How do they do that.

I have a big time operator farming the farm south of me and a bigger time operator just rented a farm north of me. Anyway the bigger guy pulls in with 2 planters but instead of each
starting on different sides of field, they are following each other. They were far enough away that I couldn't see what they did on ends. With gps is 1st. planter planting every-other
swath and 2nd. guy filling in? or is 1st. guy pulling out of way on end and letting 2nd. guy turn around?

I would bet that they where planting every other swath. With the modern GPS systems you can do that with little extra effort. My sons sometimes cut soybeans that way. It makes for bigger turns on the ends which is easier on the combines.

Thats not hard to do we did that pulling two 490JD planters just know how to drive a tractor

Are you along BE County 13? I traveled that road this past weekend and saw two JD planter rigs parked. Maybe the ones owned by the bto?

Probably have GPS.

BTW, earlier this morning, I drove past two identical JD tractors and 12 row planters parked on the end of a field. (It rained last night). Could it be that they found they could go faster with two 12 row planters than with one 24?

if you don't happen to have a big enough tractors...in hydraulic flow capacity or pull power or both to handle a 24 row, then a pair of 12 rows is more practical I guess. I imagine the field conditions, such as irregular shapes or accessability or the levelness of the terrain might be factors of consideration too. Pricewise, I honestly don't know if 2 12 rows would be more expensive than 1 24 row or vice versa. Seems possible with GPS you could plant 12, skip over 12, plant 12, skip over etc., etc.,and then reverse the process back and not have to make such sharp turns at the ends and have a smaller headland...but I honestly don't know if this is possible.

55 50 ron, you mean Nicollet Co. #13? Yes this same guy runs some land along there.

With GPS once you set your straight line, you can do the rest of the field in any pattern you like.
The RTK can repeat a pass within a quarter inch.

Trimble (they make the GPS systems for CNH ) has a system (FMX or FM1000) that can steer the tractor, and run the row clutches on a JD planter. That was a new feature that we tested at the old job last year. Add a globe to the planter, and it will steer the tractor to put the planter on its line, and with a radio plugged in, it can even talk to units in other tractors in the field so you can see which passes are done when you get there later, refill seed or fertilizer, etc.

It can even send that data back to your office.

Almost forgot. Running RTX GPS correction and the row clutches, I was still only using 2 data ports. So I could have plugged in 2 wired or wireless cameras to keep an eye on seed levels, closing wheels,or to watch where I was going from the end of the planter. If you aren't using it for GPS you can plug in 4 cameras and use the display as a monitor.

2 twelve row planters vs 1 twenty-four, if they are JD 1770s, the main frame always runs 6 rows, and the wings get longer. A 24 row has 2 wings with 9 rows plus the center 6. Not the best if you have to go over terraces.

Flying Belgian, I'm in need of some Hiniker history. Would you mind emailing me?