Ranch Systems is now shipping the RX30 expansion unit worldwide. The RX30 is a “drop-in” expansion board that allows the Davis Vantage Pro series weather stations to connect directly to the Ranch Systems RS300 node, without the need for additional radios, batteries or solar panels typically provided as part of the Davis weather station. It enables Davis users to upgrade to the added functionality of Ranch Systems without having to replace their weather stations. It also enables Ranch Systems users to easily add a low cost weather station.

With a single cable connecting to the RS300, the installation is simple and quick. To convert an existing Vantage Pro wireless weather station, the RX30 board replaces the wireless transmitter inside the white enclosure. It is also compatible with the weather stations deployed by PureSense and allows for an inexpensive, fast conversion. For growers who invested in PureSense technology and the Davis Vantage Pro series, the RX30 is a low cost solution to upgrade to the Ranch Systems suite of monitoring and control solutions, opening the door to additional applications and hardware options.

The new device uses RJ style connections for standard weather station sensors. For more detailed data, wind speed is provided as ‘Real’, ‘Average’ and ‘Max’ over a sampling period, which is typically 15 minutes and user configurable. It has two extra/auxiliary screw terminal connections with selectable power and resistor networks for connecting to a variety of third party sensors (e.g. pressure switches). The only prerequisite for the RX30 is having an RS300 with Port 5 (standard analog/ digital port) available on this device. Using the Ranch Manager software, the set-up of the device is a straightforward, four step process.

“Ranch Systems is proud to offer the RX30. It is another example of how we can integrate disparate technologies found on a farm into a single, state-of-the-art monitoring and control solution. We intend to keep leading the way by providing technology and innovations that enable growers to be more efficient and productive in their farming operations,” states Jacob Christfort, President and Founder of Ranch Systems.