New Toro Irrigation Controller Options

Those of you who attended the GIS in San Diego & went by the Toro booth might have already seen some of the exciting new products available on the irrigation line. For those that didn't, I'm going to briefly touch on a few of the updates, focusing on Controller Options.

The first is for LTC+ users, where Toro will be releasing LTC Pro Satellites & Upgrade Kits. The LTC Pro faceplate will be similar to the Network VPe faceplate that offers Program Creation, Enhanced Multi-Manuals, & Station Range Entry. The LTC Pro satellites will mimic LTC+ to SitePro & are backwards compatible with LTC+ satellites. The Upgrade Kit will have similar components to the Network VP Kit, but gives you the option to upgrade one satellite at a time instead of having to upgrade all your satellites at once. Once you have all your satellites upgraded to LTC Pro, you will be able to operate on Lynx, which LTC+ cannot. LTC Pro should be available later this spring or summer.

Another new option available later this year will be the OSMAC G3 Satellites & Upgrade Kits. This 3rd generation OSMAC Satellite will have an enhanced user interface with Stand-alone Capabilities such as Scheduled Irrigation Programs, Manual Program Starts, & Station Multi-Manual. It will also have diagnostic capabilities such as Signal Strength Indication (RSSI) & a Page Log. These will also allow for easy setup with Programmable address & radio frequency. The OSMAC G3 will be available as a full satellite or as an Upgrade Kit that retrofits into E-OSMAC satellites.

The last new controller option that is being released by Toro this year is the Lynx SmartHub for GDC Advanced 2-Wire Systems. The Lynx SmartHub is a wireless or wired capable, four-path unit providing unmatched design flexibility, field control & system backup/redundancy to the 2-wire segment. This new controller adds security, programmability, & sensing to the benefits & simplicity of a 2-wire system. The Lynx SmartHub will allow for 2-wire control of multiple golf holes, provides an in-field point for conducting manual operations, stores & runs a fully flow-managed irrigation schedule, simplifies maintenance & troubleshooting, & creates a point of connection for soil, flow, & status sensors. These controllers will create a hybrid-type system that allows you to have just a few of these controllers on your course instead of needing a satellite per hole (or close) with normal satellite systems (OSMAC/VP).

Please let me know if you would like more info on any of the new controller options from Toro. Spring is right around the corner so let me know any way I can help. Have a great week!

Lynx Apps - Price Decrease

I know some of you are on your way out to San Diego for the GIS this week & I hope everyone has a great time out there. Be sure to stop by the Toro booth & check out the newest updates from Toro Irrigation, including the new Lynx Apps. I just wanted to make everyone aware of the announcement Toro has made on a price decrease for the Lynx Apps that were released late last year. Here is the full statement from Toro:

"To further enhance the Toro customer experience, we are modifying our pricing for Lynx Mobile Apps. Effective immediately, Lynx Mobile Apps users will be charged a $99 one-time activation fee rather than paying a monthly or annual subscription amount. Lynx Mobile Apps users must remain on an active Toro NSN support plan; however there is no longer a requirement to be on a Plus plan in order to utilize Lynx Mobile Apps.

Other aspects of Lynx Mobile Apps usage remains unchanged, including:

• Users are granted a 30-day free trial period to evaluate Lynx Mobile Apps
• Up to six (6) users are allowed per Lynx Mobile Apps account
• Lynx Mobile Apps users have access to all currently released & future apps"

The three Lynx Mobile Apps currently available include 1) Lynx Map, 2) Lynx Handheld, 3) Lynx Bar Code:

Lynx Map App: provides a map-based interface to control Lynx manual irrigation fuctions such as Start, Stop, & Hold, as well as hardware & area based station selection. Favorites & a history of commands used are also provided by Lynx Map.

Lynx Handheld App: replicates the numeric keypad interface provided by HHRI. All traditional numeric commands are supported by the Lynx Handheld app with additional conveniences such as providing a library of commands to choose from, auto-populating commands, & providing a history of commands used.

Lynx Bar Code App: For courses with a Toro GDC field control system, the Lynx Bar Code app provides an easy way to capture the address from a GDC module & load it into the Lynx database. GDC module addresses can be loaded from the app during initial system install or when changing an existing module.

Please let me know if you are interested & I will be happy to show you exactly how these apps work & how they can be useful to you at  your course. Have a great week & let me know if I can help!

Pond Health - Fountains, Aerators, & Diffusers

Hopefully everyone has gotten cleaned up from the snow a few weeks ago & is able to get back on the course working. I wanted to take a minute today to remind everyone about the importance of keeping the ponds on your golf course clean & healthy. STI carries several different options for your ponds, from Otterbine & Kasco fountains & aerators to PondHawk's solar-powered diffusers. Now is a great time to be planning to install a fountain or aerator while things are relatively calm & before the summer algal blooms take off.

Pond aeration is the perfect answer to keeping healthy ponds, especially with all the new WOTUS legislation out there. Instead of treating your ponds with chemicals to control algae dredging your ponds because of build-up & loss of holding capacity, you can keep your ponds looking clean & beautiful by using aeration. If your members are looking for a fountain for aesthetic reasons, Otterbine & Kasco are both great options with their Aerating Fountains. If your main focus is keeping your ponds clean & you don't have a nearby power source or are looking to go off-grid, PondHawk's solar-powered diffusers are a perfect choice.

Otterbine 5HP Sunburst Aerating Fountain

 

PondHawk Solar-Powered Single Diffuser System

For more information on the products offered by each manufacturer, visit their websites by following the links below. If you would like a site specific consultation & quote, please let me know!

Otterbine

 

Kasco

 

PondHawk