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F200 Platemeter Manual

1. 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 11 3 Things to do before you start your walk and 11 3 4 Zero Calibration 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 Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 27 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 8 Caring For Your Plate Meter 8 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 8 2 Keep the shaft clean The shaft can get a build up of dirt that affects 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 8 3 Remember to check the counter is switched off between cover walks The switch is easily left on which will waste the battery Page 28 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 9 The Battery 9 1 Recharging the Ba
2. These two techniques are illustrated below Incorrect Technique gt The Plate Meter is held above the pasture and plunged in one movement onto the pasture m gt The higher the plate is held and the greater the force applied 4 a s Nc SN y gt the lower the reading will be NENA 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 Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 35 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 14 Taking Paddock Readings The Pasture Walk IMPORTANT PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU WAIT FOR THE F200 TO BEEP AT EACH PLONK BEFORE LIFTING OTHERWISE THE READING WILL NOT BE RECORDED It is recommended you print off the Pasture Cover Walks Cover Entry Form from your P Plus software program before undertaking a Pasture Walk This will enable you to record each paddock height cover for later inputting into the program It will also provide a copy of the previous two walks if available for comparison 14 1 How to Take Paddock Readings 14 1 1 14 1 2 14 1 3 14 1 4 14 1 5
3. Page 14 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Farm Properties a Options Edit List Example Dairy 80 00 Example Dairy PO Box 433 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 each 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 P
4. The add number is 4 digits long and can range from 0 to 9999 Press the Formula button to change this digit to a value between 0 and 9 When it is correct press the Reset button Enter the next digits the same way Repeat this process for all 4 digits until the display changes to the multiply number NB 500 would be entered as 0500 The multiply number has 3 digits and can range from 0 to 255 Enter the first digit by pressing the Formula button to change this digit to either 0 or 1 Press the Reset button when it is correct and continue to the next digit The last two digits can have values from 0 to 9 Repeat this process until all digits have been entered and the display returns to its normal state 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 Email sales aghub co nz Ag Hub Technical Support 06 323 1371 www aghub co nz lus 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 e Lincoln University Dairy Farm LUDF Fieldays in Dairy Exporter January 2005 e Rising Plate Meter Ready Reckoner DEXCEL Pasture Growth amp Quality e Pasture production of northern dairy farms G J Piggot 1997 Proceedings of the New
5. Zealand Grassland Association 59 103 106 Refer DairyNZ Website e 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 from the relevant publications Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 41 Bag Hub F200 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 P Plus Farm Management Software is 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
6. 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 alternative 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 mor
7. 75 00 92 00 95 00 75 00 20 00 83 00 85 00 81 00 89 00 84 00 60 00 87 00 81 00 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 math 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 Consequently 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 consider these options Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 19 Bag Hub 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 F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 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
8. F300 only 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 Before you replace the battery make sure the unit is switched off Remove the counter from the black tube and loosen the screw in the middle of the counter back Pull out the battery retainer clip from the bottom of the counter Remove the battery and gently remove the battery snap To avoid damage to the battery snap it is recommended you use a screwdriver to flip off the battery clip as damage can occur to the internal connections if grasped by fingers and pulled off Replace the battery with the same type and specification as the one that came with your counter Press the battery snap firmly onto the new battery and insert back into the battery retainer Replace the battery retainer into the counter taking care not to catch the wires in the side wall of the counter Tighten the central screw on the back and refit to the black tube Charge the battery for at least 16 hours before initial use Make sure the counter is re calibrated before you commence your next walk Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 29 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Alternatively you could send the unit to Apollo Electronics for a small replacement charge Apollo Electronics Ltd 4 Lombard Street Palmerston North 4410 Ph 06 3551497 Fax 06 3553441
9. 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 Provide Optional information that may help to 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 m
