StarFire™ 7000 Receiver

The StarFire 7000 Receiver is the latest addition to the suite of Precision Ag Technology from John Deere. The StarFire 7000 Receiver offers greater accuracy, faster pull-in times, and season-to-season repeatability. This means less hardware, faster times recovering from a shading event, and the confidence that your guidance lines and boundaries won't shift from year to year.

 

 

The StarFire™ 7000 Receiver offers a new correction level with accuracy like RTK Radio. The SF-RTK correction level provides 2.5-cm (1-in.) horizontal accuracy without the need for additional hardware. This is an improvement of 17 percent from the previous generation of StarFire receiver. The SF-RTK signal uses two additional satellite constellations (BeiDou and Galileo) as well as both GPS (United States) and GLONASS (Russia) satellites.

 

The StarFire 7000 and StarFire 7000 Integrated Receivers simultaneously track correction signals from up to three StarFire correction satellites. The receiver tracks and uses correction signals from all StarFire satellites in view and intelligently chooses one that delivers the best performance. When the receiver moves into an area where the primary StarFire signal is blocked, such as near a tree line, the receiver automatically switches to an alternate StarFire signal (if visible) to help maintain accuracy and performance.

 

NOTE: Compare this to the previous StarFire 3000 Receiver that was only capable of tracking one StarFire signal at a time and could wait up to 4 minutes to initiate the switch to the next available signal.

 

Repeatability defines how accurately the receiver calculates its position over a relatively long-term window.

 

NOTE: SF-RTK uses satellite corrections only and does not require the use of an RTK Radio. RTK Radio may still be required in the following scenarios:

• iGrade™ water management
• Areas with thick tree lines or obstacles that could cause shading of the receiver
• Long-term repeatability beyond 5 years
• Hilly terrain

Choosing the right correction mode

	SF1	SF-RTK	RTK
Documentation	X	X	X
AutoTrac™ automated steering	X	X	X
Section Control	X	X	X
Overlap control	X	X	X
AutoTrac RowSense™ system	X	X	X
AutoTrac Turn Automation	---	X	X
AutoTrac Vision guidance	---	X	X
Machine Sync	X	X	X
In-Field Data Sharing (guidance lines sharing)	---	X	X
AutoPath™ software	---	X	X
AutoTrac Implement Guidance	---	X	X
Land leveling	---	---	X

 

Many factors contribute to the time it takes to achieve desired accuracy from the StarFire™ receiver. Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal quality can be a contributor, especially when multipath errors occur. Multipath errors occur when satellite signals reflect off nearby surfaces. When the receiver antenna captures a multipath signal, it takes time for the receiver to filter out actual GNSS signal directly from the satellite versus reflected signal from a nearby object. This contributes to the time it takes to achieve desired accuracy.

The choke plate hardware in the StarFire 7000 Receiver more accurately directs GNSS signals into the antenna. With the addition of this choke plate, there is a 66 percent reduction in the time it takes to acquire an SF-RTK correction signal from previous generations of StarFire receivers. This means you have more time to be productive and get the job done quicker.

 

The StarFire 7000 and StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver use an integrated terrain compensation module (TCM) to adjust the calculated machine position based on the terrain on which it is operating. The TCM adjusts for roll, pitch, and yaw motion to improve receiver and AutoTrac™ system performance when operating in challenging conditions such as hilly ground.

• TCM ensures accurate Section Control and AutoTrac guidance performance.
• TCM provides input data such as pitch to systems like the ActiveYield™ monitoring system on combines.
• The StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver uses software to project into the position as the StarFire 7000 Receiver to ensure same performance and accuracy.
• The StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver comes factory calibrated, ensuring the highest possible performance and precision.

Advanced TCM Calibration

As accuracy and repeatability continue to be more important to get to plant-by-plant accuracy, the systems in place today must evolve to enable this capability. Like the StarFire 6000, the StarFire 7000 offers an Advanced TCM Calibration feature.

 

Benefits:

• Removes the guesswork out of positioning a machine and implement in the exact same spot when turning around.
• Removes the need for a level surface.
• Adds higher precision to the TCM calibration by gathering and comparing multiple points.
• Calibrates both the machine and implement receiver TCM at the same time.

