filled in the licence information you are ready to set up your farm Note if licence form is showing then select Close Firstly to create your new Farm click on the Farm menu and select Create New Farm The Enter a Farm File Name prompt will appear Note if P Plus says farm licence already reached then go to the Farm menu and then click on Select Farm There should be two farms in the list one being the Demonstration Farm and the other your own Farm Click on your farm and click select l i Ok Please enter your farm name and click on OK Enter a New Farm File Name This will bring up the Pasture Covers Setup Cancel screen Help Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 13 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Properties Record details of Preferences the farm name m No changes required and address Paddocks Create Paddocks and configure paddock sizes Pasture Growth Rates 7 Equations Only used if licenced Setup your own for feed budget Cover Targets pasture Enter targets on daa half monthly basis The Pasture Covers Setup screen allows you to e Configure your land Preferences e Create and edit properties see section 4 2 e Create and edit paddocks see section 4 3 e Configure pasture equations see section 4 7 e Enter Cover targets see section 4 6 e Define the walk order of p
48. ltants use it to provide pasture height and density for determining feeding regimes for given classes of stock A companion product is the P Plus software program with the Pasture Cover Module which provides a useful tool for recording and reporting pasture covers obtained by the Plate Meter O On AU A WN eP N e m e e e EF i SS FS O O ON AOA U A WN FS OC Page 2 How to install P Plus Pasture Cover How to Run P Plus with the Pasture Cover Module How to Licence P Plus Software Pasture Covers User Guide USB Drivers Assembling the Rising Plate Meter Component Parts Retrofitting an Electronic Counter to a Manual Plate Meter Caring for Your Plate Meter The Battery Servicing and Repairs Operating the Electronic Counter Current New Zealand Dairy Equations Uploading Data and Equations to the F400 Using the Correct Measuring Technique Taking Paddock Readings The Pasture Walk Downloading from the F400 to P Plus Pasture Cover Reports Updating the F400 Software Version Trouble Shooting Other Products Sold by Ag Hub Frequently Asked Questions Issue Date August 2014 13 25 30 31 32 33 33 34 35 40 42 44 45 47 48 49 50 57 58 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL P Plus Pasture Cover Module Installation Guide System Requirements NOTE P Plus with the Pasture Covers module will run on a Computer laptop running Windows 98 Windows ME Wind
49. lude this location in the search C PPlus Drivers v Browse Don t search will choose the driver to install Choose this option to select the device driver from a list Windows does not guarantee that the driver you choose will be the best match for your hardware Cancel Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 27 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Found New Hardware Wizard Please wait while the wizard searches D USB Interface Found New Hardware Wizard Please wait while the wizard installs the software USB Serial Converter FTLang dll To C WINDOWS system32 Page 28 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Windows should then display a message indicating that the installation was successful Click on Finish to complete the installation The device is now ready for use Found New Hardware Wizard Completing the Found New Hardware Wizard The wizard has finished installing the software for a USB Serial Converter Click Finish to close the wizard Cancel Vista XP Users Please note you may need to repeat the above process twice as Vista adds the drivers in 2 parts the first part is the FTDI drivers and the second is the Virtual USB Drivers If the F400 does not show anything on the screen while plugged in that means the drivers have not been installed correctly Rev No 1 Issue Date August 201
50. lus Try selecting another COM port for your USB connection Try selecting another COM port for your USB connection Select Upload Paddock data and press Start button in the F400 Communications section of P Plus When prompted select the required Equation s to transfer Try the Upload Paddock data process again Page 55 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Should you require assistance with setting up your Plate Meter or with installing P Plus Pasture Covers software please contact Ag Hub Sales PO Box 433 Feilding 4740 NEW ZEALAND Ph 0800 692 448 Fax 06 323 1371 Email sales aghub co nz www aghub co nz Ag Hub Technical Support Email pplus aghub co nz A number of papers have been written on various aspects of the use of the Rising Plate Meter The following references may be of interest to users Lincoln University Dairy Farm LUDF Fieldays in Dairy Exporter January 2005 Rising Plate Meter Ready Reckoner DEXCEL Pasture Growth amp Quality Pasture production of northern dairy farms G J Piggot 1997 Proceedings of the New Zealand Grassland Association 59 103 106 Refer DairyNZ Website Talking the same language a New Standardised System of Pasture Assessment Norm Thomson DRC Robyn Hainsworth and Mark Blackwell Livestock Improvement Advisory Same RPM equation all year if irrigated Dairy Exporter January 2005 These papers are available on the DairyNZ website or fr
