# Strange request



## CCSII (Jan 3, 2008)

Is there anyone out there who would be willing to loan me an RCS TX-24 (27.145 Mhz) controller for a day?


It would actually be for several days because of mail time back and forth.


I have a problem with my professionally installed RCS/Phoenix/Connie. It ran fine the first season. This year my total range of operation, transmitter to receiver, is about 18". I sent the tender and transmitter off to my original installer and he said he had whistle control at a reasonable distance but since I hadn't sent the engine the results were inconclusive. What I want to do is eliminate my transmitter from (or identify it as) the problem.


I am looking for someone who would be willing to mail me their transmitter, with battery removed, for my use for a duration of probably ten minutes. I would then return their transmitter to them covering the cost of mailing in both directions.


Any takers? 


Battery mafia in need of assistance. 


Thanks.


Charley


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello Charley. 

Before you get hold of another transmitter, would you be so kind as to just fill me in on a few more details. 

What sort of RCS transmitter is it? Does it have 8 buttons? 
If so please measure the TX battery voltage when you are pressing a button to load the battery up. If it is less than about 8.5 volts under load you will likely need a new battery. 
Only use a 9 volt Alkaline battery, not a carbon one, and definitely not a rechargeable battery. 

What sort of Phoenix is it? 
If a P2k2, are you certain the DCC address is set to 0 (zero) and all the DCC function commands disabled. 
If it is possible to disconnect the Phoenix please do so and see if that improves the range. 

If by chance the TX handpiece has been dropped you may have a broken crystal which will severely limit the range. 

If the TX has failed I will have it replaced under warranty.


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## CCSII (Jan 3, 2008)

Tony-


It is the eight button TX-24 with a frequency of 27.145 Mhz.


I changed the battery twice and the current one reads at 9 or 8.9 volts with no buttons pressed and 8.8 volts with a button pressed. 


To the best of my knowledge the unit has not been dropped or mishandled (no kids or pets in the house)


I hoped to eliminate the transmitter first before I started taking things apart. My second step would be disconnecting the Phoenix 2k2 and eliminating (or identifying) the receiver as the problem. If the transmitter and receiver are fine then I have to figure out how I am going to deal with the Phoenix as I am a Mac person and their software runs on PCs. I have an Intel Mac so I could run an emulator (money) and Windows (more money) and use a serial adaptor (even more money) so it seemed prudent to go trans (easy peasy) then rec (some disassembly) then 2k2 (disassembly and money.)


Charley


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Charley. 

Battery voltage should be OK. 

Next thing to try is the disconnecting the P2k2 pcb. 
If that solves the problem it won't be the TX-24.


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi Tony! 
i remember i had a simular problem ca 5 years ago,up on contacting you you sent me a new plug in something?(voltage regulator?)You said those thinks get Zapped when they go to the customs check! 
Worked since and i am a happy RCS customer! 
manfred Diel SA # 1313


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello Manfred. 

The early RCS units used a proprietary 28 pin PLCC IC supplied by ELSEMA as the first stage signal decoder. These have been known to fail for no apparent reason. 
I stopped using them quite some time ago when all the decoding was put into the PIC. 
It is also true that the PIC I now use as the brains can become "confused" when the system passes through the scanners used by US Customs. This problem has largely been eliminated by my sending the products to the overseas distributors in shielded bags. 
The problem Charley has could be the PIC but I doubt it. 
Sudden problems like this for no apparent reason are the hardest to diagnose.


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## bryanj (Jan 2, 2008)

I didn't know that ! Maybe that's one of my problems . 


If by chance the TX handpiece has been dropped you may have a broken crystal which will severely limit the range.


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Hello Bryan. 

Can you tell me what your problems are please.


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## bryanj (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey Tony,


I have not used it for quite awhile , but the range was not as good as before. And I have dropped it before . It's in my LGB MIkado, Dave did it several yrs ago. I have not run it because the chuff stopped working in the Mikado and Ive gotten very frustrated about not being able to solve that unrelated issue !









Thanks, Bryan


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## CCSII (Jan 3, 2008)

Tony 

Please check your pm's. 

Thanks 

Charley


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Charley. 
I have referred your message to Dave Goodson for attention.


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## CCSII (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks


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