DecoderPro Slot Monitoring

[Isambard]

In monitoring slots, what is the practical difference between an Idle status
slot and a Common status slot after dispatching the address or a time out purge occurs? We
note that in some cases on dispatching a loco address the slot immediately goes
to Idle while in other cases it remains at Common e.g. if the loco sound is not
turned off, or if the loco was a top loco in a consist. Repeat dispatching of the address then usually causes the status to change from Common to Idle.


Our DCS200 has 120 slots available for loco addresses and status. We are
operating with 22 slots available, the factory default setting. We normally do
an OPSw39 purge before each session. We note activity in one or more of the
seven system slots from time to time, which appears to show to a phantom loco or
two. What do these system slots show? Should we be monitoring these slots during
routine operations and if so for what?

Comments appreciated

 Isambard

[jalajoie]

I did notice this however I didn't pay much attention to this matter. It is my understanding, if the I lights are still On or the motor speed not fully turned to zero, the command station still keep these decoders as active in its memory.

We operate our Super Chief with 120 slots so we never have to worry about how many are in use. I personally flush the internal memory of the system once a month.

[Isambard]

Thanks Jack. Drop in and visit us if you're on the west island (www.wimrc.ca).

I'm waiting for others to comment too.

 Isambard

 

[JoeinPA]

 I've noticed this too.  I've found that in most cases if you have dispatched your locos correctly exiting the program and re-entering "cures" the problem.  This would be a good question for the jmri users group on Yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/).

Joe

[rrinker]

 There is a file on either the Digitrax or JMRI Yahoo group which completely explains the various slot status conditions. This is invaluable for seeign jsut what all that stuff you see in JMRI actually means.

 The system slots are also explained. One is the fast clock, one is the dispatch slot (when you actually dispatch a loco or consist so that someone with another throttle can pick them up), others are for other internal functions.

 

                                 --Randy