Large Scale Central

G Wire?

Electronics Power and Sound
#1

One of our own here at LSC wants me to install his G Wire receiver in his beautifully kitbashed Annie. He have me 3 sheets of instructions, but I’m not sure the instructions are for the device.

The instruction sheet is "Quantum Aristo “G” Scale Plug’n’Play and Magnum “G/O” Universal, Sound and Power Decoders Installation Information.

Here’s the gadget:

(No banana for scale.)

Do I have the right receiver and instructions? The instructions say to plug the Speaker Harness into P9. There seems to be some sort of flat cable connector here. The instruction sheet shows a little square switch that I don’t find on the part.

Anybody recognize this receiver and know where I can find instructions for it? It has a 12 pin connector, so I’m guessing the battery connects to the outside 2 pins on each end and the motor is the next pin in from each end.

#2

There is no receiver in your pictures, there is a transmitter and a QSI Titan decoder.

You need the GWire receiver in addition to what you have.

By the way, you REALLY need to look at a manual first. You could check my pages under QSI, and specifically the Titan pages.

http://www.elmassian.com/dcc/specific-manufacturers/qsi-equipment/qsi-titan

Oh, it does seem you have the WRONG instructions.

Greg

#3

Well, that’s what I was thinking…

Now, thanks to you, I have the manual. I’ll let the customer know we’re missing the receiver. (He might be reading this.)

#4

It might need programming to the sound file he likes. If you can’t find someone with the programmer, you pay the $5 shipping each way, and I’ll set it up for you.

Greg

#5

Hopefully, he’s got a receiver. They’ve been out of circulation for quite some time. (Greg, any update that you’ve heard?)

If he doesn’t, there is an alternative that might work… Tam Valley Depot sells a 3-amp (5-amp peak) Airwire-compatible receiver that can interface with any DCC-compatible decoder.

http://www.tamvalleydepot.com/products/drs1deadrailcomponents.html

Instead of using the ribbon cable between the G-wire receiver and the Titan, you’d hook the output of the receiver to the track inputs of the Titan.

According to the manufacturer, it is fully compatible with the Airwire T5000 transmitter. I do not know about full compatibility with the G-wire transmitter. (You’d have to ask Tam Valley.) The downside is that it only works on Airwire channel 16. If you want to use Airwire channels 1 - 15, you can use their DCC booster. Same technology, same capacity, but larger footprint.

I haven’t yet availed myself of these boards, as I just learned about them not too long ago. I did e-mail Tam Valley to get the skinny on how they worked, and am looking forward to trying them in conjunction with a number of large-scale compatible decoders.

Later,

K

#6

Your suggestion to used the TAM valley stuff migh make it so you could not enter service mode on the decoder I believe Kevin.

Someone has receivers, I think Caboose Hobbies might.

Whoever sold the customer the Gwire and the Titan should have also indicated that he needed the receiver.

Greg

#7

Greg Elmassian said:

Your suggestion to used the TAM valley stuff migh make it so you could not enter service mode on the decoder I believe Kevin.

From what I’ve read from “the book,” it supports service mode. The thing is that when using Tam Valley’s transmitter module in conjunction with an existing DCC command station, you’ve got to physically move the transmitter to the programming track output of the command station in order to use service mode. The T5000 handheld transmitter has both ops and service programming modes, so there’s nothing to switch. From the web site: “The DRS1 receiver works with all brands of DCC decoders. Decoders can be programmed through the radio by connecting the transmitter to the service track (no read back), using programing on the main or use the T5000.”

There are two unknowns relative to this particular installation… First, whether the NCE G-wire transmitter has similar peculiarities when programming a decoder via the Tam Valley receiver as it does with Airwire receivers which might interfere with proper programming. Second, whether there are peculiarities within the QSI decoder with regard to the DCC signal coming from the receiver which might affect programming. Those are “you won’t know 'til you try” questions.

For my part, I will in all likelihood be experimenting with one of these boards later this year, as I’ve got a few projects which could benefit. I’ve been looking for something like this for a long time.

Alas, Greg, Caboose has long been out of the receivers. I keep checking the shelf in case one materializes, but no such luck. I’ve kept an eye on my other usual suspects, too; all list “out of stock.”

Later,

K

#8

I guess I better hang on to mine then! I think I still have 2 receivers and a Gwire throttle.

Greg

#9

NCE have ‘retired’ the G-Wire ProCab, so I suspect that we won’t see any more G-Wire receivers. Their status on the QSI web site hasn’t changed in a year or so.

