Telemetry Unit
Telemetry systems for SMART agriculture
Overview
The use of telemetry systems in SMART agriculture is an innovative approach which involves the implementation of an information system able to provide data on irrigation parameters throughout the year. A robust and reliable telemetry unit allows for fully automated monitoring and automation solutions for energy efficient and cost-effective agricultural crops.
The Gentick 4Gee telemetry unit is compatible with a wide range of existing and legacy senors / probes commonly used in the agricultural sector.
(Aquacheck, Sentek, Enviropro, Greenshield, Hydrawize, EC-5 Decagon amongst others are all compatible with the 4Gee unit.)
Wether you’re looking at implementing a new system, or adding improved monitoring capabilities to your current system the 4Gee Telemetry unit is a great addition.
4G LTE modem (future proof)
Weatherproof
LCD Screen for in-field setup
Compatible with a range of probes
Advantages
• Compatible with a number of existing probes
• Simultaneous measurement of two probes per unit
• Easy installation
• Extendable battery unit for remote locations
• Cost effective solution
• Made in Africa for the African environment
The 4G is a battery powered industrial cellphone. It was designed to measure sensors and send the readings to servers reliably. The 4G connects to various soil moisture probes (Aquacheck / Greenshield / Sentek / Enviropro etc) via its RS485 / SDI12 interface. It also has 2 pulse counters enabling the user to add both a rain gauge and a water flow meter simultaneously.
Gentick has developed a range of sensors that can connect to the 4G and measure temperature, RH, EC, weather station, water levels, pressures, water flows etc. We have also integrated some 3rd party sensors including Fruit size and sap flow.
The 4G is in a weatherproof enclosure and has an additional rain cover to help protect against the elements. It is mounted with a mild steel bracket with various mounting options (stainless steel clamps, cable ties, or screws). The mild steel is zinc plated and powder coated to ensure that it will last in the elements. Rechargeable Li-Ion battery packs can easily be swopped out, and ¼ turn screws ensures that the enclosure can be used for many years.
There is enough room in the enclosure to fit a second battery in case the battery-life needs to be extended. The is also an optional solar panel that can be fitted to remove the need for battery charging in total.
An LCD screen was added to the design to empower a field-technician, agent, or user to know what is going on in the installation, for instance the probe number, moistures, temperatures etc. can be seen when the unit resets and the values are read from the various sensors. The process of switching on the cellphone and connecting to the network as well as connection to the server and sending packets are all displayed in real time so that the user will know if all is ok while he/she is standing next to the unit.
The unit is supplied with a high gain external antenna. This ensures good signal in most cases. Cellular signal is a pre-requisite for this device to function.
