DCC acting up

[SteamGene]

I'm using Digitraxx entirely - other than decoders, of course.   Each penninsula will support, as a rule, three locomotives - two mainline and one branch/switcher.  Eventually all the locomotives will be sound equipted.  That will take awhile. 
I'm not sure why the DCC companies are having a PC/Mac war.   It would be nice if one could mix and match command stations/boosters/ throttles. 
Gene

[Tim]

Gene

You can use NCE & Digitrax boosters together, the command stations
all use a different command protocal between the throttles and command
stations.  Each one is the best depending on your point of view.

Jack

I forgot to mention LENZ, their system 90 and system 100 are comparable to
the mid-size systems of digitrax & NCE.

Tim Anders
Souderton, Pa

[jsmvmd]

Dear Tim & Hunt,

Thank you, both!

Best Wishes,

Jack

[SteamGene]

Hunt, sorry.  I had to wait to answer the questions.  I'm still going through a lot of things and getting hit by different opinions. 
Gene

[Jim Banner]

Gene, this is just a thought.  When you turn on your DSC100 using your DT400, does the power dot stay on steady or does it flash?  If it is flashing, it means you are in Stop Mode and have track power but no DCC signals being sent.  This should give you sounds but no motion.  See page 53 of your manual.

Another thought.  Your sound decoders probably have large capacitors on them or attached to them to allow them to work on "regular d.c." which is unfiltered, rectified a.c.  It is weren't for these capacitors, the sound system would hum on regular d.c.  On DCC these capacitors can appear as a short to the command station when first turned on.  Try setting the short circuit shutdown time to 1/2 second by closing OP switch 18 in your booster.  See pages 115 to 118 in your manual.

You probably won't have appreciable ringing (noise) on your track power bus unless it is over 30 feet long.  My longest is 50 feet and is as clean as a whistle when checked with an oscilloscope.  I use a DSC200 which is the same as your DSC100 except for a larger output.

The rA:00 on your DT400R is just telling you that it has detected a radio receiver and is operating on radio channel zero.  See page 98 of your manual.

[SteamGene]

Thanks, Jim.  I'll check that out this morning.  I had a thought in the night.  The end of the East Penninsula buss is curled around a couple of risers as the track work is not finished yet.  Could that be a part of the problem?  I'm going to unwind that this morning and string it along  the benchwork to where it will go when the rest of the risers are attached and see if that solves the problem.
Gene