51. mapping feed budgeting and planning program It is a modulated software package where each module can be stand alone for a specific area of farming or can be integrated run together with more than one module Thus information entered once is available directly within other modules P Plus suits a full range of farming systems types and sizes There are two packages available P Plus Professional and P Plus Farm e P Plus Professional is recommended for users who wish to manage multiple farms in the one system The licence allows a maximum of 5 farms per licence e P Plus Farm is recommended for users with one farm What Farming Types can we use the program for Any farming activity can be accommodated including dairy sheep beef deer goats Dairy farmers find P Plus specifically suits their needs as the Pasture Cover module links very well in with their map thus giving a visible display of the pasture availability The Pasture Cover module includes a feed wedge and grazing round report to simplify your grazing planning Most dairy farmers who have purchased the Map and Paddock modules to begin with later purchase the Feed Forecaster Budget and stock modules to complete their farm management system How many modules are there and what are they There are four key sales modules and three minor modules The minor modules are incorporated in the key sales modules The modules are Map amp Paddock includes Weather and Pasture Cover
52. member if you turn the counter off for a few minutes it may recover slightly but the problem will not go away Recharge the battery Battery may be due for replacement Requires electronic service Page 52 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 20 5 Error Message displayed gt gt Please disconnect the USB cable from your Plate Meter and then reconnect it You then need to upload the paddocks and Equations to your Plate Meter again FRam Error CRC Failed 20 6 Plate Meter not running freely Check Resolution SSS SES Metal shaft is bent Straighten or request a replacement part from Apollo Electronics Ltd Grass or A eae eeseeree build up inside the black tube Iai iia the Plate Meter Flutes on steel iE have become filled with Aaaa the Plate Meter grass or soil 20 7 Counter Readings do not seem accurate Check __ Resolution __ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The counter is like a calculator it does not give false readings under normal circumstances Check the equation being used is correct and the calibration has been correctly set Zeroed Rev No 1 Cover Equations In New Zealand there are a number of standard equations published by DairyNZ and Meat amp Wool These reflect regional pasture types If you wish to change an equation or select alternative species you will need to contact your consultant Trad
53. n the screen Anti roll ON Having Anti roll OFF will take measurements like the old Plate Meter where a measurement is taken at the highest point and there is no wait time Anti roll OFF To change Anti roll status press the ENTER Button while on the Anti roll Menu once that is pressed you will see the following Anti roll ON lt gt OFF To turn ON Press the Left Arrow to turn OFF Press the Right Arrow 7 Grazing State This option displays the Grazing State and allows you to turn the Grazing State ON OFF Having Grazing State ON means you will be prompted to save the Grazing State of each paddock when you save the Paddock Readings Page 36 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL If Grazing State is ON it will show the following on the screen Grazing State is ON To change the Grazing State press the ENTER button while on the Grazing State menu once that is pressed you will see the following Grazing ON lt gt OFF To turn ON Press the Left Arrow to turn OFF Press the Right Arrow 8 Equation Only visible if the F400 has 1 equation programmed This option displays the Equation used this option will only show if the F400 has been programmed with 1 equation Equation Name A B 12 4 Things to do before you start your walk There are three items to be addressed before starting a new walk This is best done prior to leaving the shed to start a pasture walk 1
54. om the relevant publications Page 56 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL OTHER PRODUCTS SOLD BY AG HUB In addition to the Electronic Rising Plate Meter Ag Hub provides other tools for the farmer P PLUS FARM MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE A fully functional farm production and mapping program for detailed farm management information P Plus consists of a suite of modules including mapping paddock feed forecaster budget The Pasture covers module is provided free with the purchase of either the electronic counter or the electronic rising Plate Meter AERIAL ULTRA ORTHO FARM MAPPING With ever increasing focus on responsible and sustainable land management an accurate and up to date map is the operating cornerstone of any farming operation Now Ag Hub can offer the latest in mapping technology An Ultra Ortho Map combines the benefits of GPS accuracy along with the advantages of the information generated from a highly detailed farm photograph GPS MAPPING Using state of the art equipment highly accurate farm maps can be drawn with accuracy down to 0 5 metres or less Features mapped can include fence lines tracks shelter troughs drainage or any other asset These maps can provide significant cost savings in terms of fertiliser spray and cultivation inputs as areas measured are not reliant on contractor estimates DIGITISED MAPPING Digitised photography provides an alternativ
