mickoo
Western Thunderer
Which one did you get, there really only seems to be a choice of two good ones.....can't recall what they are now and I think you need to buy from the US to get the correct frequency range.
7mm Mickoo's Commercial Workbench
- Thread starter mickoo
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richard carr
Western Thunderer
This one
I got it online from Radio world £144 plus I bought the extended aerial for another £20.
I got it online from Radio world £144 plus I bought the extended aerial for another £20.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Yes probably, but I need to download them and start practicing here in Chicago.
I must be able to go and listen to Metra theya re only a 5 minute walk from our office.
I must be able to go and listen to Metra theya re only a 5 minute walk from our office.
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
Hopefully it's easier to program or find frequencies, than on the last one? 
mickoo
Western Thunderer
There speaks a voice of experience I thinkHopefully it's easier to program or find frequencies, than on the last one?
Big Train James
Western Thunderer
We tried to program local frequencies on the fly on the old one during Richard's last visit. We never succeeded, easily defeated by a lack of instructions on hand and buttons that refused to do what we thought they should do. 
Boyblunder
Western Thunderer
Snap. I got this one for listening to pilots in the hope it would improve my truly awful radio procedure when flying myself, the scanner works fine but it didn’t help me much. Reception through the standard aerial is poor and the extended version will help. I would have given it to you had I known you wanted one. You will probably find this software makes it much easier to program Scan125 Control Program (nick-bailey.co.uk) because doing it with the buttons using the manual requires MENSA intellect, which of course you have.
richard carr
Western Thunderer
Thanks Robin
Some very kind words, but as my wife likes to point out, common sense is far more important, something she seems to think I often lack.
Thanks for doing the coupler boxes. I got scanning last night but so far only found a couple of weather channels. I'll give the software a try.
Sorry Mick this seems to be taking over your thread.
Richard
Some very kind words, but as my wife likes to point out, common sense is far more important, something she seems to think I often lack.
Thanks for doing the coupler boxes. I got scanning last night but so far only found a couple of weather channels. I'll give the software a try.
Sorry Mick this seems to be taking over your thread.
Richard
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Very nearly finished, enough for load testing next weekend all being well.
The crank pin nuts/bushes are still all temporary, I'll hopefully have some nice nickel silver cast ones to fit and then the speedo crank can go on.
Still to do, coal, find a decent front hook (though the kit one actually looks like it'll scrub up well), vacuum pipe glad hand and hose, fit back head (it's not quite perfectly level so needs a waft off the base with a file), fit ATC unit and screw reverser once back head fitted.
Paintwork by Paul Moore.
The crank pin nuts/bushes are still all temporary, I'll hopefully have some nice nickel silver cast ones to fit and then the speedo crank can go on.
Still to do, coal, find a decent front hook (though the kit one actually looks like it'll scrub up well), vacuum pipe glad hand and hose, fit back head (it's not quite perfectly level so needs a waft off the base with a file), fit ATC unit and screw reverser once back head fitted.
Paintwork by Paul Moore.
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mickoo
Western Thunderer
Just a simple 2-4-2T chassis I thought........
Many days later it's finally done and off to the etchers shortly. The kit one consists of two side frames, incorrect profile and one piece (not two pieces lapped) plus two tubes and 8 BA cheese head screws
I think there might be the odd plate with holes in for fixing the body but cannot recall or check as I've thrown the instructions away and making it up as I go along
Many days later it's finally done and off to the etchers shortly. The kit one consists of two side frames, incorrect profile and one piece (not two pieces lapped) plus two tubes and 8 BA cheese head screws
I think there might be the odd plate with holes in for fixing the body but cannot recall or check as I've thrown the instructions away and making it up as I go along
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Yeah just a touch, it's hard to know when to stop
in this case quite late on. The laminate frames take up a lot of space so make it all look more than it actually is.Coupling rods, buffer beams and brake hangers were all extras I originally didn't envisage, but inspection of the kit ones changed my mind; the brake beams are a complex double plank with 1:1, 2:1 levers sandwiched between them and really visible under the engine, so they had to go in as well.
Mike W
Western Thunderer
To be fair, the Modellers World 5ft 6in Tank kit was the first locomotive that Barry did and it must have been at least 45 years ago. 45 years prior to that most people used coarse scale and 3 rail pickup. The world has moved on. Spare a thought for some of us working in Gauge 3 where that same kit is now available scaled up and with no changes!
mickoo
Western Thunderer
End of the week update on the DA Jubilee, less than I wanted, more than expected after 1:1 chores.
The engine horn guides/springs will be 3D as will the bogie leaf springs and ash pan; there are no internal sand boxes so they'll have to be fabricated as well.
The engine horn guides/springs will be 3D as will the bogie leaf springs and ash pan; there are no internal sand boxes so they'll have to be fabricated as well.