10. Send to Apollo Electronics Ltd for service and repair 16 8 Battery Retainer keeps falling out Check Resolution The counter screws have not been tightened sufficiently Make sure the centre screw is re tightened after the battery is replaced or ensure the battery retainer is properly clicked into place 16 9 How do I change a formula Check Resolution The F200 is switched on If you wish to select the inbuilt default formula Hold down the Formula button until the display changes to F d While the d is displayed press the Reset button The following equation is used Cover kgDM ha 140 x height 500 Page 40 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 16 10 How do I enter my own formula Check Resolution The F200 is switched on Note Refer to Section 12 for current DairyNZ formula Hold down the Formula button until the display changes to F d Press the Formula button again to change the d to a c Now press the Reset button and the display looks like 0 _____ The display will then show you the first of two numbers you will enter The first number is the equation add number and the second the multiply number For example in equation 1 above the first number 140 is the multiply number and the second 500 is the add number
11. 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 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 Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 45 PO Box 433 Feilding 4740 New Zealand TM F 64 6 323 1371 E sales aghubconz A H b 0800 MYAGHUB 0800 692 448 www aghub co nz g u
12. build up inside the black tube Clean the Plate Meter Flutes on steel shaft have become filled with grass or soil Clean the Plate Meter Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 39 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 16 6 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 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 Traditionally 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 Check what equation you are using 16 7 Front Panel membrane problems Check Resolution Buttons not clicking or activating Service membrane needs replacing
13. 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 licensed 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 If the trial licence still exists repeat from step 1 UAWN a 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 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 Bag Hub F200 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 signif
14. 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 P Plus Pasture Covers Demonstration F AgHub Help Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 17 Bag Hub F200 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 Pasture Cover undertaken by date with average cover per hectare and assessment type Start date of reporting year to display on graphs along with years used Target Cover green shade Current today s Cover black vertical line Previous covers by year Various colours Feed Wedge on 730512044 Average Cover 2332 kgDIM ha paddocks Feed Wedge of the top twenty paddocks green and the average cover line red The green line is the trend
15. is Farm Management Software complete your desktop image will appear and you will note a P Plus icon on your desktop 2 Effluent Soil Weather Water Page 4 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 1 1 Moving P Plus and your farm data to a new computer On the old computer 1 You will need a floppy drive or external USB memory stick to put the backup on 2 Backup your farm data Go to Help and Backup for details on how to do this 3 Browse to your USB memory stick so it becomes your selected backup location 4 Backup your farm data 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 Find the backup file Select the backup file and then select OK in Restore This will put your farm data into P Plus Check the data is ok So Wait for new licence to arrive to licence your copy of P Plus This may take up to 48 hours Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 5 Ag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE 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 Alternatively from the windows task bar click on select All Programs 7 then from the P Plus Program Group se
16. set the same as Eyeball kgDM ha equation 4 8 Pasture Cover Equation The cover equations provide a mechanism for taking pasture height measurement e g a rising Plate Meter or other measures such as the pasture probe 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 If you are using an Ag Hub Electronic Rising Plate Meter then this section does not apply as the mathematics is 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 DM Equations Feed Reader Default No Equation t Default Active M Plate December Plate Dexcel All Seasons ID ZJ Plate February PRIS Histongal al seasons Plate January Plate March Plate November al 25000 B 2750 cj 0 00 Plate October Plate Winter Rapid PM Canterbury Rapid PM Default kgDM ha A Bxheight Cx height height Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 23 Sag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL The F200 Ag Hub Electronic Rising Plate Meter default equation is the
17. 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 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 F300 amp F400 Electronic Plate Meter requires the COM port on your computer which has the device plugged into to be selected 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 Cancel 1 Help Apply Growth Rate CODEC emmener No estimate available C Use the default growth curve BOP Pongakawa Add Edit Use User defined growth rate 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 Page 20 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub Walk Ride Order The walk
