# NCE GWire and G2 reciever



## Walt W (May 9, 2010)

Hi all,

Hope all are well. I have read earlier posts that the NCE Gwire and the Airwire G2 recievers work together. Yet I cannot do the first thing which is to set a long address. I can control the fwd and rev motion as long as the address is set to 3. Here are the steps I am using in trying to change the address. 
1) Select Service Mode Pgm
2) Select 1 = STD
3)Select 1 = LONG 1111 Enter
4)Activate this address 1=YES
From this point I keep hitting the Enter key until it asks 
ADDRESS ENTER S 1=Long (which I select )

I cycle through the remaining selections until I get back to PROG TRACK then I hit the prog/esc key
The screen then shows 1111 as the loco

I have no control at this point.

What am I doing wrong? Or is there a setting somewhere that is not allowing me to program the reciever?

thnks in advance
walt


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Unfortunately, the NCE G-wire cannot _program_ the G2. I was hoping the same as you, since I already had the NCE/QSI combination in use. You're going to have to beg, borrow, or buy an Airwire throttle to program the G2. I personally went with the RF-1300, as (a) it was the cheap option, and (b) it's a very simple throttle that my 5-year-old daughter can operate without me worrying that she's going to press some random button and bring things to a screeching halt. 

Once the G2 is programmed, the NCE controller works great in terms of controlling the locomotives. The throttle thumbwheel and/or pushbuttons raise and lower the speed just as the Airwire throttle would. The "whistle" button blows the whistle, and all the function buttons work as advertised. The "momentum" button on the NCE will not work with the G2 in terms of adjusting the momentum. The amount of momentum you program into the throttle via the Airwire throttle is what you have to use with the NCE. 

I have not tried consisting the G2 via the NCE controller, since I don't doublehead my locos. I don't know if that would be problematic or not. There's an Airwire Yahoo Group, and a lot of the guys on there use the NCE throttle. Some of them frequent here, too, so they may chime in with their experiences. 


I wish I had better news... 

Later, 

K


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Walt.. As I posted on the Yahoo group, ditto to Kevin's post.


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## Walt W (May 9, 2010)

Hi again. So a little confusion here. Back in Jan 2010 - Foreman and Brakeman responded as theyv'e had success in using NCE GWire and Airwire recievers. Can someone clarify that this success included programming of the Airwire reciever? Is this capability only there for the early model of Airwire and not the G2? I have relied on a reputable hobby store (who I will not mention yet) that the NCE would work with the Airwire products. Its a lot of money spent if it's not compatible. Can't program a long address. Cmon!!
thanks in advance
walt


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I'm led to believe there was a bit more compatibility between the NCE and the pre G-2 boards. The folks I talked to who were using that combination left me with the impression that there were aspects that you could program. (Alas, even there, loco address was _not_ among them if I recall our conversations correctly.) I never tried the NCE with the older ones, as I forgot to pack my controller with me when I went back east last year to visit the parents. Dad's got the older Airwire in his stuff, but uses their transmitters. I've just got the G-2 here, as it's the current production and I am only fairly recently investing in the Airwire stuff myself. 

So "works with" is probably a bit ambiguous--and I'm guilty of saying that as well. Still, of the three available controllers for the Airwire stuff, I find the NCE controller to be the most user friendly for controlling the trains. The LCD display clearly shows the direction, speed, and locomotive being controlled. The RF-1300 is (in my opinion) the next best controller, since its speed knob has a definite "stop" and "full" position. The biggest issue with that is that it's hard to see the direction LEDs in bright sunlight, and that it's only capable of 8 DCC functions. I really don't like the T-9000 throttle at all. The knob has no stop position, and while you can set the LED display to show the speed, you can't control the functions when it's in that display mode. I found myself spinning and spinning the knob hoping the locomotive would eventially stop, not ever knowing if I had actually sent the speed to zero. It can control up to 12 DCC functions, though. 

So--yeah--I wish the NCE controller would be more compatible in terms of programming the Airwire stuff, but to me, it's (marginally) worth the expense to use it just to control the trains. As I mentioned in the earlier post, I really only use the Airwire controller when my daughter's running trains with me. With the knob and a maximum speed limit programmed in, it's pretty easy to hand her the throttle and not worry about anything--except annoying the neighbors with constant blowing of the whistle. Haven't figured out a fix for that yet. 

