STA17th Annual Field Day - Program at a Glance - September 16thMISSISSAUGA VALLEY COMMUNITY CENTRE ... LOOK FOR A BROCHURE WITH FULLDETAILS TO ARRIVE IN YOUR MAILBOX SHORTLY!

8:00 - 9:00 am Registration& Opening Remarks

9:00 - 9:30 am Keynote SpeakerDan Ferrone, Veteran Toronto Argonaut

9:30 - 10:30 am Managing AthleticFields for Healthy Root Systems,Dr. Eric Lyons, University of Guelph

10:30 - 11:00 am Indoor Exhibitors

11:00 - 11:45 am Artificial Turf: HowWe Got Here, City of Mississauga

11:45 - 12:30 pm Safety. TerryMurphy, Landscape OntarioHorticultural Trades Association

1:15 - 2:00 pm Meet with OutdoorExhibitors. Demos on request.

2:00 - 3:00 pm Field MarkingDemonstrations & Tricks of the Trade

Keynote AddressDan Ferrone of Oakville has spent a totalof 23 years in the CFL. As a player, acoach, President of the CFL PlayersAssociation and Vice President ofOperations for the Toronto Argonauts,Dan has gained many uniqueperspectives of the CFL. As well, hehosted his own TV show, Ferrone File,and was colour commentator on TSN.

Managing Athletic Fieldsfor HealthyRoot SystemsHealthy root systems are essential formaintaining playable turf. Throughproper cultivation practices, managerscan create a soil environment suitablefor healthy root development. Thissession will shed some light on how rootsare affected by management practicesboth above and below the ground.

Artificial Turf: How We Got HereRepresentatives of the City of Mississ-auga will present the research andbusiness case investigations (back-ground process to implementation),procurement process, constructionprocess, and review the first seasonoperations of the City's Artificial TurfInfill System at Parkway Belt Park 35.

Safety Makes Cents!Workplace safety is not only aninvestment, it can make you money."Many organizations look at safetyonly from the cost side, which is deadwrong," says Murphy. This session isnot only about your obligation underthe law, but explains the law and howyou can turn obligations into moneymaking propositions. Terry Murphy hasextensive industry experience invarious management positions and ispassionate about workplace safety.

2 SUMMER 2004 I Sports Turf Manager

SPORTS TURF MANAGERVolume 17, Issue 2

ISSN 1201-3765

is the official publication of theSPORTS TURF ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO

328 Victoria Road South, Guelph, ON N1H 6H8Tel: (519) 763-9431, Fax: (519) 766-1704E-mail: info@s.portsturfossociotion.com

Web: www.sportsturfassociation.com

2004 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT Andrew GaydonPAST PRESIDENT Paul Turner

TREASURER Rick LaneSECRETARY Bob Sheard

EXECUTIVE MANAGER Lee Huether

DIRECTORSBrion Adriaans, Jane Arnett-Rivers, Cam

Beneteau, Gord Dol, Roy Forfar & David Smith

SPORTS TURF MANAGERis publ ished quarterly by the STA for freedistribution to its membership. An annual

subscription may be obtained for $40/year.Please direct advertising inquiries to

Lee Huether at the STA office.

EDITORIAL COMMITTEEJane Arnett-Rivers, Andrew Gaydon,

Lee Huether and Paul Turner

PUBLISHERNew Paradigm Communications

R.R. #8, Owen Sound, ON N4K 5W4Tel. (519) 371-6818, Fax: (519) 371-5789

E-mail: joy@npc-solutions.com

CANADA POST PUBLICATIONS MAilSALES AGREEMENT No. 1461370

Postmaster: Please return undeliverablecopies to the STA at 328 Victoria Rd. South,

Guelph, ON N1H 6H8.

SPORTS

The President's Desk

The 'sports turf' growing season iswell under way and so far theweather has been good to all whoenjoy real turf grass. Winter 2004

was busy for the STA with a new andsuccessful OTS show in Niagara and lotshappening on the integrated pest manage-ment scene. We will keep you up to dateon both of these via the Sports TurfManager.

