OT Re: [AT] Generator--doing funny things, Now electronics.

[Ralph Goff]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas O. Mehrkam" <tomehrkam at houston.rr.com>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 7:11 AM
Subject: OT Re: [AT] Generator--doing funny things, Now electronics.


> They new stuff is great until it breaks then watch out.

I would agree completely. Although I have had great service up to this point 
from my 97 Blazer I dread the day when something fails in the system because 
I don't think there is much on it that I could fix myself.
Thats another reason I enjoy driving my old 71 Chev pickup. The 
uncomplicated simplicity of the drive train and controls, the few things 
that do need occasional repair are usually something I can fix right on the 
farm shop myself.
So much of the new machinery is beyond the point of "farm fixes". Computer 
chips and electric solenoids controlling hydraulic valves, doing the same 
job that was originally done with a cable or lever. Not much to go wrong 
with those old mechanical controls and easy to fix when necessary.
 A friend had a major downtime of 3 days or so at planting time when one 
partially broken wire shut down the computer that controlled his air drill 
metering system. Even the technician that worked on it was baffled for a 
while.
GPS to guide the farm machinery is great too but in a year like this with 
mud and water breaking up the fields into little triangles and circles even 
GPS can not cope. So its back to visual judgement when we try to guide the 
sprayer through the fields.
Not today though. Rain again has put a stop to field operations. Crops and 
weeds continue to thrive on the excess moisture we have had all spring. 
Meanwhile predictions of a hot dry summer continue. Climate change is 
gradually turning our prairies into a semi desert we are told. Recent 
photographic evidence to the contrary can be seen at my webpage.
Ok, I guess I have rambled far enough off topic for now.

Ralph in Sask.
http://lgoff.sasktelwebsite.net/