Quick Way To Measure Field Size, Job Sites

Quick Way To Measure Field Size, Job Sites MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Miscellaneous 33-4-34 If you need to measure distances accurately and quickly, Ernie Kaplan has a simple way to do it. His FastMeasure system can be installed on any type of vehicle - or anything that rolls - and is accurate to 1 ft. in a mile. It's more accurate than all but the most expensive GPS systems, and easier to use over distances than lasers, says Kaplan. "We use magnetic inductive sensing to measure speed and distance," he says. In plain terms, Kaplan's device consists of magnets that can be mounted to drive shafts, wheels, axle hubs or anything on a vehicle that moves at ground speed. A sensor mounted just above the rotating magnets monitors revolutions and transmits the information by hard-wire to a terminal readout. "Once the unit has been calibrated, the display will show distance in feet or meters and speeds in feet per minute, miles per hour or kilometers per hour," says Kaplan. To calibrate the device, simply identify an established distance between points A and B. At point A, the operator presses the reset button and drives to point B where he presses and holds both buttons on the terminal for 10 seconds. He then enters 400 ft. at the prompt, and calibration is complete. "Once calibrated, you can drive at highway speeds and still be as accurate as if driving slowly," says Kaplan. "Farmers put it on their tractors to measure fields for calculating application rates. Contractors can install it on a piece of equipment and accurately measure how much work was done for billing purposes or measure out jobs for bidding estimates. They can even put it on an asphalt grinder or concrete saw, anything that needs accurate job accounting." For all-purpose measuring and marking, Kaplan sells a high-power electric scooter equipped with the FastMeasure system, paint wand and clipboard. "It makes measuring and laying out jobsites a breeze at 15 mph," says Kaplan. "When you're done, you can fold it easily to fit in a car or pickup." The FastMeasure costs $399, while the FastMeasure Scooter package totals $1,450. The dashboard-mounted instrument measures only 3 in. wide by 1 1/2 in. high and 1 3/4 in. deep. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, KTP Enterprise, Inc., P.O. Box 455, Deerfield, Ill. 60015 (ph 847 494-1100; toll free 888 876-6050; sales@fast-measure.com; www.fast-measure.com).

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