Help Needed! Getting Navigator to work on RC.....?

Zerogee

Zerogee

Clencher's Bogleman
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OK, this is a pretty basic question (bear with me please...): most of the times I've used my two Navigators with my 1200Z, they have been cable tethered, because most of their use has been at indoor running days and similar - though I've had the wireless unit since I bought the whole setup, I've barely used it. As I'm taking the system to a fellow GSS member's running day this weekend, I thought I'd better put some batteries in the Navvies, dig out the wireless receiver and cable for it, and check that it all works.

Well, it doesn't. When I boot up the Navigators, the boot screen of each briefly says "RC disabled!", even though the main running screen is showing the little "RC active" icon in the top right corner.... I tried it anyway, but when I try to select a loco, it comes up with the generic loco picture with a big X through it.

The RC receiver seems to be working fine, the little red light is on and steady.

I've tried going through the Navigator manual, but you all know what Massoth manuals are like - it might as well be written in Swaheli for all the use it is....

So, can anyone give me a quick, simple explanation of how I get the Navvies to turn back on to RC mode please....?

Thanks in advance,
Jon.

UPDATE! See post no.5 below, all now seems to be working fine....??
 
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Jon
If you have already checked all of the channels in the 'RC Config' part of the 'Navigator Config' part of the 'Menu'

navigator 2.jpg
This might be helpful:
You need to go back into the 'navigator config' menu

navigator.jpg
 
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In very much related issues, and sorry to jump in on the thread, I'm looking for some advise on Massoth R/C issues.
I'm running an MTS 3 with Massoth Nav and wireless receiver. It used to work great but now it struggles to keep in communication even when I'm less than a meter away. I've tried all 4 channels, checked the sender is plugged in correctly inside the Nav, tried moving the receiver further away from the transformer, but nothing seems to make a difference. For several years it has worked quite happily from the top of the garden back to the house to now where its basically unusable in R/C mode... Has anybody else had issues like this?
 
Thanks for the suggestions, Mike, but I've already gone through these procedures...... the IDs are all set correctly (as 1 and 2), as are the channels (both set to "1", the factory default, as is the receiver). The only thing that didn't happen in accordance with the Massoth instructions you copied and posted is that after the ID assignation procedure, the Navvies did NOT restart automatically - they shut down as expected, but then required a manual restart via the F key.... Each time I start them, the "RC Disabled" message is coming up, and the RC icon shows no "rays".....

Jon.
 
Oooookay.....
Not quite sure WHY, but having been fiddling around with the kit again, but basically not doing much other than the traditional "let's turn it all off and turn it on again and see what happens", IT NOW SEEMS TO BE WORKING FINE!

Both Navvies are functioning as they should, and the wireless system is all operating. Still no idea why, I just hope it stays like this until Saturday..... :eek:

Jon.
 
Zerogee said:
Oooookay.....
Not quite sure WHY, but having been fiddling around with the kit again, but basically not doing much other than the traditional "let's turn it all off and turn it on again and see what happens", IT NOW SEEMS TO BE WORKING FINE!

Both Navvies are functioning as they should, and the wireless system is all operating. Still no idea why, I just hope it stays like this until Saturday..... :eek:

Jon.
Click to expand...
Computer says no....
 
andyspencer said:
In very much related issues, and sorry to jump in on the thread, I'm looking for some advise on Massoth R/C issues.
I'm running an MTS 3 with Massoth Nav and wireless receiver. It used to work great but now it struggles to keep in communication even when I'm less than a meter away. I've tried all 4 channels, checked the sender is plugged in correctly inside the Nav, tried moving the receiver further away from the transformer, but nothing seems to make a difference. For several years it has worked quite happily from the top of the garden back to the house to now where its basically unusable in R/C mode... Has anybody else had issues like this?
Click to expand...

No worries about jumping in, Andy, I seem to have solved my dilemma (though I'm b*ggered if I know how...) so if folks want to try to help with your problem on this thread, have at it!

Got to ask the stupid question first, of course - have you tried fresh batteries in the Navvy? If you use rechargeables in it normally, have you tried replacing them with a set of non-rechargeables just to see if it works?

Jon.
 
Zerogee said:
No, another Essex/Suffolk GSS member (who isn't on here, as far as I know) near Ipswich.....

Any chance we might see you there, Gizzy?

Jon.
Click to expand...
No not this weekend Jon, but hoping to go to one later this summer....
 
Zerogee said:
No worries about jumping in, Andy, I seem to have solved my dilemma (though I'm b*ggered if I know how...) so if folks want to try to help with your problem on this thread, have at it!

Got to ask the stupid question first, of course - have you tried fresh batteries in the Navvy? If you use rechargeables in it normally, have you tried replacing them with a set of non-rechargeables just to see if it works?

