See the list of possible courses for 2023, and if you are interested in this or another course for 2023, please let us know.

Watch this space for when the next course is scheduled, but note that we will only run this course in 2023 if we receive sufficient expressions of interest.

JMRI is free software that you can download to control your model railway. It includes a component called “Decoder Pro” which can be used to program the various settings (CVs) of your DCC locos, using a much more friendly on-screen interface, compared to having to work out all the CV numbers when programming a handset.

The loco “Roster” that you create, also has other useful features that you might find useful.

This course assumes no previous knowledge of JMRI or Decoder Pro, although a working understanding of basic DCC concepts would be helpful.

Note that this course is distinct from our series of courses on JMRI Panel Pro - you can take this course independently of those.

The course will start with arrivals from 4pm on Friday evening and then takes place over the weekend (Saturday and Sunday).

We also have an optional follow-on practical workshop day on Monday 21st March. This will be a practical workshop day for you to apply the knowledge learnt over the weekend. You can work on whatever you wish, with assistance from the tutors, such as working with your own DCC locos, revisiting certain course subjects or installing DCC decoders in your locos.

Topics covered will include:

• Downloading and installing JMRI Decoder Pro
• Getting Decoder Pro connected to your locos
• Managing profiles - and where JMRI puts your loco roster files
• CVs - What are they? What are they used for? How to set them
• Programming “On the main” or “On the Programming track”
• Creating a new loco roster entry
• Reading in all the CV entries
• The standard NMRA subset of CVs & how decoders differ
• Setting up Decoder addresses
• Motor control, speed settings, speed table and inertia
• Function outputs - mapping function buttons to physical decoder outputs
• Add function button names in Decoder Pro
• Other uses of function buttons
• Setting up directional lighting and other lighting effects
• Running in Multiple AKA Consists
• Braking options
• Sound decoders - lots of extra CVs!
• Differences between sound decoders - how to choose
• Setting up sound and function button control
• Steam sound chuff to wheel rotation synchronisation
• Setting up Railcom
• Advanced decoder capabilities
• Exporting the roster
• Roster groups
• Adding custom fields to the Roster
• Loco speed profiling
• How the Roster can integrate with using other parts of JMRI

You can download more details and the booking form below:

Decoder Pro Course Details March 2022

These courses are organised by a group of MERG members for the benefit of other MERG members and railway modellers in general. Your booking is directly with the course organisers, not with MERG itself.

Link to Courses index