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My first DCC mistake

Brother_LoveBrother_LoveOGR Forum Member
I purchased a "beginners" book from Kalmbach about DCC. After 2 paragraphs my eyes glazed over with all the "cv, back emf and other foreign langauge."

I finally got through the book but it was not written for someone who is electronically challenged. I am sure the author is a brillant man but he did not do well in explainning DCC simply to me (it is probably just me).

In the meantime I was invited to a HO layout with DCC and within 5 minutes the host had me running trains with his MRC system.

I feel my mistake was buying the book instead of just purchasing the DCC and reading the instructions. I plan to remedy that this week. It was much easier to learn by "doing."

My wife used to tell me, "I don't want to know how the electricity gets here, I just want it to work when I flip the switch!" That is my new DCC motto.

Malcolm
PS: after watching a dcc decoder installation in HO I think I can do that too.
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O_Mag_PublisherO_Mag_PublisherOGR Forum Member
Malcolm,
The Bachmann EZ system is not robust enough to run more than perhaps one small O Scale engine. Also, if you do your own decoder installs you will HAVE to program at least a couple CVs. Go with an MRC Prodigy Advance as a basic system. If you decide to get into more extensive decoder programming later you'll need an NCE or Digitrax system. I have two engines in which I installed MRC G/O decoders. They did not run that well until I adjusted the start voltage. Now they run great. No way around it if you want satisfactory performance.
Joe
P prrjimOGR Forum Member
as mentioned above, if you install your own decoders, you will need to program a few CVs.

You would need to program the address and perhaps a couple of others to adjust speed and aceleration. It is kind of like tuning your radio to get the station you want.

My advice is to get a system that will support any potential expansion. Also, if any of your model RR buddies locally have DCC, get a system that is used by some of them. that way you can ask a few questions as you get started.

So if you buddies are using NCE, get an NCE etc.
F flangerOGR Forum Member
Malcolm...we all have some segment of this hobby in which we do really well and others in which we are plain confused about to the point of no progress. You scratch build at a very professional level, and you hide out and mumble to yourself about train control systems. You are not alone my friend, and trust me when I say DCC can be very simple or very complex depending on how much you personally feeling like involving yourself in. If you want very minimal DCC then get a system like Joe suggested and start getting your feet wet. Cross each bridge as you come to it, and ask the question you have every time it gets confusing until those engines are running. I use DCC and it has been a learning curve experience, but I managed to get the idea by being persistent and by realizing many other electrically challenged people have got this stuff working for them.

Bob
Colin StewartColin StewartOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by Brother_Love:
Colin,
I have looked at that system but I will. Does it have enough power for O scale?

I had about decided on the NCE 5 amp set.
Malcolm


I only ever ran slow speed switching and short trains, it worked fine for me one loco at a time nothing bigger than a weaver or atlas twin motor diesel. The traditional knob control with seperate directional buttons it works great for switching. I fitted the decoders (always NCE) and didn't have the ability to mess with CV's, if I'd had a better system and larger layout no doubt I would have wanted this ability but for a small layout it was fine.

Having said that, the NCE 5 amp set sounds a good choice.

Colin
P prrjimOGR Forum Member
without accessing the CVs, you can't set the loco address to the loco number. Seems somewhat restricting.

And if you are only going to run one loco or train at a time, why not stick with straight DC? Go with GML as was mentioned.

Unless you want to sound, and in that case you need to really learn to program CVs. The sound locos I have have dozens of controls for the sound included as CVs.
O_Mag_PublisherO_Mag_PublisherOGR Forum Member
quote:
Originally posted by Brother_Love:
Joe,
Thanks. Do you use the PA "as-is" or do you use a booster? Malcolm


The PA has a 3.5 amp output so I use boosters for power districts but you probably would not need that. Now that I think of it an MRC Tech 6 6.0 would work for you. It will control up to 6 engines and has a six amp output. It will also operate plain DC engines. The downside of the Tech 6 series is that you cannot set the engine address above 6. The engines must be addressed 1 thru 6. All DCC decoders (even Atlas Gold engines) come with the decoder address set to 3.

You can set all the CVs with a Tech 6, even set the address above 6, which would render the Tech 6 useless, so be careful.
EK Ed KellyOGR Forum Member
Hi Malcolm,
I consider "service after the sale" an important part of the buying decision. I purchased an NCE 10 amp radio system from Tony's and have received excellent service after the sale. I also have called NCE directly with questions. Again, excellent service after the sale.
Best of luck with your decision.
Regards,
Ed
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