# GPS antenna mounting plate location



## jturbo10

Just bought a Trimble 250 guidance system with a patch antenna and the optional AGS-15. I'm going to use my JD 4450 to pull my 40 ft boom sprayer and need to figure out how and where to mount the AGS-15 antenna. I have the mounting plate with the adhesive strips which I could stick in the middle of the top of the SG cab. I also thought about building a steel pipe or angle iron pole with a steel plate on the top which I could bolt to the back of the cab and it would be long enough to be above the cab. I can also build or buy more steel plates to use on my other tractors if I decided to use a smaller tractor. I wanted to use the 4450 as the cab is very tight and would keep out the fumes, has room in the tray for the remote controller, and also has a rear view camera. Will be doing some spraying in Feb which could be a bit cool for open station tractors and my other cab tractor is too big. Any suggestions would be appreciated.


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## somedevildawg

On my centerline 220, it uses an antenna that looks like an XM antenna, small little thing. I didn't have a plate with mine so I put it on a piece of stainless and used two part epoxy to mount to the stainless, I then used silicone to adhere the plate to the cab. No need to be higher or anything... I bought another antenna, think it might be another brand but the same antenna, on eBay for bout $20, keep that just in case but I always use my 6420 to spray in, never even needed the additional ant......prolly couldn't tell you where it was at now....


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## Bonfire

jturbo10 said:


> I also thought about building a steel pipe or angle iron pole with a steel plate on the top which I could bolt to the back of the cab and it would be long enough to be above the cab.


Do you have trees to deal with?


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## Vol

Or low entry ways? I would use aluminum channel instead of steel....no rusting and much lighter(less stress).

Regards, Mike


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## jturbo10

All my barn and shop doors are 14 to 18 ft tall so no problem there and no tree problems.


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## haybaler101

Firmly attach steel plate to top of cab, preferably with screws or bolts and then set the magnet mount on it. No need to be any higher, just has to be higher than muffler or air cleaner if mounted on hood. Ag-15 antenna has a stout magnet under it, takes a pretty good limb to take it off the cab.


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## endrow

I like the antenna mounted as far forward on the roof as possible


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## Bonfire

endrow said:


> I like the antenna mounted as far forward on the roof as possible


Why is that?


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## endrow

We farm some on contours when the antenna was too far back close to the drawbar it took to long for me to see when to start to turn . In my mind the ideal spot would be dead center from front to rear . Going strait ahead it does not matter but on turns it makes a difference we use the guidance to help us make the turn at the end of the row and find our last pass


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## mlappin

Bonfire said:


> Why is that?


Depends on the operator, the operation and the tractor type.

For spreading fertilizer I like the antennae on the nose of the tractor, Dad prefers it was far back as possible. On our four wheel drive articulated tractors it works best if the antennae is mounted directly over the front axle.


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## jturbo10

Thanks for all the great advice. I think that I will mount the pad in the front and middle of the cab on the JD 4450. I will have to check the height of my muffler to be sure it is not in the cone of GPS signal. My plan is to use one or two passes on the headlands which will give me 40 or 80 ft to turn for the next pass. I don't plan right now to use my articulated tractor but if I do it actually turns shorter than my 4450. The magnet is indeed very strong on the AGS-15. I might use the patch antenna on my small 3 cylinder JD diesel or my JD 3020 if the weather is good and my other tractors are tied up. Been checking the Bermuda fields and I seem to have a bit more rye grass than normal plus a few Wooly Crotons (goat weed) and some dandelions. Anyone in the East Texas area have any recommendations on a herbicide cocktail for the Feb time frame? Thanks for the inputs.


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