Programming

Along with the new irrigation system comes the programming of the new software that will control it. Our old system has Rainbird heads that are controlled by Cirrus software, the new system has Toro heads that will be controlled by Sitepro.

Fortunately I have most of the off season to complete the data input and initial programming of the new control system. The most difficult part of this process is becoming bilingual with both software systems that have drastically different ways of inputting data and executing programming. The learning curve for the new software has been a little steep, but through repetition comes proficiency.

Next spring into early summer my desk will look like mission control with multiple computers and monitors operating both systems at the same time. This will be a juggling act of hydraulically making the old and new play nice with each other. Each week as the new components are installed, I will be constantly adjusting pump station and mainline flows so that undue stress is not applied to the system.