December 2018

Servo Controller Workshop

Thhis workshop went very well – all participants’ boards passed the key test which was to move the servo when the button was pressed.

We used a breadboard power supply to deliver the 5 volts needed by the integrated circuit. This worked far better than putting the regulator and capacitors on the board as discrete components.

We also tried out some breadboard friendly switches which had longer  connecting wires and sat much more securely on top of the breadboard.

November 2018

Weathering Workshop

 

Malcolm C ran a weathering workshop and gave a number of members the opportunity to see how Malcolm made it look so easy and then took the opportunity to try it out for themselves.

There is a rumour that all this painting was accompanied by the modellers singing songs from the musical Paint Your Wagon.

I can’t remember which member in the photo sang Wanderin’ Star.

Laser Train Detector Workshop

 

Members took the opportunity to discuss the types of train detector available:-

  • visible light beam
  • infra red beam
  • laser light
  • reed switch closed by magnet
  • hall effect device triggered by magnet
  • RFID tag.

Members then built and tested a laser train detection kit.

August 2018

Train Detector Workshop

 

A simple circuit to detect a passing train and the train causes a relay to change so that something else can either be switched on or switched off.

A typical application would be to switch on some station lights as the train arrives and then switch thenm off again after the train has departed.

Earlier Electronic Worksops in 2018

Colour Light Signals – a two phase colour light signal changes to red as a train passes and back to green again after a delay.

Train Shuttle – a train travels back and forward along a length of track, pausing at each end, before reversing.

Simple Train Controller – a very simple circuit to control a train using good old-fashioned DC technology.

Servo controller – a simple circuit to totate a servo arm by 180 degrees.