Hornby Select (not connecting in walkabout mode)

[Mark-365845]

My 13 year old son has agreed to share and develop hiss DCC layout with his eight year old brother. My 13 year old boy is a self taught modeller! I am thrilled that he wants to share this younger brother.

The boys want to be able to operate the trains independently and simultaneously. My eldest has got me to purchase a second select controller and RJ12 cable, so now we have 2 select controllers, we can't make them work when joined together with the RJ12 cable and one single power supply as instructed. Error code (CE) Communication Error.

Both controllers have been operating well on the layout when used in isolation.

Sadly, there are not any Youtube videos (unusually) to help us.

Are we barking up the wrong tree? Can someone please help????

Many thanks

Mark

[96RAF]

Are you sure you have the correct Walkabout cable (round section) and not a Booster cable (flat section), noting that aftermarket 3rd party cables can be either shape.

Just to check the master Select is powered and connected to the track and the slave Select is connected to the master by the walkabout cable.

[P-Henny]

There is a special cable for this function, the generic RJ12 cable you have purchased may not be correct. The correct R8266 cable can be purchased here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Select%2FElite+R8266&crid=2J7DY495AJBWI&sprefix=select%2Felite+r8266%2Caps%2C60&ref=nb_sb_noss

Also, have you followed the pairing process documented in the Select manual (bottom of page 20).

Also, what is the firmware revision of the original Select and the Walkabout purchase Select.....are they the same?

The firmware revision number appears briefly on screen as you power the Select up.

XX (revision number) followed by 30 followed by 03 where XX is a number between 10 & 20

[Yelrow]

Think its certainly case of wrong cable. You are not the first. The guy on amazon, is superb, makes any length to order. I have 3 metre one, which gets anywhere on layout. They are yellow in colour. I run 4 walkabouts. I dont think it matters about firmware, as none of mine, are the same.

[96RAF]

The only effect disparate firmware has is the Select in use will carry its own restrictions if any, such as points addressing for early revisions is different from later revisions, so may cause confusion. Also number of functions operable is relative to firmware state. Ditto any other changes/improvements made by revision state.

[Yelrow]

Rob, hi, thats good to know. My selects are not all up to date, but combine ok together. Have, touch wood, never had a problem.

[RDS]

@Mark - 365845

Did you sort this out?