System and method for determining parameters associated with bale charges formed within a pre-compression chamber of an agricultural baler

A method for determining parameters associated with bale charges formed within agricultural balers, the method comprising:

• transmitting microwave signals through a charge of crop material located within a pre-compression chamber of an agricultural baler or into a wall of the pre-compression chamber;
• determining, with one or more computing devices, at least one wave-related property associated with the microwave signals as transmitted through the charge of crop material or into the wall of the pre-compression chamber;
• and
• estimating, with the one or more computing devices, a filling degree of at least a portion of the pre-compression chamber based at least in part on the at least one wave-related property associated with the microwave signals, wherein the filling degree is an extent to which the pre-compression chamber is filled with crop material.