New MyLocoSound soundcard for Synchronised Chuff Locos

[Moonraker]

Recently Paul222 pointed out that the MyLocoSound steam soundcard did not work as well as it should on locos from Bachmann and others which have a chuff synchronisation trigger on an axle. The soundcard would chuff but was ignoring the trigger. We therefore did some work and found that we could modify the existing soundcard to accept input from a chuff trigger.

The attached diagram shows how it will be connected. We have had to use the whistle trigger terminal (H1) to accept the chuff trgger inputs and therefore, for this version only, it will not be possible to use trackside magnets, etc to sound the whistle on synchronised chuff locos. The whistle will sound automatically each time the loco starts from rest. The user can also choose to sound the whistle automatically when running by turning the T2 trimpot. When fully rotated, the whistle will sound three times a minute. Turning the trimpot back will reduce the frequency at which the whistle sounds until it stops altogether.

The synchronised chuff version will be available at the end of this month and our web site at http://www.mylocosound.com/ < Link To www.mylocosound.com will be updated at that time.

None of this affects the standard steam soundcard for non-synchronised locos.

Peter

 

[3Valve]

Yep tac, Peter "moonraker" is the manufacturer of the card.

He also does other cards for analogue and digital power with adjustabel volume and chuff rate etc.

See if this link works OK mate.

http://www.mylocosound.com/

cheers

 

[Moonraker]

Sir - Forgive me if I'm having a senior moment here, but are you the manufacturer of this device? If this is the case, please don't assume that all of us have heard of you and your product which sound [ahem, sorry] pretty interesting to me.

I tried to get on to the link but it was not available.

tac
http://www.ovgrs.org/ < Link To www.ovgrs.org[STRIKE] [/STRIKE][STRIKE][/STRIKE][STRIKE][/STRIKE]

Tac,

First apologies for the bad link. My stuff up and I have now edited the original post to fix it. And thanks for your help Gareth.

The background to MyLocoSound is this. I have been a garden railway enthusiast for 12 years and built myself a battery powered diesel about 5 years ago. I put an 00 gauge soundcard kit into it which sort of worked but I wanted a horn. After much messing about and interest from other people, I decided to manufacture and market my own soundcard and teamed up with a local engineer to do it. A steam soundcard was added and last year we sold three hundred soundcards via the web site, many of them to GSM/GSC members. I now advertise in the USA and that market is growing rapidly. We are just about to add an 00/H0 version.

Changing subject, Tac, I note in another thread that you have a disabled daughter who enjoys watching the trains go round. May be sound would add to her pleasure. Therefore I would like to send you a complimentary soundcard for her. Please PM me your address for delivery and whether you want steam or diesel and it will be on its way.

Peter

 

[silverflyer]

Hi Peter,

Anymore news on the sound card for use with a Chuff Switch?

Regards

Bruce.

 

[peterbunce]

hi Bruce,

I have one of these cards on order, Peter was having trouble with the different styles of triggers for the Chuff. I provided him with some information which I hope helped, the delay was said to be about a week, but the cards are being tested, and hopefully he will have worked something out.

So there is a delay; for how long I cannot say, I am sure when they are ready after testing they will be announced, and mine will be on its way!

Yours Peter.

 

[Moonraker]

We are very close. The new soundcards for external chuff triggers have arrived and are being tested. This is taking longer than I expected due to the difficulty of obtaining the locos to test on. I am sorry about the delay but we have to make sure they are right.

Regards
Peter

 

[silverflyer]

Hi Peter & Peter,

Many thanks for the info & update, please let me know when they are ready, I will require a few of these.

Regards

Bruce.

 

[peterbunce]

Hi,

Looking through the Maplins catalogue I see there are some mylar speakers (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module?moduleno=3275 ) at 77mm diameter.

Granted that they will require a bafflle, or casing to make the sound come forwards (or downwards?) would these be OK for a sound card from Peter (Moonraker) ?

Or would the paper verions be better?

Yours Peter.

 

[Moonraker]

Peter,

These speakers should be fine. I use them in one of my locos. Just make sure that the impedance is 4 or 8 ohms...the web site doesn't seem to say.

If you get the 66mm speakers then you should be able to use the cap of a spray paint can as the baffle, reduced in height as necessary.

Regards
Peter

 

[dumpy]

Having been toying with the idea of adding sound to my trains but kept getting put off by the cost of replacing my existing decoders with new sound decoders. By chance stumbled across the locosound advert in this months garden Rail mag. Is this a possible answer to my adding sound? As I understand it I only!!! need to connect to the existing power to the decoder to have sounds. Yes I know it needs speakers and somewhere to mount same etc etc but in essence is it possible? Am using LGB MTSii with 55021 decoders.

