Light that guides

Thank you for the article and thank you for starting where you did.

I have had everything I need including Decoder Pro for months now to start using DCC, but something has held me back. Your column could be the light that guides me through.

DCC primer

I have used DCC for several years but Bruce's clear and concise explanations are superb. I am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

Thanks

Brian

Welcome Bruce to the MRH!

Thanks for stepping up to be a MRH columnist. Your reputation proceeds you.  I look forward to more on the DCC column. With the shift and acceptance to DCC growing even still today, it only makes sense to have a column on DCC.

One thing I would like to comment on in this months column is in the figure 3 caption. The last part is "And its' FREE!"  While it doesn't cost anything to download and use it but does cost those that make it available to us to use.  They gladly take donations and you can make them here http://jmri.sourceforge.net/donations.shtml  

Steve

DCC Impulses

Bruce,

What a great column and I'm looking forward to more of the same

Al Behler

Great Read!

Welcome aboard Bruce!

I found this first column interesting from start to finish.  You used some great analogies in explaining packets and addressing, I thought.  I'm looking forward to future columns and the feedback discussions that result.  Should be an invaluable resource, IMO.

Mr DCC's article

I can't praise your clear basic review enough- the analogies are perfect.  I look forward to more such explanations to the workings of my DCC system. 

Roy 

Wonderful!

Bruce,

I really enjoyed your column and look forward to more as I have a very shallow knowledge of DCC even though I've been using a Digitrax DCC system from the start.  Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

Rick

DCC Info

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!  As a "New Chum" to this Model Train Hobby I will anxiously await your Monthly column.

Trich  (64things)

DCC Impulses

Great article.  Can't wait until next month.  Especially like getting links to other vital information and tools.

Thanks

Glad to see you here Bruce. I have been acquiring DCC gear for a while, and just this last week started trying to use it so your arrival could not be more timely. Thanks for your contribution to a great community of MRR's.

Thank you!

This column couldn't have come at a better time for me. So far I have only installed 1 decoder, it works well, but there are a lot of changes I want to make, especially to the programming. This article has already helped, immensely, in that direction. Thank you. I look forward to further articles.

JMRI

Steve -

Thanks for the good words!

AND a BIG THANKS for reminding me about the contribution aspect of JMRI. So many times we forget what folks don't know. There was a big lawsuit in the past and it cost BIG BUCKS just to keep JMRI alive. We (the JMRI users) have it now, and a landmark court decision in the process.

I recommend folks who find use in JMRI contribute just a bit, even $10 per year, to the cause. If everybody gave a bit, it would be no big hardship on anybody and the results would move mountains!

Thanks, again, Steve, for the reminder.

Thank you all for your kind words

It is especially heart warming to have folks say that something came into their life at the right time and gave the right direction. I hope to be able to do that with every column, but can't expect hit a home-run every time. But, if I can provide something for a few folks with each column, then the whole enchilada will be worth it!

Here is what you all can do. TELL FOLKS!

Tell your friends about the magazine! I found that there are folks in my club that didn't know about MRH magazine. Be sure to tell advertisers that you appreciate them spending the money to support MRH. Without them, we all will lose out. If you have a favorite manufacturer or dealer who isn't an advertiser, build a bit of a fire under them! When times are tight, folks in the industry are aching to know what advertising dollars are doing their most good. MRH is one of the least expensive to advertise in and gave the best bang for the buck for my old business, Litchfield Station. I am not privy to current financial details, so cannot "neither confirm or deny" the current situation.

Bruce Thank You for putting your Know-How in MRH

DCC is the number one question for all of us old timers building our first DCC Layout as well as many new model railroaders with the same questions about DCC.

With 40+ years of DC Cab Control behind me DCC was like walking up to the edge of a cliff and stepping off, only to realize that the cliff was actually just a short step but taking that step was or has been 100 times easier then I ever believed. Thanks to Joe Fugate and his MRH magazine over the past 3 years when it introduced me to MR.DCC I learned much about DCC but still have questions .

Your new article is not only a great refresher course in DCC as well as a great new resource into the actual fact that DCC just beats the heck out of  the old DC Cab Control system.

I look forward to any and all new articles from you Bruce and thank you for sharing your knowledge (in plain English) explaining as you go what things like CV's stand for as well as all the other abbreviated terms meanings.

I could only give your New Column a rating of 5 stars. I see it as more of a 10 but 5 is best and that's what I see your new column as, the Best and look forward to each months additions.

Dan

Welcome Bruce

Great pick having Bruce Petrarca you DCC editor. Those of us living in the Phoenix area greatly benefit from his clinics and his wonderful (former) business Litchfield Station. He has an uncanny ability to explain DCC simply. He's enthusiastic, incredibly patient and simply a great guy. Wait until everyone gets a chance to sample his knowledge on DCC and sound.

I'm sold on the idea of JMRI decorder pro but cant seem to make it work. So Bruce, one topic I'd like to see: for us dummies that spend hours trying to fathom why the COM port doesnt match (or whatever that mysterious issue is all about) or get the dreaded cant read the CV (or decoder) is how to get the dang thing to work.

I realize this is a tall order because different brands may require different solutions. But with your ability to explain things simply just might, maybe, help those of us JRMI challanged folks.

Dave Hunt

Dave, you make me blush

Thanks for the kind comments.

Firstly, Litchfield Station is going just fine. Just without me! VBG

As for DecoderPro, plans are in the works for a column on it.

The COM port issue is installation specific and just requires slogging through for EACH installation and writing down what you did, in case you need to replicate it later. For example, each time you install a LocoBuffer-USB, it uses a new COM port - this isn't a bug, some folks use multiple installs to control large layouts and each unit needs a different name.

CAN'T READ CV is the JMRI way of saying the same thing as Digitrax' DT400 series throttle saying NO-PG. There is some reason why the communication is failing between the command station and the decoder. Dirty wheels and / or track is the most common, assuming the installation is correct.

Know this isn't complete, but perhaps it will help.