This week I motored along with the Pi. Using the most recent Raspbian OS image, along with some additional packages I chanced upon via research, I was able to get the Dlink DWA-125 wifi adaptor to become a access point and transmit a static address. Woo hoo!
Problem was for some reason the other wifi adaptor which was configured for the Internet dropped out. Hmmm. I would like both to be working but not a big issue as the main outcome is to have the Pi transmitting IP addresses so that hopefully when JMRI's WiThrottle is turned on, it will be able to connect to smartphone/tablet throttles. Having an internet connection would be nice for operating system and application package updating but I could get around this via ethernet connectivity to a laptop or tether a mobile phone to the Pi on those infrequent times when updating might be required.
So half the battle won. Now this week I will look at UDEV rules to lock in specific devices to specific Linux interfaces. The point of this is to allow for say the DLink modem to be always assigned wlan1 say. Then in a similar fashion the NCE USB and MERG USB modules to be assigned specific interfaces.
If I get this working, I will look at installing JMRI and see if the predefined interface for the Dlink modem comes up, and then see if JMRI's WiThrottle starts and broadcasts addresses for wifi connectivity.
As for modelling, just taking small break while I have the enthusiasm to persist with the Pi.
This week I put some time into re-familiarising myself with the Raspberry Pi as it has been since December last year since I have potted around with it. I downloaded the latest Raspbian image and put it onto a separate SD card. This is the beauty of this system. The whole operating system and applications are all stored on a single SD card! You want to try a different OS, then just copy it onto another SD card, give it a go and you can always revert to an early or different version by exchanging the SD cards.
Well I tried the latest version and it still doesn't appear to be working exactly like I had hoped. I'm thinking of trying another OS version from a different mob to see if it is better or not.
No modelling this week, however today we went across to Hobbyrama for Lachlan to spend some of his birthday money. Over Easter I introduced him to aircraft modelling to do something different and to start small and easy and work up to more complicated modelling kits, hopefully with a view to railway modelling. So I bought him one of the classics, an Airfix Spitfire kit. He did pretty well with a little help from me. He started painting it this weekend. He then went a bought himself a Soviet WW2 tank over the holidays. And today he bought a Jaguar model car! Very diverse collection so far!
So while I was there, I went around to the railway modelling section and bought a Dapol Country Inn (ie pub) kit to put on the layout beside the shop.
So this upcoming week might be more Pi and start either the pub or yard sheds kits.
This week I was able to finish the Dapol shop and Metcalfe platform (bus) shelter. I decided not to put a LED light into the shop due to a number of reasons, but the main one being that the light would have been reflecting off a number of features, especially the actual building interior itself. I would've had to paint the interior black to stop the light penetrating throught the plastic and I wasn't going to do that! So in the end I just glued down the cement paving Scalescenes paper to the cardboard and then the shop onto the cardboard base.
As for the shelter, it has certainly surpassed my opinions of potentially using Metcalfe kits in the future. Very easy to construct and instructions were very easy to understand.
I was also able to revisit the Pi. During the week I did some additional research and came across some solutions. Not all were agreeable! Looks like the little wireless dongle I bought had a number of issues. I am hoping the more recent version of Raspbian has had some additional fixes added to it. So last night I downloaded the latest version but have yet to get to the Pi with the new OS. Something to do this week.
Other things to do may be the small yard huts and continue with the Pi.
Well Easter arrived and with it family commitments, BBQs, beer, wine, cheese and chocolate ;-)
As a result nothing happened on any of the Easter evenings. The week prior to Easter I continued with the little Metcalfe shelter and placed a small SMD LED with appropriate orange tinting inside before putting on the roof. So nearly finished this one. As for the Dapol shop, hopefully this week I can sort out the internal lighting and the base.
As for the Pi experimentation, I've decided I must commit myself to at least one night a week to keep this going else it will never get finished.
Let me see how this week goes?
A bit late with this update. Last week I progressed with the Dapol shop and it is looking really good. I decided not to put a floor in and will need to position the lighting in another way. Also have to put the base on. All nearing completion and a photo or two will follow once done.
My mate PK also dropped off a free Metcalfe kit he received in Railway Modeller that he didn't want. It is a small platform shelter. I've never built a Metcalfe kit before but have wanted to. This is small enough to give me a feel for the quality of the kit. I have done Superquick cardboard kits previously and found them a bit on the thin and fiddly side. So on the weekend I started this little kit and it is pretty good to construct. As usual I will put a small light in side (one of those SMD LEDs I got for the signals). I intend to use this as a bus stop opposite Kensington Hill station as the brickwork will blend in. Once again once finished I will put some photos up.
Easter is coming up so maybe I will get some time at night to finish these off this week, but time will tell.
So this week I was able to progress with the Dapol shop. I'm taking my time with this as I will be modifying the basic kit to accomodate the usual lighting. I also have to put in a floor to separate the upstairs and downstairs for the lighting I intend to put in. This is the first kit in about 30 years (since I was a young teenager) that I have done by painting on the sprue before putting it together as there are a few detailed features that need to be painted separately. I will also put it on a base that fits in with the general features of the nearby buildings. I will also use some curtains from a Scalescenes kit to spruce up the rather bland 'out of the box' features of the windows. I am having fun putting this rather simple structure together to make it look just right.
This week will be continuing with the Shop I think as I am just not in the right frame of mind to stuff around with the Pi and its integration with JMRI, NCE and MERG. All in good time!
Hi to
all my ardent followers. As mentioned in my last post Dear Ole' Dad passed away last weekend so this week has been busy sorting out the arrangements, etc so no time for modelling as it has been a pretty emotional week all round.
Perhaps I'll continue with the Dapol shop this week. Stay tuned.
