Friday 13 January 2023

DCC model railway control for "Normal" people!

I have been asked to explain DCC to friends who played with toy electric trains as youngsters and wonder what this modern development is.

There are several layers to the answers but I shall approach it as I did my career as a Power Engineer on the London Underground!

It is all Magic.

Lesson 1.


The manufacturing wizards have put tiny imps into little boxes that you fit in the toy engine of your choice. There are also tiny master goblins who live inside the control unit. The master goblins translate the things you do with your fingers into messages for the correct tiny imp to tell it what  to do. All the messages go to all the imps but they only understand the messages meant for them and ignore the others. Sometimes the imps get confused, over excited or just naughty so you have an emergency stop button which stuns all the imps until you reset it.

Some Goblins are now able to understand messages sent from computers.






You can buy boxes that allow the imps to control the engine and they can turn on lights and make smoke etc if your toy engine has those devices installed. New toy engines have sockets for the box to plug into or old toy engines can be wired up straight to the right bits of the toy train. you can also add new bits to your old toy engines but you have to make sure there is room in the toy engine. Diesel Toy engines have more room for more things to be added than steam toy engines.




More expensive boxes can be purchased which have specially trained imps that have been taught all about actual real engines and these can make the right toy train behave just like the real engine.
Even more expensive boxes have additional specially trained imps with recordings of all the sounds the real engine can make (some have even recorded things they heard whilst on the real engine like station announcements). You can tell the goblins how loud the imps should play.







Some imps are trained to make special lighting effects and they can work in teams if the Goblins tell them to. I have some imps who make the noise of shovelling coal and they work with imps that make light like flames in the real engine's firebox appear inside the cab of the toy engine.



If you were silly and put the diesel imps in a steam toy engine I think the imps would not know because they do not have windows in the box. If you see a window in your box the imps have escaped and you have to send it back to the wizards who might send you a new box or say it might have been your fault a bit so give them a bit of money towards a new one. Two sets of wizards have said one of those things to me each.



The wizards have had meetings and have agreed to train most of the imps and goblins to do the same things but they have left a few commands free for the wizards to do their own things so some goblins tell some imps to do the wrong things - but that is alright because you can tell the goblins the right thing to tell the right imps what to do. The wizards have put all this information on the interwebby thingy so you might be able to find it and might be able to get the imps to understand - but often they don't because they are bored or just naughty.

The wizards also want to save money and they don't care how many imps they cram into the boxes so they often put imps in that are only used to copy some country's real engines. I have some imps who think they are in the USA and will not turn the right lights on but I have not given up yet.

Some boxes of imps do not go in engines but do things like change points. Some Wizards have trained imps to do either point type things or engine type things and allow humans to decide which that box of imps shall do.


There is also a box with imps in that make bird song and ambient marshalling yard noises and that box is fitted in a box van truck that you leave in the siding. See Hornby's Box Van here:-

https://youtu.be/6l_fhR7BY0A



You may also have to tell the goblins to tell some imps not to work as you might be running an express on a branch line and top speed might be too high for the curves. Also the goblins can help inexperienced humans change the drive characteristics of the imps to make the toy engine easier to drive.


Here endeth lesson 1.

Thursday 23 January 2020

Brightening up damp January

Having great fun watching the local wild life from the comfort of inside the house. We have a new remote controlled IP camera with night vision and 20x optical zoom.

Last night we saw a Badger hurry passed, Muntjac deer, rabbits and a fox.



A Barn Owl visited the old large box and hung around for some 5 hours but as far as we could tell its mate did not show up.
Roll on Spring

Saturday 1 September 2018

1 September 2018

One Barn Owl returned outside the nest box at 0431 this morning and roosted inside from 0552.

Thursday 30 August 2018

Observed Barn Owl activity 2018


The following Blogg is a record of the Barn Owl observations from early April to the end of August 2018.
BACKGROUND
The Owl boxes  are in my garden in Buckinghamshire UK. The Owls are totally wild and free. They have been mostly resident since 2015.
The common abbreviations used below are F=female, M=male, BO = Barn Owl . o/s outside (the box)

The Barn Owls raised youngsters in 2015 and minimal video coverage was obtained with cam recorders some of which is on my You Tube channel. (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHvU-QKVpILl35cPp_ollpA?)

