Deltang / Picaxe radio control for LGB point motors

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 3:09 pm

I completed this project about a year or so ago but have only just got around to blogging 'Wot I dun'.

I think it may be of only niche interest - but it suited the particular circumstances I had in moving over from DCC track power to radio control. Rather than replacing the wiring and LGB point motors already in situ, I sought (and found) a way of operating my hard-to-reach turnouts by radio control - with some help from Greg Hunter of the Sandstone and Termite Railway (in Oz)

Blog: - http://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2015/08 ... ts-by.html
Video - https://youtu.be/4OKB1ixNRu0

<object width="640" height="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/4OKB1ixNRu0?ve ... ram><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/4OKB1ixNRu0?ve ... n_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="640" height="480" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object>

Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 6:45 pm

Yes Rik...... simples!!!!!!
Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrghhhhh!!!!!!!!
Is it just me or are others completely out of their depth when it come to electronics?
I would love to be able to find a straight-forward way to operate my locos just like Rik does but haven't a clue where to begin.
Can I (we) have a tutorial please? The Deltang system is one which I would install if only I had the correct component parts listed. The suppliers parts list seems endless and I wouldn't know which were compatible.

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 7:14 pm

Peter Butler:112886 wrote:Yes Rik...... simples!!!!!!
Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrghhhhh!!!!!!!!
Is it just me or are others completely out of their depth when it come to electronics?
I would love to be able to find a straight-forward way to operate my locos just like Rik does but haven't a clue where to begin.
Can I (we) have a tutorial please? The Deltang system is one which I would install if only I had the correct component parts listed. The suppliers parts list seems endless and I wouldn't know which were compatible.

Hi Peter
Yes, David's website does seem baffling. I must admit that just when I think I've got my head around his kit, he introduces something new and I have to start learning again.

I am in the process of writing a blog entry about his gear. I think maybe I need to simplify it to act as a beginners' entry guide. I sometimes forget what it was like for me when first starting out.

Maybe some sort of flow chart would help - eg.

Do you want to run just one battery r/c loco or many?
/ \
ONE MANY
| |
Buy a TX21 Buy a Tx22

etc

He has increased his range of options recently so there are many choices to make

In a nutshell, if I was starting out now I'd go for a Tx22 transmitter and an Rx65b receiver.

No need for anything else (apart from a loco and some batteries)

Rik

Lonsdaler · Post by **Lonsdaler** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 7:54 pm

After seeking advice from Rik, I recently took the plunge and fitted RC to a small HGLW steeple cab loco using Deltang equipment. I'll detail what I did in the Projects section, rather than hijacking this thread.

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 8:50 pm

BaBBLR:112891 wrote:After seeking advice from Rik, I recently took the plunge and fitted RC to a small HGLW steeple cab loco using Deltang equipment. I'll detail what I did in the Projects section, rather than hijacking this thread.

I shall look forward to reading that: at the moment, a battery box, a 6-terminal forward / reverse switch and a motor is about all I can manage!

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 8:51 pm

Thanks guys, already I feel I might get up and running. I have a number of locos which I think would benefit from a single control unit for many reasons..... cost, storage and easier to use. I look forward to your descriptions BaBBLR.

Post by **ge_rik** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:49 pm

MDLR:112895 wrote: I shall look forward to reading that: at the moment, a battery box, a 6-terminal forward / reverse switch and a motor is about all I can manage!

Hi Brian
I was very interested to read your article in SMT about your IP Lollypop railcar. I've installed a small Deltang receiver in mine, running off three 1.2v NiMh rechargeables and also operating the front and rear lamps with red/white bi-colour LEDs.

I sent off an article to Gareth for SMT yesterday about it as I felt (hoped) it might complement your article. He'd added an invitation for more articles on battery power - so hope you don't mind me jumping into the topic and following your lead.

