A $10 Programmable Wireless TMCC Link

Whatever you just said sounds very cool!

They certainly are cheap enough, I found them on eBay for $3.52 shipped.  The user reviews I read claim some pretty impressive ranges, up to 400-500 meters reliably.

Professor Chaos posted:

I've been playing around with the HC-12 wireless serial modules.  These are tiny modules provide a very simple wireless serial link;  all you need to do is connect power (3.2- 5V), ground, and a TTL serial data line.  They cost between $4 - $5 each and have a range up to 1 km in open air:

 

What I'm envisioning is you combine the HC-12 with an Arduino Pro Mini (~$2-$5) and a 5V supply (~$1) and you have a wireless receiver that process TMCC or Legacy commands and take any action you can envision an Arduino taking..  Sort of like an ERR Mini Commander, but a quarter of the price and infinitely programmable (albeit lacking built-in triacs).

You could use the combination to control a very complex accessory or operating rolling stock from the CAB-2... my problem is that I'm not creative enough to think of an accessory or operating car that I would want to automate.  So right now it's a solution in search of an application!

 

 

Thanks for posting this. I can see building transmitters and receivers using these along with a custom controller but am not sure how you could use a Cab2 as a controller. Is there a way to add custom functions to the Cab2 that I am not aware of? I have a number of animations I would like to add to my engines but haven't figured a way to add them to the Cab2.

Pete

Sounds like a fine idea to me.  Can you post updates as you progress.  I'm sure there are, at least, a few who would like to duplicate your configuration to control automations, sounds, etc from a microprocessor (Arduino for me).  Thanks so much for posting.  Following with great interest.

Norton posted:

Thanks for posting this. I can see building transmitters and receivers using these along with a custom controller but am not sure how you could use a Cab2 as a controller. Is there a way to add custom functions to the Cab2 that I am not aware of? I have a number of animations I would like to add to my engines but haven't figured a way to add them to the Cab2.

Pete

You can't change the operation of the Cab2 (as far as I know).  But if you can program a receiver to take any action you want in response to a particular command issued by the Cab2.  So you can program an Arduino or other device to take some action when in response to any button press (or sequence of button presses) on the Cab2.

I did this when I created a custom uncoupler magnet controller with an Arduino. I wanted to control uncouplers both with physical buttons and Cab2 commands, and have an automatic lockout function in case the magnets were left energized. So I tied the Arduino to the Legacy serial data line, and had it activate relays in response to particular accessory commands from the Cab2.

Ok I see that now. I may have to pick up a spare Cab2 or Cab1L and see if there is a way to inject data before the RF transmitter. That way a keypad could be mounted to the handheld and not hard wired to the base.

Jon Z, please chime in if you think this is a possibility and maybe a feature to be incorporated in a future Legacy systems. DCC has had user programable features for years.

Pete