Nice to be able to detect small voltages. One thing that the site doesn't mention is what is used to detect the current going through the detector. I will note that the use of Schottkey diodes will drop the voltage across the detector and also decrease the current needed to get enough voltage to trip the detector. Your detector, if, as you say, is just running a wire through a hole, is probably a current detector (one turn transformer in correct terms) will be a lot more sensitive to DCC power as it will be looking at the current that is developed by having to charge the capacitance of the track. DCC is using a high frequency AC voltage to send the signals to the locos so you have to deal with the capacitor problem! The detector (of which there are two on that design you mention, probably for ease of wiring them at the place where the modules are placed) is still wired the same as any Twin-T design and the same as Puckdropper's detectors. He's got something that will work but, if his detectors detect that little of a voltage, the current needed is quite low and he could be having problems with leaky ballast on his track. I basically doubt that because that would cause the next block to detect the train at any point along the previous block. I work in electronics so I understand what is going on!
-- Bob May
rmay at nethere.com http: slash /nav.to slash bobmay http: slash /bobmay dot astronomy.net