We are currently working on newconstruction specifications for the sportsturf industry and planning for our AnnualField Day is almost complete. This yearthe event will be on Thursday, September16 at the City of Mississauga's ValleyCommunity Centre. As usual, we areplanning a full program as well as a greatnetworking occasion for members to meetindustry peers. Watch your mail or visitwww.sportsturfassociation.com for moredetails as they are confirmed.

It is with regret that Gord Van Dyk,Stephen Tolley and Jamie Worden haverecently resigned from the Board ofDirectors. Gord has left the sports turfindustry; Stephen has joined the Town ofRichmond Hill's Engineering PublicWorks Department; and Jamie'scommitments no longer permit him thetime to effectively fulfill his role as a

ANDREW GAYDON

director. All three have given a number ofyears of professional input and service andwe thank them sincerely and wish themwell.

The STA Board would like to welcomeBrian Adriaans and Cam Beneteau as newDirectors. Brian is with the City ofBurlington (see page 4) and Cam worksat Ridley College in St. Catharines. Camhad been approached to be profiled in ournew feature (page 12) prior to becominga Director. We are fortunate to be able tointroduce him fully to STA members.

Register for STA's Annual Field

Day on September 16, a great

networking occasion for members

to meet industry peers.

We wish all our readers an enjoyableand successful summer and we lookforward to our annual get together onSeptember 16 in Mississauga. See you atthe Field Day .•

Do you have turf that is unhealthy?Unsure of the cause?

Send a sample to the NEW TurfDiagnostics at the Guelph Turfgrass

Institute for complete diagnosis &recommendation. For more details:

www.gti.uoguelph.ca519·824·4120 X 52055

www.sporlslurfossociolion.comISUMMER 2004 3

U of G Hires New Turfgross Focu ty MemberDR. ERIC LYONS JOINS DEPARTMENT OF PLANT AGRICULTURE

Dr. Eric Lyons has accepted an offerto join the University of Guelph asa faculty member in turfgrassmanagement. He will be leaving a

post-doctoral position in turfgrassphysiology at Rutgers University.

Dr. Lyons, a native of the state ofIowa,is a graduate of the University of NorthernIowa where he received his B.Sc. with adouble major in Biology and Philosophy.While at Northern Iowa he played severalseasons as an offensive lineman on theUniversity football team and later servedas an Undergraduate Assistant OffensiveLine Coach.

Upon completion of his undergraduateprogram, Dr. Lyons attended Penn StateUniversity where he completed a Ph.D.program under the guidance of Dr. DavidHuff and Dr. Dan Knieve1. His graduatework investigated the seasonalcompetition and physiological responsesof different ecotypes of Poa annua andAgrostis stolonifera. He was awarded botha National Science Foundation Fellowshipand Golf Course SuperintendentsAssociation of America WatsonFellowship. While at Penn State, he was

Welcome to New Board MemberBrian AdriaansHello to all Sports Turf Associationmembers. I am currently HorticulturalTechnician for the City of Burlington.My main function is programdevelopment for all city turf andhorticultural activities. Prior to workingfor the City, I have had extensiveexperience in the golf industryincluding stints at Beech Grove Golfand Country Club, The Cutten Club,Dundas Valley and Burlington Golf andCountry Club. I hold an AssociateDiploma in Agriculture from theUniversity of Guelph and a Bachelor'sdegree from McMaster University. I amvery much looking forward to servingon the STA Board of Directors.

4 SUMMER 2004 I Sports TurfManager

actively involved as an instructor in theturfgrass management diploma program.

Dr. Lyons is scheduled to join theUniversity of Guelph faculty in early July.His research interests are varied and hisinitial efforts at Guelph will be directedtowards establishing new researchpriorities developed in collaboration withthe turfgrass industry and colleagues at theGuelph Turfgrass Institute. Dr. Lyons willalso be involved in University of Guelphprofessional development programs,undergraduate teaching and supervision ofgraduate students. He will be formallyintroduced to the turfgrass industry at theGTI Summer Research Field Day onAugust 17th. For more information, pleasecontact: Rob Witherspoon, Director,Guelph Turfgrass Institute &Environmental Research Centre, 519-824-4120 ext. 56886, robwith@uoguelph.ca.

