For all those interested in the use of RFID for train identification, here is the latest info I have:
I took delivery (from Adafruit) of the RFID/NFC PN532 Arduino shield as well as some tags.
The Adafruit stuff is more expensive than equivalent stuff from other suppliers (if anyone is interested, see me).
It all works very well. I have no interest in writing to the tags so all I use is the 'built-in' UID (either 4 or 7 bytes).
The tag I like best is the Micro NFC/RFID tag (6 mm x 16 mm). The drawback to this small tag is the short distance the tag has to be from the reader (about 1 inch). I'm currently working on determining if I can place the tag and the reader on the engine and layout so I can reliably read each time. The tag can easily fit under the engines I have and that leaves me with exploring the possibility of placing the reader under a 10 " piece of RealTrax.
The other tags (one of which is a 25 mm diameter plastic disk) can be read up to 3-4 inches from the reader.
With those tags, I could hide the reader somewhere on the layout inside of something like a building perhaps.
One other thing I'm exploring is the replacement of the Arduino UNO with a much smaller micro; the Pro Mini.
As if this wasn't enough, I'll soon be taking delivery of the reed switches and magnets, so I'll explore that approach as well.
Right now, my preference is for the RFID approach, but we'll see.
There is also one more thing I haven't yet figured out but it's no biggie. That is -- what to do when I change an MTH engine # in the DCS environment. I need to communicate that change to the engine identification setup.
I've often wondered about all those folks who don't revel in the sheer joy of technical challenges!
Ray
