What's going on with Deltang?

[Quarryscapes]

I need to make a decision on control for my 16mm locos - this was always going to be Deltang, but rctrains are citing supply problems and are not supplying transmitters. WHat's the story? I don't want to outfit the locos with receivers and find I can't actually buy transmitters to control them! 

[davetheroad]

Try micron Radio control, they appear to have them in stock

[MickRalph]

I recently purchased the Tx22 (and other bits and pieces) from Andy at Micron and received exemplary service from him - very prompt delivery and rapid responses to a couple of emailed queries.  The kit arrived with unexpected extras - the overlay for the control box that Micron use on the boxes they sell complete; the wires needed to make up the kit; some servo tape to attach the Tx2 module to the top of the throttle pot; a piece of foam tape to secure the battery; and a comprehensive extra set of advice notes for building the kit.

 

I am putting it together at the moment and have found it essential to use a very small soldering tip - I am using a 0.5mm tip rather than the slightly bigger one I use for etched kit construction.  This is the first time I have done any micro-electronics work and it is going well at the moment (I hope).

 

Mick

[Chris M]

I was in touch with Phil from RC Trains last week. He didn't say what the supply problem was (and I didn't ask) but he did say there was no problem with components from Deltang. I received excellent service from RCTrains, very helpful.

[davetheroad]

On the Rc Trains site it says...Not taking new TX orders ATM.. Parts supply issues

 

I think ATM means at the moment

 

Their transmitters look different to the Deltang ones so maybe they are awaiting deliveries of their overlays etc

[decauville1126]

Another here who has nothing but praise for Andy at Micron. Yes, Deltang stuff can seem pricey, but once you've got a multi-train transmitter it's just a case of a battery and receiver with esc per loco. And if you contact Deltang direct they will send you to ...... Micron to purchase. So obviously they are the preferred retailer. I've often thought that some other stuff seems to be re-badged or slightly reworked Deltang designs at an enhanced price.

[Quarryscapes]

Great, I'll take a look! 

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Ive found micron helpful. But was awaiting their trials of fitting equipment (batteries) to small/smaller 7mm scale models.

 

The issue with buying any make that is a relatively limited supply is that the equipment may be in short supply or worse....

 

Worth keeping an eye on the situation though..

 

ATVB

 

CME

Edited October 26, 2017 by CME and Bottlewasher

[davetheroad]

It could be considered an advantage of Deltangs equipment that although I believe he is a one man business  the transmitters and receivers are not strictly propriety. They are firmly based on the technology used in controlling model planes/boats and cars. I understand David Theunissen was a UK pioneer in radio controlled model electric planes and still has his Fly Electric site.

 

You can control Deltang receivers with model plane controllers and there is nothing to stop some enterprising person to design and build their own transmitters (does someone in Oz do this?) As those transmitters output data packets in standard hobby flying format producing independent receivers should be possible as well.

 

One thing I like about radio control is that you can run different systems on the same layout. It does not matter if some of your locos are Deltang, some Protocab and some BlueRail, The problem only comes if you want to consist them. Deltang and BlueRail have consisting and I think the next version of Protocab

 

so don't panic folks!

 

Thanks for the info on building a kit transmitter Mick. I think I might have a go at building a Tx20 kit for my Hornby smokey joe as it is my only loco that uses a 'low off' throttle, the rest use 'centre off' and things can get confusing.

[MickRalph]

Although I have sung the praises of Micron, I also received very quick delivery of some items from RC Trains which sre not available from Micron.  Also, the support section on the RC Trains website is very useful, particularly the link to the Peckforton Light Railway blog.  For constructing the Tx22, I am generally following the guidance from that site (the build log is here).  Another forum post that I am using is here, though the images are from Photobucket and don't appear unless you have a browser addon to display them - I created a pdf file of the thread, so I have them available on my computer here in France, where I have limited internet connection.

 

One thing that Andy at Micron suggests, which was scary as the first action, is to remove the 3 x 7 connector from the Tx2 and simply solder the wires to the pads on the Tx2.  However, this was actually easy to do and should help the mocule to fit better in the case.

 

Mick

 

edited to correct the spelling of Peckforton

Edited October 27, 2017 by MickRalph

[Robin2]

There is an alternative to Deltang if you are prepared to do some soldering and some Arduino programming and have space for a larger device than the Deltang modules. You can use nRF24L01+ wireless modules as illustrated here.  Obviously they won't fit in N Gauge locos.

 

Note that the nRF24 is not compatible with the Cypress transceivers used in the Deltang modules.

 

...R

[fallen]

If you are worried about soldering the wires to the Deltang transmitter module, the pins take standard servo connectors so if you buy these ready wired to leads you can get by without any soldering to the pins, although there are a couple of connections to make direct to the board.

 

Frank

[Butler Henderson]

Just to add praise to the excellent service from Micron, not quite sure what I needed I sort of set out what I wanted and Andy provided me with a schedule of parts and an payapl invoice with dispatch the next day and delivery by postie the day following. Not actually done anything with it yet!

Edited October 27, 2017 by Butler Henderson