By the way what are Chuff triggers etc!!

 

[Moonraker]

Dumpy,

Yes, you can connect a MyLocoSound card direct to your decoders. The decoder motor outputs are connected to the soundcard M1/M2 terminals and provide the chuff which then varies with speed. To operate the whistle, you need a function output from the decoder which is connected to the H1 or H2 terminals of the soundcard depending on its polarity. And that's it.

A chuff trigger is a switch which is fitted to the driving axle of some model locos; mainly American. The most common is four raised contacts arranged at ninety degree intervals around an axle which make contact with a wiper arm as the axle rotates. The trigger can now be connected to a new version of the MyLocoSound soundcard so that the chuff is always exactly related to the rotation of the wheels. We will update the http://www.gscalecentral.net/www.mylocosound.com < Link To MyLocoSound web site in a few days to give more information.

Peter

 

[dumpy]

Peter
Thanks for that. I think I shall be in the market for one on the not too distant future. Am working on an automated points, stopping trains and signals at the moment.
Could also be interested in the 00 gauge stuff when it becomes available over here. Will keep an eye on website,
Of course I could just fly over to enjoy your glorious weather but then the sound cards become a bit expensive!!

 

[Moonraker]

This is an update of our progress in producing a MyLocoSound steam soundcard which works with locos fitted with an axle driven chuff switch.

After our own testing, we sent out four soundcards to customers who were ready to install them in a loco; two in the UK, one in America and one in Australia. As a result of their feedback, we needed to make a couple of adjustments. Firstly the background steam "hiss" was too loud relative to the chuff. Secondly, on some locos a "double chuff" was occuring sometimes at low speeds. This was caused by a minute "bounce" of the chuff switch as the wiper moved off the cam. We have managed to eliminate this by modifying the software in the soundcard.

Today, we are sending replacement soundcards to all four customers and will put the new product up on our http://www.mylocosound.com/ < Link To web site as soon as we hear back that all is well.

Peter

<MUNS: Fixed website link>

 

[silverflyer]

Hi Peter,

Thank you for the update, looking forward to these, I will need two to start with, for a Bachmann Connie, and for a Bachmann Annie.

Also working on making Chuff switches for two other loco's.

Regards,

Bruce.

 

[silverflyer]

Hi Peter,

Any further progress on these new sound cards yet?

Regards

Bruce.

 

[Moonraker]

Bruce,

Your timing is spot on. The new soundcard was released today and is now available on our web site at http://www.mylocosound.com/ < Link To www.mylocosound.com.

I'm sorry it took so long. The reason for the delay was that we got the soundcard working well for all customers...except for one. This customer had a Bachmann Annie and was unable to get a good quality chuff. We couldn't figure out why. We had used a Bachmann Consolidation in our development testing and that worked fine...but the Annie did not. In the end we purchased an Annie and tested it on the bench. Very quickly, we found that the reason for the problem was the Annie chuff cam which is extremely rough. Below is an oscilloscope trace of the chuff cam showing all the rubbish you get while the cam is closed (that's where the trace drops).

We modified the soundcard software to cope with the problem and sent the updated soundcard off to the customer who has now confirmed it is fine. There is a YouTube video of a test run of ourBachmann Annie at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgrRogLbzQE .

So the soundcard for locos with chuff cams is now fully available, at the normal price, and thanks for your patience.

Peter



[attachment deleted by admin]

 

[silverflyer]

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your prompt reply, I have just ordered and paid for two, I look forward to them arriving.

This should be a good seller I think.

Regards

Bruce.

 

[Tony Walsham]

Will the new version have a triggerable whistle as well as the timed chuff??

 

[Moonraker]

Tony,

With DCC such as LGB MTS, the whistle or horn can be triggered by a function key.

On battery using radio control such as yours then the whistle or horn can be triggered by a spare radio channel or, in the case of RCS transmitters, by pushbutton.

On a manual battery control or DC track power then the whistle or horn sounds automatically when the loco starts off and can then be triggered by a switch. Customers have used all kinds of ways of setting up a whistle/horn switch including:
[OL][*]A button on top of the loco.[*]A reed switch under the loco and triggered by a magnet buried in the track[*]A radio doorbell push[*]A garage door opener [/OL] Regrads
Peter

 

[ntpntpntp]

Hi Peter

back in post #1 you wrote

... We have had to use the whistle trigger terminal (H1) to accept the chuff trgger inputs and therefore, for this version only, it will not be possible to use trackside magnets, etc to sound the whistle on synchronised chuff locos. The whistle will sound automatically each time the loco starts from rest.

Is this now not a limitation?