Later, 

K


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I used a pre-g2 board, and swear I could set things in that decoder. 

I don't have that board now, but I should get a couple of them (old and new) and put this to rest by actually testing them, sometimes CVP does not know what actually works with the NCE or not, and since they are in the business of selling their own throttles, really cannot completely fault them. 

Greg


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

I should clarify my post a bit....







I really like the way NCE Gwire throttle communicates with QSI with the gwire receiver and with the Airwire products. I can set CV's, control speed, control direction, make all the functions work that I want. 

However, I have not been able to* "PROGRAM"* the locomotive # (CV1) into an Airwire decoder with the NCE throttle. I have had no problem *"ADDRESSING" *the locomotive number after it's been programmed with an Airwire 1300 or 9000 throttle. 

One other "glitch" is that the Gwire throttle will shut down in cold weather... No answers why..


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Stan, you've set the CVs on the older Airwires with the NCE but not the G-2, correct? (Exclusive of the loco address?) That's the gist of what I've come to understand. 

Do the boards that plug into the USA Trains locos use the G-2 throttle package? 

Later, 

K


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By East Broad Top on 23 Feb 2011 12:21 AM 
Stan, you've set the CVs on the older Airwires with the NCE but not the G-2, correct? (Exclusive of the loco address?) That's the gist of what I've come to understand. 

Kevin... Now you have me thinking..... I believe I've been able to set CV's on all the Airwire decoders with the exception of programming the locomotive number. I just can't "PROGRAM" or set the loco # using long address or short address. But, the gwire throttle will recognize and run any locomotive # that is selected after they've been "SET" by the Airwire throttles. 


Do the boards that plug into the USA Trains locos use the G-2 throttle package? 

I haven't installed one but the promo flyer on the CVP site says *The AirWire Drop-In decoders have all of the features of the G2 decoder and more*[/i].


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## K27_463 (Jan 2, 2008)

The CVP USA diesel Drop ins are more of a g2.5 or even g3 technology. They do some things with lighting for example that the g2 cannot do. They are certainly not a step back to g1 design however. The drop ins have higher voltage limits, current dissipation, and more. 

Jonathan/Electric modelworks


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Stan, try the G-2 with the NCE and see if it works for you. I tried it under both Program and Service modes with no effect, which is why I had to get the Airwire throttle to set the board up. It wouldn't have mattered to me if I couldn't change just the loco ID, since I only run one loco at a time and they feasibly could all be #3. But I couldn't set anything. (I tried again last night just to refresh my memory with the same non-successful results. No chirping, no motor tick, no changes.) 

Later, 

K


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## nkelsey (Jan 4, 2008)

Have not found a train whistle that was louder than your lawnmower or pressure washer.....that's my usual comment.. 


-except annoying the neighbors with constant blowing of the whistle. Haven't figured out a fix for that yet. Later,  K


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## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By East Broad Top on 22 Feb 2011 07:07 PM 
....SNIP...
.The RF-1300 is (in my opinion) the next best controller, since its speed knob has a definite "stop" and "full" position. The biggest issue with that is that it's hard to see the direction LEDs in bright sunlight, and that it's only capable of 8 DCC functions. 
....SNIP.....
Later, 
K 


Kevin They do/did? offer a chip upgrade to the RF1300 to support F9>TBD.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi Kevin... 

I'll see what I can do with the gwire and the g-2 when I return home... We're on a trip for a couple of days and will be back on the 28th....









I'll need to get a set from a friend of mine as the one I had was coveted by a visitor who made a cash, dollar offer I couldn't refuse....


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## Chrisemtpa (Jan 5, 2011)

I use an airwire F3 drop-in decoder and have successfully programmed long addresses using the NCE Gwire cab. To do this you go to Service Mode then to Direct Mode Program from there you can change CV values and addresses from short to long and assign the address. I was able to to change the functions keys, so that 1-3 work the cab lights, smoke unit, and something else that I can not remember at this moment. After sending the new values using direct mode the board responds with an audible beep to let you know that you have made the change. Also note that any other board that is active will receive the same changes, so make sure the only loco that has power is the one you are programming.

This works for me not sure it will work for everyone else.

Chris


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So what you are saying is you programmed CV's 17 & 18 with the long address, or are you saying you programmed CV29 to use the long address? 

It would really help detailing this out, since many people have the Gwire throttle only to be hit with this change from CVP. 

Regards, Greg


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