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Radio Control

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Hawkseye

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Mar 15, 2003, 3:28:03 PM3/15/03
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Do any of the model companies have any plans
to start introducing radio control ?
There is a company called Antenna Models on the
web that claims to offer a system - even down to
00 gauge- but they don't respond to any communications so presumably they
are defunct.
The availability of very smal lithium batteries would seem to permit the
development of self-powered locos with freedom from all the hassles of track
circuitry.
Anyone know anything ?

Jim Hawkins

John Sullivan

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Mar 15, 2003, 4:20:35 PM3/15/03
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In message <mYLca.40761$Dp.4...@fe01.atl2.webusenet.com>, Hawkseye
<jhaw...@enterprise.net> writes

Depends what you mean by Radio Control. I use radio control on my garden
layout, by means of the Aristocraft "Train Engineer". This consists of a
hand-held transmitter, and a static receiver which is connected to the
track. So it is equivalent to a standard controller.

Similar facilities are available for DCC.
--
John Sullivan
OO in the garden http://www.yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk/railway/railway.html
Be a French impressionist: model the SNCF.

Dick Ganderton

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Mar 15, 2003, 5:50:11 PM3/15/03
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DCC wireless throttles are not legally available for use in the UK.


John Sullivan wrote:
>
snip

Hawkseye

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Mar 15, 2003, 7:04:17 PM3/15/03
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No, I mean a system in which the locos are powered by on-board batteries,
the power to the
motors being (proportionally)controlled by radio signals received by the
loco.
You can then have any number of locos on the track, all independently
controlled - just like
a real railway !
Have a look at www.antenna-models.com to see more.

Jim Hawkins

"John Sullivan" <jo...@yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:sk7zbu7j...@yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk...

John Sullivan

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Mar 16, 2003, 2:09:33 AM3/16/03
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In message <3E73AE...@NoSpamgraskop.demon.co.uk>, Dick Ganderton
<di...@NoSpamgraskop.demon.co.uk> writes

>DCC wireless throttles are not legally available for use in the UK.

No, but you can use a cordless telephone handset with the Lenz DCC
system.

Rod

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Mar 16, 2003, 9:26:45 PM3/16/03
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In message <F+pZ9q$tMCd...@yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk>, John Sullivan
<jo...@yddraiggoch.demon.co.uk> writes

>>DCC wireless throttles are not legally available for use in the UK.
>
>No, but you can use a cordless telephone handset with the Lenz DCC
>system.
And it works really well, surprisingly!


--
Rod.
Stockport. England.

MartinS

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Mar 16, 2003, 2:41:10 PM3/16/03
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On 16 Mar 2003, Rod <rod...@viola.freeserve.co.uk> wrote :

> Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2003 18:26:45 -0800

Something wrong with your time zone setting, Rod!

--
Martin S.

Phil

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Mar 16, 2003, 5:27:56 PM3/16/03
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In article <3E73AE...@NoSpamgraskop.demon.co.uk>, Dick Ganderton

<di...@NoSpamgraskop.demon.co.uk> wrote:
> DCC wireless throttles are not legally available for use in the UK.

Phil: Que? Where do you get this impression from?
The Wireless Telegraphies acts etc allow many examples of short range
compliant data tranmitter/receivers.

LGB (for their implimentation of DCC) provide 2 versions of wireless
transmitter / receiver: One legal in the USA, and the other in Europe.

There are also many other legal options which could be used, including,
presumably, the 2.4GHx range (for which I now have a Playstation2 remote
handset) - only 1 country in Europe needs a personal licence to be issued
for that one!

These are alternatives to the alternative strategies of using cordless
phones.

For using direct Radio Control, Aircraft alloted frequencies ARE prohibited /not authorised
for obvious safety reasons.

--
Phil Spiegelhalter: Ph...@fillin.co.uk
==== Technical Training for Broadcasters =====
*RE CUE Mobile DV Multi-Camera Production and Non-Linear Editing*

John Sullivan

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Mar 17, 2003, 3:39:19 AM3/17/03
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In message <4bd44b3...@argonet.co.uk>, Phil <Ph...@fillin.co.uk>
writes

>In article <3E73AE...@NoSpamgraskop.demon.co.uk>, Dick Ganderton
><di...@NoSpamgraskop.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>> DCC wireless throttles are not legally available for use in the UK.
>
>Phil: Que? Where do you get this impression from?
>The Wireless Telegraphies acts etc allow many examples of short range
>compliant data tranmitter/receivers.

But Lenz and Digitrax do not make radio handsets for use in Europe (i.e.
that work on the frequencies that are legal in Europe). Those that are
advertised in American model railroading magazines are only legal in the
US and Canada. Lenz does something that uses cordless telephones as the
handset.

My AristoCraft Train Engineers *do* use frequencies that are legal in
Europe, but then are not DCC.


>
>LGB (for their implimentation of DCC) provide 2 versions of wireless
>transmitter / receiver: One legal in the USA, and the other in Europe.

Thanks for this information, I shall follow up.

I did hear that our own DCC manufacturer ZTC was considering doing radio
handsets at some time in the not-too-distant future.

>
>There are also many other legal options which could be used, including,
>presumably, the 2.4GHx range (for which I now have a Playstation2 remote
>handset) - only 1 country in Europe needs a personal licence to be issued
>for that one!
>
>These are alternatives to the alternative strategies of using cordless
>phones.
>
>For using direct Radio Control, Aircraft alloted frequencies ARE
>prohibited /not authorised
>for obvious safety reasons.
>

--

mutley

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Mar 17, 2003, 5:30:11 AM3/17/03
to
On Sun, 16 Mar 2003 00:04:17 -0000, "Hawkseye"
<jhaw...@enterprise.net> wrote:

>No, I mean a system in which the locos are powered by on-board batteries,
>the power to the
>motors being (proportionally)controlled by radio signals received by the
>loco.
>You can then have any number of locos on the track, all independently
>controlled - just like
>a real railway !
>Have a look at www.antenna-models.com to see more.

if i'm reading that correct, wouldn't it be necessary to have
completely separate kit for each loco owned?

mutley
--
http://www.ukrecmodelsrail.co.uk
modelling tips, how to & exibition guide.
a comprehensive list of model railway related links,
including over 150 uk model railway clubs.

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