Piko Navigator "RC Disabled" message ?

goneloco

goneloco

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Hi everyone, I am getting a RC Disabled message when attempting to use my Piko navigator remotely, works ok with cable attached and the light flashes then appears solid on the receiver. I have double checked that the frequencies match on the receiver and navigator. Just wondering if there is any way of checking what item is faulty, Navigator, Central Station or Receiver as there are no Piko outlets in South Australia and I don't know of any local enthusiasts that use this system that I could check by substitution. The units are the EU version not the US version. Any help or suggestions appreciated.
 
Had a similar problen a few weeks ago with my Massoth receiver unit. Everything appeared ok but when I picked the unit up the aerial was loose and there was a rattle inside. Opened it up and found that the aerial holder had become detatched from the pcb, the holder actually plugs into the pcb with 2 prongs and it was quite easy to refit. Once reassembled tbe aerial plugged in and wireless was restored. How this happened I do not know, Mrs P and grandkids deny picking it up by the aerial but a certain 2 year old will be watched carefully from now on!
 
kim said:
Had a similar problen a few weeks ago with my Massoth receiver unit. Everything appeared ok but when I picked the unit up the aerial was loose and there was a rattle inside. Opened it up and found that the aerial holder had become detatched from the pcb, the holder actually plugs into the pcb with 2 prongs and it was quite easy to refit. Once reassembled tbe aerial plugged in and wireless was restored. How this happened I do not know, Mrs P and grandkids deny picking it up by the aerial but a certain 2 year old will be watched carefully from now on!
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Thanks for the info, will check the aerial connection inside the unit.
 
John S said:
Just had a play to see what occurs with the error message from your post, off the top of my head only thing sprang to mind was the RC ID number.

View attachment 239648

If the cabled Navigator and CS work as they should, I had some years back, a PIKO Receiver failed for no apparent reason, worked one day, kaput the next.
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I will check the RC ID again, I have never used the RC function previously as have been changing locos over to digital and have been doing all programming with cable connected.
 
goneloco said:
Thanks for the info, will check the aerial connection inside the unit.
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Removed the cover to check aerial connection and found the piko unit is a soldered connection and appeared ok. Whilst the cover was of I checked the unit again as the light was easier to determine if on or of. I must have been getting a reflection previously as light definately of. I then decided to try the digital cable supplied with the navigator as connections are the same and SUCCESS !!! light was blinking and stayed on when the navigator was switched on. I then tried the cable supplied with the receiver plugged into the navigator and CS and nothing!!! Problem solved, fault with the connecting cable supplied with the receiver even though it looks ok and no damage. All good now and remote function working ok, just need a new connecting cable so I can swap over easily rather than having to remove the receiver cover every time. I also noticed that you have to switch the navigator on after the central station or it does not function but this is not mentioned in the manual.
 
Very glad to hear you've discovered the problem - actually I had a very similar issue a while back, with a dodgy connecting cable between my Massoth CS and the radio module - took me ages to find the problem, because the cable was working well enough for the light on the radio unit to come on, but obviously not well enough for the actual signals to get through properly..... swapping it out for another cable that I knew was good solved the problem immediately!

Sorry I hadn't joined in this thread earlier, but at least you're sorted now.....

Jon.
 
Zerogee said:
Very glad to hear you've discovered the problem - actually I had a very similar issue a while back, with a dodgy connecting cable between my Massoth CS and the radio module - took me ages to find the problem, because the cable was working well enough for the light on the radio unit to come on, but obviously not well enough for the actual signals to get through properly..... swapping it out for another cable that I knew was good solved the problem immediately!

Sorry I hadn't joined in this thread earlier, but at least you're sorted now.....

Jon.
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All good now and definitely the cheapest outcome as I had visions of purchasing another receiver.
 
Greg Elmassian said:
Are these cables "phone type" RG-6 connectors?
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Don't know if that's the right number, Greg, I put "RG-6 connector" into Google and what I got was masses of co-ax style connectors.....
You're correct in that it's a phone-socket type connector - or at least the type used for phones over here, don't know if yours are the same that side of the pond?
Square-ish plug with the little tab on it that you depress to disconnect the plug..... flat multi-way cable.

I've never had any trouble with genuine Massoth-supplied ones - the dodgy connection that I had was while using a spiral-flex cable that I acquired from the chap running one of the Massoth courses I attended at GRS a few years back - he had made them up himself and sold me a couple, one of which later proved to have rather iffy connections to the plugs.... when I reverted to the proper Massoth cable that came with the RC unit, the problem went away.

Jon.
 
Massoth/MTS/Piko bus cables use RJ11 6P4C connectors :)
 
Wot Mark says...
I think Mark can make these up / fit new ends?? - I certainly can, if that helps?
 
Yeah, RJ11 is your typical phone jack, never intended for outdoor use.. My Zimo has them too, 2 of them on the throttles and quite a few sprinkled all over the command station: (These are RJ45, but often an RJ11 is used in them)


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I seem to have an R/C problem with my Piko Central Station and Booster also . I can run the Central Station and the Booster with a tethered cable connected but can not get the R/C to work . If I disconnect the Booster power and cables and run the side connected to the Central Station the R/C works . Thought because I have a 8170001 Massoth Feedback Decoder in the system and was connecting to the Booster with 2 Three Way Adapter's there may have been a problem with my connections to the Booster. I bought a 8138001 Massoth Adapter and connected all the required cable to the Booster and Central Station but with the Massoth Adapter nothing worked not even a Tethered Cable worked by using the same cables . I can run my system tethered through the 2 Three way adapter's but the R/C will not work. Must be an Australian problem. I have a US Band R/C .
 
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frankando12 said:
I seem to have an R/C problem with my Piko Central Station and Booster also . I can run the Central Station and the Booster with a tethered cable connected but can not get the R/C to work . If I disconnect the Booster power and cables and run the side connected to the Central Station the R/C works . Thought because I have a 8170001 Massoth Feedback Decoder in the system and was connecting to the Booster with 2 Three Way Adapter's there may have been a problem with my connections to the Booster. I bought a 8138001 Massoth Adapter and connected all the required cable to the Booster and Central Station but with the Massoth Adapter nothing worked not even a Tethered Cable worked by using the same cables . I can run my system tethered through the 2 Three way adapter's but the R/C will not work. Must be an Australian problem. I have a US Band R/C .
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Can you post a diagram of how things are connected as I cant seem to get it into my head from your description?
The mention of "3way adapters" has stumped me!
 
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