55. on the F400 If the Equation needs to be changed for the selected paddock that it is correct and has been saved Issue Date August 2014 Resolution Switch F400 unit ON Press the ENTER key to show the paddock name Another Paddock can be selected using the UP and DOWN arrow keys on the front of the unit Press the ENTER key when the correct Paddock is displayed to show the assigned Equation This can be changed using the UP and DOWN arrow keys Pressing the RIGHT Arrow key will display the A B and C values for the equation Press the ENTER key to select the equation for the paddock you are about to take readings in Rev No 1 Rev No 1 Bing Hub 20 11 The Mini USB cable is connected correctly between the F400 and your Computer running P Plus F400 Electronic Plate Meter is the selected method in P Plus Pasture Covers The COM port the cable is plugged into is the same one that is selected when prompted by P Plus Comport is Open in the F400 communications section in P Plus Pasture Covers Paddock data has been uploaded from P Plus and required Equation s were selected Did a message saying Upload Complete show on P Plus Issue Date August 2014 F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL How do I enter my own formula Connect the cable to both the F400 anda spare USB port on your computer Select the F400 Electronic Plate Meter method in the Pasture Cover in P P
56. ou can refer to the Pasture Cover Manual section 4 which is available from within P Plus main screen under the PDF Manuals menu Please note that you can only create one farm if you are only licenced for a single farm Farm version If you have more than one farm please call Ag Hub for a price for the P Plus with Pasture Cover module for multiple farms Professional version When you receive the licence file by email with an attachment called PP txt please follow these steps 1 Open this email from Ag Hub and detach save attachments the PP txt into the C PPlus directory browse to my computer then select c drive then select the P Plus directory ensure save to location is C PPlus Overwrite the existing PP txt file Start P Plus from the ICON on your Desktop P Plus should now be licenced and it should not bring up the 30 day trial licence Remember to make a new Farm do not add or edit the demonstration data Only data entered into your own farm database is saved 6 If the trial licence still exists repeat from step 1 ae Alternatively you can open the PP txt attachment in your email and copy the 16 character code from the Special Codes section and paste it into the Enter Licence Key form found under the Help Menu at the top of the screen Press the Check button to complete the registration process Licence Key Close Enter the 16 character licence key If an Invalid code message is displayed below the Licence
57. ou hear a receives a knock beep and the version number is displayed and the cog jumps Scroll through the menu items on the F400 using the UP or DOWN a notch on the arrow keys until you find Calibrate metal shaft Pressing the ENTER key will show the current height You will then need to turn the potentiometer until it s calibrated When it goes down to zero it will mean it is calibrated and the F400 will do 2 short beeps and then display Calibrated Turn off then on again when you have finished Test the zero calibration by raising the plate and replacing it several times A beep should sound and the height displayed as the plate falls If it does not repeat the steps above and retest If a user enters the Calibration menu and it s already at 0 it will double beep and then show Calibrated If a user enters the Calibrate Menu and its not calibrated it will do 2 Long Beeps approx 1 second each If the calibration fails to hold then the potentiometer which the cog drives through the shaft is probably faulty and will need replacing This can occur with excessive wear often compounded by dust and dirt entering the dry bearing You will need to send the Counter to Apollo Electronics Ltd for service and repair Ensure the cog is Replace the Potentiometer and Cog Send to Apollo Electronics Ltd for not slipping on service and repair the blue shaft potentiometer Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 51 Bing Hub
58. ows 7 or Vista 32 bit only e CPU 1 00GHz e RAM Memory 256MB minimum recommend 512MB 1GB Vista e CD ROM Drive DVD CD RW combo drive e Monitor SVGA e Windows compatible mouse e Windows compatible printer e Internet and email Access for licensing and support Note that the software will operate on lower specification PCs however processing will be slower and some will struggle to manage the large map or aerial photo files If in doubt contact Ag Hub to discuss Note P Plus Pasture Cover will run adequately on Windows 95 release 2 or Windows 98 as a standalone package How do I find out the specification of my current PC Follow these steps 1 Go to Control Panel 2 Select System 3 Select the General tab that will display the following details System i e Details of the operating system e g Windows XP Registration i e who the operating system is registered to Jo Blogg Computer the computer specification CPU type size and RAM Memory If you are not sure about your computer configuration get in touch with the dealer who sold you the computer and ask them to confirm your exact configuration What benefits are there in using the software You have the ability to record daily activities of stock movements pasture feed budgeting plan subdivisions measure pastures fence lines drains etc plus maintain a record of revenues and costs Maps provide an excellent communication medium for st
