Notes from the Electronics SIG Zoom meeting 30 May 2024

[Hugh Norwood]

Electronics SIG Zoom meeting 30 May 2024

Six members attended the meeting;
Tom Alexander,  Graeme Dunbar, Stephen Elliot, Clive Essery, Stephen Rainsbury,  and Hugh Norwood.

Tom gave an update on his 009 layout, representing a port somewhere in the West of Scotland. He is using MERG units to control the points. The track will be powered by DC (using LM317-based controllers).

Clive reported that he is upgrading a small layout to DCC and using MERG modules. He has hit a small snag in that the layout has suddenly stopped working. He hopes it will be something simple!

Stephen R is making a controller using an Arduino; the snag he has found is that the servo "shield" for the arduino is the wrong voltage to drive the servos (3V compared with 5V for the servos) with potentially catastrophic results.

Graeme showed a tiny servo driver board (it looked to be about 6mm wide and 20mm long). It has its limitations as it has only one (push) switch that toggles between the two travel limits and only one limit is adjustable. He is also building a hot-wire cutter, having bought a 10A dc controller for it.

There was a discussion on the undesirability of sound effects at shows (driving other exhibitors round the band) and the inadvisability of using wireless control in busy exhibition halls where the Radio-frequency "soup" can cause problems – such as stopping the locos from going!

Our next meeting has been pencilled in for 11 July at 8pm
Please let Graeme know if you would like to receive an email reminder.


Hugh Norwood