I'm done with DCC, or nothing wrong with KISS

[Scottl]

FTW! 

[reinhardtjh]

Analog running on cab address 0 (zero-stretching of the DCC track signal) was probably done to make the transition from DC to DCC less painful in the early days of DCC.

Exactly.

I don't know if that "feature" is part of the NMRA spec or not.

It's not, directly, although provisions were made for it by allowing "Zero-bit stretching"  see paragraph 4 (part 20?) in NMRA S9.1 DCC Electrical Standards

Also information from Mark Gurries --> https://sites.google.com/site/markgurries/home/technical-discussions/dc-loco-on-dcc

[peteski]

FTW! 

LOL, the ASCII encoded hex should be divided into groups of 2-digit hex numbers, not one long run-on number.  You didn't play by the rules.

If it was presented that way I could have pretty much decoded it in my head.  I remember that 20h is a space, 30h-39h is 0-9 and that "a" "A" is 41h.  That gives me a good start (without a decoder).

EDIT:  It's been a while since I did hex-ASCII conversion in my head.   BTW, very cute.

[John]

I can, but that number is too large for me to convert in my head.  It is probably larger than US national debt. Plus, you didn't prefix it with 0x or included an h suffix. 

For the Digitrax users!  LOL

[C855B]

... I remember that 20h is a space...

Yeah, the moment I saw the multiple instances of 20h in the sequence I knew it was ASCII text and found the converter at that link. No need getting a headache trying to remember the whole ASCII table.

Reading some random string of hex sure brought back memories, tho'. Do any of you guys remember the pre-PC word processors of the 1980s? I was more or less a professional hacker, and used to write code for conversion between diskette formats at the bit level. This usually included reverse-engineering the directory structure, which were all fairly primitive at the time. Everybody had a proprietary format, with several companies deluding themselves that their format was "uncrackable". Pish-posh.

[Rich_S]

Yeah, the moment I saw the multiple instances of 20h in the sequence I knew it was ASCII text and found the converter at that link. No need getting a headache trying to remember the whole ASCII table.

Reading some random string of hex sure brought back memories, tho'. Do any of you guys remember the pre-PC word processors of the 1980s? I was more or less a professional hacker, and used to write code for conversion between diskette formats at the bit level. This usually included reverse-engineering the directory structure, which were all fairly primitive at the time. Everybody had a proprietary format, with several companies deluding themselves that their format was "uncrackable". Pish-posh.

Assembler give me a headache  My favorite was "C", which some people called a high level Assembler, but I ended up working in COBOL using I4 indexed files with COMP-1 fields. I got out of that line of work in 2004 and have never looked back. Everything I had worked on up to that point was text based, but the big push was on for GUI front ends and Informix databases. 

[Roger Holmes]

While we are off topic, I studied Computer Science at the U of Illinois in 1971 using punch cards.  I used that education to create this Courthouse dome in 1976.  The base is a pimento jar lid wrapped with punch card to create window relief.  I also have a few three panel doors that I created using punch card overlays.  So far, that's the only thing the class was good for.



Back on topic, add me to the list that finds Digitrax easy to use though in fairness I haven't tried any other system since my LHS sells and supports Digitrax and Soundtraxx.

[Cajonpassfan]

Me too. Can you say Fortran IV?
Otto K.

[ChrisKLAS]

My layout is over 1100sqft with about 19 scale miles of single/double track mainline featuring a prototypical occupancy-based CTC system. At least check there were over 80 signal masts, 150 searchlight signal heads, and about 70 detected blocks on the layout, though I have to admit that at this point I've lost count. My last unofficial "operating session" saw 12-14 trains moving on the layout at once, including several locals and manned helper sets doing their thing. While this sort of thing wouldn't have been impossible without DCC, my Digitrax system (which performs flawlessly 99.99% of the time) makes it a whole helluva lot simpler.

[JMaurer1]

Not only can I say Fortran, I can also say and speak colbol. And who can forget 'programming' in DBase?

[robert3985]

I'm perfectly happy with my Digitrax Super Chief and the Loconet architecture.  But I'm mezzo-mezzo about the reliability of their duplex radio system...

Don't know if you had problems with their simplex radio system too...and you're not specific about what the problems with their duplex system are...but, early on, since I was taking my layout to shows, when I converted to DCC (Digitrax) I built a "radio tower" that quite unobtrusively sits above my layout.  Since I have not operated the layout without the "radio tower" I can't say if it improves radio performance since both Digitrax simplex and duplex performance have been flawless for me, both at home and at various other locations when at shows.

Just sayin' you might want to give this a try...

Photo 1 - Radio Tower above my layout:


Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[GaryHinshaw]

Hi Bob.  The issue is occasional dead spots.  They have not been very location specific, so I don't think signal strength is the problem.  I suspect RFI, and I have scanned the available channels to pick a quiet one, but once quiet does not mean always quiet.  In any case, it's never been a persistent problem.

I'm mostly using wi-fi throttles now though anyway, mainly so I can have a control panel with my throttle.  The wi-fi reliability is a bonus.

[Roger Holmes]

I run with a Super Chief with simplex radio.  When I first installed the radio receiver on my basement layout I took the DT 400R upstairs to the garage and left a friend in the basement.  I tested it by successfully blowing the horn and ringing the bell from there.  The radio had to travel through a fireproof double wall, two regular walls and down one floor below to the concrete basement to a receiver that sits 20 feet into the train room and faces away from the garage.  I realize that that's no challenge for a commercial radio or TV, but I was nonetheless impressed with Digtrax's radio performance.  Being a non-engineering/science guy I guess I'm easily impressed.