Timpdon Electronics

[Bram]

It's easily done, I'm just glad the kits I use come with a complete idiots guide.

 

[yb281]

Well Im a complete idiot so maybe I should confine myself to those

You after my title?

 

[chris m01]

I'm thinking of batterfying four or five locos and I wonder if anyone has experience of using Timpdon controls - especially the one that allows you to select up to ten locos.
So far I have one loco with a Cliff Barker RC and am very happy with this but the Timpdon controls appeal because you only need one transmitter.

 

[yb281]

I'm thinking of batterfying four or five locos and I wonder if anyone has experience of using Timpdon controls - especially the one that allows you to select up to ten locos.
So far I have one loco with a Cliff Barker RC and am very happy with this but the Timpdon controls appeal because you only need one transmitter.

Does the Timpdon kit control up to 10 locos simultaneously? If it does, then that is indeed worth looking into. Did you know that the Barker kit can be programmed to any number of receivers from one handset Chris? It's just that you have to switch off any that you don't want to control.

 

[chris m01]

Hi Mel
See http://www.timpdon.co.uk/timpdon/telec/products/prod_utx3.php . You can select any one of ten to control. So ten receivers to one transmitter. In the blurb it says that the default setting is for locos to stop if they don't receive anything from the control unit for ten seconds but you can request to not have this when you order the receiver. With this option it would appear to be possible to have one running round and one shunting. Unlike the CB units you can choose which loco to control at any one time from the one unit.

The thing that concerns me about Timpdon is that there don't seem to be any adjustments to settings like you have on the Cliff Barker. I have found that on indoor running I want more steps than outdoor. And I do like the CB unit - it works very well.

This is the 10 item controller priced at £85. I'll certainly have a chat with the owner at the Llanfair show.

 

[yb281]

This is the 10 item controller priced at £85. I'll certainly have a chat with the owner at the Llanfair show.

Thanks Chris, yes me too. That looks very promising. The other concern that I have is that I was at an open day a couple of weeks ago where someone was running a Baguley diesel fitted with Timpdon kit and it was glitching like a good un in several places (notably when crossing a metal bridge). It may have been down to the way it was set up, but it wasn't something that I'd be happy with.

 

[chris m01]

The channel (or loco) selector switch appears to be on the bottom of the unit

You wonder if this is designed to be changed a lot.

 

[chris m01]

Thanks Chris, yes me too. That looks very promising. The other concern that I have is that I was at an open day a couple of weeks ago where someone was running a Baguley diesel fitted with Timpdon kit and it was glitching like a good un in several places (notably when crossing a metal bridge). It may have been down to the way it was set up, but it wasn't something that I'd be happy with.

I wonder if the glitching would be due to the cut off of it doesn't get a signal after 10 seconds?
Also £85 is just the transmitter. For each loco a receiver (£24.50) and controller (£32-£37.50) is required making it more expensive than CB for one but cheaper for four.

 

[Tony Walsham]

Most 2.4 GHz stick radios can have as many RX's bound to one TX as you wish.
That means as many locos as you wish from one TX.
They can be used one at a time or as many (speed matched) locos ganged together as you wish.
Trying to operate two different locos independently at the same time on the same track is very difficult, and virtually impossible for more than two.

 

[chris m01]

Its down to personal preferences but I just don't want a stick radio. This is my only reason for not considering RCS. I do realise that using a stick radio would give me more options and lower prices but I know I wouldn't be happy with one. Thanks for the advice anyway.

 

[Tony Walsham]

Fair enough.