public:vag
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- | ^ Next Meeting | ||
- | |**< | ||
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- | ===== MERG Virtual Area Group ===== | ||
~~NOCACHE~~ | ~~NOCACHE~~ | ||
+ | ~~NOTOC~~ | ||
- | ==== Email ==== | + | <WRAP hide> |
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | Replace Somewhere with the name of your area group. | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | </ | ||
- | To send us an email, [[https:// | + | <WRAP notice round centeralign> |
- | For <color darkblue> | + | ====== MERG Virtual |
+ | </WRAP> | ||
- | ==== Area Group Coordinator | + | <WRAP box round> |
+ | <WRAP group> | ||
+ | <WRAP column quarter> | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP column quarter> | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP column quarter> | ||
+ | [[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP column quarter> | ||
+ | [[areagroups: | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP hide> | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | Replace photo with a area group meeting photo | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP box round centeralign> | ||
+ | {{: | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | ===== How do I contact the Virtual | ||
+ | |||
+ | <WRAP help round button> | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | Please indicate Virtual Area Group in your message **[[https:// | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | ===== Who is the leader of the group? ===== | ||
- | Allan Geekie M5173 | + | <WRAP hide> |
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | Replace photo with the names and titles of leaders. | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP info round> | ||
+ | \\ | ||
+ | Dave Mason, who is a retired chartered engineer with relevant experience in electronics and control system software, but little experience with railways, model or otherwise. Dave is a member of the South Hants Area Group and piloted the first virtual Special Interest Group exploring " | ||
- | ==== How It Works ==== | ||
- | This group now uses Zoom to conduct a group meeting from member' | + | </ |
- | The calls last one hour and to participate, | + | ===== Would you like to join today? ===== |
+ | <WRAP hide> | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | Update area group name. | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP tip round> | ||
+ | Not a member? then <WRAP button> | ||
+ | Select **Virtual Area Group** from the drop down list in **Other Area Groups** | ||
+ | </ | ||
- | In order to join the group you need to send an email to Allan at vag@merg.org.uk. | + | ===== How do you meet? ===== |
+ | <WRAP hide> | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | Provide meeting details | ||
+ | **************************************************** | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP info round> | ||
+ | The Virtual Area Group (VAG) is for MERG members only and was started primarily for those too distant from their nearest Area Group. It only meets using Zoom. | ||
- | Calls are scheduled in advance and are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 11:00GMT or 10:00BST. Agendas are agreed in advance. | ||
- | When it is time to start a call, a voice and video conference is opened up which has thumbnails | + | During the first two years of the VAG we regularly welcomed members from Australia, Canada, Iceland, Ireland, UK, USA etc and varied weekly meeting times to try to make the calls work for different |
- | Members are participating from:- | ||
- | * Australia\\ | + | Many Area Groups have switched to using Zoom during Covid and so, temporarily we hope, created many other options for joining in. |
- | * Canada\\ | + | |
- | * Iceland\\ | + | |
- | * Ireland\\ | + | |
- | * UK\\ | + | |
- | * USA.\\ | + | |
- | Members can access the presentation material [[helpsystem: | ||
- | If you would like to try out Zoom, then there is a test meeting service where you are the only participant | + | At the start of 2021, after a break in the programme and with those other MERG Zoom options which are accessible to members in the western hemisphere, the plan is to resume VAG meeting |
- | | ||
- | This link is available to anybody, not just members of the virtual area group. | + | Meetings are nominally for an hour but typically Zoom will open 15mins before and for 30 mins afterwards for informal chat. |
- | ==== Next Meeting ==== | ||
- | **<color red> | + | Calls may be recorded and made available all MERG members. |
+ | </WRAP> | ||
- | The proposed agenda is as follows | + | ===== And the Next Meeting? ===== |
+ | Look in the MERG Diary or "My Upcoming Events" | ||
+ | <WRAP hide> | ||
+ | *************************************************************************** | ||
+ | Replace NN with the number of your area group - get from the AG admin page. | ||
+ | Update the contact form title. | ||
+ | *************************************************************************** | ||
+ | </ | ||
+ | <WRAP box round borderlesstable> | ||
+ | < | ||
+ | </ | ||
- | === 27th August | + | ===== How are Topics Chosen? ===== |
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | <WRAP info round> |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Station Destination Boards|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | Once you have confirmed with the leader that you wish to participate, | + | In April 2020 we carried out a poll of VAG members |
+ | * How kits work - a series of calls, each discussing the how one particular kit works. Several done. | ||
+ | * Types and use of baseboard connectors - covered in Demystifying Components -Wires and Connectors | ||
+ | * Oscilloscopes and logic analysers for hobbyists | ||
+ | * Using the FCU - a multi part course is being considered including the use of the FCU to configure individual 2nd generation modules. | ||
+ | * Testing boards (use of various pieces of test equipment and the way to go about it) - A Test Gear Buyers Guide has already been presented. | ||
+ | * Neater Methods of under board wiring | ||
+ | * Best practice for wiring different bus types | ||
+ | * Layout control buses | ||
+ | * CBUS wiring strategy on a large club O gauge layout. Done. | ||
+ | * CANPAN wiring | ||
