All quiet on the sensor front

[Richard Mead]

Hello SoWaCS members,

Things have been rather calm on SoWaCS...time to start discussing moisture
widgets again, agreed?

I have been asked to write a short paper on soil moisture sensor technology
for the Irrigation Journal. The main focus of the article is on the newer
sensors on the market. However, I thought I'd cover the main sensor
categories and also pose some generic questions/comments. 

The categories I'm thinking of are:

- neutron attenuation
- tensiometery
- heat dissipation
- capacitance (TDR, FDR, Phase transmission)

Am I leaving any category out?

> Gypsum blocks? (Electrical resistance).

Also, does anyone know of the pros/cons of the "soil feel" method some
irrigation consultants use? I understand some people make a good living
doing this, yet I find it quasi-quantitative and subjective [he said
naively]. Comments?

I'd be happy to quote certain individuals that contribute to this
conversation within my Irrigation Journal article.

Sincerely,

Richard Mead
Trickle-L & MIF owner
www.mif.org