18. 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 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 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 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 Using the Correct Measuring Technique Taking Paddock Readings The Pasture Walk Pasture Cover Reports Trouble Shooting Other Products Sold by Ag Hub Frequently Asked Questions Issue Date August 2014 13 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 34 35 36 37 38 42 43 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 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 Windows XP Home Professional and Vista windows 7 Before you start the installation of the P Plus with the Pasture Covers module we recommend you to save all current work and exi
19. 10 Servicing amp Repairs Should an electronic fault develop with your F200 F300 or 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 Apollo 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 30 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 11 Operating the Electronic Counter 11 1 Switching Unit On and Off The Electronic Plate Counter is switched on and off using the toggle switch at the back of the unit Off is in the up position When the unit is off there are no numbers displayed on the LCD screen 11 2 The Front Display Buttons The various functions of the F200 are accessed by the two buttons on the front of the unit labelled Height Reset and Count Formula The wordings in
20. 14 1 6 14 1 7 14 1 8 Page 36 Switch the unit on using the toggle switch at the back of the unit Reset by holding the Reset button until the display changes to 0 This should be accompanied by 2 short beeps Walk across the paddock taking readings every few paces You will hear a beep every time a reading is stored 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 You will hear 3 short beeps when you have completed 29 plonks and one long beep when you reach 30 This is the recommended number of readings 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 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 When you have completed the paddock you can press the Height button to show the average pasture cover although the F200 will default to kgDM Ha Write down the average height and or the average cover Repeat instructions 2 to 5 until you have completed every paddock Switch the unit off using the toggle swi
21. 444 51G4 3 0 1544 4678 1555 6 G5 26 1666 4265 1666 7IG6 27 ATTT 4727 ATT 8IG7 26 1888 4965 ATIT 278 3168 26 1999 5277 1888 27 8 111G15 3 2 2000 6480 2333 121G16 2 4 2111 4982 2444 13 G17 24 2232 5357 2555 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 Cover Graph 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
22. Ag Hub F200 Electronic Rising Platemeter Bag Hub F200 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 VVVVVV 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 on a 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 include
23. K ANY OTHER BOXES Licence Details for Version 3 35 Ena P Plus Identification Details Licence Name BEEN Business name farm name or your name CD Serial Number fi 234 CD Check Key Serial Number and Key do not match Computer ID 02436840 Purchased From Aghub Purchase Date 8 04 2014 l Your Details Initials Surname FR Brown Address Vitoria Fall Road Suburb or RD no Town or City Eastern Southland PostCode Phone Fax Email First Names Preference for Licence File EMail C Fax Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Hep Se ections contact Distributor for pricing astureCover Record Results and view Feed Wedge M Map Map drawing measuring and viewing I Paddock Basic paddock and crop records Feed Forecaster Budget Calculate animal feed demand and supply Computer Details Optional Make bt Processor Intel I7 Printer HP Deskit windows Version Jwindows8 Page 7 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 3 1 Entering your Details Please follow the instructions carefully when entering details 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 Partners
24. PS 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 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
25. Press the Formula button to change this digit to a value of O or 1 Press the Reset button when it is correct and the next digit will appear The last two digits can have values from 0 to 9 Repeat this process until all digits are entered and the display returns to its normal state Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 13 Using the Correct Measuring Technique Differences in Rising Plate Meter measuring techniques 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
26. The New button Brings up the Add Edit Pasture Cover Window see section 4 3 in the P Plus User Manual for more details on 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 etc as well as the Pasture Equation The Options button provides the following e Edit Covers edit an existing cover already recorded e Delete a cover e Show the graph key for the years of colours available e Re draw the graph refreshes the graph e Edit the Target Covers e Pasture Cover Importer Page 18 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 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 Add Edit Pasture Covers Adding or modifying Management Unit fau units aee equations Assessment is Full Partial M Estimate Oea w Eaa Date and Method 110 00 Date 23 05 2014 A Date of Pasture Cover Estimate Covers E s Select Method i Posture Meter E 90 00 Dee sise Equation to be used for 11 00 entire pasture cover 108 00 110 00 20 00 96 00 Area 1 74 hectares 106 00 Cover Equation Equation to be used for a 75 00 Rapid PM Canterbury z specific paddock 87 00 86 00 Grazed Shut up Cropped