Jon.
Click to expand...
Jon,

Batteries are fine, only use Duracell. And have had several sets in it through the various testing/fault finding

Andy
 
AAAARRRGGGGHHHH!!!!! :banghead:

Went along to the Open Day yesterday, set up the Massoth (which had all been working fine on the bench at home), turned on the Dimax (with the RC receiver connected) and then the Navigators - so far so good, no sign of the "RC Disabled!" message that I'd had the other day.... then tried to dial up a loco address and got the generic loco symbol with a big "X" through it! Didn't have a lot of time to mess around as visitors were due very shortly, so in the end we ran all afternoon with the Navvies cable tethered, everything working just fine that way.
Haven't had the chance today to get the gear out again and re-test it here, but anyone got any ideas what the heck I'm doing wrong....?

Aside from that annoyance, the rest of the Open day was really good, we ran Harz-themed trains all afternoon, with my 5901, 5902 and 5906 Mallets, 6101 Pfiffi, 6001 Ballerina, a Rotkamel and two Harzbulle 2-10-2s sharing duties with three coach rakes, two of red/creams and the green Traditionszug rake - beautiful weather and some great train running....

Jon.
 
Further AARRG! Still having same problem, having set the system up again on the test bench (OK, the dining table...). Still works just fine in tethered mode, but on RC I get the big "X" through the loco icon whenever I try to select a loco address. Have tried it with only one Navvy turned on, and with both - same thing. Have gone through the Navvy manual and the only reference I can find to the "X" through the loco picture is when you can't select a loco because it is already selected by a different Navigator on the same system - but I've tried the procedure for logging-off a loco before trying to re-select it on the other Navvy, still no joy....

This has GOT to be something stupidly simple that I'm not doing right - but can somebody please tell me what it is??? :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

Jon.
 
Jon
Dumb question but when you set up your "test lab", do you actually have the loco you're trying to select on the track and with any on/off switch set to on?
I do occasionally get the big X when using my Navs in wireless mode, and the only common thing I've noticed is when I've either selected a loco that's not on the track or I've selected one where the main switch is in the off position.
Sorry if this seems very basic.
 
Actually that's a very good question, Phil.... the loco was on test rollers, and I THINK the big switch on my test track that toggles between DC and DCC input was switched the right way... let me double-check that and get back to you!
Jon.
 
Further to last post: Nope, that's not it...... Just tried again, cold start with everything off; loco (address 3) on track, with big switch (on test track) firmly in "DCC" position; loco's cab switch definitely on too, because I previously had it running perfectly well with the Navvy on cable. Turn 1200Z "on", all check lights are good. Little red light on RC receiver steady. Loco sound system emitting all "standing noises" as it should.
Turn Navvy on (just one of them, other one is left off to avoid any question of them competing for the same loco), RC appears to be working (little icon on top row shows antenna with "rays")....... select loco address 3, same bl**dy thing again - big "X" though the loco icon, no control.

WHY......????? :banghead: :mad:

I know there are loads of experienced long-time Massoth users on here, surely someone has come across this before or can figure it out - please......?
 
The X is put through the loco when the Central Station deems that the loco is being controlled by a different handset.

Power up your navigators....Press M2 on each one to deselect the current locos.



3.3.1. Occupied Loco

If you select an occupied loco, this is indicated in the display with a loco symbol with a dwarted loco symbol. This means the displayed loco is characterized in the as occupied. These must first be logged properly.

In addition there are special messages in the display have the following meanings:

• „T"= Timeout: Central station does not reply to loco registration

• „L"= Loco memory full: Increase number of activated locos in the central station

3.3.2. Deselecting a locomotive


Operated locomotives are assigned to the used Navigator and are not available for others unless it is deselected. The actual loco is automatically deselected when the loco selection mode is started with M2. The recently used locomotive immediately released and may be selected by other players.
 
Thanks Mark, but I've tried that, repeatedly..... when I press M2 on either Navigator, it cycles through all the loco addresses that I've recently used - but whenever I try to select one (whether it is the one currently on the test track or not) I get the same big "X" through the loco pic....
It all works fine when cable tethered, but not on RC...... :banghead:

Jon.
 
OOOOOOkayyyy.... a little update - I may have found the problem, and it's one of those stupid things that I never thought to check...... the cable connecting the 1200Z to the RC receiver! While plugging and unplugging one of the Navigators from the cable connection, I noticed that a slight wiggle of the plug caused the illuminated screen on the Navvy to go off for a moment..... and this is that same cable that I'd been using to connect the receiver in RC mode!
So, changed the cable for a spare one... and lo and behold, everything seems to be working as it should!!!
Moral of the story, I guess, is to check simple things like hardware connections first - I was assuming that because the receiver's red light was on and steady, that its connection to the 1200Z must be OK - but it looks like that may not have been the case.

Will report back later after more testing to see whether that has actually fixed it for good.....

Jon.
 
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