Editor's Note: Dr. Lyons will conduct asession entitled Managing Athletic Fieldsfor Healthy Root Systems at the STA's 17thAnnual Field Day, Thursday, September16th at the Mississauga Valley CommunityCentre. See the inside front cover for details.

Turf AgriphoneThe Turf Agriphone is up andrunning. There are three optionsfor accessing this information:1) call toll free 1-888-290-44412) call 1-888-466-2372 or 519-824-4120 (x52597) to subscribeto the free email version3) visit www.gov.on.ca/OMAF RA/ engl ish/crops andclick on the /I Agriphones & CropUpdates" link

STAScholarship RecipientCongratulations to RandyMcCord of Stratford, Ontario.Randy, the 2004 OntarioDiploma in Horticulturegraduating student in the TurfOption with the highest overallmark, is the recipient of a SportsTurf Association Scholarship.

2004 STAMembership FeesThank-you to all membersrenewing in 2004! Membershipfees are now due. If you haven'talready done so, please take amoment to remit them in order toremain a member in goodstanding. The annual membershiproster is now being compiled andwill be forwarded on completion.

STAMembership PlaquesDisplay membership plaques areavailable in executive engravedwalnut for $50 plus S&H. To order,contact Leeat the STAoffice.

Autumn 2004 SubmissionsIf you have something you'd liketo submit for the next issue,please forward it to the STAoffice by July 23, 2004.

Editorial ContentOpinions expressed in articlespublished in Sports TurfManagerare those of the author and notnecessarily those of the STA, unlessotherwise indicated.

Integrated Pest Management/Plant Health (are (ouncil UpdateJOHN HOWARD, OPA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The Municipal IPM/PHC Working Group has developedIPM (Integrated Pest Management): A Manual forMunicipalities which will soon be available through theOntario Parks Association as a resource for municipalities

seeking accreditation. The manual explains the benefits ofIntegrated Pest Management and outlines the steps

~

involved as well as how Plant Health Care (PHC)fits into an in.tegr~ted appr?ach. This resource

~

also pro:'I?eS information on establishing

~

IPM policies and procedures which shouldbe useful for municipalities and includessome suggestions on designing an IPMIPHC program.

The examination for the Municipal IPM/PHC Accreditationhas been completed and once details have been finalizedregarding the audit process for municipalities, the program willbe handed over to Ridgetown College to administer in conjunctionwith the existing Lawn Care Industry IPM/PHC AccreditationProgram. It is hoped that the Municipal Accreditation processwill be up and running this year by early summer.

Turfgrass Producers SurveyThe 2002 Turfgrass Producers International (TPI)Membership Farm Profile Questionnaire was sent to 841TPI producer members located throughout the world. The14 page, 352 question survey is the fifth study undertakensince 1984. Results report steady growth and resiliencefor turf producers. Survey results in the marketing areashow that the 3 factors most influential to sales are quality,price and service. Turf producers reach out to customersthrough referrals, followed by "Yellow Pcqes." with a newreliance on internet marketing (30% increase since 1997).For more information, contact TPIat 1-800-405-8873 orvisit their website at www.TurfGrassSod.org. The tablebelow is part of the 2002 TPIsurvey results.