Rik

Peter Butler · Post by **Peter Butler** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 9:56 pm

ge_rik:112904 wrote:
MDLR:112895 wrote: I sent off an article to Gareth for SMT yesterday about it as I felt (hoped) it might complement your article. He'd added an invitation for more articles on battery power -
Rik
YES!!!!!!! But I just can't wait until the next publication... Perhaps a Q&A opportunity on-line will get me through my situation in the meantime?

MDLR · Post by **MDLR** » Sun Aug 23, 2015 10:41 pm

ge_rik:112904 wrote:I sent off an article to Gareth for SMT yesterday about it as I felt (hoped) it might complement your article. He'd added an invitation for more articles on battery power - so hope you don't mind me jumping into the topic and following your lead.

Good Lord no! It'll take the pressure off me (though I DO have two articles pending.............)

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:19 am

Peter Butler:112905 wrote:
ge_rik:112904 wrote:
MDLR:112895 wrote: I sent off an article to Gareth for SMT yesterday about it as I felt (hoped) it might complement your article. He'd added an invitation for more articles on battery power -
Rik
YES!!!!!!! But I just can't wait until the next publication... Perhaps a Q&A opportunity on-line will get me through my situation in the meantime?
Most certainly, if I can be of any help.

Rik

Post by **philipy** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 8:08 am

Peter Butler:112886 wrote:Yes Rik...... simples!!!!!!
Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrghhhhh!!!!!!!!
Is it just me or are others completely out of their depth when it come to electronics?
I would love to be able to find a straight-forward way to operate my locos just like Rik does but haven't a clue where to begin.
Can I (we) have a tutorial please? The Deltang system is one which I would install if only I had the correct component parts listed. The suppliers parts list seems endless and I wouldn't know which were compatible.

Peter, you are far from being the only one!
I've dabbled in r/c ( cars, boats, aircraft) and quite complex layout wiring since I was in my mid teens, but I still find the Deltang instructions pretty incomprehensible ( actually they are just simply 'lacking'!).

Rik's blogs are extremely helpful on an incredibly wide range of topics and I'd thoroughly recomend everyone to read through them. Specifically though, the Deltang blogs do de-mystify a lot and gave me sufficient confidence to invest in a Tx and Rx which work beautifully, although as I've said before, I still havent plucked up courage to try re-programming them!

Post by **ge_rik** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 8:28 am

philipy:112909 wrote: I've dabbled in r/c ( cars, boats, aircraft) and quite complex layout wiring since I was in my mid teens, but I still find the Deltang instructions pretty incomprehensible ( actually they are just simply 'lacking'!).

Rik's blogs are extremely helpful on an incredibly wide range of topics and I'd thoroughly recomend everyone to read through them. Specifically though, the Deltang blogs do de-mystify a lot and gave me sufficient confidence to invest in a Tx and Rx which work beautifully, although as I've said before, I still havent plucked up courage to try re-programming them!

Thanks for that feedback, Philip.
On reflection, I think the info I have on my blog about Deltang is a bit dispersed - one of the drawbacks of a blog rather than a bespoke website. I've been in the process of writing an introductory blog posting on Deltang kit for a while, but looking at it again, I don't think it would help an absolute beginner - I've tried to make it a comprehensive overview, rather than a step-by-step intro. Given the discussion on here, I'll go back to the drawing board and work on a very basic introduction - maybe a series of step-by-step guides.

I'm certainly no electronics expert - I just muddle my way through - but maybe that will be useful in helping me working out what is basic information.

Rik

tom_tom_go · Post by **tom_tom_go** » Mon Aug 24, 2015 2:50 pm

That's great Rik.

I came up with something similar a while back using DCC though with Fulgurex point motors and NCE Switch 8 accessory decoder:

http://vid42.photobucket.com/albums/e33 ... /point.mp4

The idea was it gave someone else operating interest while others ran their trains

Anyway, your solution is better as it is wireless although I guess it would only work for solenoid motors? I just like the way stall motors slowly move things

Garden Railway Forum

Deltang / Picaxe radio control for LGB point motors

Deltang / Picaxe radio control for LGB point motors

Who is online