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mickoo
Western Thunderer
Lovely day at Bucks Hill to load test the King, good job I did too, works fine light engine but would not start a load, it was a rush set up last night and I think I've left the motor protection limit set too low and didn't get chance to map the motor/gearbox characteristics. If you gave it a little help to reduce the current loading it went away just fine. I think the latest Loksound firmware has changed this parameter, originally it was on or off I think, but now seems to have a variable scale for protection and I'm fairly sure this is default set to 5%.
Ran for a good couple of hours with no issues (except crank pin nut coming off on the first lap....easily refitted and tightened) so happy with that aspect. I'll sort the videos later but they're only mobile phone so.....well so they're only mobile phone
Ran for a good couple of hours with no issues (except crank pin nut coming off on the first lap....easily refitted and tightened) so happy with that aspect. I'll sort the videos later but they're only mobile phone so.....well so they're only mobile phone
mickoo
Western Thunderer
What a complete turd this turned out to be, spent hours trying to get this thing to run loaded.
It'll run fine with the ESU Lokprogrammer and lap top, smooth as silk and pushes a big load (block of foam with weights on) easily and seamlessly, BUT, connect up the ROCO Maus and it growls and stalls with virtually no load, pretty much the same with Bucks Hill Digitrax controllers yesterday....
Long story short I had my suspicions when fitting the DCC 3D chip holder, this ABC VML2 motor is 24mm in dia (usually Maxxon 10W are 22 mm dia) and I had to draw a new one up. Plus it won't auto tune with CV54 set to 0 though that may be another issue with the latest firmware ESU just sent out.
Luckily I have a couple of spare VML2 gearboxes ready for future projects so stripped it all down and fitted one, runs a dream without any set up of tuning
Now comes the difficult conversation with the client over the failed motor/combo and replacement, very tempted to fit one of the new super smooth Slaters SG29 units, reviews I've heard so far are very favourable.
It'll run fine with the ESU Lokprogrammer and lap top, smooth as silk and pushes a big load (block of foam with weights on) easily and seamlessly, BUT, connect up the ROCO Maus and it growls and stalls with virtually no load, pretty much the same with Bucks Hill Digitrax controllers yesterday....
Long story short I had my suspicions when fitting the DCC 3D chip holder, this ABC VML2 motor is 24mm in dia (usually Maxxon 10W are 22 mm dia) and I had to draw a new one up. Plus it won't auto tune with CV54 set to 0 though that may be another issue with the latest firmware ESU just sent out.
Luckily I have a couple of spare VML2 gearboxes ready for future projects so stripped it all down and fitted one, runs a dream without any set up of tuning
Now comes the difficult conversation with the client over the failed motor/combo and replacement, very tempted to fit one of the new super smooth Slaters SG29 units, reviews I've heard so far are very favourable.
simond
Western Thunderer
Smells like an ESU issue if an ESU chip runs with an ESU controller but not on other controllers.
There used to be an issue with NMRA compliance, but I doubt if anything is 100% compliant any more, other than Lenz.
I do hope that decoder makers will not make their decoders so they only run properly with full functionality on their own controllers. That would be a great source of frustration.
There used to be an issue with NMRA compliance, but I doubt if anything is 100% compliant any more, other than Lenz.
I do hope that decoder makers will not make their decoders so they only run properly with full functionality on their own controllers. That would be a great source of frustration.
mickoo
Western Thunderer
Well I'd kind of agree, but it's Roco and Digitrax it fails to work on when loaded, works fine light engine.
Swapped out the motor/gearbox and with the same settings now works perfectly with Roco and ESU, I've no idea why or what could be the cause.
I can now auto map the motor/gearbox with CV54 =0 can't do that with the original, just sits there and then refuses to run afterward, the only way to get it to run is to reload a stored backup before auto mapping.
I've fitted a dozen or more Maxon 10W motors over the past couple of years and I've never seen one this big; I've a feeling the kit has been languishing for many years before building so the motor may be a very old one ABC no longer supply. It may be one of those that has DCC compatibility issues, either way it's to unreliable to fit in the customers model.
I have another VML2 with Maxon 10W and a Mini with a Maxon 10W I could try, but my gut feeling is they'll work just fine.
Addendum, it auto mapped once and now refuses to do it, to be fair I have struggled doing that sometimes, so maybe something I'm doing on reflection, but it does now run smoothly on both controllers under heavy load.
Swapped out the motor/gearbox and with the same settings now works perfectly with Roco and ESU, I've no idea why or what could be the cause.
I can now auto map the motor/gearbox with CV54 =0 can't do that with the original, just sits there and then refuses to run afterward, the only way to get it to run is to reload a stored backup before auto mapping.
I've fitted a dozen or more Maxon 10W motors over the past couple of years and I've never seen one this big; I've a feeling the kit has been languishing for many years before building so the motor may be a very old one ABC no longer supply. It may be one of those that has DCC compatibility issues, either way it's to unreliable to fit in the customers model.
I have another VML2 with Maxon 10W and a Mini with a Maxon 10W I could try, but my gut feeling is they'll work just fine.
Addendum, it auto mapped once and now refuses to do it, to be fair I have struggled doing that sometimes, so maybe something I'm doing on reflection, but it does now run smoothly on both controllers under heavy load.
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