59. ows XP Home Professional and Vista Before you start the installation of the P Plus with the Pasture Covers module we recommend you to Save all current work and exit out of any other windows applications If P Plus is already installed then start your existing version of P Plus and perform a full P Plus backup to your hard disk or USB memory stick This installation will upgrade all versions newer than 1 90 simply continue to follow the instructions below e If your version of P Plus is older than 1 09 or Farm tracker then call AG HUB to discuss your upgrade options e If you have version 3 21 installed then you do not need to do anything as the latest software is already installed You may still need to apply for another licence if you have purchased Feed Budget separately To apply for a new licence start P Plus and select Help then select Enter Licence details See section 3 of this document for more details Please call Ag Hub on 0800 MYAGHUB 0800 692 448 if you experience any problems with the installation of the P Plus software Setting the Date Format and Country In order to enter dates in the correct format for you make sure the international set up is set to your country i Click on eb 2 Click on Settings and then click on Control Panel 3 Double click on the Regional Settings or Regional and Language Options Windows XP icon 4 The Country field should show your country e g New Zealand is shown as Engl
60. paddock number and by pressing the left and right keys you can view the growth rate and paddock size and the Current Cover The default equation is then displayed for the selected paddock This can be changed using the UP and DOWN arrow keys Pressing the RIGHT Arrow key will display the A B and C values for the equation Press the ENTER key to select the equation for the paddock you are about to take readings in Walk across the paddock taking readings every few paces You will hear a beep every time a reading is stored DO NOT LIFT THE UNIT UNTIL YOU HEAR THE BEEP The kgDM ha is immediately recalculated and displayed The number of samples plonks to be taken should range between 20 and 40 per paddock however this will be determined by the variance existing in the cover This is the recommended number of readings The Plate Meter will give 3 short beeps when 30 readings have been recorded Plonks need to be taken on a regular basis e g every five paces to even out any variations however avoid stock camp areas tracks or uncharacteristic areas The greater the variability the greater the number of plonks you should take The unit will give 2 quick beeps and a warning is displayed if the plate is not returned to 0 height If it does not return to zero please refer to section 12 4 4 How to Zero Calibrate your Plate Meter If there is no activity for 2 minutes the unit will beep and a warning is given that the unit will power OFF in 5 seconds
61. plate is held and the greater the force applied the lower the reading will be 4 Yai NOE MW 15 2 Correct Technique gt Place the plate on top of the pasture with as little pressure as possible gt Push the shaft down to ground level with the shaft vertical When using the correct technique no differences have been found in the readings between the AG HUB Electronic Plate Meter and any of the mechanical Plate Meters However operators using the incorrect technique will get lower readings with any Plate Meter than those using the correct technique Page 44 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 16 Taking Paddock Readings The Pasture Walk 16 1 How to Take Paddock Readings IMPORTANT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU WAIT FOR THE F400 TO BEEP AT EACH PLONK BEFORE LIFTING OTHERWISE THE READING WILL NOT BE RECORDED 16 1 1 16 1 2 16 1 3 16 1 4 16 1 5 16 1 6 16 1 7 16 1 8 Rev No 1 Switch the unit on by pressing the ENTER key on the front of the unit for 1 second The unit will beep and display the version number of the current software Measure is the first option to be displayed on the unit Press the ENTER key to show the paddock name Another Paddock can be selected using the UP and DOWN arrow keys on the front of the unit Press the ENTER key to select paddock If a paddock has already been measured it will show the Cover next to the
62. pollo with your counter If the complete Plate Meter is sent for repair any further mechanical parts that need to be replaced there will be at an additional cost All Mechanical components as shown above can be purchased as a Spare part Please contact Apollo Electronics Ltd for pricing If outside New Zealand then contact your local distributor Page 34 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 12 Operating the Electronic Counter 12 1 Switching Unit On and Off The Electronic Plate Counter is switched On and Off by pressing the ENTER key on the front of the unit for 1 second When the unit is Off there are no numbers displayed on the LCD screen and all of the LED s should be Off The 2 Minute Auto Shut off function means that the Plate Meter will switch itself off if there is no activity for 2 minutes 12 2 The Front Display Buttons The six buttons on the front of the unit access the various functions of the F400 Up Arrow used to scroll up through the main menu functions paddocks equations etc Down Arrow used to scroll down through main menu functions paddocks equations etc Also used for upgrading the software on the unit Left Arrow used to scroll back through options such as equations units views etc Right Arrow used to scroll through options such as equations units views etc ESC takes you back to the previous menu It can also be used to Cancel the task
