Upgrading PH-Pro to Radio?

[Hamltnblue]

I'v been running the PH Pro 5 amp for a while and am considering upgrading it to a radio.  Anyone here using the radio and if so is it worth it?

Thanks

 

[ds137]

Our club uses it and all the members who have the radio throttles swear by it.  I haven't heard anyone swear at it yet.  I don't have a radio throttle so I don't have any actual experience with it.  Best I can do for now....... 

[cacole]

 Once you try a radio throttle, you'll never go back to a tether.

We use the ProCab Radio throttles at our HO scale club layout and I use it on my HO scale home layout.  Even though we also have a walk-around plug-in throttle capability, no one uses them any more.  Radio throttles free you from ever having to plug in except for the initial throttle setup.

The only drawback to radio throttles is that they tend to eat batteries at a good clip, so stock up on AAAs when you can find them on sale, and keep the extras in your refrigerator.

The ProCab Radio throttles do turn off automatically after a set period of inactivity to conserve the batteries, but your train will continue to run at the last speed step to which it was set.

[Hamltnblue]

Thanks.  How much run time do you typically get on standard duracell or energizer Alkelines?

[mlw8542]

I have used NCE radio ever since the first release. The early versions had some limitations, but the latest version(version 1.5) is nearly bullet proof. To upgrade you will need a RB-02(radio base station) it just plugs in, and a radio cab(there are several versions to choose from) or you can have radio added to your present cab. I really love mine,I would not be with out it.

John S.    Wisconsin Rapids Wi

[mlw8542]

Running once or twice a week for a hour or two my dura cells last about 3 mo.

John S.   Wisconsin Rapids, Wi

[Hamltnblue]

Sounds like a reasonable time, should be about 16 hours running time.

[pastorbob]

Have been using NCE since 1999, radio since it first came out.  Like both very much.  I also like the cab04pr which I have 6 of, along with 6 Pro cabs.  Do confess when I am by myself, I will still use cabo4p (non radio) cabs on tether quite often to conserve the battery units.

Bob

[jtsgarage]

I would agree that that the latest update is the way to go.  Nearly bullet proff at this point.  I would recommend along with everyone else.

Jeff

[Hamltnblue]

Thanks for the input.  I thinks I will have a radio add on shortly. 

[Hamltnblue]

Well I pulled the trigger today. PIcked up the base station and a radio cab.  Set-up was easy, Just plug the radio base into the track bus and it was up and running in a couple of minutes.  There is no setup to get it running.  At first things were acting weird but it turned out that the CAB address matched my former procab address.  Changed it to 3 and now it runs great.

Just an FYI. There were 2 radio cabs at the LHS.  The newest one (V1.3) comes with a stub boost antenna.  Much nicer than the older long antenna.  Looking at the NCE price list you can get the boost antenna for 15 bucks.  Worth it.

[cacole]

Hamltnblue

Just an FYI. There were 2 radio cabs at the LHS.  The newest one (V1.3) comes with a stub boost antenna.  Much nicer than the older long antenna.  Looking at the NCE price list you can get the boost antenna for 15 bucks.  Worth it.

 

Another FYI:  The shorter antenna is an industry standard antenna that can be purchased from the likes of Digikey at a cheaper price if you need to perform a bulk conversion as we did for a club layout.

[maxman]

Hamltnblue

PIcked up the base station and a radio cab.

Just out of curiosity, which LHS do you use, and what's the environment (friendly, knowledgeable, etc.)?

[Hamltnblue]

The LHS I use is Linsjunction, WWW.linsjunction.com . They are located in lansdale PA.  They're usually well stocked, very friendly and knowledgeable. For DCC they stock NCE and Digitrax. It's about a 45 to 55 minute ride for me, mostly by highway. There's also another pretty well stocked LHS in the same town, about a mile away, but for DCC Lins is the way to go.

[maxman]

Hamltnblue

The LHS I use is Linsjunction

Okay, thanks.  Same one I go to.  I saw where you lived and wondered if there was another one local to you I didn't know about.

[Hamltnblue]

There is another one a few miles away, It's pretty well stocked but not much in DCC. It's Nicholas Smith Trains on West Chester Pike in Broomall.

The other LHS in Lansdale is Penn Valley on main street (Route 63) about a mile or so from Lins.  It's laid back with a sign that just say Hobby Shop.  They are also very friendly but short on DCC stock.

[maxman]

I've been to N. Smith, but not in a while.  They seemed to be geared more to the large scale stuff, with the HO sort of haphazard on the shelves.  Maybe they've improved?

Also been to PennValley.  They keep sort of strange hours, so if I go to Lins in the morning I don't get to PV because they don't seem to be open until about 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

Thanks again.

[rrinker]

 Penn Valley is an interesting story. As I understnad it, they were looking ot retire and close the shop, so they started selling stuff on eBay. I think they've done so well on ebay that they remain open and in business. I haven't been in there in ages, not since I lived in Hatfield, but I have purcahsed from PVHC on ebay recently.

                                 --Randy