DCS control system sudden loss of function.

you could have a transmitter problem if the transmitter board in the tiu becomes dislodged the dcs won't work or if the transmitter in the remote that will also stop the dcs from working! first thing you want to try is connect a phone cord between the remote and tiu and then hit the read button on the remote and see if it finds the tiu! have you checked the fuses inside the tiu!

Alan 

What Alan said.  Try it with a phone cord tether first.  It that works, then it might be the board in the remote needs reseating.  Some put a piece of foam in there to keep it in place.

Read this thread and watch the video.

https://ogrforum.com/...mote-works-just-fine

Have fun

Ron

Thanks guys for these suggestions, I'm going to do as you suggest tomorrow when I get the chance. 

Regards,

Ralph

Okay, I used the phone cord and the hand held communicated much better with the TIU.  I was able to take the remote apart after watching the video from Ron. It did take patience but I finally got it apart and yes, the board was loose so I re-seated it and placed a rectangular piece of soft rubber on it to hold the board and re-assembled it. I placed two DCS locomotives on the track and the remote did seem to communicate better with each locomotive but it would still say "ENGINE NOT ON TRACK' or 'CHECK TRACK' even though it did communicate better than recently before. When I would change directions or ring the bell however, the remote didn't communicate very well and I could not stop the bell or change the direction until I held the remote at a certain angle with the TIU.  Now Alan said something about fuses. I have changed fuses in the TIU before using the exact kind MTH recommends and the TIU has worked for many years after that. Could there be another bad fuse? I'll go into the TIU in a bit but just brain storming here a little.

It could be a fuse. I was having sporadic communication problems and complete inability to upload sound files. I finally took the TIU apart and discovered the fuse for Fixed 1 was blown!

remove any piece of equipment drawing power, or connect your TIU to an extra piece of track (and nothing else!).

Just have the engine on the rails and do a signal strength test. Report back.

Have done a signal check?

a fuse would seem simple to detect. No power at the rails?

http://www.protosound2.com/pdf...leshooting%20Doc.pdf

It seems like it is a signal issue. I had a blown fuse before but that resulted in a dead unit with no power to the rails at all.  I went to Auto Zone and bought a small box of replacement fuses. I wish that was the issue.  The TIU and Remote are from 2003. They have never been serviced or repaired (except for the fuse replacement). I wish I understood electronics better. 

You might want to check and see if the transceiver board in the TIU has also come loose. That many different error messages can also be a sign of low signal strength. I would also try what Joe suggested on a test track; try using aux power and use Fixed 2 instead of Fixed 1 and see what happens.

I also run an NCE DCC system on my On30 layout and if its on the radio is on the same freq and keeps the MTH system from communicating. if I turn my DCC off DCS works again. could be other radio devices that are bothering it as well. 

There is a real easy way to check and see if the remote is reading the TIU.  You do not need any engine on the track to do this.  Proceed as follows:        From the menu go to:  System,  TIU setup, TIU version:  If you get (?)  the remote is not in communication with the TIU and your transceiver in the remote is not seated properly.    WARNING  -  do NOT take the cover off the remote unless you know how to do it.  Proper removal instruction is covered in Barry's book, Remote section.

Bruce

If you have a 2.4GHz cordless phone turn it off or remove it from the train room. A friend had a comm problem and removing the phone cured it.

@bruce benzie posted:

There is a real easy way to check and see if the remote is reading the TIU.  You do not need any engine on the track to do this.  Proceed as follows:        From the menu go to:  System,  TIU setup, TIU version:  If you get (?)  the remote is not in communication with the TIU and your transceiver in the remote is not seated properly.    WARNING  -  do NOT take the cover off the remote unless you know how to do it.  Proper removal instruction is covered in Barry's book, Remote section.

Bruce

wouldn't just pressing "read" be the easiest way to tell?

@PRRMP54 posted:

If you have a 2.4GHz cordless phone turn it off or remove it from the train room. A friend had a comm problem and removing the phone cured it.

I don't think a 2.4Ghz cordless phone will have much effect on a 900Mhz DCS remote & TIU.  Now if you have a really old 900Mhz cordless phone then perhaps yes there could be an issue.

The Read button is primarily to find locomotives.  Yes, it does give the TIU's, gives their number, BUT -  that screen only stays up for the blink of an eye.  It disappears very fast.  Using the procedure I stated the screen display stays up until you change it.

Bruce

@bruce benzie posted:

The Read button is primarily to find locomotives.  Yes, it does give the TIU's, gives their number, BUT -  that screen only stays up for the blink of an eye.  It disappears very fast.  Using the procedure I stated the screen display stays up until you change it.

Bruce

what if you shut the power off to your TIU and then press read? Just wondering what happens?