CSS-01, MOLLE Rig Setup LC Vest

My latest project for the next breed of LC Vest Setups, the Custom Sensor System 01, is the first of it's kind for the OLCA. It steps away from the USH that has been widely used for most of the other vest rigs and goes modular. A Sensor System built independant of the Vest that it utilizes to hold it on the player hasn't been attempted yet. The older CVP Units (Custom Vest Project) had required a permanent change to the vest they use. This CSS-01 will be detachable from the MOLLE Rig that it's designed for.

So why make a vest that can be removed? Well, for starters, it allows you to use the vest for other things. The MOLLE being used, for example, is also used for holding equipment for Airsoft. This means that with the CSS-01, I can attach it to the MOLLE Rig when I'm playing Laser Tag and I can remove it for when I want to use the MOLLE Rig for Airsoft games. This also means that if the MOLLE Rig needs to be replaced due to wear and tear or damage to the vest that I can easily replace the vest while retaining the CSS-01 and attach it to a different MOLLE.

Because this project is still fresh in my head, I've been thinking of the possibilities for the sensor mounting. Since I can basically "Start fresh" because of the CSS-01's proposed versatility, I could technically design sensors to be placed ANYWHERE on the vest. The original idea I had calls for using 2 sensors that are connected to the main housing via cords (much like Back Vests). The main body of the CSS-01 will house all of the vests functions except the Sensors and Lights for the sensors. So the power, board, Blast Shields, and Sound will all be stored in the main terminal. The sensors themselves will be designed much like the Dome sensor seen on the CVP-03 but be more the size of these sensors that are popular on MILES Tag systems. All three of these components, the control base and it's two wired sensors, will be designed with MOLLE-compatible straps on the back of them.

The CSS-01 project was concieved as part of the M41A Multi-Role Conversion. Unlike the M41A, the CSS-01 will not be able to be used in Airsoft Situations. However, the MOLLE Rig that it uses will be able to be used along with the AEG mode of the M41A. Neither of these projects have a set completion date, as they are still early in their developmental stages. I hope to have them completed at the VERY LEAST by Season 5, slated to start in May of 2010. Ideally, I'd like to have them running for test combat much earlier than that.

Preliminary Idea of the CSS-01 Layout on an OD Green MOLLE Rig

With the MOLLE still absent, I've started getting pieces together for the CSS-01.

Going to mount the internals inside a 190mm X 100mm X 40mm plastic enlosure in dark grey ABS. This box will actually serve as the first Vest recasing the OLCA has seen.

The end panels of this box are easy to work with for all the chassis mount sockets.

This module needs to be stored somehow on the MOLLE vest. Something I might try is adding molle straps directly to the box with press studs at the bottom. However, this means that the box won't be covered in camouflage and will need to be painted a certain color (probably OD Green... duh!). Either that, or djdrthq on the LTAG Forums gave me the idea of using a Map Pocket designed fora MOLLE. This would hold the module in place, but I would probably have to modify the pouch to still be accessed so I can activate blast sheilds and turn the unit on and off at the start and end of games.

I'd like your guys' input/help for the construction of the external sensors on this project. The control box I can handle. Here's what I've got nailed down for that part of it:

The Control Box isn't intended to have a sensor on it. Instead, two (or even 3) external sensors are to be plugged into (or just be wired into) the Control Box and connected via black cords. The Control Box and the external sensors will have MOLLE-style attachments to affix themselves to the webbing on my vest.

What I need help with is the best way to make the external sensors. Just your ideas for their construction would help. I'd also like to find a black cord with enough wires inside to use for attaching the sensors to the vest.

Also, I was thinking that since my current vest, the CVP-03 has a clear dome over the sensors that maybe upgrading to a Black (IR) Sensor Dome to help sunlight interference to extend the range of the system under bright sunlight. The only problem is that Hit Lights that I planned on storing inside the domes wouldn't be visable and I'd have to mount them elsewhere. Your thoughts/input on this would be appreciated.

