Digitrax Super Chief Radio Implementation Questions.

[Bendtracker1]

Ed,
What is your reasoning for using both the UR90 and UR92?
No reason you can't, just curious why? 
Or will the UR92 replace an existing UR90.

[seusscaboose]

put the UP5's AFTER the Radio's....   
that way the radio's get a good clean signal all the time...  and if the UP5's go down.... they aren't impacted

next time you come over I will show you

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ed,
What is your reasoning for using both the UR90 and UR92?
No reason you can't, just curious why? 
Or will the UR92 replace an existing UR90.

I happen to have a UR90, so I might as well use it... that's it.

Eric, thanks for the recommendation about the ordering. That's what I was planning on doing, but mostly by accident.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Heck of a thing to read all this. I though DCC simplified wiring. I'm hopeful what is being explained here (over my head for sure) is simply connecting in series from rails to bus to varieties of enhancers or protectors to the "brains" to the power source. I'm having to break this down to manageable portions so I can chew on it.

The knowledge here never ceases to amaze. Just when I think I have a handle on DCC, I see something like this thread and I'm back to square one.

It does, actually. Significantly. The equivalent control capabilities using a series of DC throttles would be something so complicated I wouldn't even want to attempt it.

[davefoxx]

...and most of this DCC equipment is practically plug and play, with the exception of the bus wires and feeders to the rails, which should be done on many DC layouts anyway.  DCC can be as simple as two wires to hook up the layout (not recommended above a certain size layout) out to as complicated as you can imagine with transponding, signaling, etc.

DFF

[WBRRVP]

Allen
  Keep in mind the UR92 is for Duplex radio and the UR90 is for the older Simplex radio throttles, they use different frequencies so a Simplex throttle like a UT4R will not work with just a UR92 receiver.

Ed

[WBRRVP]

Allen
  Keep in mind the UR92 is for Duplex radio and the UR90 is for the older Simplex radio throttles, they use different frequencies so a Simplex throttle like a UT4R will not work with just a UR92 receiver.

Ed

...sorry mit post to fast

Ed
  While I don't have both receivers, my understanding is you probably want a PS14 for each of the UR receivers.

Jerry
www.washingtonbeltrr.com

[Bendtracker1]

Allen
  Keep in mind the UR92 is for Duplex radio and the UR90 is for the older Simplex radio throttles, they use different frequencies so a Simplex throttle like a UT4R will not work with just a UR92 receiver.

Ed

Correct Ed, understood, but the UR90 is for plug-in and IR only.
A UR91 is the Simplex receiver.
I was just curious if Ed had a special use for the UR90 or if as he stated

"I happen to have a UR90, so I might as well use it... that's it."

But thanks for the clarification.  

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Happy to clarify.

I think, as I phase into things, I'll probably be adding a power supply for the UR90 and UP5s as well, but I'm adopting a "wait and see" pose for that.

[WBRRVP]

A UR91 is the Simplex receiver.

Woops, my mix up. Was thinking 91, forgot they had the 90 for just IR.

Jerry

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Woops, my mix up. Was thinking 91, forgot they had the 90 for just IR.

Jerry

I did too at first, when I first saw it!

[reinhardtjh]

Happy to clarify.

I think, as I phase into things, I'll probably be adding a power supply for the UR90 and UP5s as well, but I'm adopting a "wait and see" pose for that.

If you haven't seen this Digitrax Tech Note: KB1017: LocoNet Accessory Power Requirements then it may be helpful.

Technically, you're within power requirements with a UR92, UR90 and a couple of UP5's since the PS14 can put out up to 300mA.  But I've heard tales of people having radio problems if the UR's shared power supplies with other devices, so it's probably a good idea to plan for that in needed.  I know you aren't planning for huge numbers of operators anyway so the number of throttles potentially plugged in via UP5's won't be large, but putting them on a separate P/S is probably good planning.

put the UP5's AFTER the Radio's....   
that way the radio's get a good clean signal all the time...  and if the UP5's go down.... they aren't impacted

This is a good point and perhaps you may even want to buy/make some sort of loconet hub - either a multi-line or a simple splitter so as to do a home run type of wiring with the UR92.  The reason being that duplex radio reception varies greatly by position in the room.  You may find it easier to place the UR92 properly if it's on it's own run to the Loconet and not in a chain.  Loconet doesn't care.  You can mix topologies as needed as long as you don't connect it in a loop. See KB490: LocoNet Architecture - Network Topologies.  Don't make the mistake of placing the UR92 in the layout facia as you would a UP5.  People are one of the most effective blockers of the radio signal so you want to have it up as high as you can.  In the Digitrax Yahoo group people have said that due to the metal faceplate you may even want to mount it backwards, i.e. with the internal guts facing down so that the faceplate doesn't block the signal.  Your room may be small enough it doesn't matter, but it's something to keep in mind.

[Santa Fe Guy]

Edd on my SFRSD I have about 9 UP5's (one at each town) with the UR92 set in the middle of them (at Red Rock on my layout track plan) all on one continuous Loco net cable. We found that it worked better in my case than having it placed at one end of the system as we first tried.
They are all powered from the one separate power pack. I can have up to 12 operators with throttles being plugged in or just hand held and the system is working well.
All of our throttles have been converted to full Duplex though.
Rod. 

[Ed Kapuscinski]

Ok, implementation started last night.

Here's the overall setup.
There's a shelf (one of the Rubbermaid "extra shelf" wire ones from Lowes), supporting the PS2012 and DCS200.
Then there's a UP5, plugged into one of the ports on the DCS200. It's screwed in, and probably just a temporary location until more construction happens.
That's my throttle, hanging by the plug and with it's "extension cord" wrapped around a pair of cup hooks. Don't worry, I don't plan on leaving it hanging like that.
Power distribution is done on a board that lives on the shelf behind the DCS and PS2012.



Here's a closeup of the shelf.
I went with a wire shelf so I could route cables through it, and also for better airflow.


And here's the quick board I put together to do the power distribution.
Power from the DCS comes in at the top left, goes into that terminal strip (there for quick disconnecting), and then into the bottom one, where it's split into 4 different sub-districts. The PSX units will come off the lines to the left, but right now, I just attached the layout power directly (since only the equivalent of one whole sub-district currently exists.


I'm going to work on mounting a power strip to power it all in a more organized way this weekend, and then mount up the UR92, nice and high up.

Thanks everyone for the help in getting this far.

[seusscaboose]

very nice