63. s in the sequence that they are visited Also in the Add Edit Pasture Covers screen the walk order is used to determine how the paddocks are ordered To configure the Walk Ride order click on the Farm menu then select Setup then choose Paddocks refer to Section 4 3 In the top right corner of the paddock edit window is the walk number adjust this number to modify the walk order You will need to change the shift option to from List order to Walk Number to see the effect of changing the walk order The move up and move down buttons are a quick and easy way to adjust where a paddock appears in the walk order To enable the move up and move down buttons first select one particular property rather than the all properties option Optimal Grazing Covers 4 6 The Target Covers Window Optimal Grazing Cover Set the desired preferred grazed Pre Grazing Cover _2500 residual and desired preferred max pasture cover The Post Grazing Residual 1100 trend line will use these settings and will easily show aoe paddocks above or below your desired pasture cover These N Pats Ze values are used on the default feed wedge and the feed Display High Covers On Left wedge displayed from the reports Enter Cover Targets Date 4 09 2014 fa No of Paddocks in Rotation Enter the number of paddocks the entire farm has for dairy grazing This Cover 2000 kgDM h Insert number is used to get the optimum line correct on the Full a ies
64. s window appears Ensure F400 Electronic Plate Meter is the selected Method From the F400 Communications section Select Upload Paddock Data then press the Start button You may also be asked to select the COM port which you have connected the Mini USB cable from the F400 to your computer You will be prompted to confirm if you want to delete all existing data on the F400 F400 C ERASE F400 amp reload paddocks Select Yes to confirm C Get measurements from F400 The F400 unit will beep and in addition to the red LED the green and blue LED s switch on E start ComPort is closed The F400 screen will display the words P Plus Deleting When the data has been deleted from the F400 Plate Meter the unit beeps and the green LED switches Off Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 14 1 14 You will be prompted to select which equations you want to download from P Plus to the F400 Plate Meter After selecting the equations to transfer press Select to begin the transfer 14 1 15 If more than one equation was selected then you will need to select which of the equations you want to transfer to the F400 will be used as the Default Equation 14 1 16 When the equations have been transferred the paddock details will be transferred also 14 1 17 When transfers are complete a message saying Upload Complete will be displayed on your comp
65. special intensive recording or research areas Stock Holding for yards road edges lanes etc where stock are commonly grazing or being held Page 16 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Protected bush stream banks etc that are not normally used for growing crops or grazing Problem salinity chemical contaminated eroded areas that need to be treated differently or fenced off Effluent for Effluent Land Areas to be created before placing in the Effluent Management Zone Hazard for hazardous areas to be created so they can be placed on the Hazardous zone layer A record of all activities carried out on paddock and non paddock areas can be maintained Note the Paddock area is the only one to have the extra Land Type Dates and Pasture tabs Adding Paddocks Ensure that Paddocks is selected in the area list and click on the New button to enter information for each paddock iF Enter the paddock number The paddock number may include a letter e g 1a 1b 1c This should be unique within a property 2 Enter a paddock name if you have one 3 Select a property from the Location list 4 The Walk Number is used by the Pasture Cover feature If you are walk the farm in a different order to the order to which the paddocks are numbered or created then you can adjust the work order so the cover form for entering the walk figures in the field are in your chosen order Also th
