Outback Tractor GPS Guidance Unit

Description:

Early adopters of GPS technology, Roy Bardole and his sons purchased this tractor guidance device in 2004 for their corn and soybean operation in Rippey, Iowa. The GPS device controlled tractor steering so that they could keep their rows straighter which is important in a no-till operation. Additionally, the amount of seed, fertilizer, and chemicals applied could be controlled by the unit so that over spraying and over seeding was reduced. At harvest time the GPS unit correlated and recorded harvest amounts for specific locations. Creating highly accurate crop-yield maps, Roy Bardole had hard data to better understand how his fields worked, get an edge on nature, and allow him to improve his farming practice.

See more items in: Work and Industry: Agriculture, American Enterprise, Agriculture

Exhibition: American Enterprise

Exhibition Location: National Museum of American History

Related Publication: Sewer, Andy; Allison, David; Liebhold, Peter; Davis, Nancy; Franz, Kathleen G.. American Enterprise: A History of Business in America

Credit Line: Gift of Roy Bardole

Data Source: National Museum of American History

Id Number: 2012.0166.01Catalog Number: 2012.0166.01Accession Number: 2012.0166Serial Number: 856084

Object Name: gps guidance unit

Physical Description: plastic (overall material)black (overall color)metal (overall material)Measurements: overall: 4 1/2 in x 8 1/2 in x 1 1/2 in; 11.43 cm x 21.59 cm x 3.81 cm

Guid: http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746ad-9d19-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa

Record Id: nmah_1424932

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