+ | * Servo and Servo Mounts | ||
+ | * Building CANVOUT | ||
+ | * Prusa 3D Printer | ||
+ | * 3D scanners | ||
+ | * Photogrammetry - generating 3D models from multiple photographs | ||
+ | * CBUS Beginners Kit. | ||
- | ==== Future Meetings in 2019 ==== | + | Members can suggest topics at any time using the member email system. |
+ | </ | ||
- | Calls are held on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 11:00GMT or 10:00BST. The calls scheduled for 2019 are listed in the[[https:// | + | ===== How do Video Calls Work? ===== |
- | Currently the group have agreed the meetings until the end of June, there are calendar entries up to the end of September but these may change. | + | <WRAP round tip> |
+ | To join in you may need to add a headset with microphone and optionally a camera to your device, if they are not built in. You will receive a link which will get you into the meeting, automatically installing Zoom on your device if necessary. | ||
- | Agendas exist for some future meetings - these may change. | + | Calls are scheduled and topics announced in advance. |
- | I've scheduled some discussions over the holiday season so that we can deal more easily with fluctuation numbers of participants. | + | Zoom provides thumbnails of each video participant and any shared presentations or desktops. The call host facilitates the meeting/ |
+ | Usually everyone mutes their microphone to avoid a lot of noise from phones, clocks chiming, family activity etc. To speak you can just press the spacebar to (after a slight pause) temporarily unmute. | ||
+ | You can select among several icons to, for example raise a hand, clap, agree, vote etc. Useful for questioning. | ||
+ | You can also type " | ||
+ | If you would like to try out Zoom, then there is a test meeting service where you are the only participant and you can experiment with the various options available. | ||
- | === 10th September === | + | <WRAP button> |
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | This link is available to anybody, not just members |
- | | JOurnal Feedback|Discussion| | + | </ |
- | | TTH CANCAB|Ian Hart| 45 |Ian will summarise the work he has been doing on a through the hole CANCAB and other projects on his workbench| | + | <WRAP box round> |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | <WRAP group> |
- | + | <WRAP column quarter> | |
- | === 24th September === | + | [[https:// |
- | + | </WRAP> | |
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | <WRAP column quarter> |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | [[https:// |
- | |Getting Started with PlatformIO|Dave McCabe|45|What is PlatformIO| | + | </ |
- | |::: | + | <WRAP column quarter> |
- | |::: | + | [[https://www.merg.org.uk/ |
- | |::: | + | </ |
- | |:::|::: | + | <WRAP column quarter> |
- | |::: | + | [[areagroups:vag:vag_page_internal|VAG Members Page]] |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | </ |
- | + | </WRAP> | |
- | There is a standby list of topics that appear regularly: | + | </WRAP> |
- | + | ---- | |
- | * <color darkblue>**MERG**</color> Update | + | |
- | * Last Journal | + | |
- | * Our Layouts | + | |
- | * Our Projects | + | |
- | * Helping Beginners | + | |
- | * Kit Surgery | + | |
- | * 3D Printing | + | |
- | * Blue Pill Microcontrollers. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ==== Previous Meetings in 2019 ==== | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 13th August === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | | DC Control|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 9th July === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Signalling Objects for CBUS|Dave Turner| | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | === 25th June === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | | General Discussion|All| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 11th June === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Journal Feedback|Discussion| | + | |
- | | DCC Decoder for Under a Fiver|Duncan Greenwood| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | === 28th May === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | | On my Workbench|Discussion| | + | |
- | | CBUS - long messages 2|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 14th May === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Blue Pill Talks to CUS|Dave McCabe| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 23 April === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Etiquette|Discussion| | + | |
- | | PMP Project Ideas|Discussion| | + | |
- | | CBUS - long messages 1|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 9th April === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Workbenches|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Layouts|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Burning Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 26th March === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | From the Workbench|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Getting Started with Blue Pill Microcontrollers|Dave McC| 25 |Quick intro to Blue PIll( inc schmatic )| | + | |
- | |:::|::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | |::: | + | |
- | | Any Questions|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 12th March === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Last Journal|Discussion| | + | |
- | | CBUS|TBA| | + | |
- | | Any Questions|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 26th February === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | | + | |
- | | 3D Printing|Howard| | + | |
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- | | Any Questions|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | + | ||
- | === 12th February === | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | + | |
- | | Interesting Forum Threads|Discussion| | + | |
- | | A MERG Newsletter|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Helping Beginners|Allan| | + | |
- | | Any Questions|Discussion| | + | |
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| | + | |
- | === 22nd January === | ||
- | ^Item^Leader^Minutes^Notes^ | ||
- | | <color darkblue> | ||
- | | Layouts|Discussion| | ||
- | | Projects|Discussion| | ||
- | | Future Topics|Discussion| |
public/vag.txt · Last modified: 2023/04/18 13:31 by grovenor