Need Pro's and Con's of Non-tethered DCC control (Radio vrs IF )

[gmpullman]

I recently set up my Digitrax Super Chief Radio and I am very pleased! Yes, the throttle battery will only last a few days unless you keep them plugged into the UR91 with the wall x-former, then they go into battery save mode. I just bought some 9v. nimh batteries at BestBuy for $10 ea.
My radio reciever has no dead spots although I added a second one since I expanded with another "starter set" that included one but this is overkill... one is plenty and my basement is 35 x 50.
Of course you still have to plug in to the loco-net to select a locomotive address but the operation is pure pleasure with no tethered wire and the radio throttles have a short plug so fewer snags... I'm looking forward to getting a UT4-R throttle soon.
As for boosters/shorts I have two of Tony's Train Exchange power shield x4 so I have eight power districts and a short in any one will not affect the rest of the layout.
Radio is considerably more $$ but WELL worth it!
Ed

[Adelie]

QUOTE: Now operating sessions don't need to stop just because you use the bathroom. Just have someone radio to tell you what to do and your going. Just kidding, though it does work i our bathroom with the door closed.

What?!? You didn't run a Loconet jack into the bathroom, next to the commode? How short-sighted! Sadly, I'm sitting here thinking, "Mark, you idiot, when you wired the house with Cat 5 for the computer network, you could have also ......" A series of micro-cameras on the layout, a Loconet connection, hmm.

QUOTE: but if you pop into a radioshack and buy a couple of Ni-MH 9V you won't be sorry.

Great idea. I've used them in a few other power eating devices (like the digital camera). They last several times longer and you can recharge them easily enough.

[Anonymous]

Easy DCC wireless (radio). I like the knob (no buttons for speed control) and the reliability.

[rexhea]

I tried IR but never could remember to aim the darn thing. Wish I had gone with the RF from the beginning. [:(]

REX

[jwar]

Thank you all for the info. Looks like radio seems so far to have the bang for my buck, sort to speak. Rechargable batteries sounds like the ticket.

My lay out is 12 x 15 around the wall, three tracks around the lower level, a 2 T Helix and another run around and yard on the upper level. 2 or 3 Amps sounds rather light. )...O well back to the drawing board.

thanx....John

[jwr_1986]

Our club run a Zephyr (Hope I spelled it right) with a Radio. It is a thing of beauty. Now operating sessions don't need to stop just because you use the bathroom. Just have someone radio to tell you what to do and your going. Just kidding, though it does work i our bathroom with the door closed. As for batteries. Most throttles I've ever seen use 9V. It can get rather expensive if you go the conventional route but if you pop into a radioshack and buy a couple of Ni-MH 9V you won't be sorry. They run about $13 a piece but they last a good ten years so think of how much you save over regular batteries. The only item in our house that still gets regular batteries are the smoke detectors. Rayovac also makes a nice charger that has four slots each one can hold 2 AAA or AA or 1 C or D (Rechargeable only of course. It also has a spot for one 9V at a time. It uses up two of the aforementioned spaces but it works great.

As for the booster issue the zephyr only has 2.5A to begin with so as long as you don't do anything silly like wire headlight bulbs in series with the wire you should be good. I have witnessed Rail-Lynx burn up a locomotive before though but that is inherant with an inferior system. The poor little switcher melted into a puddle.

Jesse

[robengland]

my layout is only 4x12 so I went IR but I had an unforeseen problem. When my son holds the throttle the fascia blocks the signal ! (he's only 5). Wish I had gone radio now....

[retsignalmtr]

i just installed the digitrax super empire builder last week. i went with the radio wireless over the infrared due to my train room being L shaped and i didn't want to have to point the throttle to a certain position. since IR is line of sight, a visitor to your layout could block the signal with his-her body. i recessed the radio module into the layout facia and it works anywhere in the room.

[Adelie]

If you go tetherless, go radio. No line of sight problems, so one receiver is good. Only downside is batteries, that I have seen. That can be said about anything that uses batteries. My radio throttle is a Digitrax DT400R, which I love.

I like Digitrax (LocoNet was the kicker for me), so the Zephyr would be my choice from what you described thus far. The main reason for multiple boosters is not so much the meltdown factor (it could happen, but the risk is overstated since boosters will shut themselves down), but that a problem somewhere will only disable a single power district, not the whole layout. A simple short only shuts down one booster.

If I was running a 4x8 with 2-3 locomotives at a time max, I'd almost certainly go with a single booster.

[NZRMac]

I seriously considered Digitrax Zephyr, based on price and expandability, but I've gone with Lenz. I have a Set 100 5amp command station, pushbutton cab and a compact knob cab for the yard area. I also have a XPA cordless phone adaptor, which has most of the functions but not programming.

Ken.

[dinwitty]

done tethered club layout operations, DCC and wireless is the best step to go, and RF, not infrared.

[Don Gibson]

RF has it all over IR. I coverted IR to RF.

One does not have to 'AIM' RF.

[jwar]

Gettin ready to bite the bullet and go DCC. Thinking seriously of radio or Infrared controll as I will moving around the room during operations ect.

1 what do you like or dislike about your remote controll.

2 Some say its better to go with smaller amp boosters then a single large amp starter set, account of meltdown if somthing malfunctions.

3 If you were to do it again, what would DCC system would you seriously consider, if you had enough room to run four trains with another seven or so in sideings ?

Thank you for your replys in advance, have a great day, John