Sitesof Turf Installation 2002 1997 1993

Private Residences 54.37% 45.84% 54.27%Commercial Areas 13.2 19.10 18.5Golf Courses 10.07 10.80 *Multi-family Residences 8.25 8.22 8.91Sports Fields 6.32 6.51 *Parks & Cemeteries 2.73 3.09 11.13

Roadsides 2.65 3.88 13.22

* included in Parks & Cemeteries

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Municipal IPM lawn Demonstation Proiect • Cover Story Continued...RESULTS SHOWED THAT A 40-60% PESTICIDE REDUCTION IN IPM PLOTS HAD LITTLEEFFECT ON TURF QUALITY

... management program. The areas werethen subdivided with one side receivingfertility, 2.0 kg/1 00 m? of nitrogen overthe growing season, and one side receivingno fertility. Two heights of mowing, 4 and8 em, were superimposed on the demon-stration area to illustrate the impact ofmowing height on turf health and weedinfestation. Irrigation was also super-imposed upon the area with half the areairrigated and the other half non-irrigated.Rainfall amounts were considered andamount of irrigation was dependent on therainfall values. However, due to theamount of rainfall over the entire seasonand lack of visual turf dormancy, we wereunable to demonstrate irrigation versusnon-irrigation effects.

The trial started at all three locations atthe beginning of May 2003 with an initialmonitoring for broadleaf weeds. Itcontinued weekly until mid-Novemberwith visual ratings, mowing, fertilizingand monitoring for pests and thentreatment specific to each of the fourmanagement programs in eachmunicipality.

ResultsAt the Guelph Turfgrass Institute,

conventional plots received a total of five

6 SUMMER 2004 I Sports Turf Manager

pesticide treatments whereas the IPMplots received only two, the secondapplication being a spot treatment. InBrantford, conventional plots alsoreceived five pesticide treatments. TheIPM plots received one broadcasttreatment and then two spot treatments.

The London location with only IPMplots received three treatments, abroadcast and two spot treatments.Therefore, there hasbeen a 40-60% reduct-ion in pesticide use inthese areas and thereduced usage equalsreduced costs. Also,along with pesticide andcost reduction, we haveconsidered the amountof time to monitor andthe number of people itrequires (Table 1). It isapparent that it takesvery little time andlabour to see what pests are present andto decide whether a pesticide applicationis even warranted.

Turf quality was rated visually on aweekly basis and takes into accountturfgrass colour, uniformity and density.Overall, turf quality in the conventional

and IPM plots at the GTI and Brantfordshowed no significant difference (picturedabove). The IPM plots in London arecomparable to the ones in Guelph andBrantford. Also within each managementpractice there are differences in quality ofthe plots with respect to the fertility, asfertility affected the turf colour and thehigher mowing height affected density(see front cover picture).

Table 1. Time spent monitoring for pests at the GTI,May to Nov., 2003. The total area was 1,584 m2•

Pest Time/l person/season

Broadleaf Weed Count # 1 1 hour 45 min.

White Grub Count 4 hours

Crabgrass Count 2 hours

Hairy Chinch Bug Monitoring 2 hours

Broadleaf Weed Count #2 1 hour 45 min.

Broadleaf Weed Count #3 1 hour 45 min.

In comparison, the no pesticide plotsin all three areas had lower overall qualityratings (see picture on page 8). Increasesin the percentage of broadleaf weeds fromMay to November as well as the lack offertility were major factors affecting theweekly quality in these plots.

ConclusionsIt is important to note that a 40-60%

pesticide reduction in the IPM plots hadlittle effect on quality. Also, with 2-3pesticide applications (with an emphasison spot treating) in the IPM plots as wellas fertility and a higher mowing height,the turf appeared healthier than nopesticides or no superimposed treatments.Along with pesticide reduction, there is areduction in cost and that can be achievedwith very little time and labour.

Season two will prove to be interestingas the impact of decreased pesticide useon the IPM plots as well as zero pesticideson the no pesticide plots will be greaterfelt. We're also hoping to see if pesticidereduction can be sustained over more thanone year and if there is further reductionof quality and weed invasion in the nopesticide plots. A quicker spring start withthe alternative product Nature's Weed &Feed might show more of an impact andmaybe some new products will beinvestigated. Also, if there is lower rainfall

European chafer grubs were not a majorfactor as they were only found in Brant-ford and London. Crabgrass was only seenat Brantford and London. Hairy chinchbug was found in Brantford however invery low numbers. Sod webworm was notfound at any of the three locations.

