Build your own wireless DCC system

[JimR]

I'm just now attempting to build this wireless DCC system.  I attempted to download the FET-Pro430 Windows utility (called Flash Programmers for TI's MSP430 MCU on page 30 of the June 2014 GR article).  After an email exchange with www.elprotonic.com, I learned that the Windows utility (free on their website) to use is now listed as "FET-Pro-430 Software Pkg. - STD, Installation package for FET-Pro-430, includes GUI, DLL,and supporting material. Standard Version. Version 3.41 (28.May.2016)"

APOLOGIES: I could not determine how to add this information to this post, other than this "Reply".

[genera]

phil maybe turning board vertical will help, also remove any antenna wires you added as this upsets design of radio circuit. if that don't work remove from tender and try . it is possible you got a defective radio module gene

[Phil K]

I'm still having communication problems when the Junior Throttle it is more than about 25' away from the decoder in the locomotive's tender or when something is in the line of sight.  I tried removing the tender's metallic coal load and also tried clamping a short wire to the antenna on the radio chip.  Neither made any difference.

Nobody else appears to have had a problem.  Any ideas?

[Phil K]

Thank you for the LED connections.  That worked.

 

Phil

[genera]

bro_warren

Read also "will Mark and Vince".  Lots of details on project there

Gene

[genera]

I dont understand what expires in 15 days.

Download which software?

Check all replys.

Gene

 

 

[genera]

Phil I made a MISTAKE should be NPN transistor Gene

[bro_warren]

I took some time off to get a hip replaced, but got back on this project today.  I downloaded the decoder, and it appears that it will expire in 15 days unles spurchased, but I dont see a price or anything.

 

Did I download the wrong software, or did anyone see a price anywhere?? (or know if this is a fact??).

 

bro_warren

[genera]

Phil

The range is caused by metal.  I have 3 decoders and all have 100 to 200 ft. range..

Your question on LED .  One wire can go to J1 Pin 2 Then other use 220 or so resistor to ground.

Your connection for locosound.  aPNP transistor base with 470 ohm or so resistor between function output of decoder  then collector to  horn  input of locosound and emitter of transistor to ground.  This works I just tried it.  The locosound board can handle up to 24 volts at motor inputs.

Additional changes to software are not really available because Mark will not release source code, however, some  are working to break code.so hold tight.

Good luck keep waiting.

Gene

 

[Phil K]

 

I just finished building the "Build your own wireless DCC system" and have some comments and questions.  I got it working along with a MyLocoSound steam sound card.  They are installed in the tender of my Bachmann Connie along with a battery pack I built.  The low price is really a bonus compared to the alternatives.  Both of my locomotives are now battery powered and I don't have to worry about the condition of the track.

 

1.   The Junior Throttle loses communication with the decoder when it doesn't have a direct path.  When the locomotive is about 20' away and goes behind a table or chair it loses contact.  This is probably due to the metallic coal load in the tender.  Can I add a short wire as an external antenna?

 

2.  I remoted the decoder LED to the tool box on the tender.  In so doing I broke the pads off the PCB.  I can pick up the + lead from R2 but is there a place I can pick up the gnd lead? 

 

3.  I used a small relay to convert the F2 buzzer output to a ground signal to the MyLocoSound board for the whistle.  That works good.  I tried to use an NPN transistor as a switch but didn't get it to work.

 

4.  I let the circuit board in the Connie automatically handle the forward and reverse lights.  I would like to convert the F0 and F1 latching outputs to gnd signals for the sound card.  I think this requires edge detection of the decoder output to convert the output to a gnd pulse.  Does anybody have any ideas on this?

 

5.  The motor control works great.  I like using the pot with the center detent.

 

6.  I built an 18.5 v LiPo battery pack from five 18650 LiPo cells and a protection module.  The protection module connects to each cell and provides overcharge, over discharge and over current protection.  The battery pack is also protected with a 5A fuse.  I charge it with a parallel charger that monitors each cell.  The charger also can charge/discharge the battery pack to a storage voltage.  I have used similar packs with my Bachmann Annie with good results and no problems.  When the battery pack runs down, I remove it from the tender, replace it with a charged pack and keep running.  I get about two hours run time.  I also mounted a small 4 digit LCD voltmeter board in one of the tender's tool boxes to monitor battery voltage.

 

7.   Soldering the SMD resistors was a challenge for me but after losing several of them, I did it.

 

8.  I would like to implement some more advanced functions, e.g. automated station stop.  Is there any change the code could become open source?

 

When I got done, I was quite satisfied with myself for accomplishing this.  Thanks for a great series of articles.