27. a 158 x height Cover kgDM ha 158 x height 1000 Cover kgDM ha 158 x height 200 The counter also provides an option for selecting your own equation or those recommended by consultants DairyNZ or Meat amp Wool When you receive your counter it will normally be setup for the DairyNZ recommended equation for the autumn winter months Please refer to Section 12 Current New Zealand Dairy Equations for examples of the DairyNZ equations 11 3 3 Entering the factory default formula While the F200 is switched on hold down the Formula button The display looks like this F_ _ d press the Reset button briefly The display will then show 500 and then 140 The default formula has now been loaded and saved to memory To enter your own formula please refer to section 12 1 Entering your own formula 11 3 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 recalibrated To make this adjustment you will need a small flat blade scre
28. age 15 Sag Hub F200 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 Land Areas Options CUT Property and Land Example Dairy xe Paddocks Monitoring Walk Number 1 Stock Holding Location Example Dairy Shift List Order Move Up Walk Number Move Down a T 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Total 1 74 hectare gt Grazing 1 74 Arable 1 74 Headland Value ha 0 00 ather Weather 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 special intensive recording or research areas Stock Holding for yards road edges lanes etc where stock are commonly grazing or being held Protected bush stream banks etc that are not normally used for growing crops or grazing Page 16 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub Problem salinity chemical contaminated eroded areas that need to be
29. ated pasture that are not recorded here Sheep and Beef pastures differ in density to dairy pastures and will therefore require different equations 12 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 DairyNZ or Meat amp Wool please do the following 12 1 1 12 1 2 12 1 3 Page 34 While the F200 is switched on hold down the Formula button The display looks like this F__ d Press the formula button again briefly the change the d default to c custom Now press Reset briefly and the display will look like this O_ _ _ This is the first of two numbers you will enter The first number is the equation add number and the second the multiply number For example in equation 2 above the first number 115 is the multiply number and the second 850 is the add number The add number is 4 digits long and can range from 0 to 9999 Starting with the first digit press the Formula button to change this digit to a value from 0 to 9 Press the reset button when it is correct NB 850 for example would be entered as 0850 The next digit will change to a zero Repeat this process until all 4 digits have been entered The display then changes to the multiply number The multiply number has 3 digits and can range from O to 199 The first digit will appear as 0
30. ber 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 w7itprogeneral thread b4f90f07 206c 494b 8d14 ee17bfa689e0 Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 3 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 1 How to install P Plus Pasture Cover Take the CD and place it in the CD drive It should automatically 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
31. bold type are the primary functions These are activated by a short press of the button The secondary functions Reset and Formula are activated by holding the button down until the function operates When the unit is first switched on the display will show the model number the current formula in use and finally the calculated kgDM ha based on that formula and any readings in memory Pressing the Height button will briefly display the Average pasture height This is often referred to as clicks measured in 0 5cm and will be displayed to one decimal place i e 0 0 or 12 4 Note 1 click 0 5cm 11 2 1 The number of readings is displayed when Count button is pressed The display will show a c on the left side and the count on the right The display will return to normal after 2 seconds 11 2 2 All readings can be cleared reset by holding down the Reset button for approximately 2 seconds then the display will change to 0 11 3 Things to do before you start your walk There are four items to be addressed before starting a new walk This is best done prior to leaving the shed to start a pasture walk 11 3 1 Ensure the P Plus Farm Management Software is installed Before you can begin using your F200 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 C
32. e about our products Page 42 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 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 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 hav
33. e 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 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 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
34. elevant 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 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 Bag Hub Note Examples of Equations F200 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
