track9910 thanks, I did find a 6 pin phone (telephone) at radio shack. I plugged it in and it worked.
thanks,
I did find a 6 pin phone (telephone) at radio shack. I plugged it in and it worked.
If you're using a "telephone-style" cable to extend your LocoNet between devices that require RailSync (especially boosters), you may end up with problems later since the RailSync polarity will be reversed.
You may want to mark or somehow identify that cable as being a telephone-style cable for future reference.
Which cord it too short? The throttle? Those coiled cords are already around 15 feet long. If you one that's only a foot or so long and NOT coiled - you have a radio throttle and it doesn;t actually have to be plugged in.
The usual idea, if using the cordered throttles, is to use the UP5 panels spaced at intervales along your layout and move the throttle as you follow your train. You can unplug and the train will keep going while you advance to the next plug location and plug it back in.
The cables for the throttle and also between the UP5 panels and the command station a fairly standard 6p6c (6 pin, 6 conenctor) phone jacks, however the wiring needs to be data style (not flipped) versus telephone style (flipped), this is diagrammed in the manual. The idea being that a proper cable, if you hold the ends up and look at the colors of the wires inside, will have, say, white ont he right of both conectors. A phone cable flips this, so the white would be on the right of one conenctor and left of the other, if both plugs are held the same way.
Now, for throttles, this actually doesn't matter, you can use phone cords, phone extensions, whatever - as long as they have all 6 wires. In a pinch, you can simply buy a 6 wire (sometimes called dual line) phone courd and a 6 pin coupler, of a phoen extension, which will have a male plug on one and and a female jack on the other.
The danger of this is that there ARE some instances where the order of the wires does matter - such as if you ever add a booster, or install any BDL-168 block detectors. These situations need the oder of the wires to be in the data style, not phone style, and you will have issues. So it's best to get the right stuff up front and not have one mystery cable that bites you in the rear a year or two from now when you expand.
I haven't seen it there lately, but WalMart used to have 100 foot 6p6c phone cords, I used to get these and then cut off lengths as I needed - and figured I basically got 2 free ends as well. Say I needed a 10 foot cable, I measured 10 feet from oen end, cut the wire, and attached a new end to the cut side - the other side still had the original end on it. You cna get the ends and a crimp tool at Radio Shack and I've seen them in Home Depot as well. It's really easy to make cables like this, the tool is pretty foolproof, at least if you get a quality metal one and not a cheap palstic one. They have cutters and strippers that make the wire end the correct length witht he correct amount of the outer insualtion stripped off, you then stick it in a new end and squeeze the handle to crimp the contects through the individual wires and also clamp a strain relief on the end fo the wire.
Radio Shack 279-421 are the plugs, 10 pack. They no longer seem to have the wire, or the quality metal crimping tool I bought there.
Home Depot VDV226-011 is the Klein stripping and crimping tool.
Cables are not listed by either.
If you would prefer not to make any, you can order them premade from Monoprice:
http://www.monoprice.com/products/subdepartment.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10222
Look under the RJ12 6p6c Silver Satin section. You will see 7, 14, and 25 foot in both reverse and straight. You want the ones that say Straight (for Data). 74 cents for 7 foot, 94 cents for 14 feet, and $1.44 for 25 feet. I've ordered various computer and TV cables from this firm over the years and they are reliable and reputable. You know when you buy a new TV and they try to sell you a $60 HDMI cable for it? $10 or less with these guys.
This: http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10519&cs_id=1051901&p_id=7278&seq=1&format=2 for a whole 28 cents is the coupler to make an extension.
--Randy
Note: I do not work for nor am I associated in any way with Monoprice other than being a multiple times satisfied customer.
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
.
Alton Junction
Digitrax Loconet cables are six wire cables that have the plugs crimped on differently than six wire telephone cables. Take a look at your manual and this explanation. http://ikm.digitrax.com/questions/1336/LocoNet+Wiring+Overview. You can make your own or if you only need one or so try Tony's trains or other suppliers.
Joe
Well I found my old box from digitrax. The wire is a 6 pin connector. So any Idea where I can buy one? Would Radio Shack carry something like this or a computer store? Thanks
I have a digitrax system. the phone type cord they supply is way to short for my needs. Will any phone cord work or are these special. If they are special where can I get a 10 to 12 foot cord. I'm sure digitrax will have them but someone should have them cheaper. Thanks in advance,