We work continuously to create programs and form partnerships to ensure all Apache sprayer owners have access to the latest precision technology. As a trusted and celebrated brand in the precision farming industry, Raven Applied Technology has created yet another game-changing solution with the invention of the Raven Hawkeye™ pressure-based spray nozzle control system.

“With the Hawkeye™ system our customers are able to spray more acres per day, by adjusting pressure and droplet size to compensate for wind speed and other weather conditions,” said Gary Grant, Parts Manager for Ohio Valley Ag., LLC.

Hawkeye is available as an option for all new Apache sprayers. The system is integrated with Raven’s Viper^® 4 field computer and other ISOBUS-compatible terminals to provide more precise droplet sizes and consistent spray patterns from the boom to the field, thereby reducing spray drift. Hawkeye comes with turn compensation technology, adding even more precision to spray operations, individual valve diagnostics and sectional shutoff. The system is designed for easy installation and operation.

“We love this technology,” Grant said. “This system can provide a much wider window of opportunity for eliminating weed pressure at a stage when weeds are more susceptible to chemical eradication.”

Advantages:

• Turn Compensation — Automated nozzle-by-nozzle adjustment provides even distribution along the entire boom through turns.
• Pressure Adjustments — Adjustable pressure on the fly, including two preset pressures.
• Full Integration — Raven Hawkeye is fully integrated with machine application control systems.
• Simplicity — Setup and calibration is simple and clean.

With Hawkeye, operators can maximize their investment in application products and eliminate over-application by controlling distribution rates down to individual spray nozzles.

Contact your Apache dealer for more information about adding Hawkeye to your sprayer!

Avoiding spray drift to ensure a more efficient application is a constant battle — but it’s a battle worth fighting. Controlling spray drift not only saves the environment, but your pocketbook too. After all, those plumes of wasted herbicide bring more problems than increased input costs including government fines and crop damage.

“Spray drift needs to be minimized to avoid any crop injury and adverse effects on areas outside the spray target area,” said Dallas Peterson, Department of Agronomy professor at Kansas State University. “Minimizing spray drift is not only important from an economic and legal standpoint, but also from a public relations standpoint.”

To get the most out of your applications this spring, here are five tips to help lower your risk of spray drift:

1. SELECT THE RIGHT NOZZLE FOR YOUR APPLICATION

One of the most important tips includes choosing the right nozzle based on your application, rate of application and speed. Refer to your spray nozzle’s manufacturer chart to help with the selection and read the label of each chemical to learn proper resistance specifications.

(To learn more about selecting the best nozzle for your application, refer to our white paper, Make Your Application Count: Sprayer Nozzle Selection.)

2. USE AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE FOR YOUR NOZZLE SELECTION

The smaller the droplet, the greater odds of creating drift. In addition, smaller droplets are created by higher spray pressures. Pressure shouldn’t exceed 40 psi.

“Smaller spray droplets are more susceptible to movement by wind, especially the very fine droplets that can stay suspended longer and moved longer distances,” Peterson said. “The appropriate spray pressure is critical to produce a good spray pattern and droplet size. Increasing spray pressure reduces spray droplet size and increases the number of fine spray droplet particles that are most susceptible to spray drift. The appropriate spray pressure to optimize performance and minimize drift will depend on the type of spray tip being utilized.”

3. DRIVE AT THE SPEED YOU ARE CALIBRATED FOR

After selecting the nozzle you want to use and the best pressure for your desired application rate, be aware of your speed. By slowing down or speeding up, you will change the application rate if you don’t adjust your pressure. To maintain application rate per acre, you need to increase your pressure if you increase your speed.

For more information about speed while spraying, read “Speed + Spraying — What Growers Need to Know.”

4. BE AWARE OF BOOM HEIGHT

A boom too high off the soil can contribute to drifting, especially in windy conditions. The higher your booms are set, the longer the distance each droplet has to fall, which gives your application more time to travel off path before reaching the desired location.

Ideally, boom height and row spacing should be a 1:1 ratio. So, for example if you have 20-inch row spacing, then booms should be set at 20 inches.

5. WATCH FOR CHANGES IN WEATHER

High winds can increase your chances for spray drift, but you should also try to avoid humid conditions as well. According to Iowa State University, warmer temperatures paired with low humidity levels will cause droplets to evaporate faster and contribute to vapor drift.

“There is no absolute right answer to the question regarding when is it too windy to spray,” Peterson said. “Labels will provide maximum wind speeds that can’t be exceeded to remain in compliance with the label. However, it still may be too windy to safely spray at lower wind speeds if a highly susceptible crop is downwind of the application. In that situation, the only safe time to spray is when the wind is in the opposite direction.”

Check out the Apache Blog for more up-to-date application tips and information.

The faster you drive your Apache sprayer, the bigger target area you cover — right? Today’s self-propelled sprayers allow growers to apply agriculture chemicals faster than ever before, but is there a limit? Equipment Technologies Senior Application Specialist, Jeremy Hurt says yes. “Even with the continuous innovations in sprayer technology, it’s still important for growers to pay special attention to the relationship between travel speed, pressure, nozzle choice and the desired output per acre,” Hurt said.

So, what happens when we speed up? This is important to know, because your choice of speed travel requires an understanding of how the chemicals are delivered to the target.

Fast-moving air does three things to the spray distribution:

1. It shears the spray, making it a finer mist.
2. It scrubs small droplets from the spray pattern.
3. It creates negative pressure behind the pattern sucking fine spray droplets into the sprayer’s wake.

All three effects combined create the dreaded spray plume hanging behind the spray boom. The faster the movement, the larger portion of your spray pattern will end up in plume — and ultimately, in the wind. While nozzle choice and boom height can counteract some of these effects, it’s much easier to just slow down.

“How do you know when you’re going too fast?” Hurt said. “If you’re uncomfortable in the cab riding across a field, your machine is probably uncomfortable as well. If you’re bouncing around in the cab you probably need to slow down a little bit.”

In terms of miles per hour, the most common application speed ranges between 10-16 mph for self-propelled sprayers. Any faster and a grower risks not achieving uniform coverage, or creating spray drift.

“Look at your boom wings as you’re traveling across a field,” Hurt said. “Are they really active and moving around? If they are, that could indicate the speed you’re going is too fast for the field you’re driving across. Apache Sprayers have very stable booms that keep movement to a minimum.”

Bottom line: Don’t rely on the rate-controller for every speed adjustment—be mindful of that speed!

There are many quality oil brands on the market for use in farm machinery, but at ET Works we recommend Lucas Oil products. Our brand loyalty is founded on proven results. In 2008, we conducted product comparison tests to assess the quality of oils available for use in Apache sprayers. Multiple oil samples were sent out to a lab including:

• Hy-Gard Oil
• Hy-Tran Oil
• Rural King store-brand oil
• Lucas Oil

Through our analysis, we found Lucas Oil products to be superior to the other brands. They were overall: better filtered, contained less water and demonstrated an overall longer life of use.

Our lab results indicated that Lucas Oil contained the least amount of water and debris when compared to oils offered by John Deere, Case IH and Rural King.

We value the reduced water in Lucas Oil because a higher water ratio is detrimental to our high-tech hydraulic system and can result in these parts working less efficiently. It can also cause oil sludge over time and lead to sticky valves that don’t function properly. For example, many of our fold systems are set up with an electric spool valve and this sludge would prevent the valve from moving freely and easily. Too much water also tends to require more frequent oil changes, which costs more over time.

We also found greater potential for longer usage between oil changes with Lucas Oil. Due to our findings, we believe Lucas Oil products are the best choice for Apache Sprayers.