actually Ive tried using a multi meter on the output and at the programiing track and the voltage doesnt move at either place. When i attemp to read a address it comes back without a answer just a _ _ _ _ . While the programming led on the base continues to flash and i cannot control anything until it clears itself. It works fine for operations on main and can program on main. But with MRC you cannot read on the main. Hence the programming track. Ive checked the wires to the program track and like i the ac voltage doesnt change at the base unit either.
You can't measure the voltage ont he program track with a standard meter, it will never see the short pulses - the program track does not have continuous power.
One thing to try would be to take a section of track and attach some wires to it, and connect to the program track terminals. If that works, there is a problem between the system and the track, or perhaps the program track is dirty. If a new piece of track with new wires doesn't work, there may be a system problem.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I have a Prodigy Advance² and on some decoders it just can’t read the address. If it programs the decoder I wouldn’t worry about not reading the address. I use the JMRI interface and save all the decoder info for future use and don’t worry about it not reading the address.It reads some Digitrax addresses but not all. None of the old decoder addresses, pre 2008 or so.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.