Field Notes

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Bouldin Alfalfa: 2021-01-21 15:45:00 (DOY 21)
Author: Joe Verfaillie
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Summary: Swapped out old Arable Mark I for new Mark II, pinned camera vertical swivel, repaired Planet Labs Arable mounts, brought in two Arables due to missing antennas

Bouldin Alfalfa
2021-01-21

I arrived at about 15:45. It was mild and overcast. The sheep have been removed from our field and are on the two fields to the east. Our field if completely denuded while the fields to the east still have nice carpets of green alfalfa but not for long.

This was a quick stop to swap out an Arable unit and check on the camera and the Planet Lab Arable units. When I arrived there was a big hawk sitting on the camera enclosure. I checked the camera view with the computer and it seemed find. I drilled a hole in the camera mountâ€™s vertical swivel and pinned it with a screw. There already was a screw on the near side but it wasnâ€™t captured in both parts of the swivel â€“ the new screw is in the far side of the mount.

I swapped the old Mark I Arable for a new Mark II: sn A001311 came off and sn C006164 went on. The Mark IIâ€™s have different power connectors but here unlike the other sites we are still using the external solar panel that has a weather proof barrel jack making it easy to swap out the power cable. I was thinking about remounting the Arable units on a new horizontal pipe so that they could be aligned to south but ran out of time.

I checked on the two pairs on Planet Labs Arable units that got pummeled by sheep. At the nearer pair, the westward unit was missing the cover for its antenna which I found on the ground. I was able to snap it back in place. I screwed the anchor into the ground using a double length lever arm then releveled and realigned the units. Both seemed to be functional though some of the bird spikes are a bit twisted. One of the units had become unplugged from its solar panel â€“ I plugged it back in.

At the farther pair, both units were completely missing their antennas. Their status light showed no connection and the westward one had a very low battery having been unplugged from its solar panel. I screwed the anchor into the ground using a double length lever arm and releveled the post. I brought both units (sn C003789 west and sn C003800 east) in hoping new antennas is all that they need.

The under-canopy PAR sensor was buried in litter. I dug it out. It was at a little bit of an angle and I meant to level it but forgot to do it before I left.

I left at about 16:15. The yellow power gate on the far side of the highway was open so didnâ€™t have to cross the bridge to make a U-turn.

Next Mowing: 2021-01-22

2 photos found

bouldinalfalfa_2021_01_22_161506.jpg ( 2021-01-22 16:17:00 ) Full size: 1296x960
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