66. tallation options ae S Search for the best driver in these locations Use the check boxes below to limit or expand the default search which includes local paths and removable media The best driver found will be installed C Search removable media floppy CD ROM Include this location in the search v Browse Don t search will choose the driver to install Choose this option to select the device driver from a list Windows does not guarantee that the driver you choose will be the best match for your hardware Page 26 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Once the files have been located click OK to proceed with the installation Browse For Folder Select the Folder that contains drivers for your hardware amp gt PPlus E O Demonstration O Documents Drivers Program Files C quickbooks E G TEMP gt TYR To view any subfolders click a plus sign above With the P Plus Driver path displayed as the location to search click Next to proceed with the installation Found New Hardware Wizard Please choose your search and installation options Search for the best driver in these locations Use the check boxes below to limit or expand the default search which includes local paths and removable media The best driver found will be installed C Search removable media floppy CD ROM Inc
67. tery is fully recharged the unit will give 2 long beeps and display Charging Complete F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL For best results occasionally allow the F400 to remain on charge overnight Disconnect the Mini USB cable from the F400 switch the unit ON There should not be any low battery warning The rechargeable battery should give years of service before needing to be replaced If it does need replacing the instructions on how to do so are in section 10 2 Replacing the Rechargeable Battery 10 2 Replacing the Rechargeable Battery The rechargeable battery can be recharged hundreds of times but eventually the serviceable time between charges will shorten When this happens a replacement battery should be fitted To replace the rechargeable battery please contact Apollo Electronics Apollo Electronics Ltd 4 Lombard Street Palmerston North 4410 Ph 06 3551497 or Fax 06 3553441 11 Servicing amp Repairs Should an electronic fault develop with your F400 plate meter then the counter should be removed from the shaft and sent for servicing to Apollo Electronics Ltd 4 Lombard Street Palmerston North 4410 Ph 06 3551497 Fax 06 3553441 A standard service charge including return freight in NZ applies to all electronic repairs No electronic components are sold as spare parts If in NZ contact Apollo Electronics Ltd to establish the current standard cost and enclose a crossed cheque payable to A
68. ts the accuracy of the Plate Meter as the shaft will not run smoothly and more force is required to take a reading Clean the shaft with a poly pad or similar Do not use lubricant as this will build up inside the black outer shaft 10 The Battery 10 1 Recharging the Battery The Electronic Counter is powered by a single rechargeable battery which should give 24 26 hours continuous use between charges A low battery warning is built in to the counter and might be displayed when switched on You can continue to take readings however it is recommended the battery be recharged before using the plate meter for an extended period When the F400 is connected to your computer using the Mini USB cable it will switch ON and the battery will be recharged Charging the Plate Meter can only be done using a Mini USB cable A standard 2 meter Mini USB cable is provided but a 5 meter one is available at an extra charge Please note that a wall charger is not an option at this stage Attach the Mini USB cable to the small USB socket on the top of the unit There may bea plastic screw cap that protects this socket which needs to be removed first Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 33 Bing Hub Connect the larger USB plug on the other end of the USB cable into a USB socket on your computer The unit will beep and switch ON automatically and the red LED on the front of the unit will light up if the USB cable is connected correctly When the bat
69. ugust 2014 Page 31 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 8 Retrofitting an Electronic Counter to a Manual Plate Meter amp An electronic counter can be attached to most manual Plate Meters with little or no modification However it is essential that care be taken to ensure it is correctly attached and aligned to ensure smooth operation Remove all existing mechanical counters from the Plate Meter if applicable Check that a cog is attached to the small shank on the back of the counter To attach a cog to the shank of the counter DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE It is best to heat the cog in a hot cup of water prior to pressing onto the shaft Lay the Electronic Plate Counter face down on a flat surface so that the cog is to your left Turn the cog on the counter anti clockwise to the left until it stops Hold the Plate Meter with the handle to the left The slit in the shaft where the cog fits should face toward you Make sure the metal shaft is fully closed to the bottom end of the black tube If you have difficulty keeping the plate closed we suggest that you bind some tape around the large washer and the bulb of the black tube Place the black tube with the steel shaft inserted onto the back of the counter fitting the Cog into the slit of et the tube The Cog should be situated mid way in the slit in the black tube Place the single saddle plastic bracket onto the black tube aligning the holes in the