In 2016 they raised 3 youngsters from 6 eggs, 5 of which hatched. There is extensive video on my You Tube Channel.

In 2017 no eggs were laid after a major fight took place in the box assumed to be with one of the 2016 returning youngster.

This year 2018 I had full video and some sound coverage from April and the Barn Owls were unable to lay any eggs during a very unusual spell of weather. 

My detailed observations are here :-


Date



Description
04/01/18



1BO in 1BO out Tawney Owl arrived BO flew off video 4118





No coverage due to camera failure
04/04/18



Both BO roost M goes hunting returns with large rodent
24/04/18



Frequent pair bonding activity onwards from this date





frequent pelleting action from this time
25/04/18



Uneaten rodent seen in box - consumed later in day
26/04/18



Tawny owl visit and spent several minutes incl looking into entrance. Both BO inside much noise.
30/04/18



Copulation with sound see video 30 apr 2018 - cold windy wet(sound now recording on timer)
02/05/18



(F waited shelf many hours) M arrives no food copulation 04:05 & 0453 much cuddles - sleep
02/05/18





Owls awake Jackdaw arr with nest mat looks in takes mat to roost box ??.broadband probs





F BO outside hears Tawny; she goes in Tawny looks into box -no sound recording - photos Fbook


                                                  Tawny Owl visit

04/05/18



much in out by M mostly close to F - NO FOOD seen
05/05/18



Appears F went out hunting & returned with large rodent. M out since 20;44
08/05/18



Tawny Owl visit (silence) video 8518 tawny visit - very warm day/night
09/05/18



F spends most of the night outside the box M away no food supply seen with 10% sample
10/05/18



M hunting until 04;44 copulation - F hunting 20;48 to 0415 wet weather thorough check
15/05/18



Much disturbance Tawny Owl? Duck call & fly Dog barking 0350 only 1 BO roosted from 0456
16/05/18



1BO absent. Great cellebrations upon return lasted 1 hr mainly sitting together outside then roost


17/05/18



Normal 2bo roost to 2100 both hunt F? in 0313 M in 0338 roost (windy cool)
17/05/18



Disturbed following camera cable failure Both left roost. I left 2 sm rats 1bo returned 21;34 short visit.
18/05/18



F BO visited & waited in & out did not roost or take food Crows did at 0618
19/05/18



1bo outside 2139 - 0356, 2bo - 0358 1bo roost from 0424
20/05/18




21/05/18



21/22 May barn owls disturbed and leave; still about; 1 visits new box
21/05/18



21 do not roost
22/05/18



22 do not roost but about outside
23/05/18



23/24 both owls visit outside box only 1 enters did not roost
25/05/18



24/25 assumed to have left
24/05/18



24/25 one bo in and out from 2213- 0429 when it went in and roosted
26/05/18



26/27 one bo roosted out at 2054 very wet storm night returned alone 0314 inside to roost 0431
27/05/18



27/28 2nd bo returned 2215 much bonding stayed to 0635 1 roosted sound timing wrong
31/05/18



31/1 June M(?) retuned 0329 left 0418 calling heard from 2200
01/06/18



F roosted
03/06/18



F BO seen to enter with food. Male joined at 0409 both roosting
03/06/18



Both BO F out 2107 ret with food 0038. camera fail both roosting at 0930
04/06/18



M BO left roost and seen to head towards RAF Halton
05/06/18



M BO arrives with young rabbit F inside No action to eat it seen M left at 0815 F roosts (rab out of shot)
06/06/18



F roost all night occ looks out no visit from M observed F roosts
07/06/18



F roost but missing (outside) 2054 to 0357 no M seen
08/06/18



F roost alone no vision of M Fout 2044 return outside 0342 in 0418
09/06/18



F roost alone no vision of M Fout 2131 return outside 0342 in 0450
10/06/18



F roost all day out 2150 return 0404
10/06/18



Roosting bird unsettled and left approx 1100hrs bird seen/heard outside from 2212
11/06/18



both birds inside much attention inc pellet nibbling M(?) outside 0337- daylight F roosts
12/06/18



2148 F leaves box ret 0181 stays in or out til 0337 in followed by M Roost F maybe injured leg?
13/06/18



m left 2112 f outside from 2133 f hunts 2141 both return 0433 M leaves 0433 f roosts
14/06/18



