NCE wireless system.....

[LIRR]

Anyone have one? Good? Not so good? ?

[Maletrain]

I have an NCE PowerCab with an RB02 and a Cab06pr that works great.  It is a small layout, but I can walk into the kitchen and still control a train with the Cab06pr.  Set-up was plug & play.

I also use Digitrax on a club and a large home layout.  The simplex throttles (that you can't buy any more) work well, too, but the currently available duplex utility throttles have mysterious loss of control issues on both layouts, even with fresh batteries.  Was working to understand/correct those issues until the COVID-19 turned me into a hermit.  Guys with the larger throttles (e.g., 402s) don't seem to have that problem with duplex.

[LIRR]

Thanks, considering it. I have a 12x17 room, with staging yard in adjacent room, separated by a drywall/wood stud wall. I have an extension from the main room into the other side of the basement, nothing separating it but far end is about 25 feet from main room.

I figure I’m looking at 1 repeater at least....I don’t want 3, will the signal penetrate the drywall?

[Jbub]

I don't personally have one but our club uses it. One of our members also uses one for his home layout. I've used both and the only hiccup I've seen is making sure the throttles are assigned properly and that they have charged batteries. Other than that it's a good system. It also work well with jmri and smart phone throttle apps.

[Maletrain]

My guess is that you will not need a repeater.  I can easily get 25' even through a drywall partition.  (Just not through the refrigerator  )

Mount the RB02 upside down near the ceiling about the middle of the area that you need to control and see what happens, before buying repeaters.

[LIRR]

Good to hear, thanks....I think I’ll make the switch

[LIRR]

Another question....doesn’t the rb02 get connected to the SB5 by cable?

[LIRR]

Found the manual on the NCE site....

[Maletrain]

For those other readers who are not looking at the manual: the RB02 plugs into the cab bus like a throttle does.  It could plug into a jack on a facial panel, or, on the SB5 that has 2 cab bus jacks, it could plug directly into the SB5.

[Cajonpassfan]

Thanks, considering it. I have a 12x17 room, with staging yard in adjacent room, separated by a drywall/wood stud wall. I have an extension from the main room into the other side of the basement, nothing separating it but far end is about 25 feet from main room.

I figure I’m looking at 1 repeater at least....I don’t want 3, will the signal penetrate the drywall?

You should have no issues. My staging yard is in an adjacent garage, with a double wall and a layer of stucco between the garage and the trainroom (addition). The trainroom is 27x22, and I only have one antenna, high up under scenery in the center of the room and no repeaters. The only real issue I’ve experienced is when an operator holds the cab close to their chest while facing away from the antenna. It seems a human body will block the connection. I may yet add a repeater as we start having more people participate.

I would also add that radio does take a bit of getting used to...it is not instantaneous like a hard wired connection, and one needs to pay attention to the display when entering loco or accessory numbers and not assume the command “took”...

Oh yes, I have the 5 Amp NCE Powerhouse, five radio cabs, and some hardwired ones for local area operators.
Good luck,
Otto K.