35. get the optimum line correct on the Full farm feed wedge When reporting on sub groups of paddocks Land Management Units e g Herdi or Herd2 then the number of paddocks in the Land Management unit will be used instead Optimal Grazing Covers Target covers Target covers can be set so Pre Grazing Cover 3500 Post Grazing Residual 1100 you can see how the farm average cover is trending as compared to how you hoped it would No paddocks in rotation 50 To set the Target Covers click on the Options Display High Covers On Left button and Edit Target Covers Press the Insert button to add a date the date will Enter Cover Targets typically be 14 days ahead of the last date in the list These dates can be changed to give a Date 4 09 2014 a spacing of one month for example Use the Cover 2000 kaDM ha Insert scroll bars to move around the list of dates EE Once this is completed click on the Close ee gt 1 year button and the targets will be shown on the 2 10 2014 lt 1 year middle screen 16 10 2014 30 10 2014 The target covers and preferred trend line will 13 11 2014 27 11 2014 be displayed on the feed wedge 11 12 2014 25 12 2014 8 01 2015 22 01 2015 5402 2015 Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 21 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 4 7 Entering First Pasture Cover To enter your set of pasture cover measurements click on the New button and the Add Edit Pasture Cover screen will be di
36. hen 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 F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Unable to detach the licence from Outlook Express General Spelling Security Read Receipts Send Compose Signatures Connection Maintenance Virus Protection Select th tenet Explore z Oiintemet zone Less secure Restricted sites zone More secure Warn me when other applications try to send mail as me Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus Download Images Block images and other extemal content in HTML e mail Secure Mail Digital IDs also called certificates are special documents that allow you to prove your identity in electronic transactions To digitally sign messages or receive encrypted messages you must have a digital ID Tell me more Digital IDs Get Digital ID Encrypt contents and attachments for all outgoing messages Advanced Digitally sign al
37. hip 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 email If you do not supply an email address we will need to send you a disk to complete the Licensing process Page 8 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub 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 F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER
38. ic counter to a Manual Plate Meter then follow the steps outlined in section 7 of this manual Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 25 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 6 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 M6 X 12 Button Socket Va x 1 FI Washer Back case with battery retainer inserted Black Tube sea a Washer and 1 4 Pan Head Pozi P ks Clear Front Cover KgDM ha Charging Socket Membrane keypad Battery Retainer Inserted Page 26 Saddles Grooved Rod Handle Inner Tube Yellow Handle Cog attached to Potentiometer on case 4 Potentiometer Black Plastic Plate Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 7 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 sma
39. icant changes being made to your computer In either case P Plus may become unlicensed 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 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 you 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 writing 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 t
40. ir 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 Clean the Plate Meter and zero calibrate if required 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 Re assemble the Plate Meter 16 3 Cog becoming worn Check Resolution Not aligned correctly on the shaft Re align the cog or replace the cog Order from Apollo Electronics Ltd 16 4 The counter continuously beeps and eventually turns off Check Resolution 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 Remember 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 16 5 Plate Meter not running freely Check Resolution Metal shaft is bent Straighten or request a replacement part from Apollo Electronics Ltd Grass or soil
41. l outgoing messages l OK Cancel Apply Outlook is preventing the file from been saved by default Microsoft Outlook express will not allow attachments to be saved To enable this function open MS Outlook Express and select Tools then Options then click on the security tab Un tick the box Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus Close MS Outlook and reopen Then follow the instructions that came with the licence file to detach the licence file P Plus software becomes unlicensed when it was licensed 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 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 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 H
42. lect P Plus PAte 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 have registered P Plus correctly Please click on OK to close the screen You haye 30 days before your trial licence expires 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 aur Computer ID is O2A36B4D 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 Bag Hub 3 How to Licence P Plus Software F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 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 days 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 Feed Reader Please ensure that you check the box for Pasture Cover only DO NOT CHEC
43. ll shank on the back of the counter To attach a cog to the shank of the counter DO NOT USE EXCESSIVE PRESSURE Itis 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 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 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
44. modern equation 140 height x 500 and is used throughout New Zealand 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 Ag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 5 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 electron
