Where to install Aristo-Craft 5471 and 5475?

[Henri]

Ok, someone pointed out this for sale system to me... Asking price € 60,-

Will this suit my needs?

It has three 5475 modules... Up to ... 15 points?

 

[Henri]

Is this set better than the 5480 I inquired about yesterday?

 

[Zerogee]

Henri, are there supposed to be some links in your two posts....?

Jon.

 

[Henri]

No it is not. But this is the link: Link

 

[Zerogee]

Ah, OK, sorry - I now understand what you mean; yes, this black "full" TE version will be much better than the "basic" orange one - and it will have a "linear DC" option that will mean even a DCC chipped loco can be run on it without problems.

Jon.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Not all 5471 / 55471 units have the LINEAR/PWC switch, so get a picture of the unit showing the switch.

The 5474/55474 units can be flakey, be sure to check them out. Sometimes they have very short range. They can be "tuned" but 99% of the people attempting this make it worse.

Greg

 

[PhilP]

Not all 5471 / 55471 units have the LINEAR/PWC switch, so get a picture of the unit showing the switch.

The 5474/55474 units can be flakey, be sure to check them out. Sometimes they have very short range. They can be "tuned" but 99% of the people attempting this make it worse.

Greg

Wot Greg says..
Do NOT fiddle with the RF side of things.. Unless you know what you are doing, and preferably have the correct test-gear.

 

[Henri]

I've bought it. Should arrive next week. Thanks for all the information, much appreciated!

 

[Henri]

As I'm busy wiring the tracks I wonder where is the best place to install the main unit? Can I place it in our shed which is build of bricks? It is one meter away from the layout.

Or is it better to have it as close as possible to the tracks out in the open for better reception?

And does anyone have a manual... Pdf is ok!!!

 

[Neil Robinson]

And does anyone have a manual... Pdf is ok!!!

Message sent in a "conversation"

 

[Henri]

manual received.

Still open for positioning instructions!

 

[Zerogee]

I've never used a TE, but I would think that the most important thing is that the Receiver has a good line of sight to the likely positions you are going to stand or sit, Transmitter in hand (and beer in the other) to operate the layout.
As the Receiver is wired to the track, I assume it doesn't really matter how far away that is (within reason), so your positioning will be to get the best signal strength between Transmitter and Receiver. Having a brick wall in the way might reduce the signal, but I don't have any personal experience of how much.....?

Jon.

 

[beavercreek]

I have the option of DCC and DC on my layout.
For DC I use Aristo's Train Engineer (the system that you have bought into).
I have three distinct areas on the layout so I can operate one area on DCC while the others are DC etc etc).
My three receivers (RXs) are in a conservatory and are fed out to the connecting points on the layout.
The three feeds are about 30ft long.
The transmitter handset (TX) works from the farthest point of the layout.

Everything works fine.....except when I have my Massoth DCC central station and wireless receiver turned on whilst using the TE.
The Massoth signal 'swamps' the Aristo TX/RX signal and makes it unreliable at distances over 15ft!
The two signals are totally different frequencies but it just happens...in fact the Massoth also 'swamps' my X10 house automation as well!
Before someone tells me to try different positions, different length aerials etc...all that has been tried.
I just know what to do when I have the Massoth unit powered up.....stay close to the conservatory when using the TE

But you, Henri, will have no such problems .... unless of course you have some RF interference from electronic equipment or physical barriers in the 'line of sight' of the TX to RX.

The TE was, and still is a great easy to use system. You can even get the 'on board' RX control units (they come up on ebay now and then) so that you can control individual locos using the different channels on the TX. The RX-ed locos can be track powered from any 22v transformer, or powered by batteries, but controlled by the TX .
Have fun. It will serve you well.

 

[Gizzy]

When I had my TE, I extended the receiver antenna, which is just a wire, using a choc block connector. I ran my wire outside my shed. The longer the wire, the better for signal reception.

Do not though attempt to adjust the transmitter antenna. If it is a telescopic aerial, ensure it is fully extended. I swapped my telescopic antenna for the 'rubber duck' style one (with Steve of this parish) which I personally preferred.

For me, this made the transmitter handset more balanced in my hand, and being very long sighted, I was less likely to poke my eye out on the long silver antenna that I found difficult to see....

 

[Henri]

Just finished testing the TE. I am very glad to say it works OK! You buy stuff n-nd hand and you only hope it will work when you test it at home...

First test outside attached to the layout. Perfect.

Then I moved the TE inside the shed. Still perfect. Oh boy. What a luck! I bought an LGB transformer and I assumed it would be 22V, 1A. Didn't check the piccies close enough. It's 16V, 7,5VA (so close to 0,5A)...
Oh well, with the small loco's I'm currently running I don't mind. Luckily the TE did power up as it needs at least 16V.

I am impressed how nice the 'slow' speeds are. I am able to run the trains at perfectly slow speeds, which I like a lot.

Thanks for all the advice (again!)

 

[trammayo]

Just finished testing the TE. I am very glad to say it works OK! You buy stuff n-nd hand and you only hope it will work when you test it at home...

First test outside attached to the layout. Perfect.

Then I moved the TE inside the shed. Still perfect. Oh boy. What a luck! I bought an LGB transformer and I assumed it would be 22V, 1A. Didn't check the piccies close enough. It's 16V, 7,5VA (so close to 0,5A)...
Oh well, with the small loco's I'm currently running I don't mind. Luckily the TE did power up as it needs at least 16V.

I am impressed how nice the 'slow' speeds are. I am able to run the trains at perfectly slow speeds, which I like a lot.

Thanks for all the advice (again!)

Henri - it will work off a 12v battery (well mine does - or did - because I had forgotten where I had put the power unit in the shed!).

 

[Henri]

Haha ok! Good to know!

 

[Gavin Sowry]

All true about line of sight. A little tip, particularly when reception starts to die away, is to point the aerial of the Tx towards the track...... it acts as an aerial for the receiver. If using a metal aerial on the Tx, don't let it actually touch a live rail.

 

[Rhinochugger]

Oh dear, is it just me?

Every time I see the title of this thread, I'm reminded of Emily Lloyd's catch phrase in the film 'Wish you were here'.

 

[stockers]

All true about line of sight. A little tip, particularly when reception starts to die away, is to point the aerial of the Tx towards the track...... it acts as an aerial for the receiver. If using a metal aerial on the Tx, don't let it actually touch a live rail.

Interesting. When I used to fly R/C aircraft the rule was to not point the aerial at the aircraft because the signal comes out sideways!