• Before using the tractor, carefully read through this operator’s manual and familiarize yourself with all
operating controls and their functions before you begin work. This also applies to the operator's manual
for implements.
•
Observe all the operating and maintenance instructions. If you do so, your tractor will give you many
years of economic and trouble-free operation. You will find an overview of all maintenance operations in
the maintenance schedule in this maintenance manual.
• Maintenance and repair work should only be carried out at your service workshop.
Disregarding the symbols and the associated safety instructions—which are divided into three hazard
levels—can lead to considerable damage to the tractor, the mounted implements or other property.
Adhering to the safety instructions is also required in order to prevent such damage from occurring.
.
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Proper use of VarioGuide
This tractor is designed exclusively for normal agricultural operations or suchlike, e.g. municipal
applications. Any other type of use is considered unauthorized. The manufacturer will not be liable for any
damage resulting from such use, which will be entirely at the owner's risk.
Authorized use also includes observing the operating, maintenance and repair conditions set out by the
manufacturer in order to protect your claims under warranty if necessary.
Special attention must be paid to safety instructions marked with this symbol, as well as the words
DANGER, WARNING and CAUTION.
Operation, maintenance and repair of the tractor are restricted to persons who are familiar with this
equipment and aware of the inherent dangers.
The relevant accident prevention regulations must be observed, as must as any generally acknowledged
safety, industrial medicine and traffic regulations. The manufacturer does not accept liability for damage
resulting from unauthorized modifications to the machine.
Since it is working equipment, the tractor is not suitable for taking on board or transporting children and
young persons. If children or young persons are nonetheless present in the tractor, the operator must be
aware that they require strict supervision. It must be impossible for any children and young persons on
board to operate the technical controls on the tractor or any equipment mounted on it. Under no
circumstances may children or young persons remain alone in the cab when the operator leaves the
tractor.
.
Disclaimer
AGCO-Fendt accepts no responsibility or liability for damage to property, injury to persons or death caused
by improper or negligent use of its products, including the VarioGuide system and its components. AGCO
moreover accepts no responsibility for the use of AGCO implements or of the GNSS signal for purposes
other than those intended.
AGCO is also unable to guarantee the accuracy, integrity, continuity or availability of the GNSS signal.
When operating the VarioGuide system, it is the operator's responsibility to exercise general caution and
navigation-related judgment.
The following pages contain specific safety precautions that must be read before using VarioGuide
products and observed during their use.
NOTE:
When third-party way line guidance systems are used with Fendt equipment, AGCO Fendt shall exclude
any warranty or liability for damage to property, injury to persons or death.
Copyright law
The information contained herein is protected by copyright by AGCO. In the case of the names of
companies and products specified here, these may be registered brand names or trademarks of the
relevant owner.
The duplication of this document, or parts thereof, in any form and in any way is forbidden without express
written agreement from AGCO. No part of this document may be quoted by persons who are not
employed by AGCO without written approval from AGCO. AGCO reserves the right to make changes to
the information contained in this document without prior notice.
Although this document has been prepared with the utmost care, AGCO shall not be held liable for any
mistakes or omissions. No liability shall be accepted for damages in connection with the use of this
information.
VarioGuide
438.020.070.012
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Up-to-date at the time of going to press
The high safety and quality level of the FENDT machines is ensured by constant development work on
designs, equipment and accessories. We would therefore ask you to bear in mind that changes in form,
equipment or technology may be required at any time. The details of delivery, appearance, technical data
and functions of the machine is only correct at the time of going to press It may not be possible to deliver
some of the equipment until later, or it may only be offered in certain markets. No claims may be derived
from the information, illustrations or descriptions contained in this instruction sheet.
Draw attention to safety instructions in the vehicle operator's manual, on the vehicle itself and in the
VarioGuide operator's manual.
Draw attention to country-specific compliance with regulations for the registration and use of radio
signals.
System delivery and instructions on the VarioGuide track guidance system.
