Repackaging a commercial Radio Control transmitter

[nicebutdim]

That looks excellent, Trev. Very professional. I've made mine, working too with thanks from your help. I haven't made a legend (yet), how did you do yours?

 

[tramcar trev]

I drew mine up with my aged yet trusty cad programme, printed it out and laminated it. Its stuck down with spray adhesive.....

 

[nicebutdim]

Hmmm, I'll give that a try

 

[ge_rik]

Looking really smart Trev. It's clear from your project that the beauty of making your own gear is that it can be tailored to your specific needs. Have you had a chance to play with test it yet?

Rik

 

[tramcar trev]

Yes, I've had a play with it. Mechanically (electronically) it works well, ergonomically its not that flash. Ergonomics are great in the original case for flying but I guess none of the other model train controls are ergonomic either ( and I put it to you that ergonomics are not a consideration in those either). I'm going to work on it, the case needs to be slimmer and thinner. If I used 3 LIPO cells to power it I could make things a lot smaller. But I can control 3 trams with it easily at the same time if they are following each other, it gets tricky when one is on single track approaching another with a passing loop between them. Kinda like touch typing; if I sit it on something and watch the trams rather than the controller and memorise what knob controls what tram then it overcomes the ergonomic problems. For a large railway it would be the antz pantz if you can set a few trains running and can rely on spring loaded points to avoid, as the Americans call them, "Corn Field meetings".
Overall and for my purposes I give it an 8/10, it would get a perfect score in a smaller case with each knob within a finger/thumb reach.....

 

[Tony Walsham]

Kinda like this??

 

[tramcar trev]

Yours may work for a lot of people Tony. It looks crisp and professional. Alas it would not "work" for for me. The knobs are too close together for my fingers even with the generous spacing on mine I still tend to touch one knob while trying to touch another.


Mine is designed to be really 6 separate channels, for 6 different items. With a single channel and a reversing speed control I can control 1 tram (forwards stop reverse) and I need only use a supplementary channel for additional effects.


I'm actually now thinking along the lines of having smaller boxes with one/two potentiometer/s in each linked to the main Transmitter box by a length of stereo (3/6 core) cable. As the pots are 5K ohm each the extra Ohm or 2 or resistance is not going to have an effect.


Another very cost effective solution would be to use one of the AU$12 x 3 channel systems, that's not much more than the ( much discussed) Keyfob but you would still need a reversing ESC (au$9.60) and R/C switches to turn the other channels on and off. This would be suitable for a single Loco.


I have had another email from HK who initially did not like my idea at all but when I showed them my completed box along with some pics of what I was doing/using it for they now are interested and want to discuss it more. However if it ever gets onto the shelves it will be more expensive than a DIY solution which as his Dimness has pointed out you can custom build to suit your own requirements.

 

[Tony Walsham]

That particular version is designed for one 2 x servo live steam loco only with extra servos for drain cocks, blowers etc.

The point is it is quite easy to make it any way you want with up to 4 x channels with knobs plus the 5th channel on a push button.
That particular case is pocket size and therefore has very little room for knobs.
The innards are capable of being put into any size case.

 

[tramcar trev]

And in conclusion I'd like to make the following observations;
1)The Hobby King 6 Channel Transmitter for AU$ 29 is a good buy even if you bought one ([SIZE=78%]you get a receiver with them) for each loco they would still be a good buy.[/SIZE]
2)Remove the heat shrink from the ESC and they look identical however the Turnigy ones give better performance than the Hobby King ones and the Turnigy 20 amp ones (AU$4.95) give better control that the 30 amp ones. This maybe due to the small current draw of my trams about 1 amp at stall.
3) unless you are using battery power you will definatley need the anti flicker Capacitors and the diode to prevent the current contained there in flowing back


My fleet has all been equipped for R/C and I like it, it works for me and it cost a fraction of what other systems would have cost....

 

[dunnyrail]

Trev, as ever this is a great job. Your Camera Fix gave me one of the best belly laughs I have had in ages. Well done,
JonD

 

[3Valve]

I have big fingers and I like a bit of space around my knobs.....

Ooer missus :-[

Fantastic job Trev

 

[tramcar trev]

Strewth I've crossed the Rubicon on this project. I've thrown out the original case - I should have put it up on eBay in case someone needed one....

 

[tramcar trev]

Updating this project. I am now thinking about modifying this project a few ways. Basically there is now a need to have extra channels on each tram. So I could buy more 6 channel sets and put them in boxes with 2 sets of 3 channels. A knob for speed, a switch for lights and a button for the sound effects. Or I could buy 3 channel sets and box them up as a controller for each tram.
Have to work out the economics of each.

 

[nicebutdim]

My attempt, 1 transmitter for each loco. Inspired by yourself, Trev,

 

[tramcar trev]

Hey!! Now I like that. So can we see inside? can we huh? can we?
Maybe it's commercial in confidence you wouldn't want your design ripped off....

 

[Dtsteam]

yeah go on - lets see the inside. How does the push button work for direction ?

 

[nicebutdim]

Nothing to hide here  It`s bit of a mess in there, but an organised mess. When packed in everything is insulated and bubble wrap is used to stop everything moving about.

The direction switch and uncoupler switch are on the same channel. Inside the loco is a rc controlled switch in latching mode for the direction. I replaced the pot for the channel with a 5k preset pot and wired the switch across the wiper and one end of the pot so when pushed it fools the transmitter into thinking the stick has been pushed fully left. The lights on the loco show which direction it is set to.

 

[Dtsteam]

Great ! Thanks for responding - how does the uncoupler work on the same channel then ?

 

[nicebutdim]

Managed to squeeze a micro servo into the rear block that clips onto the motor block within a Schoema loco. A piece of fishing line passes down to the hook and pulls the coupler down. If it was still under stick control, pushing the stick right would operate the coupler servo and pushing left would operate the reversing relay. When pushed left the coupler servo still operates, just the fishing line flexes taking up the excess movement, although I've been playing with a servo adjuster that limits the operation, so the servo only operates when the uncoupler switch is operated. The uncoupler switch is just a spst switch wired from the wiper to the opposite end of the pot to the direction switch. All this is done on a cheap 2 channel 2.4ghz radio. The radio is a code rc 2ch set, although it goes under other names too such as Pulse.

 

[tramcar trev]

I always do things the hard way, I like the BWT ( bubble wrap technique) simple and effective. I used a reversing ESC so my throttle is centre off, your technique for reversing is clever... Seriously good stuff this and so inexpensive and simple. Just a word of warning to anyone else going to try this; use only the cheap R/C gear, the stuff with LCD displays is not as "adaptable", a few aero modellers have looked at mine and wanted to know how I had reprogrammed the chips etc, in the upmarket R/C stuff you can only address 1 receiver at once so you would need to use a separate system for each loco.

I like this, well laid out, ergonomic designed by a user rather than a technician....