Field Scout SC 900, Product Manual

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4
Taking Compaction
Measurements
The SC 900 is a state-of-the-art electronic cone penetro-
meter for use in soil density, trafficability and compaction
studies. This soil compaction instrument measures cone
index data, logs the data and allows the user to review the
data to make soil management decisions.
When to sample
It is recommended that compaction measurements be
taken after a rain, or in the spring when the soils have
good moisture content. Measuring soil compaction in dry
soil conditions will not yield meaningful results.
The SC 900 compaction meter should be used before till-
age to determine where the compacted areas of a field/plot
are. Once the compacted areas, along with compaction
depths, have been determined, a much more effective till-
age system can be employed.
The unit works as an efficient diagnostic tool as well as a
management unit after the tillage operation has been
performed. One can determine how deep the soil has
actually been worked and if the tillage operation has
solved the compaction problems.
Selecting the cone tip
Meters with firmware v. 8.1 or greater can be equipped
with either a 1/2” or 3/4” diameter cone tip. The 1/2” tip
is appropriate for most soils. The 3/4” tip is recom-
mended for coarse and sandy soils that provide less resis-
tance to penetration. The cone selection screen appears at
the end of the meter power up sequence (see
Meter Op-
eration , p. 6). Use the REVIEW button to select the de-
sired cone tip option.