45. odel assists identifying printer issues Windows Version Optional Enter your Windows version 98 through to Windows 7 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 Sag Hub F200 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 you 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 licensed 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
46. of hard cardboard The sheet should fit in your pocket while still displaying all the information you need while out on the farm Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 37 Bag Hub 16 Trouble Shooting 16 1 There is no visual display F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Check Resolution The Unit is switched on Switch the toggle switch on back of unit The battery is not flat Recharge the battery using Mini USB cable If battery is holding charge Replace the Battery damaged the battery snap clip to top of the battery If you have just changed a battery you may have Service send to Apollo Electronics Ltd 16 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 become un calibrated if it receives a knock and the cog jumps a notch on the metal shaft Zero calibrate To do this work through the following steps a Ensure the plate is fully down when holding by the handle and the plate is off the ground and the unit is switched off b Hold down the Count button while turning the unit on The display will look like 0 c When correctly calibrated the last digit should flicker between 0 and 1 If it does not do that then turn the blue shaft which supports the cog at the back of the unit with a screwdri
47. 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 paddocks 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 F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 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 4 6 The Target Covers Window Optimal Grazing Cover Set the desired preferred grazed residual and desired preferred max pasture cover The trend line will use these settings and will easily show paddocks above or below your desired pasture cover These values are used on the default feed wedge and the feed wedge displayed from the reports No of Paddocks in Rotation Enter the number of paddocks the entire farm has for dairy grazing This number is used to
48. ou 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 staff 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 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 Page 44 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL What special features does P Plus offer e P Plus can directly import GPS maps generated through our G
49. over 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 enter Pasture Cover walks from your F200 Plate Meter Ensure you are not using the demonstration Farm Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 31 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 11 3 2 Start up Self test Switch On The unit will beep and display F200 It may also beep 3 times and display Lo if the battery needs recharging The current formula in use will be displayed next with the part of the equation first default 500 and then the x part second default 140 The display will then show the kgDM ha calculation based on that formula and any readings stored in memory To clear the readings press and hold the Reset button until the display shows 0 0 There is one default plate equation and one custom user editable equation The former is built into the chip and cannot be replaced or modified This equation is typically used between April and September in New Zealand 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 Some examples are Cover kgDM h
50. plan and requirements Includes Weather and Pasture Cover modules Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 43 Bag Hub F200 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 Operating system Windows ME 2000 XP windows 7 or Vista 32 bit only CPU 1 00GHz RAM Memory 256MB minimum recommend 512MB 1GB Vista CD ROM Drive DVD CD RW combo drive Monitor SVGA Windows compatible mouse Windows compatible printer 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 y
51. s 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 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL F200 Electronic Rising Plate Meter User Manual The F200 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 consultants
52. splayed 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 Plate 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 r
53. t 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 90 or Farmtracker then call Ag Hub to discuss your upgrade options e If you have version 3 16 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 follow the instructions If you encounter a problem that cannot be resolved please email pplus aghub co nz 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 1 Click on a Start 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 English 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 num
54. tch at the back Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 15 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 cropping This will have an influence on the total 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 P Plus Demo Cover on Date All units File Noa 7 08 2006 1881 kgDM ha A lamas Pad Paddock Area Graz Shut Crop Pre Cover Total Last Growth Nu Name ed Up ped Post kgDMha Cover kgDMha d Flag 3 08 2006 1 1161 2 2 1202 2596 1222 3162 29 1333 3879 1333 41G3 2 61 1434 3685 1
