AquaSpy Probe-Technical Description

Moisture probe types

Capacitance Probe= Soil permittivity (ability to react). There is a moisture component, and a conductivity component. In capacitance probes the signals are combined. Ex: Sentek probes
Vector Probe (reads multiple angles) = Can break up the moisture and conductivity into different signals on the return. AquaSpy is unique in its ability to do this.

AquaSpy is a Vector probe meaning that it measures multiple angles, time and attenuation.
A 185Mhz signal is emitted from each 4 inch sensor every 15 minuets. The signal is parsed into two signals, one as moisture and one as Electrical Conductivity (EC).
- Time delay= Moisture. EC=is attenuation (or amplitude of the wavelength)
The frequency goes out as a single signal, but is split when it returns by looking at the time of return and the attenuation
Tone is being generated with an oscillator (similar to capacitance) but it does not fluctuate like the old AquaSpy probes making it more consistent. The frequency of the oscillator is constant.
There is one circuit which cycles to send signal to each of the sensors, vs the old probe which had circuits for each sensor (AquaSpy's patent, and cheaper)

100% on the AquaSpy graph=Field capacity
0% on the AquaSpy graph=The plant has significantly slowed down in the absorption of moisture and is consuming water at 50% efficiency. (ex: 1 inch per day in green band vs. .5 inch per day at 0%)
- This is crop specific and not soil specific, which is why AquaSpy doesn't use the wilting point as their zero line.
- Ex: Rye/sorgum/sunflowers are more drought resistant than Corn, therefore the wilting point value is irrelevant as the affect of limited moisture will impact different crops in different ways. That is why AquaSpy made the bottom line crop specific and not wilting point specific.

Please contact FarmQA Support with any further questions