The SPROG II (priced at about $100, plus a computer, either Mac or PC), in addition to being a stand alone programmer, can also be used to test run a loco on the program track using the virtual throttle contained in the free software program "DecoderPro" which is included with the SPROG, but it will be limited to only 1 amp output.
If you spend a little bit more and opt for the SPROG 3, it will have a higher amperage power supply and could function as a system to run a small layout. You can also get compatible software (some of it is freeware) and turn an iPad, iPod or Smart Phone into a functional throttle as well. I use my SPROG II along with a small HP Netbook as a portable stand alone programmer for use when my club's modules are set up at a show, and I love it! Bill in FtL --- In [email protected], "David Heine" <davesn3@...> wrote: > > Peter, > > > > If all you need is a programmer, and depending on what you can get for your > DCC equipment on the used market, you could replace it with a device such as > a SPROG. > > > > http://www.sprog.us.com/ > > > > http://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/index.shtml > > > > Dave Heine > > Easton, PA > > > > > > > > > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > Peter Vanvliet > Sent: Saturday, September 14, 2013 12:39 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} FNF 9/13/13 > > > > > > Good to see this thread back! I hope more people will share their "S" efforts. > > This week I finished permanently installing the B.T.S. "Greeley's Place" kit > (a.k.a. Smitty's Rod-n-Reel) on my layout. This involved connecting the two > surface-mount LEDs that are in the structure to the layout's accessories bus. > I then built up a bit of scenery around the whole building. I hope to add a > nice, large tree in the next few months to provide Smitty with some shade > during the hot Pennsylvania summer months... > > http://pmrr.org/Layouts/PMRRBranch/ProgressReports_LVL2_52.htm > > A couple of impromptu mini, one-man operating sessions this week were a > welcome break from the computer... > > Last night I finished testing the free-rolling abilities of all my cars by > swapping out wheels and/or trucks... whatever it took to get some nice > rolling cars. I am happy now. > > Over the past several months I have been scratchbuilding a large industrial > building (called the Canonsburg Milling company, which was a real company, > but I have no prototype photos of it). I am down to building the last wall on > the building. This one will be behind a "concrete" dock, and will feature a > second-floor access door, accessed via one of the Kaw Valley Designs > staircase kits. This week I decided to cast the concrete dock out of Plaster > of Paris, and using some Lego blocks I had bought on eBay a while back as the > mold master. It worked well (took three days to dry). I hope to finish > installing this last wall section this weekend, and hopefully also install > the roofs. Then it will be off to the paint shop. Final painting and > detailing will probably take several more months. > > I have also been digging more into the battery-powered S-CAB system that I > use. For example, I wanted to find out what it takes to program the non-basic > CVs of the decoder. I had planned on selling my now surplus Digitrax DCC > system, but it turns out that you need a DCC system to be able to program the > non-basic CVs (use your own or borrow a friend's). I hope to experiment with > this in the next month or so and report my findings on my web site. > > Our club, the Houston S Gaugers, were in a sad state about four months ago > when it looked like we might only be doing one show a year from now on; and > that is a one-day show to boot! My, how times change. We now have three shows > lined up: October, November, and January! The one in January will be the > World's Greatest Hobby show here in Houston, and we plan on bringing out > every single module the club and individuals own. Several of our club members > have been busy improving the looks of some of the modules. I plan on adding > some scenery elements to some of our modules in the next few months as well. > > If you are in the Houston area during those months, check out the "Events" > page of our web site: > > http://www.houstonsgaugers.org/ > > There is always something fun to do in this hobby! > - Peter. > > > > > -- > > Peter Vanvliet (peter@...) > Houston, Texas > > My Model Railroad Site <http://pmrr.org/> (RSS feed > <http://pmrr.org/rss.xml> ) > Fourth Ray Software <http://fourthray.com/> > Houston S Gaugers <http://houstonsgaugers.org/> > N.A.S.G. <http://nasg.org/> > -- > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://info.yahoo.com/legal/us/yahoo/utos/terms/
