Not much modelling going on...

The last few weeks have been fairly hectic. Time to sit at the workbench has been very rare of late. I have found time to go to a local hobby store and pick up a USB whatsit to go with the JMRI Decoder pro that I downloaded. I've read a fair bit of late about the JMRI system, and seen alot of what can be done with the system through a few you tube postings. So here I am with all the gear to set it up, and not much time to do anything with it. Well lucky for me it was really very easy to set up, a couple of checks with the Yahoo group for JMRI users and I was away.

I have a simple two function decoder in a 48 class diesel, it's always run fairly well in DC. The biggest outing it has is a weekend of circling around 'More' at Toowoomba Show each year. The rest of the year it really serves as a 'test' loco for the trackwork I've been laying.

The Decoder pro has been really very simple to use. It's made a huge difference to how a basic loco runs. I must be a fairly simple fellow as the ability to see on a screen the changes that I've made makes it a really simple exercise, fun even. I reduced the top speed by half, and moved the midpoint setting to about 75% of the maximum speed. Works a treat! It now has much better slow running. I also changed the settings for the frequency of power hits it receives, but that would be particular to your own loco so I won't bore you with that.

I am looking forward to actually finishing my 13 class loco with the 'light steam' sound decoder installed, then playing around with the settings, to get it 'just right'.

A short update for the layout now. The trackwork is done on the first module, switches for the frogs wired up, and working with the Modratec lever frame. The guys (Toosdy Niters) are coming to my place in two weeks to see what I've been up to. Boy! does that ever spur you on to get a bit done! Although I haven't had much time of late, and I really can't see it changing anytime soon. I haven't even had time to take a photo! So it's Gidday from me, photos next time, have a good one, Geoff.