PRODUCERS CAN monitor irrigation and soil moisture from anywhere in the world with Automata's new Mini-Sat field station. Mini-Sat has an unlimited networking capability due to its direct satellite transmission that produces communication between the remote field station and the Internet. It can be centrally located in the field, at a pump station or at a water-level-monitoring site. The user can be notified of any change through e-mail or via pager, or can view changes on the Internet.

Another use for Mini-Sat is soil pest management. By monitoring relative humidity, a farmer can be notified when conditions are favorable to certain diseases, giving him a good idea of when to spray.

The starting price of a Mini-Sat field station is $875, and the satellite feed starts at $20/month. Contact Automata Inc., Dept. FIN, 104 New Mohawk Rd., Suite A, Nevada City, CA 95959, 800/994-0380, visit www.automata-inc.com or www.freeproductinfo.net/fin, or circle 155.