# New Airwire decoder



## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

Take a look at *cvpusa* The new G2 decoder is now available. It has LOTS of new features including running from 28V batteries with no split power supply.


----------



## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Pretty cool....but the link is bad. Here it is...http://www.cvpusa.com/


----------



## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

I look forwards to mine arriving..........................








Rod


----------



## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

I have one on order with Jonathan. Don't really need one at this point but I want to test it,so I will most likely pull an old one and replace it with the G2. Sounds like they have made some significant improvements.


----------



## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

I started shipping them yesterday. I can finally start reducing the pile of locomotives here for conversion. Rod, your leaves Monday, as it requires an actual mail clerk since it is international, cannot use an automated system. 

Jonathan/EMW


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Also looking forward to the new G2 decoder especially with the options of being able to switch on/off 2 accessories. I have one waiting for me at Throttle-Up but find that I am still waiting on the locomotive itself. 

I am building another Rail Broom locomotive, this time using the USA 44-tonner. That additional switching will be able to control the motor for the broom itself and the LED warning lights I plan to mount at the cab corners. 

There has apparently been a shortage of these 44-tonners - at least in the Burlington road name. I had one on order for over 2 weeks with one of the major internet train suppliers, only to find that they dropped the ball on me, more than once, each time coming back with different excuses (and there were many - some new, but mostly the same old ones). They finally acknowledged yesterday that their last order attempt was met with an “out-of-stock” response. I was able to make one call to another seller, find the identical item in their stock at virtually the same price and get it on it’s way the same day. I guess if I were the original seller, I would make an extended effort to find the item my customer wanted, purchase it and send it as an opportunity to create good customer relations. Unfortunate that “customer service” are simply two more words in the dictionary. 

OK, off the soap box. Really am anxious to put the finished product on the rails and have some fun. Hopefully I will be able to post some photos when it is up and running


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Check your axles for splits, I got a "new" one that had 7 of the 8 hubs split... 

Regards, Greg


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 24 Jul 2009 02:16 PM 
Check your axles for splits, I got a "new" one that had 7 of the 8 hubs split... 

Regards, Greg 
Thanks for the heads up - they will be checked. After the struggle of getting one, I should be entitled to a little good luck -


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I bought 2 new Santa Fe ones... one undecorated, one santa fe blue and yellow.... the undec had one split, the blue and yellow had 7 like I said.... youch... when you repair these, if you use brass sleeves, you will also find the axles are so close to the internal housing (unlike the F units) you need a dremel to make room... 

Regards, Greg


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Guess I must be living right...ok, some of the time...no defects noted by the installer...the G2 install is completed - 4600mAh Ni-MH with switchable lines to the broom motor and to the cab and headlamps (replaced with soft-white LED's). A 300 ft test loop pushing aside maple leaves and small fallen pears proved the installation. So home it came, going to work behind the arborvitae whisking away their scraps and getting an easy passing grade. Great to be able to switch on/off the broom motor (no need to run it continuously on the return loop). Extended a siding to accommodate the GP9 and its following. Ran the broom along the siding and back, then pulled the main train there while I ran the broom over the rest. The voltage to the motor is a bit higher than it's rating but because there is almost no load on the motor except to spin the brush (which does not actually contact the rails but is _very _close) I expect that the motor will survive. I am a bit limited on the motor choice - needs to be a splined shaft to accommodate my method of pulley installation - but I think I will check perhaps for a higher voltage (18VDC) motor - that way, it will turn a bit slower (presently, it really spins the brush, actually a lot faster than is needed). Now I just have to read up on how to post some pix...


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The high speed of the brush will help create breeze that will aid in getting the junk away, so the air flow is good, and more with higher brush speeds. 

Regards, Greg


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Seems I am already in good shape - I just checked the motor specs and it is rated 9 ~ 18vdc so the rating is favorable and the air speed/turbulence is already assisting in good order. My only operational limit is that the battery starting voltage is around 18 and because this motor is known as a "dirty motor" in that it pulls in excess of the G-2's rating for the aux controller of 1 amp, the installation has included a relay that will compensate for that. But the relay also has a low-voltage cutoff of around 11 volts, so my brush motor functions between 11 vdc and 18vdc, while the 44-tonner will continue to run down to I think around 5 ~ 7 vdc. In my application, this is not a concern, as I expect that the voltage will remain well above the 11 volts during my (relatively) short run time - usually 10 ~ 15 minutes max. It is nice addition to my operation, mostly prepared to be a unique demo piece to foster some rail broom kits sales. I have a nice carry case that came with my Makita polisher and which has been fitted to carry the locomotive along with the controller and some paperwork, etc. All-in-all, I am pleased with the outcome..ok, maybe the checkbook isn't as pleased...but none-the-less, a successful project. Now to work on the image upload.
..









Huh!! Got it - but don't know how. This was taken before the G-2 install - now I'll get a couple of shots of it in action and try to get that posted. Might choose to detail the aluminum framework to a color/tone that works better with the locomotive scheme. Oh, and add the railings, etc.


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By desertrat53 on 13 Aug 2009 09:49 PM 
I'll get a couple of shots of it in action and try to get that posted. Might choose to detail the aluminum framework to a color/tone that works better with the locomotive scheme. Oh, and add the railings, etc.


The project has been pretty much finished up - the broom framework's painted so as to minimize the 'add-on' appearance and the railings added plus it has a few laps to test it's performance. Need to resolve some issues regarding the reception range - don't want to add an external antenna for appearances sake but would like better response to the transmitter. 





























