Vehicle-mounted CCTV systems have been around for donkeys’ years, generally involving black-and-white cameras, bulky monitors and hefty price tags. But the falling cost and improved reliability of small LCD screens and cameras means that they are now a viable add-on for all sorts of field operations.

For £300 or so you can get a 7in screen, two cameras and a length of cable. Plumbing it in is a relatively easy DIY job and you’re ready to roll.

Wireless camera systems (ie no cable between the camera and the monitor, though the camera still needs a 12v supply) are available but controversial. Some farmers who bought wireless systems a couple of years ago found that picture quality was poor and the system too prone to interference.

But manufacturers say that the latest systems can work reliably on moving machinery provided that they are good-quality units, installed thoughtfully. Aerial extenders can help out where the signal has to go though a lot of metal, too.

This Capital 7in monitor fits neatly in the cab.

– One or more cameras that should be waterproof, dustproof and vibration resistant. Most systems are colour and magnetic fixings allow cameras to be moved from machine to machine.

– Almost all cameras now come with night vision capability, usually by infra-red LEDs

– Monitors most commonly come in 7in screen diameters, though 9in and even 15in ones are also available. The bigger sizes come into their own when you have a split-screen capability.

Who sells the equipment?

Plenty of people, though some firms have specialised in supplying equipment to farmers and contractors.

Jim Sugden at Aberdeenshire firm DGPS4U, for instance, offers anything from a single unit with a 7in monitor and two colour infra-red cameras for £330 to a split-screen 7in monitor with four cameras for £530.

The £330 unit is offered in wired or wireless form for the same price, with sales apparently split equally between the two. He says the wireless units have a theoretical range of 50m, which translates into a real-world range of 25m.

Where wireless can struggle is if the camera is in a closed metal container like a drill or fertiliser hopper. Mr Sugden says the answer here is often to fit a 2m aerial extender that allows the aerial to be placed on the outside of the hopper.

Capital Seating and Vision of Leicester sells a range of CCTV equipment that goes from a 7in monitor with two cameras for about £250 to a split-screen, four-camera system for £680.

After staying out of the wireless camera market for a couple of years, it now reckons it has a durable system suitable for farming. Cost for a 7in screen + single wireless camera is £240, with extra cameras costing £100 each.

How well does the wireless system work?

The picture is slightly grainier than with a wired system, says Mr Swann WHO HE???, and there is always a danger of interference. But they can work well in the right situation.

Peterborough’s Knighton Farm Machinery mostly sells wired systems. These range from a 7in monitor with one camera for about £230 to a four-camera system with split screen 15in monitor (ideal for simultaneous viewing of several cameras) for £800.

What are people using them for?

– Mounted on the end of the combine discharge auger, looking down into the trailer. With a wireless system, both combine driver and tractor driver can receive images from the camera, allowing trailers to be filled more fully.

– On the end of the forage harvester spout. Some drivers have reported that being able to see into the trailer means they can get 10% more grass in.

–  Making jobs safer. Farmers with front-mounted cultivators or seed tanks can find pulling out of field gateways on to the road is a nightmare. Some now put a camera on the front of the cultivator/tank pointing right so they can see traffic coming without having to stick their nose out into the road.

– On the back of a combine, helping backing.

– Beet and potato harvesters often have several cameras

– A camera in the drill hopper will tell you exactly how much seed you have left

– Wondering whether the nozzles directly behind the sprayer are working OK? A camera pointing at them can give you visual reassurance.

Contacts

DGPS4U 01339 883 361 www.dgps4u.com

Capital Seating and Vision 0116 266 4130 www.capitalseating.co.uk

Knighton 01733 564 510