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TIP: Farm Site

Use the Quick Yield Import to Create a Yield Map

The Quick Yield Import box is where you will go to import yield data and create a yield map. Quick Yield Import will automatically read in the data, assign it to a layer, and create a default legend for the information.

The Quick Yield- Import Yield option is used to read yield data in many different formats. This can include data on a PC Card that came directly from the yield monitor as well as yield data saved in a different format (such as a text file). The steps involved in reading yield data will vary in some ways for different types of data. This section of the manual includes general steps for reading yield data. The screens described in this section may vary slightly from the screens that you will see, but the general process will still be the same.

To create a yield map with the Quick Yield Tools:

1. Select the Import Yield button from the Quick Yield Tools button bar. The Yield Import- Filename box will appear.

2. Select the file to import. You may need to use the Browse button to select the drive and directory (or card slot) from which the files will be read. Select the Next button to proceed.

3. If the program is unable to recognize the type of file you are loading, the Yield Import- File Type window will appear. Select the type of file you are importing and select the OK button to continue. Note that files that come straight from the yield monitor (usually on a PC Card) will typically be in a Binary format.

4. At the Yield Import - Options box, select Harvest to import yield data and select the Next button to continue.

• The As Lines option can be used to import data as lines, which will connect each GPS point logged to create a map that shows the path that was covered at harvest.

• Site Verification files can be created with some yield monitors while planting or spraying. This type of file will typically contain information such as the seed variety planted or chemical used in the Loads attribute of the file. This option will only be available if the file was created with a yield monitor that supports this data format.

• Application Rates may be logged with some yield monitors when they are hooked up to a planter or sprayer controller. When this option is selected, a map that appears like a yield map will be created. However, the values will be the application rates instead of yield values. This option will only be available if the file was created with a yield monitor that supports this data format.

5. Select the fields for the yield data from the drop-down list in the Field column of the Yield Import - Loads box.

The program will display the field names that were created on the yield monitor and will ask that each field be tied to a field on the Main Farming Layer. The field names will be used for layer names as well as for reports such as the Yield Monitor Load report. Additionally, the program will use the field boundary on the Main Farming Layer to clip averaged and contoured views of yield data so they stay within the boundary of the field. If the exact same field names are used on the yield monitor, these names will automatically be selected for you. If the field has not been drawn and defined on the Main Farming Layer, select <Add> to enter the new field name. When the field is later defined on the Main Farming Layer, you will be able to select the name from the drop-down list.

6. Most yield files will include wet yield with the corresponding moisture value for each logged point. To convert wet yields to dry, select the Commodity from the drop-down list that corresponds to the crop in the field. The Quick Yields Tools will generally select the appropriate crop for you.

Commodities include settings that will be used to create the dry yield values for your yield map. Select <Add/Edit> from the Commodity drop-down list to set up a new commodity or change the settings for an existing commodity.

The following will be set up for each commodity:

• The Crop Weight will be used to convert the yield in the file (normally in pounds) to the desired unit of measure (typically bushels).

• The Dry Moisture is the moisture value that the program will shrink your yield down to. This value should normally match the value that your grain elevator or co-op uses when you sell grain to them.

• The Shrink and Shrink Increment percentages are used to shrink yields down to the Dry Moisture percentage. These values should normally match the percentages that your grain elevator or co-op uses when you sell grain to them.

7. The Fill Column button may be used to fill a column with a selected Commodity or Field.

8. The Combine settings may be used to enter delays that will be used to properly position yield data. As yield data is recorded, the values will typically be recorded with the GPS at the position where the yield strikes the sensor. This will often be a position that is not the actual position where the crop was harvested in the field.

   To add new combine settings or change the settings being used, select <Add/Edit> from the Combine drop-down list.
   Note that multiple combine settings may be created for different combines and/or crops that have different settings. The necessary combine settings can be found in the manual for your yield monitor.

   The Combine Calibration box will allow you to enter the following settings:

   • The Combine Delay is the time in seconds that it takes the crop to get from the field to the sensor. This setting will be used to move yield points to their appropriate position in the field.

   • The Start Delay is the time in seconds from when harvesting begins (normally when a combine header is lowered) until a good flow of grain begins to hit the sensor. The program will ignore the first data that is logged based on this setting.

   • The Stop Delay is the time in seconds from when harvesting stops (normally when a combine header is raised) until a good flow of grain stops hitting the sensor. The program will still map this data (even though it is marked as having a raised header status

9. Enter the crop Year where indicated.

10. If data is being imported directly from a PC card or a diskette, select Save a copy of the card image or file to create a backup of the file on your hard drive.
    A backup of the raw data is very important, since Farm Site will process the yield data and will only save the processed data on the yield layer that is created.

11. Select the Next button to continue.

12. When the Save a copy of the card image or file option is selected, you will be prompted to enter a backup file name and to enter a destination for the file. The file name can have a large number of characters and should be a name that will help you to identify the file if you need to read it again later. As an example, the following could be used as a filename that describes the year, crop and fields in the file: 02 Bean Yield - Home#1 Home #2 & Home #3 yld.

13. In the Yield Import- Layers box, select the Category from the drop-down list or select <Add> to create a new category. Normally, yield map layers will be assigned to the Yield category.

14. Farm Site will automatically create a yield layer based on the field name, crop, and year that are entered. The Layers button may be used to select an existing layer or add a new layer. Select the Next button to continue.

Site Tip: You will normally import yield data for each field to a separate layer. It is best to use the default layer names created by Quick Yields. As long as the proper fields, crops and years are selected for each yield map; Farm Site will automatically combine yield maps that are created on different dates (in different files) or with different combines for the same field.

15. If your yield file has "Flag" or "Marker" data, the Yield Import Markers screen will allow you to select which flags or markers you wish to import. Select the Next button to continue.

16. A summary of the yield information will be displayed in the Yield Import - Finish box. Use the Back button to make changes to previously entered information, if needed.

17. The Advanced button can be used to enter high and low ranges for Yields and Moisture. When data is imported, the program will ignore all points that have values that are outside these ranges.

18. Select the Finish button to import and display the yield map(s).

As of version 10.11, the Quick Yields program can import yield maps in the following formats:

From John Deere:

• John Deere Green Star data (*.gsy & *.gsd file) from data card.
• JD Map software JD Map Export File.

From Ag Leader or Case IH (AL-2000, PF-3000, Insight or A.F.S. *.yld, *.ilf & *.pfn):

• From Agco Fieldstar system. If you have the "Open Office" component installed on your computer, Quick Yields can read the raw data from the PC Card.
• Agco Field Star *.fsy or *.fsa data which is data saved from the Field Star office software.
• Binary data straight from a PC card or from any other drive (such as your hard drive).
• Non-binary data from a PC card that is not DOS-formatted.
  Data read off the PC card with the AL-2000 software and saved in the Basic Format.
• Data read off the PC card with the AL-2000 software and saved in the Advanced Format.
  

From Micro-Trak:

• Binary data straight from a PC card or from any other drive (such as your hard drive).
• Non-binary data from a PC card that is not DOS-formatted.
• Data read off the PC card with the Micro-Trak card reader software and saved as an MTY file.

All yield data recorded using the Ashtech Ag Navigator.

Yield data recorded using the RDS or Satloc yield monitors.

Yield data recorded using the Harvestmaster yield monitor.

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