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--- public:warwick [2020/03/15 18:12] – [Exhibitions] MikeP
+++ public:warwick [2020/06/15 16:14] – [MERG Warwickshire / North Oxfordshire Area Group] MikeP
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 This area group was formed in Jan 2016 to serve Warwickshire / North Oxfordshire and surrounding districts although we attract members who travel from further afield to join us for our meetings.\\
-The area group meet about six times each year for a full day at the club rooms of the Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society www.lwmrs.co.uk.\\
+In Normal times, the WNO area group meet six times each year for a full day at the club rooms of the Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society www.lwmrs.co.uk.\\
 Details of meeting dates and agenda are published in the Area Groups Section of the MERG Forum:
 https://www.merg.org.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=177
-**Mike Plowman (M5311)** is the convenor for this group who may be contacted through wno@merg.org.uk
+**<color #ed1c24>Since April 2020, the group have been holding fortnightly Virtual Area Group meetings using Zoom. All members who have opted to receive communications from the WNO group will receive an invitation to register for the meetings.</color>**
+Typically 40 to 50 members join the Zoom meeting on Wednesday evenings at 7pm.
+**Mike Plowman (M5311)** is the leader of this group who may be contacted through wno@merg.org.uk
 The group comprises skills from beginner to time served electronics engineers but all with an interest in applying electronics to model railways.
-The objective of the group is to ensure that the interests of the members are served by making use of the skills and knowledge inherent in the group, drawing on skills of the subject experts and to expand our skills and knowledge through active, open participation.
+The objective of the group is to ensure that the interests of the members are served by making use of the skills and knowledge inherent in the group, drawing on skills of subject experts and to expand our skills and knowledge through active, open participation.
 The group is growing strongly with many members volunteering to present or run workshops where there is the opportunity to learn new skills in practical hands-on sessions.
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 **MERG members** may contact Mike Plowman direct via his [[https://www.merg.org.uk/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=4177|Profile page.]]\\
 This Group's Sub Forum is [[https://www.merg.org.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=177|here.]]
+==== Exhibitions ====
+**Leamington & Warwick Model Railway Society Show**\\
+Saturday 6th March and Sunday 7th March 2021\\
+Due to the COVID-19 situation the viability of running an exhibition in 2021 is currently under review.\\
+Latest News at – www.lwmrs.co.uk\\
+Contact Exhibition Manager\\
+Email – exhibition@lwmrs.co.uk
 ==== 2016 Meetings ====
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 The presentations for this meeting and all previous meetings dating back to May 2017 can be found on the MERG Wiki.
 ==== 2020 Meetings ====
-Meetings are planned for the following dates:
-  * January 25th
+At the end of 2019, the WNO members were asked to complete a survey which measured their satisfaction, asked for suggestions for improvement and collected a list of suggested subjects for inclusion in the 2020 meet schedule. This year, the theme for each meeting will be driven by items from the list. Also, the afternoon workshops will be more focussed to solve member’s problems and to give individual members the opportunity to show projects on which they are working.
-  * March 28th
-  * May 23rd
+<color #ed1c24>**JANUARY 26th 2020**</color>
-  * July 25th
-  * September 26th
+Responding to the members’ top request, <color #00a2e8>**Simon West**</color> presented and demonstrated how to build non-kit CANMIO modules. Starting with the CANMIO-SVO as the start point, he explained the extra components required and also those components which are not required to build a CANMIO-OUT.
-  * November 21st
+Simon recommended this 2nd generation module as it is the easiest option to implement rather than the CANVOUT which will be shipped with Universal firmware. CANMIO – OUT provides 8 output AND 8 logic level inputs.
+Having explained the function of Firmware, Simon showed how to change the firmware using FCU and explained the importance of selecting the correct firmware from the MERG Wiki based upon the resonator / chip type combination.
+<color #00a2e8>**John Gowers**</color> provided two useful feedback sessions: a reflection on the AGM and feedback from the experience of taking the LWMRS 0 Gauge exhibition layout with its CBUS and MERG DCC installations to the Warley show at the NEC.
+At this meeting, the workshops were particularly active with many members showing progress with personal projects and various kits being inspected, tested and made to work.
+<color #ed1c24>**March 28th 2020**</color>
+This meeting was postponed due to the Covid-19 virus restrictions but replaced by a series of Virtual meetings using the Zoom application.
+<color #ed1c24>**Virtual Meetings**</color>
+<color #ed1c24>**April 2020 Meetings**</color>
+**Three meetings were held in April**.
+The first was a "set up" meeting, on **April 15th**, to ensure that all the members could logon and access the virtual space which most were able to accomplish, with about 30 members attending. **Alan Geekie** was invited to provide a "View from the Top of Merg" and was able to answer members questions. This meeting also enabled **Mike Collins** who is the Area Group moderator for the Zoom meetings to refine the registration process for members. This process is now in use and ensures the security and integrity of the meeting and its attendees. It allows members to register for a series of meetings then receive a confirmation email with an embedded link for use on the meeting day. Registered members also receive a reminder on the afternoon of the meeting.
+On **April 22nd**, 40 members attended to hear **Mike Plowman** give an "Introduction to DCC" followed by **Simon West** covering "Components of a DCC System". Simon's session was particularly interactive with members' questions being answered on the fly.
+On **April 29th**, 44 members came along to hear **David Roberts** and **Jeremy Mole** give advice about selecting and installing DCC Decoders.
+After three meetings, a "poll" was held to determine how the members wished to proceed. Overwhelmingly, the members wanted to continue with 90 minute meetings generally on a fortnightly basis.
+<color #ed1c24>**Meetings for May 2020**</color>
+**Meeting 1**: Wednesday, May 13th at 7pm:
+Members' Projects:
+An Arduino driven traverser - Keith Newton
+Arduino DCC++ - Alan Ferriday
+**Meeting 2**: Wednesday May 20th at 7pm.
+Aligning DCC decoder sounds with the real world of driving an engine. - John Gowers
+**Meeting 3**: Wednesday May 27th at 7pm.
+Members' Projects:
+Progress with CANCOMPUTE - John Fletcher
+Configuring DCC Decoders - David Roberts
-All meetings are held at the club rooms of the <color #00a2e8>**Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society**</color> (www.lwmrs.co.uk)
+All meetings in normal times are held at the club rooms of the <color #00a2e8>**Leamington and Warwick Model Railway Society**</color> (www.lwmrs.co.uk)
+To attend a Virtual Warwickshire, North Oxfordshire MERG Area Group Meeting you must be a MERG member and opt for communications from the WNO Group. You will then receive invitations to register for the Virtual Meetings.
 More details are available on the Warwickshire, North Oxfordshire Area Group's Page of the Forum.
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 Saturday 6th March and Sunday 7th March 2021\\
-Leamington Spa College, Warwick New Road, Leamington Spa, CV32 5JE.\\
+Due to the COVID-19 situation the viability of running an exhibition in 2021 is currently under review.\\
-Opening Times – Saturday 10am – 5pm – Sunday 10am – 4pm.\\
 Latest News at – www.lwmrs.co.uk\\