#10

The G-Wire receivers can be used with the Airwire transmitters, so I would not link the NCE production of their transmitter to the receiver that can be used with both the Airwire and NCE transmitters.

The market opportunity is using a QSI decoder instead of an Airwire. The big problem has been the high cost of the receiver chip, and lately, the new receiver chip that had issues (from the manufacturer, not QSI).

I’ve got to find out what is happening, but CVP has also changed a few things that took away some of the compatiblity of the NCE / QSI systems. Too bad, because I’m of the opinion that more variety available to the customer is a good thing.

Greg

#11

Greg, What is changed in the CVP stuff that m their stuff thatr limits the compatability?

#12

In case he does not have the receiver, there is one available on Ebay with 3 days left in the auction at at the time is only 29.99. here is the link http://www.ebay.com/itm/AIRWIRE-900-RECIEVER-/191484018422?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item2c95563ef6

Dan

#13

That is not the unit needed with the QSI. The ebay item looks like the old AW G2 decoder. This is what is needed to interface to the QSI:

#14

I think that RX is the one before the G2. I have a bunch and I like em!

#15

Yeah, unfortunately AW calls them a “receiver” when actually they are a radio receiver and a motor and light decoder.

The radio receiver chip is the same, but the Gwire “receiver” module has a lot less electronics. It merely takes the signal from the air and presents it to the QSI.

Greg

#16

Ok. So now I have the “receiver” with the white wire connected to the decoder. I’ve been reading the PDF Greg pointed me to. I’ve learned to turn the remote on and off.

The remote is set to “Channel 3,” and so is the switch on the receiver. With the remote turned on, I turn on the loco and it begins running forward fairly fast. I followed the instructions on page 5 to program a locomotive address, while the loco was laying on its side so it doesn’t run away. I set the short loco address to 13, since that’s the number on the side.

Now, the loco continues to run forward fairly fast, but when I select loco 13, it doesn’t seem to pay any attention to the remote.

Obviously, I’ve overlooked something. Any suggestions? Should I do something with this “Reset Reed Switch?” Perhaps I don’t have enough of this manual digested?

(Yes, the white wire is plugged in the right way 'round on both ends. The contacts in the connector to the contacts on the wire.)

#17

Is the Titan programmed to accept the Airwire input? Unlike the older Magnums, you’ve got to program the Titan to let it know it’s running via Airwire and not track-based DCC. (CV 56.1=1) By default, that CV is set to 0. You can change this using a magnetic reed switch and a magnet (or a pushbutton). It’s in the instructions somewhere; I forget where or how–some combination of turning on the power and holding the reed switch closed for a few seconds or something silly like that.

My thoughts as to what may be going on…

I have a feeling the decoder is not programmed to be controlled by the Airwire. What’s happening, then, is that you’re feeding power to the decoder via the track inputs. It’s looking for a valid DCC signal from that input. You’re giving it pure DC from the batteries. The decoder sees this, recognizes it as “analog” DC, not DCC, and switches to “analog” mode. That would explain it taking off full speed. I had that happen with some Tsunami decoders I’m using.

Is there someone nearby who runs DCC? You can take some alligator clips to their rails and feed the board from that. If it responds (try address 3 first) then the board is still set for traditional DCC control, and it never received any reprogramming commands from the G-wire receiver.

The other option is to buy the programming interface and hook the decoder up to your PC. I strongly recommend that for anyone looking to use the QSI boards with any regularity, but if this is a one-off thing you’re doing for someone else, it’s likely not going to be cost-effective unless they want to spring for it themselves.

Those are the things I’d look at first, at least.

Typically–if things are programmed properly to where the Titan is looking to the G-wire for a valid command–turning on the locomotive without the transmitter being turned on will result in the loco just sitting there doing nothing. No lights, no sound. It won’t show any signs of life until the transmitter is turned on. The fact that it’s taking off full speed leads me to believe it’s looking to the track power input for a valid DCC command signal, not the G-wire receiver.

Later,

K

#18

Um. You might be right. I’ll look in the titan instructions. Thanks.

#19

I’m pretty sure Kevin is right, and I’d recommend the DCC programming option as opposed to the pushbutton / magnet programming… that is a pain in the butt, and not as easy to confirm it’s right, on DCC you can validate the CV has been changed.

Greg

#20

I’ll have to go with the button as I don’t have any DCC equipment.

I should have a chance to look at it today.