70. uter 14 1 18 You can now use your F400 Plate Meter to perform your Pasture Cover walks Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 43 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 15 Using the Correct Measuring Technique Differences in Rising Plate Meter measuring technique can alter pasture covers by as much as 600 kgDM ha This can be the difference between thinking there is adequate or even surplus pasture available and all is well or pasture deficit and urgent action is required All pasture measurement techniques require calibration to convert the actual reading to dry matter The technique that is used when walking around the farm taking the measurements needs to be the same as that used to calibrate the Rising Plate Meter This technique is to place the plate on top of the pasture with no downward force and then push the shaft to ground level making sure the plate is vertical when the shaft hits the ground Taking measurements by holding the Plate Meter 10cm or more above the top of the pasture and plunging the plate onto the pasture will give lower incorrect readings This is because the downward force of the plate compresses the pasture more than occurred when the calibrations were down giving a lower average height and cover readings These two techniques are illustrated below 15 1 Incorrect Technique gt The Plate Meter is held above the pasture and plunged in one movement onto the pasture gt The higher the
71. v No 1 Bing Hub F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 4 Pasture Covers User Guide The Pasture Cover module records pasture covers for the farm and will provide information on the individual paddock pasture covers feed availability and the feed wedge and in time pasture growth rates This module can be installed separately or in conjunction with the full P Plus program The Pasture Cover module is a companion to the Ag Hub Plate Meter and Rapid Pasture Meter although it is also useful to compliment other pasture measuring devices This Section consists of the following components The Pasture Cover Setup Screen The Pasture Cover Main Screen The Add Edit Screen The Target Covers Window Entering First Pasture Cover Pasture Cover Reports Pasture Cover Importer VVVVVV WV The Pasture Cover module is free to the purchaser of an Ag Hub Plate Meter If you have purchased extra modules you do not need to install the Pasture Cover module as it is free with any other module purchase Simply install P Plus as per the instructions that came with the CDROM For installation instructions for P Plus refer to the P Plus Installation Guide that came with the CDROM or Plate Meter or Rapid Pasture Meter 4 1 Pasture Cover Setup When you have installed P Plus and sent the licence request for the Pasture Cover module to Ag Hub you can then setup your farm Installation and licencing is covered in the P Plus with Pasture Cover Module insta
72. y are connected to the PC for the first time as this is the recommended procedure for reliable device operation Connect the device to a spare USB port on your PC This will launch the Windows Add New Hardware Wizard Windows may display a message reading Building driver database at this point which may take a few minutes to pass Found New Hardware Wizard Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard This wizard helps you install software for USB Interface C If your hardware came with an installation CD lt 6 or floppy disk insert it now What do you want the wizard to do Install from a list or specific location Advanced Click Next to continue Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 25 Bing Hub Select Install from a list or specific location Advanced as shown below and then click Next Found New Hardware Wizard Welcome to the Found New Hardware Wizard This wizard helps you install software for USB Interface C If your hardware came with an installation CD QP or floppy disk insert it now What do you want the wizard to do O Install the software automatically Recommended Click Next to continue F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Check the box next to Include this location in the search and uncheck all others as shown below Click Browse and locate the driver files in c PPlus Drivers directory Found New Hardware Wizard Please choose your search and ins
73. ys time Also P Plus will not allow you to print the reports until your software is licenced Pasture Cover Module Licences are free to purchasers with an Electronic Plate Meter or a Rapid Pasture Sensor Please ensure that you check the box for Pasture Cover only DO NOT CHECK ANY OTHER BOXES Licence Details for Version 3 35 Email P Plus Identification Details Selections Licence Name C Single FArm Farm Version Business name farm name or your name CD Serial Number fi 234 CD Check Key ooo Multifle Farms Professional dumber of 5 farm blocks m Serial Number and Key do not match ew Module Purchases Computer ID 102436640 ontact Distributor for pricing M PastureCover Purchased From Aghub Record Results and view Feed Wedge Purchase Date 8 04 2014 fal Map Map drawing measuring and viewing Paddock Basic paddock and crop records Initials S urname FR Brown Feed Forecaster Budget Address Vitoria Fall Road Calculate animal feed demand and supply Suburb or AD no Town or City Eastern Southland PostCode Phone Fax Your Details Email Computer Details Optional First Names ae ber Preference for Licence File Processor Intel I Printer HP Deskjet EMail C Fax Windows Yersion Windows 8 Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 7 Bing Hub 3 1 Entering your Details F400 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Please follow the instructions carefully when entering deta

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