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How to Use John Deere Connect Mobile for Planter Monitoring

John Deere Connect Mobile gives you another way to monitor planter performance from an iPad in the cab. It works alongside the SeedStar™ planter monitor and can display row-by-row performance data on high-definition field maps, helping you identify changes in planter performance as conditions change across the field.

Connect Mobile can be a valuable tool for checking applied downforce, gauge wheel margin, population, ground contact, ride quality, and other planting-quality measurements while you work. The app connects to the machine through Wi-Fi and is designed to work with compatible John Deere displays and equipment.

 

What You Need

Before using Connect Mobile, make sure you have:

  • A compatible John Deere planter and SeedStar monitoring system
  • An Apple iPad with the John Deere Connect Mobile app installed
  • A charging method to keep the iPad powered during planting
  • A Wi-Fi connection between the iPad and the machine
  • Compatible John Deere display software and planter hardware

Connect Mobile communicates with the machine through a Wi-Fi network—no additional physical connection between the iPad and planter monitor is required once the compatible equipment is set up.apple+1

Many newer John Deere planters include the necessary Connect Mobile hardware from the factory. Koenig Equipment notes that the hardware is factory-installed on model year 2015 and newer ExactEmerge™ planter row units and model year 2017 and newer MaxEmerge™ 5E row units. Compatibility can vary by planter, display, and software version, so confirm your specific setup before planting season.deere+1

Connect Your iPad
  1. Download the John Deere Connect Mobile app from the Apple App Store.
  2. Turn on the iPad and make sure it has enough battery power or is connected to a charger.
  3. Connect the iPad to the planter or machine Wi-Fi network.
  4. Open the Connect Mobile app.
  5. Select the machine and planting operation.
  6. Confirm the app is receiving information from the planter before beginning fieldwork.

If the app does not show current machine information, verify that the iPad is connected to the correct Wi-Fi network, the planter and display are powered on, and the app has been set up for the correct machine.

View Row-by-Row Planter Data

Connect Mobile can map planter performance across the entire toolbar, allowing you to view data by individual row rather than only reviewing average values on the in-cab display.

During planting, available map layers can include:

  • Actual population
  • Target population
  • Singulation
  • Seed spacing coefficient of variation
  • Applied downforce
  • Gauge wheel margin
  • Ground contact
  • Ride quality
  • Variety
  • Ground speed

These layers can help you see where conditions or planter performance change across the field. John Deere lists these planting attributes as data that Connect Mobile can document and display.

Monitor Applied Downforce

The Applied Downforce map shows how much downforce is being applied to the row units as the planter moves through the field.

Applied downforce is the force used to help opener blades penetrate the soil and maintain the intended planting depth. Hard, dry, stale, or uneven seedbeds may require more downforce than soft, freshly worked ground.

In the video example, the planter is operating in a hard stale seedbed during June. Higher applied downforce is needed to help the opener blades penetrate the soil before the planter can build additional gauge wheel margin.

Do not use applied downforce as the only measure of planter performance. Compare it with gauge wheel margin, ground contact, ride quality, field conditions, and in-field seed-depth checks.

Understand Gauge Wheel Margin

The Gauge Wheel Margin map shows the amount of force carried by the row unit’s gauge wheels after the opener blades have reached the desired planting depth.

In simple terms, the planter must first apply enough downforce to get the opener blades into the soil. Any additional force becomes margin on the gauge wheels. This helps maintain consistent depth and keep the row unit engaged with the soil surface.

John Deere describes margin as the additional downforce applied beyond what is needed for penetration to achieve planting depth. That additional weight rides on the depth gauge wheels.

A planter may be applying substantial downforce but still show limited gauge wheel margin in hard ground. This does not automatically indicate a problem. It may mean the row unit is using most of its downforce to penetrate the soil.

Look for a margin map that is generally consistent across the planter and throughout similar field conditions. In rough or uneven ground, some variation is expected. In smoother, freshly worked soil, the margin map will often appear more uniform.

Use Other Connect Mobile Map Layers

Connect Mobile allows you to switch between map layers to compare different planting-quality indicators across the field.

Population

The population map helps you compare actual population with target population. Use it to identify rows or field areas that may not be meeting the intended seeding rate.

Ground Contact

The ground contact map helps show whether row units are maintaining contact with the soil. Poor ground contact can affect seed depth and consistency.

Ride Quality

The ride-quality map can help identify areas where rough terrain, high speed, or planter bounce may affect row-unit performance.

Singulation and Seed Spacing

Singulation and seed-spacing measurements help you evaluate how consistently the planter is delivering individual seeds at the intended spacing. Reviewing these layers can help identify potential meter, seed-delivery, or operating-speed concerns.

Use Split-Screen View

Connect Mobile includes a split-screen view that allows you to display two map layers at the same time. This can make it easier to compare related planting measurements without switching back and forth between screens.

For example, you may choose to compare:

  • Applied downforce and gauge wheel margin
  • Actual population and target population
  • Ground contact and ride quality
  • Singulation and seed spacing

The split-screen feature is designed to help operators compare two quality layers during the same operation.koenigequipment+1

To use split-screen view:

  1. Open the map view in Connect Mobile.
  2. Select the split-screen option near the bottom of the screen.
  3. Choose the first map layer to display.
  4. Choose the second map layer to compare.
  5. Zoom in around the tractor or a specific field area to review the data more closely.
Best Practices for Planter Monitoring
  • Review planter data regularly instead of waiting until the field is finished.
  • Use map layers together. For example, compare applied downforce with gauge wheel margin before making a downforce adjustment.
  • Check row-by-row maps for patterns that may point to a specific row-unit issue.
  • Inspect seed depth and seed placement in the field to verify what the maps are showing.
  • Adjust planter settings based on field conditions, not only on a single number or color on the map.
  • Expect performance data to change as soil type, moisture, residue, tillage, and terrain change.
  • Keep the iPad charged and connected to the correct machine Wi-Fi network.
  • Confirm your planter, display, and software are compatible before relying on Connect Mobile during planting.
Need Help With Connect Mobile?

If you need help connecting an iPad, verifying compatibility, understanding downforce and gauge wheel margin, or using Connect Mobile maps during planting, contact your local Koenig Equipment Precision Ag team. We can help you get the most from the planter data your machine is already collecting.