At the Guelph Turfgrass Institute, thealternative plots showed little differencesfrom the no pesticide plots. The product,Nature's Weed & Feed 7-0-5, proved tobe interesting as it required applicationsevery 2-6 weeks throughout the seasonand was extremely thick and difficult toapply. It was applied with a backpacksprayer at a rate of 5 L product to 5 L waterper 100 m-. The effect of the Corn GlutenMeal 8-2-0 (10 kg/lOO m-) as a pre-emergent is not easily shown as there didnot appear to be any crabgrass in the entiretrial area. Plots receiving both products,due to their fertilizer properties, did notreceive any additional fertilizer and didhave a better turf colour than theunfertilized plots.

it will show the differences in irrigationversus no irrigation.

Turfgrass insects were not an issue inall three municipalities. European chafergrubs were present in Brantford andLondon, however there was not significantpest pressure. Hairy chinch bug was alsofound in Brantford. Perhaps next seasonwill bring more insect issues into account.Aeration versus no aeration will also beadded.

Part of the project's objectives was toeducate area residents and turf managersand this was achieved in several ways. InGuelph, the demonstration area receivedpress attention with two articles in theGuelph Tribune, a city-wide distributednewspaper. Approximately 100 arearesearchers, turf managers and industrypersonnel visited the plots during theAnnual GTI Research Field Day. The plotswere available for viewing during a publicOpen House on an evening in August.About 50 people came out for a look andwere able to have some... "•• page 8

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www.sportsturfassociotion.comISUMMER 2004 7

questions about their own lawns answered.In October, a small class from the NiagaraParks School of Horticulture visited andthey had a tour of the plots as well. Overthe winter, results were presented at theOntario Turfgrass Symposium, TurfManagers Short Course and the LandscapeOntario IPM Symposium in Barrie,London, Toronto and Ottawa.

For more detailed information aboutthis project, please visit the websitewww.gti.uoguelph.calOPAC. •

AcknowledgementsThis project is funded by the Ontario

Pesticide Advisory Committee. I wouldlike to acknowledge the following peopleand organizations:• Pam Charbonneau, OMAF• Entire GTI Staff• Dennis Wale, City of Brantford• Bruce McGauley, City of London• Ken Pavely, Landscape Ontario• Chuck Egleston, Hydro Agri Canada• Darcy Olds, Bayer• Brenda Nailor, Engage Agro• Allan McFadden, Dow AgroSciences

8 SUMMER 2004 I Sports Turf Manager

Guest Editorial: facing ChallengesARTIFICIAL TURF CONTINUES TO BE AN OPTION IN THE US

Until man can duplicate a blade of grass, nature will laugh at his so-calledscientificknowledge. ...,Thomas Edison

ports turf managers are used tochallenges. We face them everyday in one form or another. Thetrend of artificial turf fieldinstallations, including replace-

ment of natural turf fields with artificialturf systems, has added yet anotherchallenge for our profession. As sportsturf professionals, we must be a sourceof facts when decisions are made aboutinstalling a specific type of turf.Installation decisions made todayproduce the playing surfaces that wewill be managing tomorrow and foryears to come.

Surveys show that a good naturalgrass field is still the overwhelmingpreference of players and fans alike.However, as we are aware, no grasssurface will withstand unlimited use andstill provide the desired playingconditions. As professionals, our goalis to provide the best playing surfacepossible for all levels of play, regardlessof the surface involved.

We must look at these new systemsnot as a threat, but as another tool thatcan help us do our jobs better. The newturf systems are clearly superior to theold artificial turf. There exists a placefor these surfaces; such as in anenvironment not conducive to naturalgrass or on fields that receive so muchwear that it is impossible to adequatelymaintain a natural grass field.