I've finally settled on a casing for the CSS-01. It's different than I had imagined, but I think it works much better. I'm using a really old toy radio casing to house the internals for the sensory OS. This Control Unit will have a tethered cord running from it to the two external sensors.

I've chosen an odd candidate as the base sensor OS for this project. It's the Laser Challenge Communicator sensor, something I've never worked with before. Cut from it's weapon, the sensor alone mimicks many of the features of the Radar Extreme line. It has all the same sounds in there as well. However, as some of you know, the OLCA uses LTTO/LTX weapons in our arsenal yet they are unable to hit Radar Extreme vests. Oddly enough, this system, though very similar to RE, isn't quite as picky. On the Team 3 setting for LTTO/LTX, almost all of the shots can be landed on the LC Communicator vest. Every now and then it won't accept it, but I think it's a good enough probability that my LTTO/LTX users won't complain too much.

Here are images of the LC Communicator vest, it's internals, the radio shell I plan to use, and how it'll work with my MOLLE Rig.

Construction Updates!

Construction is coming along steadily on the Control Box of the CSS-01. I'll be mounting the internals for it shortly as I have already planned out the layout inside. I've also made a neat little cover where the buttons on the front used to be. Not the best "CSS-01" I could've done, but it'll be covered up anyways by the mag pouch. Just a little fun addition to the first of the CSS Line. You can also see I've got the main cable for the sensors and lights set up where the antennae used to be. Now I just have to wire in the sensors and put them in the domes!



Here's how the CSS-01 is planned to sit on my MOLLE Rig.



Placement of the Front sensor on the upper left shoulder. The back sensor will still technically be mounted on the lef, but it's pretty much top center on the back.

Combat Test Results



In the CSS-01's first full combat test after a rushed construction and completion, I realized why pre-combat tests are so vital. I unfortunately chose to skip the pre-combat tests and fielded the CSS-01 in the OLCA's first Fall Game only to find that there is much more work to be done than I anticipated.

The main problem I faced was sound amplification. I did not take into consideration the small Speaker being used, the muffling that would occur as a result of the CSS-01's storage on the vest, and the fact that I'm still not as familiar with the soundboard of the Radar Extreme/LC Communicator. So, in the first game, I was walking along, thinking "hey, I'm doing pretty good" until I heard a faint siren going off. I thought "Wait a second, that's my 9th' hit warning!!" and took cover, only to get the last hit taken off on me. I was pretty useless to my team, as I was the first out, didn't even see who was shooting me, and never fired a shot myself. Long story short: I need more sound!!!

Another problem I didn't anticipate was bad wires. I used spare wires I had saved from all the Jakks Pacific guns that we had broken and thought they'd work great for this project. While they did serve as a nice way to connect the sensors, I eventually paid the price. After further examination of the vest, one of my lights doesn't work, and one of the sensors only takes about 1/3rd of the shots fired at it. So I've got some shoddy wires that just flat out need to be replaced.

So overall, the debut performance of the CSS-01 was embarrasing to say the least. About the only things good about it was the Blast Sheilds button, the sensors construction, and the way that it attached to me. An overhaul/redo of the wiring in this system is in order as well as the installation of a newer bigger speaker.

Closeup on the sensor and a look at the CSS-01 on the MOLLE Rig. I've been experimenting around with placement and I got a better, slightly louder speaker installed.



Thinking maybe that either a modified pouch to hold it or just having the clip on the backside just serve as the mount for it. Still need to do some tests with the sound amplification to see if it's decent enough.

I've been re-wiring the Sensors on the CSS-01 and it's been taking me awhile, since I've been trying out different cords to see which ones still work and which ones have bad wires in them. Unfortunately, the only way I can tell/test for this is to wire it all up and actually test out the functions, then see what's wrong and remove the wires and start over with another cord.

Bah...you should have just asked, you could have borrowed my multimeter and tested the wires. I'll have it on me tonight, if you want to borrow it.