How it works:

• Roughly 100.6 m (330 ft) of space is required for the calibration.
• During the calibration, speed should not exceed 6.4 km/h (4 mph).
• If an error occurs during the calibration, the operator is notified.

• Select Advanced TCM Calibration from the device list in the display.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to set up a guidance line.
• Drive the guidance line using AutoTrac automated steering from point A to point B.
• Manually turn and resume AutoTrac steering, driving the guidance line back to point A.

This completes the calibration.

 

Compatibility:

• StarFire 7000 Receiver or StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver
• StarFire 6000 Receiver or StarFire 6000 Integrated Receiver with software update 20-2 or later
• Gen 4 4600 CommandCenter™ Display with software update 20-3 or later
• Gen 4 4640 Universal Display with software update 20-3 or later
• Must have an AutoTrac activation

With Ethernet connectivity on the StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver, you can save up to 60 minutes per year while performing over-the-air software updates to keep your technology in sync with the latest features.

With the StarFire™ 7000 Receiver and SF-RTK correction level, you can have confidence from year to year that your guidance lines and boundaries will stay where they need to be. The StarFire 7000 Receiver has up to 5 years of repeatability guaranteed. This is an 85 percent increase from previous generations of StarFire receivers.

 

StarFire 7000 and StarFire 7000 Integrated repeatability:

• SF1: no repeatability, position drifts over time
• SF-RTK: +/- 2.5-cm (1.2-in.) season-to-season repeatability (where applicable)
  • SF-RTK repeatability specifications have been validated through at least a 5-year period. SF-RTK repeatability claims are only valid after the receiver has completed a full pull-in and is operating at 100 percent accuracy.
• RTK Radio: +/- 2.5-cm (1-in.) long-term repeatability
  • RTK Radio repeatability specifications are based on a properly installed RTK base station and a base station position that has not been modified after initial setup.
• NOTE: Repeatability may be impacted by large unpredictable geological events such as earthquakes.

Value of repeatability

Repeatability defines how accurately the receiver calculates its position over a relatively long timeframe. Repeatability is measured at the receiver and does not take into account additional error sources such as AutoTrac™ control system error, ground conditions, or implement drift.

In-season repeatability is critical when using AutoTrac for multiple jobs throughout the growing season, such as creating AutoTrac guidance lines during planting, then using those same guidance lines to complete subsequent jobs like side dressing fertilizer, post-emerge spraying, and harvesting.

Long-term repeatability is critical when mapping interior and exterior boundaries for later use as input to John Deere Section Control on planters, sprayers, and fertilizer applicators. It is also critical for growers that use the same AutoTrac guidance lines over multiple seasons for operations like subsurface-drip irrigation, controlled traffic, or alternating planter spacing between the rows from a previous season.

• Better accuracy and more reliable RTK
• Fast startup and shading recovery times, less line jumps, and more reliable performance under shading environments
• Better RTK-X performance compared to StarFire 6000 or StarFire 3000 Receiver base
• Vertical accuracy improvement

NOTE: Data collected when running a StarFire 7000 Receiver base with a StarFire 7000 rover.

NOTE: RTK Radio still requires the use of a compatible radio.

Drop-in replacement

As John Deere continues to advance their technology (like the StarFire™ 6000 Integrated Receiver), the StarFire 7000 Integrated and StarFire 7000 Receivers are designed with modular components, making the unit a drop-in replacement for the previous generation of integrated receiver. You never have to worry about having outdated hardware.

Serviceability

The StarFire 7000 Universal Receiver has more than 20 parts that are completely serviceable. In the unlikely event that there is a problem with the system, many of the individual components can be replaced without replacing everything. This saves you time and money that can be used in other areas of your operation.