Currently the marketing departmentsof installers and manufacturers aresupplying most of the information on thenew systems. Unfortunately, some fieldinstallation decisions are being basedon this information with little or no inputfrom the sports turf professional. I wouldencourage the companies marketingthese artificial surfaces to recognize theprofessional turf managers at ourfacilities and accept us as the expertson our sites. Sports turf managers should

expect to be a part of the decision-making process, and these companiescan do a lot to further this ethicalpractice.

Much of the information about thenew systems we hear today sounds verysimilar to that of the late 1960s and1970s. Over time, we learned thestrengths and weaknesses of those fieldsand that every option has both pros andcons. We have gone through the samelearning process with sand-based naturalgrass fields. At this time, we simply donot how these new fields will performand hold up over an extended period.

As an organization, the Sports TurfManagers Association (US) must assumea leadership role in gathering anddisseminating information concerningartificial turf, just as we have with naturalturf fields. We must take part in thediscussions and learning process byproviding facts and relevant research,by sharing our experiences with thesesurfaces, and by working with other turf-related associations to help compile thebody of information on these surfaces.As sports turf managers, we mustbecome aware of all of the issues relatedto all of the athletic field options so thatwe are adequately equipped to beinvolved in the decision-making processto determine what type of field best fitsour particular situations.

I ask you, as professionals, to provideyour input on this new generation.Bottom line: To ignore this issue is to doso at our own peril. •

- Bob Campbell, CSFM, President,Sports Turf Managers Association. Excerptfrom SPORTSTURF, Vol. 19(4), April, 2003.

Editor's Note: Representatives of the Cityof Mississauga will discuss their artificialturf infill system at Parkway Belt Park 357at the STA's 17th Annual Field Day, Thurs-day, Sept. 16 (see inside front cover).

PAM CHARBONNEAU, TURFGRASSSPECIALIST,OMAF~,~~-~-,-~-----,----_.,-----------_.~-,~-~._~-~----"

Highlights of the 2004 Revision of the United States Golf AssociationSpecifications for Putting Green ConstructionSince their release in 1960, the USGA's specifications for green construction have been thestandard in the golf industry across North America and many other areas of the world. Thepurpose of the specifications is to provide a consistent, high quality golf green. They are alsooften used as specifications for high end sports fields. The specifications are reviewedperiodically and updated as new construction techniques and products become availableand as scientific research proves them reliable. The last updates to the USGA Recommendationfor Putting Green Construction were in 1993.

than or equal to 5 times the D85 of therootzone. This has changed to the D 15 ofthe gravel to be less than or equal to 8times the D85 of the rootzone. Thepermeability factor remains the same. Theuniformity factor specified that the D90of the gravel to D 15 of the gravel must be

diatomites and zeolites can be used inplace of or in conjunction with peat in rootzone mixtures, provided that the particlesize performance criterion of the mix arestill met. The performance criteria arerepresented by the physical properties ofthe root zone mix. The USGA also

ncreasing demands on putting greenscoupled with volumes of research intonew construction techniques andamendments for golf greens haveprompted a review of research

findings and incorporation of thosetechniques and products which haveproven effective. Over a hundredscientists, agronomists and industryexperts reviewed the scientific literatureto incorporate some of these researchfindings into the recommendations. InApril 2004, the revised USGARecommendations for a Method of PuttingGreen Construction were released.

One main change deals with theaddition of the recommendation to includethe use of a flat pipe in addition to roundPVC drain pipe. As well, there are changesin gravel size recommendations for greenswhere an intermediate layer is not used.As an alternative to round pipe placed ina trench, flat pipe placed directly on theprepared subgrade may be used, providedthe flat pipe conforms to ASTM D 7001,is a minimum of 30 em in width, and isnot covered by a geotextile sleeve. The flatpipe should be stapled to the subgrade, orotherwise held in place to prevent shiftingduring construction.

In addition, there are changes in gravelsize recommendations for greens withoutan intermediate layer. In previousrecommendations, the bridging factorspecified that the D 15 of the gravel be less

Table 1. Size Recommendations for Gravel When Intermediate Layer is Not Used.

