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What Do I Need for DCC Wireless Control

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  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 406 posts
What Do I Need for DCC Wireless Control
Posted by donhalshanks on Saturday, February 7, 2009 11:26 AM

My RR is running now with  a DCC Digitrax Zephyr.  Now I want to walk around the room while I run my trains using a wireless remote.  What do I need and what do you recommend to get me going?  Estimated cost?

I apologize if this has been covered in some earlier thread, and if so, perhaps you could point me to it.  Thanks!

Hal 

 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Reading, PA
  • 30,002 posts
Posted by rrinker on Saturday, February 7, 2009 11:29 AM

right here http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/t/147370.aspx

 You need a UR90 and a UT4 or DT400 for infrared, or a UR91 and a UT4R or DT400R for radio.

                            --Randy

 


Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's

 

Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.

  • Member since
    May 2002
  • From: Massachusetts
  • 2,890 posts
Posted by Paul3 on Saturday, February 7, 2009 11:49 AM

From www.tonystrains.com

Digitrax simplex Radio:
DT400R = $180 (radio throttle w/ 6" cord)
UT4R = $100 (radio throttle w/ 6" cord)
UR91 = $115 (radio & infrared receiver)

Digitrax Infrared:
DT400 = $140 (infrared throttle w/ 6' cord)
UT4 = $65 (infrared throttle w/ 6' cord)
UR90 = $35 (infradred receiver only)

I recommend the radio over the infrared because it works more consistantly.  The IR throttles are like TV remotes, and they do have to be pointed in the general direction of the receiver, or they have get a good bounce from something like a wall or ceiling.  The DT400R is a better throttle than the UT4R.  The UT is basically just for running train and nothing else.  The DT400R is so good that I don't use my Zephyr to program or make MU's or much of anything other than to run a train.  So if I were you, I'd spend the $295 and get the DT400R and UR91.

I will mention that Digitrax is supposed to be coming out with a new, duplex radio system this summer.  The throttle will be called the DT402D and the receiver will be the UR92.

The current simplex radio is one-way, meaning that any action that requires the system to talk to the throttle requires that the throttle be plugged in.  This means that when you select or release an address, or if you make or break an MU, or if you want to read a loco's CV's on the programming track, you need to be plugged into the LocoNet.

The new duplex radio will also have to be plugged in once when you first turn on the system to synch the throttle to the "brain", but after that you won't need to be plugged in for the length of that session.  The new DT402D will also support up to function F28.

As of yet, there is no word on the price of the DT402D or the UR92.  I have been told in the past that the DT402D will be an upgrade of existing DT400R's.  So for a fee, one can turn in one's DT400 and get it turned into a DT402D.

Paul A. Cutler III
*******************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*******************

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