As spring approaches, it’s time for growers to dust off their Soiltech Beacons and get them ready for another season in the field. Whether your Beacon has been sitting on a shelf since harvest or you’ve used it for off-season monitoring, there are a few essential steps to ensure your device is fully functional, up to date, and ready to provide valuable data all season long.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you kick off the growing season with confidence.
Step 1: Assess the Current State of Your Beacon
If your Beacon has been sitting unused since last season, ideally you followed best practices by removing both end caps to allow airflow and dry out any internal moisture. If you did that, great! Now it’s time to:
- Inspect the inside for any signs of corrosion, debris, or damage.
- Check the SIM card – make sure it’s fully inserted with the metal contacts facing the board.
- Reassemble the Beacon, ensuring both end caps are properly sealed with rubber gasket, and the cap is oriented properly flat side to flat side.
- Examine the antenna for any visible damage.
Didn’t open the Beacon after harvest? No worries – it’s not too late! Open both end caps and let it air out for a couple of days before proceeding. This helps maximize device longevity by ensuring no trapped moisture lingers inside.
Step 2: Charge the Battery
Once your Beacon is reassembled and inspected, it’s time to fully charge the battery.
- Ensure the battery is securely plugged in inside the Beacon. It won’t charge unless the battery connection is solid.
- Plug the Beacon into a reliable charging block and leave it overnight to reach 100%.
- If your Beacon already has some charge, a top-off will take 12 hours or less.
- Verify at least 90% charge in the Signal mobile app.
We recommend charging the Beacon 48-72 hours before deployment, rather than months in advance, to avoid unnecessary battery drain.
Step 3: Update the Firmware
Firmware updates are critical for ensuring your Beacon is running the latest software with improved performance, reliability, and new features. Most Beacons will be a few firmware versions behind if they haven’t been updated since last season.
There are two ways to update firmware:
- Over-the-Air (OTA) Update – This is the easiest option. Just let the Soiltech CS team know you're getting ready to deploy, and they can push the update remotely.
- Manual Update with a Cable – If you have the firmware cable, you can manually update the firmware yourself.
Most users opt for the OTA update, which typically takes a few hours after the Beacon powers on and connects to the network.
Step 4: Reset Auto Location and Calibration Settings
If you plan to use a Beacon in a new field area, any manual soil calibration settings that were applied or auto location that was turned off should be reset and re-enabled so that the Beacon can automatically calibrate to the soil type it is buried in.
Ensure the following settings are enabled and saved in your device settings page:
- “Auto Location” checkbox is selected
- Soil type is set to “auto”
Pro tip: Save time when resetting multiple Beacon settings by selecting “apply to all devices” when saving!
Step 5: Schedule a Pre-Season Check-In with Soiltech CS
Even if you’re a seasoned Soiltech user, it’s a good idea to schedule a quick call with the Customer Success (CS) team before deployment — especially if your deployment goals have changed or if you're moving the Beacon to a new field, switching crops, or trying new data strategies.
A 30 to 60-minute pre-deployment call can help you:
- Review your deployment plan and goals.
- Discuss field-specific factors like soil type, crop type, and any known connectivity challenges.
- Confirm the Beacon is properly configured for the growth season mode (if it was used for off-season storage monitoring, this step is essential).
- Ensure you’re set up to collect the right data for NRCS reporting or other regulatory needs.
- Troubleshoot any potential issues before you’re in the field.
Pro tip: Search your email inbox for "Soiltech" to find contact info for your CS rep, check the Quick Start Guide, or visit Soiltech’s website to submit a contact form.
Step 6: Final Pre-Deployment Checklist
Before heading to the field, double-check these key items:
✅ Fully charged battery (aim for 90-100% before burying)
✅ SIM card fully inserted and properly oriented
✅ Antenna free of damage and securely connected
✅ End caps aligned and tightened correctly to ensure a water-tight seal
✅ Firmware updated to the latest version
✅ Beacon reporting data successfully in the Soiltech app (green check mark = online and healthy)
✅ Beacon is in growth mode
✅ Soil calibration settings are reset and auto-location turned back on
✅ Cellular signal strength confirmed for your deployment site (reach out if you need help with this)
Why Pre-Season Prep Matters
Taking these steps a few days before deployment gives you time to catch and resolve any issues, update firmware, and make sure everything is running smoothly. The goal is to be proactive so you’re not troubleshooting in the field when time is tight and conditions are unpredictable.
When you check in with the Soiltech CS team at the start of the season, it also helps create a proactive relationship throughout the growing season — allowing the team to better support you, check in on your data, and offer guidance tailored to your evolving needs.
A Note for Post-Harvest Users
If you used your Beacon during the off-season for bruising studies or storage monitoring, the process is almost identical — with one key addition:
- Switch the Beacon back to Growth Mode to prepare for in-field deployment.
- If you were using a CO2 sensor for storage, remove it and restore the watertight underground configuration.
- This is the perfect time to update firmware, switch modes, and charge the battery all at once.
Ready to Go? Let’s Connect!
Whether you’re a first-time Beacon user or a veteran with multiple seasons under your belt, Soiltech’s Customer Success team is here to help. If you have any questions about preparing your Beacon, updating firmware, or planning deployments, don’t hesitate to reach out.
📧 Contact us today to schedule your pre-season check-in and set yourself up for success.