For further information and notes, refer to the appropriate sections in the operator's manual.
Read safety precautions
Select correction signal
Implement settings in VarioGuide
Configure trigger settings in VarioDoc
Check system status
Create way-line
2.1.4 Switching off in an emergency situation .....................................18
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Table of contents
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2. Safety instructions
2.1 Safety and accident prevention regulations
2.1.1 Marking of places that affect your safety
Make sure that any other users have read all the safety instructions as well.
The various levels of safety instructions can be distinguished as follows:
DANGER:
This symbol, together with the word DANGER, means there is an immediate risk of
danger that must be prevented to avoid the risk of DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY.
WARNING:
This symbol, together with the word WARNING, means a potential risk of danger that
must be prevented to avoid the risk of DEATH OR SEVERE INJURY.
CAUTION:
This symbol, together with the word CAUTION, means there is a potential danger that
must be prevented to avoid the risk of MINOR INJURY.
The operator's manual is an integral part of the vehicle package and must be passed on to any subsequent
owner in the event of resale. The attention of the new owner should be drawn to this information.
If this manual is lost or damaged and you need a new one, please contact your Fendt dealer, from whom
you will be able to purchase a replacement.
2.1.2 Advice for the operator
The purpose of VarioGuide is to assist the operator in steering the tractor. The operator must remain
attentive at all times and have full control over the machine.
VarioGuide cannot detect obstacles such as persons or objects that are not defined and saved in the
system. While automatic steering is in operation, the operator must ensure that a suitable distance is kept
from such obstacles.
VarioGuide may be deactivated briefly if the GNSS or correction signal is lost. It is therefore essential that
the operator is constantly aware of the position of the tractor and the conditions in the field.
WARNING:
Hazard due to vehicle movements Risk of injury and death! Material damage is possible.
When driving on public roads or in areas where there is a risk of injury to others, the
electrohydraulic steering system must not be pre-activated; automatic way-line guidance
must not be activated.
WARNING:
Hazard due to vehicle movements Risk of injury and death! Material damage is possible.
While the system is switched on, the operator must remain on the operator platform
within the vehicle at all times. The operator must attentively follow all the operating
conditions and be ready to intervene at any time, should this be necessary.
WARNING:
Hazard due to vehicle movements Risk of injury and death! Material damage is possible.
Before the operator leaves the tractor, the automatic steering system must be switched
off and the tractor must be parked properly.
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2. Safety instructions
2.1.3 Safe operating environment
WARNING:
Hazard due to vehicle movements Risk of injury and death! Material damage is possible.
The automatic way line guidance system may only be used if the tractor is located in an
open area away from persons, buildings and other machinery: At a safe distance from
persons. At a safe distance from obstacles.
lines. On private property without public access.
WARNING:
Hazard from operating the system outside of approved national signal areas Risk of injury
and death! Material damage is possible. Do not operate VarioGuide and its base station
outside the authorised national frequency ranges, to avoid interference with other
systems (remote-controlled cranes, forestry cranes, etc.).
At a safe distance from high-voltage power
2.1.4 Switching off in an emergency situation
The operator can switch off the way line guidance system in an emergency situation by moving the
steering wheel, giving him manual control over the vehicle. To switch the way line guidance system back
on, the switch-on conditions must be fulfilled and the activation button must be pressed.
WARNING:
Hazard due to vehicle movements Risk of injury and death! Material damage is possible.
While the system is switched on, the operator must remain on the operator platform
within the vehicle at all times. The operator must observe all operating conditions
attentively and be ready to intervene immediately whenever necessary.
GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a global navigation satellite system designed for position
determination and navigation using satellite signals and signals received from pseudolites (terrestrial
transmitters which emit signals like those of a satellite).
Data for position determination is currently supplied by North America's NAVSTAR GPS and Russia's
GLONASS system. Galileo, the European satellite navigation system, is currently under development.
VarioGuide processes both GPS and GLONASS signals and is designed to operate with future systems.
