FiftyFourA
Western Thunderer
Does anyone have any experience of using JMRI/SPROG out there in WT land?
I didn't really want to get 'into' DCC when I started with it, simply to use it to avoid multiple sections and a great wiring loom on my layout and to get the diesels to make a bit of noise. Then you get sucked in to altering the lights so that the red does not come on if you are pulling a train, altering the accelleration/noise/braking if pulling a heavy train etc and you feel yourself being pulled in to the 'techie stuff'.
Anyway, I bought a used (but working) SPROG 11v3 unit, downloaded the JMRI software (and Java) and then connected it up to the laptop with Windows 10 (I know, no need to say it ) and started to fiddle about a bit.
Now, after a couple of weeks of frustration I still can't get anywhere. There are two little red messages at the bottom of the screen - No Service Mode Programmer Available and No Operations Mode Programmer Available and the right hand side the 'Edit Only' button is clicked. In addition, the 'read' option is not to be seen so all I can do is 'create' a new loco (a pity new model locos cannot be created so easily ).
I have looked on the website and it directs me to the Yahoo User Group which, in order to get any advice from, I have to join (and it appears create a new yahoo account). This feels to me like being drawn in bit by bit to a part of the hobby I don't want to be drawn in to so, can anyone out there help me so that I can get this set up to work and do some quite basic decoder tasks as metioned above.
Peter
I didn't really want to get 'into' DCC when I started with it, simply to use it to avoid multiple sections and a great wiring loom on my layout and to get the diesels to make a bit of noise. Then you get sucked in to altering the lights so that the red does not come on if you are pulling a train, altering the accelleration/noise/braking if pulling a heavy train etc and you feel yourself being pulled in to the 'techie stuff'.
Anyway, I bought a used (but working) SPROG 11v3 unit, downloaded the JMRI software (and Java) and then connected it up to the laptop with Windows 10 (I know, no need to say it ) and started to fiddle about a bit.
Now, after a couple of weeks of frustration I still can't get anywhere. There are two little red messages at the bottom of the screen - No Service Mode Programmer Available and No Operations Mode Programmer Available and the right hand side the 'Edit Only' button is clicked. In addition, the 'read' option is not to be seen so all I can do is 'create' a new loco (a pity new model locos cannot be created so easily ).
I have looked on the website and it directs me to the Yahoo User Group which, in order to get any advice from, I have to join (and it appears create a new yahoo account). This feels to me like being drawn in bit by bit to a part of the hobby I don't want to be drawn in to so, can anyone out there help me so that I can get this set up to work and do some quite basic decoder tasks as metioned above.
Peter