DCC at last!

Ian J. · 2006-03-25T19:43:18+00:00

Well, I have finally taken the plunge and 'gone DCC' - I have one decoder (a Lenz Gold), with a Lenz LH100 handset and LZV100. All is working hunky dory, though I didn't realise that the programming track needed to be connected to a different output to the main at one point (!)I have even reprogrammed the decoder's address :-) and changed it to use 128 instead of 28 speed steps. I just to need to work out all this stuff about speed curves now, and how that might affect the first speed step - the Hornby Class 60 I have fitted the decoder to seems to move a little too fast for my liking on that first step - I want it to be an imperceptible crawl, not straight to 2 mph (which is what it looks like to me) ;-)I suppose now I will have the joys of finding the somewhat 'huge' sums of cash to get the remainder of my loco fleet equipped (around 80 odd locos at last count, though many of these won't need Gold decoders of course, but they are sooo smooth running :-)...Ian J.

A

Alan P Dawes 20 years ago

These are more likely to be faulty remembrances of 'fears' originating 25 years ago with the introduction of Zero one. Of course the addresses of zero one chips were 'hard wired' into the chips using conducting paint but occasionally when turning on my (very early) zero one controller the 'transient peak voltage' caused all the locos to start and the points to change - I cured this by wiring a switch into the track supply and turning that on after the conctroller. I think this was only a 'feature' of the first few controllers that Hornby produced.

In the 1990s when Robin Palmer (the electronic engineer who designed zero one for Hornby and incidently is the only person I know whose house is in the middle of his model railway which occupies the surrounding fields) brought out his DCC system called ZTC, the controller and chips retained the ability to run Zero one as well as DCC and standard DC, so I bought one to replace my Zero one controller although retaining the original to control points and the micro-mimic system. I then slowly replaced the zero one chips with ZTC and when enough were converted ran it in the pure DCC mode.

Alan

Vote

C

caronprom 20 years ago

Thanks, Terry; this is more or less the conclusion that I'd come to myself.

I standardised some time back on the little Gaugemaster HH feedback unit, which is childlishly easy to use, light to hold, and very low-cost, especially for a unit with a life-time guarantee; so if I do change I want to be sure that I'm not getting worse running at considerable expense.

The Bells and Whistles of DCC are interesting, but at considerable cash cost and with the additional disadvantages that the hand-held units I've seen are very bulky - inevitably so, I suppose considering all the functions that they control - and I'm also going to have to spend building or operating time adding chips to the locos. OTOH if I go that way someday it may be better to go now.

Hey ho, choices, choices ;-)

John M Hughes West and Wales Web at

formatting link

Vote

C

Chris 20 years ago

You can get compact handhelds like the Digitrax unit but if you like to have a key for every function then they do need to get big. In the Digitrax range for instance compare the size of the DT400 with the UT4 handhelds, the DT400 has many more keys which may be easier to do lots of things but if you don't need 9 function keys for instance then the UT4 will do. The same is probably true for the Lenz range as well.

Chris

Vote

C

Chris 20 years ago

Been with DCC since 1998 with no regrets and so much easier to manage multiple trains on one model railway.

Chris

Vote

C

caronprom 20 years ago

Thanks, Chris - that's certainly a good long proving time. OTOH I don't have a big layout, rather a set of small shelf-type ones, so managing multiple trains isn't that much of an issue, and features like the automatic return loop would simply be OTT.

So in my circumstances would it be worth starting with a small cheap system - recommendations anyone? - rather than an expensive one? And is there a serious connection between price and quality, or only between price and features? I do like hand-held controllers, but otherwise I'm not that fussed.

John M Hughes West and Wales Web at

formatting link

Vote

W

wyrleybart 20 years ago

On the subject of track cleaning and DCC. I have discovered that you need to have clean track for running sound-equiped locos as a small break in continuity sometimes causes the sound system to recycle ie the loco startup sequence happens the moment the loco picks up current. This doesn't happen much because of multiple pickups on diesels, but small steam locos may be a problem.

Vote

J

Jane Sullivan 20 years ago

In message , snipped-for-privacy@netscape.net writes

It happens occasionally with my USRA 2-8-8-2, which has 16 pickups on the loco and 8 on the tender. No way could you call this loco "small". However, it's probably due to my outdoor track being inadequately cleaned.

Vote

K

Keith 20 years ago

If you like handheld controllers the only cheap starter option is the Roco Lokmaus. You will find complete sets on eBay, including transformer for less than a Lenz Compact Keith

Vote

C

Chris 20 years ago

Probably best to look at system that will allow you upgrade later with out dumping the controller etc. Otherwise best to have a look at whats available.

Chris

Vote

K

Keith 20 years ago

The Roco Lokmaus is compatible with Lenz systems and can be readily expanded, and in any case its so cheap its always useable for testing on the workbench. Keith

Vote

DCC at last!

Join the Discussion

Didn't find your answer?