GNSS satellites communicate their exact position and time via radio. For position determination a receiver
has to be supplied with signals from at least four satellites simultaneously. The four signal propagation
times (from the satellites to the receiving aerial) are then calculated in the receiving device. This is used to
determine the current position.
Stationary receiving stations improve positional accuracy by transmitting correction signals (DGPS) to
users:
• with geostationary satellites such as Europe's EGNOS, North America's WAAS and OmniSTAR
(VarioGuide functions with VBS and HP).
• terrestrially with a base station or RTK network.
3.1.2 Satellite reception
• The GNSS signal and the correction signal may
be obstructed by dense trees, copses,
buildings, high-voltage power lines etc.
• VarioGuide loses the correction signal when the
correction signal satellite is less than 5 to 8
degrees above the aerial level.
NOTE:
The correction signal satellite is geostationary
above the equator.
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
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3. VarioGuide definitions and specifications
• The GNSS signal can be obstructed by dense
trees, copses, buildings, high-voltage power
lines etc.
• VarioGuide may lose the connection to certain
satellites, including the correction signal
satellite, if the vehicle is operated on slopes,
causing the satellite to be out of the aerial's
reception range.
Fig. 3
• VarioGuide steers the tractor, NOT the
implement.
• If the implement does not run concentrically to
the tractor because it is being pulled downhill,
for example, deviations in accuracy may occur.
• The wave angle and thus reception of the
correction signal decreases as the vehicle
moves further north.
• Hilly terrain causes reception of satellite signals
to deteriorate.
•
The GNSS system does not offer uniform
availability around the clock and for every
location.
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
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3. VarioGuide definitions and specifications
3.1.3 Signal interruption
Position determination takes a certain amount of time after activation before reaching the specified level of
accuracy. Temporary obstruction may cause the system to lose its connection to the satellite signal. This
may result in reduced levels of accuracy, the need to redetermine position, or failures depending on the
system.
3.1.4 Static and dynamic accuracy (satellite drift)
Satellite drift
A certain amount of drift occurs on satellite-based navigation systems. The accuracy is therefore defined
statistically and specified as a percentage of the operational period.
•
Static accuracy: Measured position of the stationary tractor over 1–3 days. The average value
determined states how close the measured value comes to the actual position.
•
Dynamic accuracy: Pass-to-pass accuracy from way line to way line, which must be achieved when
crossing the field within 15 minutes. If a longer period of time passes between two passes, a certain
amount of drift will be noticeable.
3.1.5 Convergence time
The convergence time is the time required by the system after activation to determine the position of the
tractor. Satellite-supported correction signals require a certain amount of time after activation before they
reach the specified level of accuracy. Signal interruptions, e.g. due to obstacles such as buildings or trees,
delay this process. After an extended interruption in the correction signal, the system loses the level of
accuracy already achieved and starts the signal setup again from the beginning.
3.1.6 Conditions of use and application possibilities
Operating conditions
Ideal for satellite signal reception:
• The tractor is located on level ground or the base station is perfectly horizontal.
•
Signal reception is not obstructed.
Possible applications for the system
• Guidance along parallel waylines in straight lines, bends and circular paths
• Road speed 0.1 km/h to 25 km/h forwards and reverse
• Parallel moving of the waylines (wayline offset) to the left and right to balance drift out, set
automatically or manually.
• Offset of the center line of the processed area to the center of the tractor, manually adjustable, required
for asymmetrical implements, e.g. mower combinations
• Saving of fields with waylines, obstacles and mapped areas
• Saving of the implement settings
• Display unit showing current wayline number
• Mapping the processed area
• Supply of multiple tractors via one base station
3.1.7 Restrictions
• Potential loss of GNSS signal due to obstructions near copses, trees and buildings.
• Potential loss of correction signal due to obstructions near copses, trees and buildings.
•
Electromagnetic interference, e.g. from overhead lines.
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3. VarioGuide definitions and specifications
• Number of receivable satellites restricted by the inclined position of the tractor on the terrain.
