More Headset Progress

Yesterday and today I spent time soldering up the various plug-in-panels that will be dispersed around the layout at each of my staff machine locations to enable communication from these point to North Coast Control. I have all but three 3 panels assembled as I don't have enough stereo sockets. While I do have the 6 plugs necessary, those six are currently installed in my headset testbed that was created by Brendan, that I intend to keep for some time.

The testbed.  On/off switch centre left, master volume control centre, and two headsets plugged in at top left and bottom left.  These two headsets have push to talk buttons also connected.  There are also two other headsets plugged in, but they don't have their microphones connected up.

Yesterday I thought to myself that before I was to add my plug-in-points to the testbed system, I would give the testbed system a final test so that I could confirm if it wasn't working after I connected my stuff to it, it would be 100% my fault. Luckily I did. As I could not get the system to work. It was working, as the Tuesday Nighters had tested it on a number of occasions. Damn! I was checking connections, scratching my head, and thinking. I sent an email to Brendan for some advice. I thought I may have connected the power the wrong way around to the system, and I thought that this may have damaged some components. Brendan responded with some suggestions but I could not get it to work. So today I went over to Jaycar and purchased the components required to replace the 5 capacitors and the one integrated circuit in the amplifier. So this afternoon I replaced these and tested it again. Still it did not work at first. I checked a couple of capacitors and they were a bit wobbly. My soldering is nowhere near as good as Brendan's. So I hit them again with the iron and I think made the various dodgy components work again and we were away. I gave it a test and now I am happy to progress with adding my plug in points to this basic circuit.

I have attached about 14 of the plug-in-points to the layout fascia, but as yet I have only wired up 3 of them together. But they are still to be connected to the testbed. I think I will leave the testbed connected for a while, before I remove the plug-in-points in the testbed and just leave the on/off switch and the amplifier in its current location.

One of my plug-in-points next to the staff machine at Fairy Hill.  The headset is at the bottom and the microphone connection is on the top with the push to talk button next to the microphone connection.  In the background is the signal cabin at Fairy Hill.  On the other side of the tracks is the plug-in-point for the other side of the basboard also for Fairy Hill.

I also thought I might show you last weeks birthday present up on the wall.  This was put up on Monday this week.

The TV in the shed.  I can also connect up my Computer to it, so I might split the screen up and show a fast clock, train timetable graphs or various messages during a running session.

Next week I will try and connect the first plug-in-point to the testbed.  I think my running session will be a few weeks off yet.