M left early 13th not seen . F left 2116 returned 0326 roosted
15/06/18



F alone out 2116 in 0326 m not seen f roosted
16/06/18



f depart 2133 to outside hunt from 0246 return inside 0348 m inside 0353 both roost
17/06/18



m out 2123 f out 2150 f return 0411 f roost
18/06/18



f out 2136 m in 0400 f in 0427 both roost
19/06/18



m out 2122 f out 2145 f in 0438 (m did not return to roost)
20/06/18



2150 f out 0045 small rat M & F in much pairbond @ 0339 both roost from 0345
21/06/18




2136 1 out 2139 2 out 0324 1 in 0427 both in to Roost
22/06/18



2152 2 out 2254 sht tail vole(?) eaten by 1 in stayed outside most night 1 in 0339 2 in 0356 roost
23/06/18



2120 both out return to box 0312 – M remains out flies off at sunrise
24/06/18



2200 1 bo left/ 0303 1 inside 1 outside/ 0322 both in/ 0352 both out/ 0418 both in roost
25/06/18



Internet failure – both roosted
26/06/18



Internet failure – 1 roosted
27/06/18



computer off
28/06/18



F out 2156, 0001 food small rodent, 0035 out 0317 out 0347 m out after leaves food long tail small rat
29/06/18



2201 both out 0342 1 returned until 0358 – left did not return or roost
30/06/18



1 bo roosted
01/07/18



2200 1 bo went os 2222 left 0334 both arr os 1 in 0350 2 in 0409 pair bond for 4 mins
02/07/18



both out 2145 0300 food short tailed vole squirrel visit 0338 both roost 0359
03/07/18



2139 both out both back 0401 roosted
04/07/18



21:53 both out both return by 0351 & roost Much pairbond some visits during night.
05/07/18



2120 1 out 2157 2 out 0406 1 return and roost alone
07/07/18



1 barn owl left at 2133 and did not return
09/07/18



1 barn owl returned 2326 & 0347 roosted from 0408
10/07/18 Edible dormouse (Glis glis) seen in box.

11/07/18



both owls visited outside box during night
12/07/18



Only 1 owl seen to visit 0321 for a few minutes
13/07/18



No show
14/07/18



Owl outside from 0200 0317 in searching in & out In to roost 0419
21/07/18



B Owl sheltered from light rain 0141 – 0231
25/07/18



Both owls return visit box depart 2217 return 0400 and roost from 0429
26/07/18



Both owls left between 21:21 & 21:25 one returned at 0352 and roosted from 0405 (Glis glis 2132)
27/07/18



1 bo roosted to2123 ret 0219 rain out 0306 roosted from 0431 (GG 0314) – departed 2129
31/07/18



1 occasionally outside then roosted from 0459 departed 2124 GG seen 2345
01/08/18



Visited 0138 roosted from 0436 departed 2118
03/08/18



BO visited NEW box 0012 BO returned to old box 0410 roosted from 0434 until 2124
04/08/18



1 bo around box a few times (seen biting box roof where Kite had eaten) roosted 0449 Out 2113 left 2122
05/08/18



1 Barn Owl frequently perched outside box for long periods at night 5th to 7th Aug.
13/08/18



1 Barn Owl about from 0456 Roosted inside from 0510 left at 2058
17/08/18



1 Barn Owl arrived 0437 2nd outside at 0450 pair bond Roosted inside from 0510. 1 out 2036 2 out 2055
18/08/18



1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0201 departed 2045
20/08/18



1 Barn Owl outside from 0422 Roosted inside from 0516 departed 2044 stayed close and visited box
21/08/18



1 Barn Owl outside from 0001 Roosted inside from 0336 departed 2048
22/08/18



1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0412 departed 2033
23/08/18



1 Barn Owl returned 0459 Roosted inside from 0527 departed 2037
24/08/18



1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0327 departed 2015
25/08/18



1st Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0423 second roosted from 0616 departed 2027 2nd joined o/s 2030
26/08/19



1 Barn Owl Roosted inside from 0509 departed 2034
27/08/18




1st BO arr 0139 2nd seen o/s 0215 pairbond much photos both roost from 0537 o/s 2000 departed 2016
28/08/18



1 BO to box o/s 0212 roosted from 0237 ( Glis glis visited 0113) departed daylight no record o/s 2052
29/08/18



No bo inside. Seen o/s 0024-0511 did not roost
30/08/18




No activity recorded