• The system will not be able to work in regions where the OmniSTAR satellite is too close to the
horizon. This also applies for heavily undulating terrain, particularly in the case of (Northern) slopes,
possibly combined with other obstacles.
•
Use at higher latitudes (here it is better to set the waypoints on a North/South rather than on an East/
West axis).
• Reduced accuracy is also possible on slopes and on implements with a strong side pull.
• Reduced accuracy is possible where the load on the tractor's front axle is too high or too low.
• Reduced accuracy is possible with greasy, sandy or very uneven ground conditions.
• The range of the base station depends on the nature of the terrain and on the weather. Accuracy
decreases as the distance increases.
• The tractor is too far away from the base station.
• After an interruption in the power supply to the base station, there may be shifts in track after
restarting. It is possible to make a manual correction on the terminal.
3.1.8 Switch-off limits
The automatic steering system automatically switches off for the following functions or limits:
• The steering wheel is operated.
•
The accuracy indicator (bar indicator) shows fewer than three bars.
• Road speed is below 0.1 km/h or over 25 km/h.
• The angle between the driving line and the wayline exceeds 75°.
• The machine deviates from the wayline to the side:
-Lateral deviation more than 0.6 m on the HP or RTK version.
-Lateral deviation more than 1.2 m on the VBS version.
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3.2 Specification
3.2.1 Topcon accuracy specifications
VarioGuide supports the following GNSS accuracy options:
3. VarioGuide definitions and specifications
Correction
Correction source
services
AUTONOMOUSThe position is determined without correction signals,
[1]
Static
accuracy
n/an/a
using only GPS and GLONASS satellites. Sub-meter
(SM) accuracy class
OmniSTAR HPOmniSTAR High Performance, subscription satellite
+/- 10 cm+/- 5 cm
service
Base stationRTK corrections with a dedicated reference station
RTK networkRTK corrections via mobile communications network
+/- 2 cm+/- 2 cm
+/- 2 cm+/- 2 cm
(GSM/GPRS) or radio
[1]
The specifications for the VarioGuide system are subject to GNSS system features, US Department of Defense
deteriorations in operation, ionospheric and tropospheric conditions, satellite geometries, length of the base line
and multipath effects. OmniSTAR VBS, OmniSTAR HP, WAAS and EGNOS are independent GNSS upgrade
services. AGCO accepts no responsibility for the performance of these services.
Dynamic
accuracy
Accuracy of the system in the field
The achievable level of accuracy depends on various factors:
• Reception conditions of GNSS and correction signal
Tractor conditions, e.g. implement conditions and settings
•
• Conditions in the field
• Ground conditions
3.2.2 Trimble accuracy specifications
VarioGuide supports the following GNSS accuracy options:
Correction
Correction source
services
AUTONOMOUSThe position is determined without correction signals,
using only GPS and GLONASS satellites. Sub-meter
(SM) accuracy class
Base stationRTK corrections with a dedicated reference station
RTK networkRTK corrections via mobile communications network
+/- 2 cm+/- 2 cm
+/- 2 cm+/- 2 cm
(GSM/GPRS) or radio
[1]
The specifications for the VarioGuide system are subject to GNSS system features, US Department of Defense
deteriorations in operation, ionospheric and tropospheric conditions, satellite geometries, length of the base line
and multipath effects. RangePoint RTX, CenterPoint RTX, WAAS and EGNOS are independent GNSS expansion
services. AGCO accepts no responsibility for the performance of these services.
Accuracy of the system in the field
The achievable level of accuracy depends on various factors:
• Reception conditions of GNSS and correction signal
Tractor conditions, e.g. implement conditions and settings
•
• Conditions in the field
• Ground conditions
Dynamic
accuracy
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Table of contents
4. Quick Start
4.1 VarioGuide menu tree ...................................................29
4.2 VarioGuide info .........................................................31
4.3 Vario-Guide Main Menu ..................................................32