Now, bring on the arbovitae and pine needles....


----------



## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Did you provide any RFI protection across the motor leads for the loco AND on the motor driving the brush?


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

The interference protection is already partially considered in that the G2 is furnished with pieces of an isolation jacket/sleeve to be fitted over the leads to the drive motors and in my case the leads to the rail broom motor. These were nicely fitted by the installer. I had gathered some information earlier that the motor used for the broom might be suspect in terms of the static field it generates so I dug in the parts bin and found a motor from a USA GP30 that I thought perhaps was a bit more desirable and started to use it, but no significant improvement was noted. 


So off to the installer I go, hat in hand. Here's what the situation turns out to be: (a) the G2 standard antenna is a 3 inch piece of insulated wire and is now 90 deg vertical, and (b) the throttle has a removable mast which needs to be removed so the case can be removed to get access to the batteries. When I had recently changed the throttle batteries, I replaced the antenna with a good snug twist, but that was not enough apparently. Seems it is necessary to really tighten (by hand) the mast to assure the connection is good. Mine wasn’t - it is now! And, Viola!! We have action! 


I am sure the reception is now greater than my layout requirements, especially given the duty of this locomotive. It seems prudent for me to be within reasonably close proximity while using the rail broom to clear the tracks so that I can keep an eye on the results and in the event of a twig jumping in to dislodge the belt, I can stop the broom motor and save the belt from destruction (this has only happened once or twice, but still nice to know the operator is still in charge). The suggestion was also made by Greg Elmassian to include a.01 disc capacitor across the motor terminals, so I have one ready to install if I find I still have unacceptable reception. But at this point, it looks like it should run the way I expect it to.


Now, if I can borrow my wife’s digital camera and upload a new YouTube video, I can proudly show off my newest project. I’ll come back and put a link to it once I get it uploaded.


----------



## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

Gregg's suggestion of a cap across the motor terminals will help but also put one from each terminal to ground, a total of 3. 

I really like that broom. I wish I had one to make the first run on a few layouts I've been on lately. It's tough to visually see everything that might interfere, your broom eliminates the need worry about missing any thing small, except rocks caught in frogs and crossings. Very nice!


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

My experience with the T9000 and also more than a few of my friends is that the thickness of the plastic case does not always allow the antenna center contact to make good contact. More than a few have drilled out the hole in the top of the T9000 to accomodate the entire diameter of the antenna base. Unfortunately this can introduce a different problem. 

The design and the manual state that the antenna keeps the unit together. There is a small screw on the bottom of the case, but the manual says this is a "Shipping screw" and it should be discarded. 

Drill the top of the case out to just clear the base of the antenna, keep the shipping screw in place, and you will avoid this problem. 

 Regards, Greg 

p.s. on tough RFI issues, the choke board from Tony Walsham is great and many people have used it with success in tough situations.


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, You are spot on with the antenna problems caused by the case thickness. I will indeed drill out the case as you note. I already use the shipping screw....just seemed plausible to make sure the case stayed together.
Thanks for your help - glad you migrated to MLS.

Regards,

Bill


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By rmcintir on 24 Aug 2009 07:52 PM 
Gregg's suggestion of a cap across the motor terminals will help but also put one from each terminal to ground, a total of 3. 

I really like that broom. I wish I had one to make the first run on a few layouts I've been on lately. It's tough to visually see everything that might interfere, your broom eliminates the need worry about missing any thing small, except rocks caught in frogs and crossings. Very nice! 

I'll give it a try as well then. And thanks for your nice comments on the broom. The rocks, etc., caught in the frogs are the one reason I don't put any ballast at the turnouts....now how do they still find their way in there??


----------



## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Careful about overtightening the antenna on the transmitter. It can pull the connector loose on the board. I had to enlarge the hole on the transmitter case,just like some other s have.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

It always worries me when the connector is just soldered to the circuit board, not bolted and strain relieved. The NCE has this sensitivity also, and I'm a ham radio operator and damage from overtightening this type of connector (sma) is also common. 

Good thing to remember. 

Regards, Greg


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul and Greg - very good points - thanks for your tips. I'm doing the modification to the case today and hopefully that will be the final step. I took the rail broom 44-tonner out for a night run last night - had to see the cab-top warning lamps in action. Nice to know I had full control (I hate crashing runaways!). It's decided to rain today but hopefully in the next few days I can get the new YouTube video prepared.


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

The weather is just about perfect today for a new video, so here's the new 44-tonner Rail Broom locomotive in action:



I did a couple of re-takes but this is the first one and probably the best of them all. Can't wait for the leaves to litter up the rails so it will show off it's clearing action like my other videos of the slopeback tender version.


----------



## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

That works awesome, I saw it throwing debris everywhere, but mostly off the track. In fact it looked like it dug up a small plant or two trying to take root between the tracks. You need a beacon on the roof and yellow tape all around the area to keep small children and pets away!


----------



## desertrat53 (Jan 2, 2008)

It gets the stuff out of the way alright - the debris is tossed maybe a foot or so at best, but off the rails themselves, which is the intent (to keep the train from derailures). There actually are two amber and two red flashing LEDs on the roof (the bright sun washes them out in the video). Check out the rest of my YouTube videos using a custom slope-back tender as a broom car. Run this video again and right-click on it as it starts and you should be taken to the YouTube site just select _More From Desertrat53_. Thanks for viewing.


----------

