DIY DCC

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I'm after the spec/articles/help for Do-It-Yourself DCC. Yes, I know that there are some great products produced by great companies out there, but I want to have a go at it myself. Any suggestions/tips/help/info?

Tar in advance

-- Matthew James BLACK (peresoft@webtime.com.au), October 27, 1998

Answers

For a kit version (all parts or just PCBs), go to www.accurail.com/tm.htm and click-on [search, key word] and then search-on "easydcc" as the key word. You will find seven entries concerning the kit.

Mansfield

-- Mansfield (gofigure@zianet.com), October 28, 1998.


Hi Matthew, EasyDCC system home page is www.cvpusa.com It is the system I am going to use for reasons of cost and self achievement. Bruce Chubb of JLC Enterprises has a handbook on applications for Model Railroading Applications and can supply a variety of PCB boards. His commercial outlet is at www.iserv.net/~aia. Good luck Kerry

-- Kerry Viney VK4MZ (kerrym2@tpgi.com.au), October 31, 1998.

Matthew,

Give a try at: http://www.ida.net/biz/tetonsl/railroad/

Wayne really does it himself. He has interfaced his own control handhelds originally developed as DC controllers via. a computer that he programmed himself to meet the DCC signal specifications. (He also has a wealth of signaling infor as well).

There are several PC based and a MAC systems that wire up the interfaces from the serial ports using perf boards and Radio Shack parts. Boosters are also DIY. Try and get Rutgers Electronic Projects books (I think 4 and 5 are especially DCC focused). There is also a DIY decoder (if you have a PROM burner to micro-program the controller). I think with pricing what it's becoming though, I'd reccomend you just buy the decoders. I'm using my MAC system with FastClock++ for my programming track with a hand built booster. This allows a nice graphical interface to set CVs and is especially good for speed tables etc. I opted for the CVP EasyDCC to control the layout, annd I'm real satisfied. You can find a lot of PC and MAC based code and schematics via the DCC-SIG (follow the links from the NMRA). Look into the data base archives area.

While the CVP EasyDCC kits are real fool proof and they are very full featured, if you want to really roll your own COMPLETELY - there is information via the WEB that can get you started. You will be spending a VERY large amount of time and it will become a second hobby - but there would be some satisfaction almost akin to scratch building your own brass articulated. -ed mccamey-

-- Ed McCamey (emccamey@cheerful.com), November 12, 1998.


Lars Lundgren in Sweden has an excellent DIY DCC system using an old (or new!!)PC plus some DIY electronics. My system work very well. Lars has given me support if I have hit snags. My guess is that the components for the command station have cost me $40. I had an old 286 PC that had been thrown out at work.

Look at Lars' web site - email me if you want any more info.

You can find Lars' web site at

http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/7706/index.html

-- Bill Flude (Bflude@tesco.net), October 09, 1999.


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