55. teps above and retest If the calibration fails to hold then check the black saddle is screwed down firmly and the F200 does not twist easily on the steel shaft Otherwise the potentiometer which the cog drives could be faulty and will need replacing This can occur with excessive wear often compounded by dust and dirt entering the dry bearing of the potentiometer See section 8 Caring For Your Plate Meter Issue Date August 2014 Page 33 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 12 Current New Zealand Dairy Equations For your convenience the following are the equations promoted by DairyNZ for dairy pastures since May 2001 Please refer to the section on 11 3 3 Entering the Formula for more information on how to enter the appropriate equation Months 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 January Plate Meter Reading x 165 1250 February Plate Meter Reading x 185 1200 Plate Meter Reading x 170 1100 These formulas are in P Plus already and to use them you will need to enter them into your F200 Plate Meter 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 irrig
56. treated differently or fenced off F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL 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 and Dates tabs Adding Paddocks Ensure that Paddocks is selected in the area list and click on the New button to enter information for each paddock 1 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 the 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 and
57. ttery 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 is recharged before using the Plate Meter for an extended period The F200 should be switched OFF during recharging Attach the charger that was supplied with your Plate Meter to the small socket on the side of the counter Switch on the wall socket and the display should show Ch Decimal points will scroll along the bottom of the display This will continue for approx 5 hours after which the display will show FULL The battery is now charged No damage will occur if the charger is left on beyond this For best results occasionally allow the F200 to remain on charge overnight Unplug the charger and switch the F200 ON There should not be any low battery warning The rechargeable battery should give years of service before needing to be replaced CAUTION DO NOT USE ANY CHARGER OTHER THAN THE ONE SUPPLIED WITH THE F200 FAILURE TO DO SO WILL VOID THE PRODUCT WARRANTY 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 9 2 Replacing the Rechargeable Battery 9 2 Replacing the Rechargeable Battery for the F100 F200 amp
58. ub Plate Meter and Rapid Pasture Meter although it is also useful to complement 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 VVVVVVV 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 licensing is covered in the P Plus with Pasture Cover Module installation 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 sho
59. uld be two farms in the list one being the Demonstration Farm and the other your own Farm Click on your farm and click select Please enter your farm name and click on OK This will bring up the Pasture Covers Setup screen Enter a New Farm File Name ok Cancel om Rev No 1 Issue Date August 2014 Page 13 Sag Hub Properties Record details of the farm name and address Preferences No changes required Paddocks 3 Pasture Equatjor Create Paddocks and confiqure paddock sizes Pasture Growth Rates Equations Only used if licenced Setup your own for feed budget Cover Targets pasture Enter targets on eauations 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 Enter Cover targets see section 4 6 Define the walk order of paddocks see section 4 3 F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL NOTE Please ensure that you have created your properties paddocks and setup the paddocks sizes before entering any pasture cover records 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
60. ver Make sure you turn the shaft within the cog and it is not moving the steel shaft As you turn you will see the numbers increasing or decreasing Adjust the blue shaft until the digit on the display reads 0 d Turn off then on again when you have finished e 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 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 not slipping on the blue shaft potentiometer Replace the Potentiometer and Cog Send to Apollo Electronics Ltd for service and repair Page 38 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL Check Resolution The cog has wound off 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 Send to Apollo Electronics Ltd for service and repa
61. wdriver that will fit into the slot of the blue shaft at the back of the counter Page 32 Issue Date August 2014 Rev No 1 Bag Hub F200 ELECTRONIC PLATE METER USER MANUAL To perform the calibration please refer to the following steps Rev No 1 Ensure the plate is fully down place on a firm flat surface and the unit is switched off Hold down the Count button while switching the unit on The display will change to CAL briefly and display a colon followed by a number Let s assume you see 5 when you switch on Proceed as follows The colon signifies that it is in fine calibration mode Use a flat blade screwdriver and turn the blue plastic shaft within the cog clockwise looking at the display until the display reads 0 NB The cog and steel shaft must remain stationary DO NOT TURN THE SHAFT BEYOND THIS POINT OR YOU MAY DAMAGE THE POTENTIOMETER Once the counter reads zero move the counter up the full length of the shaft The colon will disappear once it passes 9 and enter clicks mode At full height the display should read 50 which is 50 half centimetres The counter has now been calibrated successfully Switch off when you have finished and then back on again without pressing any buttons Test the zero calibration by raising and lowering the plate several times A beep should sound and the kgDM ha is displayed on the LCD screen as the plate falls If it does not repeat the s

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