How to test DCS signal strength on a O gauge layout?

@Ron Stevenson posted:

Have seen MTH rr cars with this capability but cannot successfully search MTH website for this capability.

That's news to me, and I've been working with MTH stuff for a long time!  I think you'll be searching for a long time to find such a car.

@Ron Stevenson posted:

Have tried using MTH testing capability in its engines, but that has caused the engines to fail.  Have seen MTH rr cars with this capability but cannot successfully search MTH website for this capability.  How would I describe this capability so I can identify to purchase(assuming they do perform this function effectively)?    Thank you, Ron

How is this topic a 3-rail scale discussion?  We moved it to the appropriate forum.

You are not talking about a car like this... are you?  This measures track voltage, not DCS signal.

It is unlikely that such a car would be possible.   Since DCS is a two way system, any measurement of the DCS signal strength would have to measure the signal received at the remote.  And that can't be measured at the track.

Yeah, no cars made by MTH for the purpose of measuring DCS signal.

Some other forum members have built their own cars for club layouts.  One member, Adrian!, built one that is pretty advanced, and he posted plans for it.

https://ogrforum.com/...elemetry-train-rev-7

@rplst8 posted:

One member, Adrian!, built one that is pretty advanced, and he posted plans for it.

https://ogrforum.com/...elemetry-train-rev-7

I wonder if this works for just outgoing commands or perhaps it also sees the replies from the locomotives?

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

I wonder if this works for just outgoing commands or perhaps it also sees the replies from the locomotives?

That’s a good question.  Do they both operate on the same frequency, or is there one for transmit and one for receive?

They're the same frequencies, you should see it, but I have no idea what amplitude it might be.