Performance Factors Recommendations

Bridging Factor D15 (gravel) less than or equal to 8 X D85 (rootzone)Permeability Factor D15 (gravel) greater than or equal to 5 X D 15 (rootzone)Uniformity Factors D90 (gravel}/D 15 (gravel) is less than or equal to 3.0

No particles greater than 12 mmNot more than 10% less than 2 mmNot more than 5% less than 1mm

less than or equal to 2.5. That Table 2. Physical Properties of the Root Zone Mix.has changed to have the D90of the gravel to the D 15 ofthe gravel to be less than orequal to 3.0. There areadditional uniformity factors.No particles in the intermed-iate layer can be greater than12 mm diameter. Not morethan 10% of the particles canbe less than 2 mm diameter and not morethan 5% can be less than 1 mm. Thesechanges are summarized in Table 1.

The key to the success of these newrecommendations is to work closely withsoil testing laboratories to select thegravel. These changes will make materialsthat comply with the specifications easierto obtain and reduce construction costs.

Secondly, porous inorganic amend-ments such as calcined clays, calcined

Physical Properties Recommended Range

Total Porosity 35-55%Air-filled Porosity 15-30%Capillary Porosity 15-25%

Saturated Hydraulic Minimum of 150 mm/hrConductivity (6 inches)

specifies that it requires that any of theseamendments be incorporated throughoutthe whole 30 em depth of the rootzonemixtures. The physical properties of theroot zone mix are presented in Table 2.These have not changed from the previousrecommendations.

For a complete copy of the 2004recommendations, visit the USGA website at http://www.usga.org/green/coned/greens/recommendations.html. •

www.sporlslurfassocialion.comISUMMER 2004 9

Standard practice in Europefor years, decoder systemsuse a single pair of wires tooperate a large number ofstations with individualdecoders connected along atwo-wire path.

Decoders: The Future in Irrigation ControlANDREW GAYDON, VANDEN BUSSCHE IRRIGATION & EQUIPMENT LTD.

here is a new system of irrigationcontrol available for commercialand municipal properties acrossNorth America. Decoders, tech-nology long since proven in

Europe and in the golf industry, arequickly gaining popularity on large turfsites.

Perhaps their most prominent featureis what you don't see. Because they areburied underground in valve boxes besidethe solenoid valves, decoders are truly "outof sight, out of mind," making them a greatweapon in the battle against vandalism.

What's a Decoder?Decoders have been the standard

irrigation control technology in Europe foryears. Decoder systems use a single pairof wires to operate a large number ofstations with individual decoders conn-ected along a two-wire path. Each decoderis its own small control unit that isseparately addressable with both powerand signal sent over the same pair of wires.

Decoder systems offer many benefitsto both the installer and system operator.First, less copper wire and associatedlabour reduces cost and simplifiestroubleshooting. In addition, stations canbe added easily in the field after initialinstallation without digging in new wiresand fewer controllers are required tooperate large numbers of stations overlong distances. Also, decoders are

electrically efficient, allowing morestations to run at once. Best of all, decodersystems are easy to operate. Either acomputer or a simple programmablekeypad is used.

Where Decoder Systems Work BestSystems with 24 valves and larger are

usually the best candidates for decoderapplications. Phased projects where itwould be difficult and expensive to runwires back to a controller, or where thefinal number of zones is undetermined, areideal for this system as well.

Potential uses for decoder systemswould be at such sites as industrial parks,sports fields, cemeteries, multi-familyhome projects, commercial projects andlarge estates.

Surge protection is vital to the reliableoperation of all decoder systems. With theinstallation and use of grounded in-linesurge protectors, decoders are readilyequipped to handle sites where lightningstrikes or electrical spikes are a bigconcern.

How Do They Work?Decoders can make a large system more

affordable and efficient to install sincethese small control units receive bothpower and signals over the same pair ofwires (solid copper wires wrapped in apolyethylene jacket). The wires aredesigned for direct burial and when

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10 SUMMER 2004 I Sports Turf Manager

Celebrating 90 Years

LeseeRIde 0"Sp,ellde,