Author Topic: Track power signal frequency?  (Read 2006 times)

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SquirrelHollow

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Track power signal frequency?
« on: January 03, 2008, 02:24:15 AM »
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I'm in the middle of a little research for my newest project.  (as an optional sub-project of another project.)

Although the fruit of my labor would be many months away, at this rate; I came upon a question I couldn't find the answer to.

I KNOW I've read it.  I KNOW it has been the topic of discussion in a few topics. (maybe not here)

The answer I need is...  What is the track voltage (AC) frequency of the power from your booster? 
If you don't have a booster (I don't know DCC systems at all), what is your AC track power frequency?

I searched NCE systems, Digitrax systems, and a few forums.  I couldn't find the answer.

Using the NMRA standards library, I calculated the freqency to be 2.0-2.5MHz. (Min/Standard)  That figure, however, seems too fast.  (2.5 cycles per microsecond)  Many electronic components have response times in the low, single-digit nanoseconds today, but I just can't get my head wrapped around that figure. 
Slightly confusing, as well, was the 'Noise' requirement.  Any RF noise from 100Hz on up, has to have no more than 5% effect on the decoders.  One hundred Hertz would be nothing to a 2.5MHz system, as I understand it.


So...   Does anyone here have literature, or know the AC track voltage frequency of your system?  Hell, while I'm asking....  anyone care to dig that prehistoric oscillascope out of the junk heap and hook it up?


Thanks for the help.
-Robert

Uintah Railway, Utah Railway.

asciibaron

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2008, 07:35:18 AM »
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« Last Edit: January 03, 2008, 07:41:05 AM by asciibaron »
Quote from: Chris333
How long will it be before they show us how to add DCC to a tree?

SquirrelHollow

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #2 on: January 03, 2008, 09:51:53 PM »
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That helped a bit, and gave me a few more leads.  Hopefully I can figure this out without any more head scratching.
-Robert

Uintah Railway, Utah Railway.

wvgca

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #3 on: December 20, 2022, 02:35:07 PM »
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average is roughly 8 mhz, depends on what information is sent along with the DCC power

C855B

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2022, 02:45:36 PM »
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average is roughly 8 mhz, depends on what information is sent along with the DCC power

We wish. KHz. Working designs for DCC use 10KHz as the benchmark.

peteski

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #5 on: December 20, 2022, 03:01:08 PM »
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I really don't know if the DCC signal can be considered as a frequency.  It is a square vave with constantly changing timing of the pulses.  More like a noise signal than a single frequency.  It would be a range of frequencies.

I wonder what the goal of this exercise is.
« Last Edit: December 20, 2022, 03:10:38 PM by peteski »
. . . 42 . . .

wvgca

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #6 on: December 20, 2022, 03:08:56 PM »
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whoops, my bad ... should have entered khz rather than mhz  ..
anyways, it roughly varies from 5khz to 9khz ..
i should have known better, llol

jagged ben

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #7 on: December 20, 2022, 03:10:33 PM »
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The original thread is nearly 15 years old.

peteski

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #8 on: December 20, 2022, 03:13:26 PM »
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The original thread is nearly 15 years old.

LOL!  And for some reason wvgca brought it back form the dead  (and gave some wrong info)!  I didn't check the dates. The original member posting the question last visited a year ago. I wonder what made him bring it back? 
. . . 42 . . .

C855B

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Re: Track power signal frequency?
« Reply #9 on: December 20, 2022, 03:14:51 PM »
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...anyone care to dig that prehistoric oscillascope out of the junk heap and hook it up?

You mean like this?



EDIT:

The original thread is nearly 15 years old.

Holy $#!+... didn't even notice that myself! I'm going to have to hook-up that o'scope to the friggin' time machine and see just what exactly went wrong here.  :facepalm:
« Last Edit: December 20, 2022, 03:18:56 PM by C855B »