Areas of interest

Student Christian Movement of Canada

Victoria community corporate rowing challenge

Borland Delphi
A visual orientated programming language, similar to visual basic/optima c++ and borlands new c++ builder product.

Forms 4.5
An Oracle product, it focuses on the creation of front ends to oracle databases. This is the primary product that I use on contracts.

GNU-WIN32
A free compiler for windows - I have not verified this link/looked at this product in the last 6 months...

DCC-MB
As for hobbies, I am interested in model trains (more technical than artistical) and got interested in DCC from an instructor while going through the Computer Systems Technology Program at Camosun College. DCC-MB appears to be an interesting page that uses the parallel port as the source for the DCC packets. This then feeds currently to the serial port booster circuit also available at this page. I am pointing you at the DCC-MB page for two reasons
1) the use of the parallel port vs the serial port allows for less processing overhead on the computer and also a cleaner interface, the serial port routines had implicit zero bit stretching and all sorts of joy, as well as the possibility that a particular packet might be impossible to send (all 3 bytes are ok, so all NMRA defined commands could be sent) and
2) his page is still available, the page where I used to get the serial port files is now indicating that all the files are now available through NMRA, but I have been unable to locate them.

TMWDCC
TMWDCC is based on DCC-MB, but uses a PIC instead of standard 74 series IC's. Also links off to Deans page which has a schematic for a dcc decoder (also based on a PIC).

Where I am with all this DCC stuff:
I have successfully wirewrapped the parallel port to DCC circuit, breadboarded the booster circuit and breadboarded the decoder circuit (the train is currently trucking along a breadboard mounted on the base of a 50' car with wires between them. The decoder is basicly Dean's style, the logic circuit is the DCC-MB style and the booster is well.. parts and ideas flying in uniform.

I am currently thinking that I should decode the DCC signal and send it to a computer via RS-232. This would allow me to ensure that the dcc signal is being encoded properly. I'm going to be using the CTASK kernal (It runs on a 286, and allows preemptive multitasking), and as it was, it had problems sending data to the parrallel port fast enough, -- it was noticably slow. I have modified it and think it should be faster... but I'm still uncertain and I don't have a scope to check things out.

I now have a decoder built on a circuit board, I need to install it yet. On Sunday Mar 8 I tested it with reduced current availability and was able to control the brightness of a lighbulb, so removed the current reducing resistor and was able to control the trains engine. The circuit board had some minor problems due the the fact that a) I made it myself so had some hairline breaks and b) I had a couple of minor issues with the layout itself but all in all the board was usable. All but two components are through hole, the mosfets are surface mount, and I ended up binding a wire to my iron to get the 'tip' small enough to work. I have only installed the transistor for F1, but I have traces for all outputs: F1-F4 12v (via transistor) as well as F5 5v (Low current - no transistor)

At this point in time I haven't bought a voltage monitor, although I did leave room for it in the layout. While breadboarding I found that the train would have problems running away if it hit a dirty spot on the track. I have upgraded the processor to a newer version of Dean's code which has the watchdog timer enabled, so I'm going to see if I can get away without it. (I cannot get voltage monitors in town so will have to get them from digikey, but I don't have much I want from them yet to make the shipping fee worthwhile.
There is a DCC sniffer program that uses a sound card. See http://www.digitoys-systems.com/WinSniffer_e.html for info & downloading.

Aug 31: I have yet to install the voltage monitor - I now have it. The booster circuit I have rewired to be similar to Teton Short Line. Unfortuately the powersupply on the old computer I'm using decided to dispose of some of that magical 'smoke', so it could be a while before I can do much.

Sept 29/99: wow! it has been a year since I've revamped this .. the aug31 above was in 98!! I got that powersuppy working, and since upgraded the machine to a 486 with a different ps (just changed mb's soo the hd and such is still clunker stuff)

Feb 4/2000: New links added to page