Shared signal provides the functionality when pairing two receivers with AutoTrac™ Implement Guidance, Active Implement Guidance™,  Machine Sync combine harvest automation, or AutoPath™ software via the GreenStar™ 3 2630 Display, Generation 4 4600 CommandCenter™, or 4640 Universal Display. Shared signal allows correction signals to be communicated between a pair of receivers, improving relative system accuracy and reducing the initial investment required to use AutoTrac Implement Guidance, Active Implement Guidance,  Machine Sync combine harvest automation, or AutoPath.

• NOTE: When using shared signal, the leader must have the higher correction level.
  • In an AutoPath application, shared signal uses the correction level of the leader.
  • In a Machine Sync application, shared signal uses the correction level of the leader.
    

Supported configurations
All StarFire 3000, StarFire 6000, and StarFire 7000 Receivers are compatible with shared signal and can be used interchangeably.

• The system uses the correction level of the leader. It is important to place the receiver with the highest correction level on the leader.

NOTE: StarFire 3000 Receivers must be updated to 20-2 (2.80S), and StarFire 6000 Receivers must be updated to 20-2 (4.40N). Once both leader and follower are updated to this software, there are no configuration limitations on leader/follower setup between receiver models.

• Leader: the tractor receiver for AutoTrac Implement Guidance, AutoPath, and Active Implement Guidance, or the combine or harvest operation (pull-type harvester) receiver for Machine Sync combine harvest automation.
  • The leader’s correction level determines the correction level of the follower.
  • For highest accuracy or for implement guidance applications, the leader must have the higher correction signal.
• Follower: the implement receiver for AutoTrac Implement Guidance and Active Implement Guidance, or the grain cart tractor receiver for Machine Sync combine harvest automation.
  • The follower may have the lower correction level, but the overall system accuracy matches the accuracy of the leader.

AutoTrac Implement Guidance and Active Implement Guidance

Shared signal enables StarFire receivers to share information when paired using implement guidance. This allows a StarFire receiver using a lower accuracy to be used on the implement for an implement guidance system and take advantage of the higher accuracy used by the machine receiver. The following table describes the accuracy expected from this system:

 

Machine receiver activation level	Implement receiver activation level	Overall system accuracy level
SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	SF1	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2
RTK	SF1	RTK
RTK	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	RTK
SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	RTK	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2
SF1	RTK	SF1

AutoPath

Shared signal enables StarFire receivers to share information when paired using AutoPath. This allows a StarFire receiver with a lower accuracy to be used on the implement for AutoPath and take advantage of the higher accuracy used by the machine receiver. The following table describes the accuracy expected from this system:

 

Machine receiver activation level	Implement receiver activation level	Overall system accuracy level
SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	SF1	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2
RTK	SF1	RTK
RTK	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	RTK
SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	RTK	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2
SF1	RTK	SF1

Machine Sync combine harvest automation

Shared signal enables StarFire receivers to share information when paired using Machine Sync combine harvest automation. This allows the two vehicle receivers to maximize system performance during harvest. To ensure optimal performance and compatibility, always update receivers to the most current software version available on StellarSupport™ portal. The following table describes the accuracy expected from this system:

 

Machine receiver activation level	Implement receiver activation level	Overall system accuracy level
SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	SF1	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2
RTK	SF1	RTK
RTK	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	RTK
SF-RTK/SF3/SF2	RTK	SF-RTK/SF3/SF2
SF1	RTK	SF1

The John Deere StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver is the next generation in John Deere’s Precision Ag technology. The integrated design further enhances the value that you have come to expect from StarFire products.

 

Similar to the StarFire 6000 Integrated Receiver, the StarFire 7000 eliminates all setup, installation, and calibrations. There is no need to verify machine and receiver measurements, as this has been done precisely for you at the factory. You will spend 60 minutes less per receiver move each season, which gives you more time to focus on other parts of your operation.

 

With updated Ethernet connectivity, software updates are easier and faster. StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver maintains the speed to update software in under 4 minutes while remaining in the cab. Over-the-air updates are 85 percent faster with the StarFire 7000 Integrated Receiver because of Ethernet connectivity.

Benefits to the SF7000 with SF-RTK

• 5-year repeatability
• 10-minute pull-in time
• 2.5-cm pass-to-pass accuracy
• Drop-in replacement for StarFire 6000 integrated receivers