 

 

 

[LIONEL AH SING]

Hi I just wanted to let you know that I completed another one a it worked great! I desoldered the MCU, buffer, and the voltage reg (on the first one(not working)). Tried to reprogram the MCu and had a FAILED on the FET, bad chip. So i'm still working on the first one. Lionel

[LIONEL AH SING]

Hi warren sorry i didn't look at this forum in a while, But to your question it is JP2 that you modify. To let you know i did build another one and it worked fine. Follow the Diagram (new) and it should work out right. Lionel

[steveasm]

You are correct all of the mods are on JP2.  The sentence that reads "JP needs to be modified by cutting trace 1..." should actually be "JP2 needs to be modified by cutting trace 1..."

The 'JPs' are a bit confusing. Referring to the photo of the board in the article, and looking up from the bottom you can see 14 little pads, 2 vertical rows of 7 pads each. The bottom pair of pads are JP1. The diagram in the revised article shows the proper trace to cut with an X Acto knife (#1 on JP2) and the jumper to add with a small piece of wire (#3 on JP2)

x   x  1      JP3  
x   x  2
x   x  3

x   x  1      JP2   Modify this by cutting the trace between the two pads
x   x  2
x   x  3              Modify this with a jumper between the two pads

x   x  1       JP1

BTW, it is not a bad idea to use IC sockets on this project. They allow for goofs and you won't ruin the board if you have to unsolder the MCU

[bro_warren]

I've got all the stuff on order, and have received the boards already.

 

I see the sentence "JP needs to be modified by cutting trace 1......then shorting the pads on trace 3 on JP2......"

After staring through a loupe at this board and looking at photo 4 in the article, it appears that both of these operations are to be performed on JP2, and the trace on JP1 is not to be touched.

Is that where you all ended up on this?? 

I've printed out your other comments/corrections and will be going back through those. 

Thanks

[genera]

Lionel If you get a failed, check pin 1 of u2 and pin 14, should be 3 volts, if not check jumpers across from vdd and gnd if ok u2 may be damaged, however I have not destroyed any yet. email bgrails@sbc global.net with results Gene

[LIONEL AH SING]

Hi Gene, yes I did load the text 'm430D0.txt'. and yes I did cut and added jumper on jp2. I also was going to use jumpers to change channel. So one of the things I learned is that where pin one is on the driver chip, text says pin "2" does not have a connection. Thanks, that made a lot of sense. I checked all the wiring, good, installed led to pin 2 of j1 with 220 ohm res. Still will not turn on. check voltage on board checked good. hooked up circuit board to launch pad to reprogram but comes up with a FAILED. I guess I'll have to start all over and use IC sockets. Thanks Gene, I really appreciated your help. Lionel

[genera]

Also did you download m430D0 from condensed article? Gene

[genera]

I do not have number just had some here. Also you can use a larger ked by connecting to j1 pin2 then use a 270 ohm resistor to ground

[LIONEL AH SING]

Thanks Gene, I'll try to work on that soon. What surface mount LED did you use? Thanks

[genera]

Lionel

FIRST REPLACE the cd40107

pin 4 to ground, pin 8 to vcc 3 volt line

jumper 1 and 2 of cd  to pin 4 of m430

jumper 6 and 7 of cd  to pin 5 of m430

pin 3 of cd is f0  pin  pin 5 of cd is f1

driver chip tb6568 pin 1 to jp2 pin12

driver chip pin 2 to jp2 pin 13

pin 3 and 5 are to motor

pin4 to ground

pin 6 no connection

 pin 7 to 12 volt  third one down from top of board

 dont have p/n of led

dont forget to cut jumper 1  and adding jumper to trace on jp2

I have built 5 decoders and all work fine

 instead of changing software address nos I added jumpers on ji changing channels

any question please ask

Gene

 

 

[LIONEL AH SING]

Has anyone build the the wireless dcc system in the previous projects? I build the Junior operator radio controller and it seems to operate alright. But the motion and light decoder had and still has some mistakes. I build it like the diagram and it does not work, next like the text, does not work. The text on pagge 52 second sentence "Next, pins 1 and 2 need to be connected to pins 12 and 13 of J2." Diagram shows pins 6 and 7 to pins 12 and 13. "pins 3 and 5; label these M1 and M2 respectively" Diagram shows different. LED driver, "Then connect pins 2 and 5 from CD40107 to pins 4 and 5 of JI." Diagram shows pin 2 to pin 4 of J1 but pins 6 and 7 goes to pin 5 of J1. "Then seperately short pins 6 and 5 of the CD40107." Last but not least No part Number for the SMT LED soldered to the board "D1" Let me know if anyone got it to work. Thanks