Infrared Control

I have a 4x8 H0 scale layout.  I'm 13 years old and REALLY thinking about switching to DCC, I need to know really fast because I want to ask my parents to get it for Christmas.You wouldn't know by looking at those who edit the Tech Support Depot, but there actually was a time when we too were thirteen, and just starting out in model railroading.  In many ways, we still are thirteen years old; we just can't move as fast.  Consider this photograph from our youth: This little bit of ancient model railroad history dates back to the 1950's, ...

Q:  Where do I locate UR90 for best performance? A:  Infrared signals are transmitted and received in the line of sight between the transmitter and the receiver.  Most problems with IR reception are caused by people or things blocking this line of sight.  UR90 should not be mounted in the layout fascia below track level because that is where we stand when we run trains.UR90 works best when mounted on a wall, opposite the operators, near the ceiling, at a 30° to 45° downward angle. The reason for this positioning is simple. When you are making speed and function changes on ...

The jacks on the front and sides of the UP5, UR92, UR91, UR90, and LNRP front panels are Throttle Jacks and should only be used for connecting throttles to LocoNet.  They should not be used to connect to other LocoNet devices.  The jacks on the back of these units are LocoNet Jacks that are used for connecting LocoNet devices to the network.  Technically speaking! These units were designed to have the FRONT jack's second Railsync differential signal run as a diode-or'ed power source (for throttles).  This means that some cable orientations and power loads could cause unexpected operations in downstream LocoNet devices ...

  Can I add Radio and IR to my Zephyr Xtra?Yes.Adding radio and/or IR to Zephyr and Zephyr Xtra is the same as adding it to any other existing Digitrax layout or Digitrax Starter Set. Digitrax offers InfraRed, Duplex Radio and Simplex Radio systems for wireless operation.  Any combination of these wireless methods can be used on the same layout at the same time.Infra Red Wireless OperationAll current Digitrax throttles are Infrared capable (InfraReady) in that they come from the factory equipped with the IR emitters required to send IR information to LocoNet.  To use this functionality, you only need to ...

  Q:  Can I mix UP-5s with Radio and IR panels? I want to upgrade slowly and still use the 400 throttles and the UT throttles while I mail them in to you one at a time for conversion to radio. A:  Yes, and you can continue to use the UP5's after conversion to radio; for instance, if you have visitors who bring their own Digitrax non-radio throttles. That's the real genius of LocoNet, since you can add to your railroad in any way. Note that you will need to plug in your throttle to LocoNet initially to select the locomotive before you ...

Follow these simple instructions to determine the best location/s on your layout for installing your UR panels for the best possible infrared or radio reception. With LocoNet, you can use Infrared, Duplex Radio and Simplex radio individually or in any combination on your layout.You'll need to be able to observe whether your command station is receiving commands from the UR panels when you are installing infrared or radio receivers and transceivers.  Your Digitrax command station makes it easy to determine when the system is receiving a signal and when it is not.  You can observe the NET LED and the Track Status Indicator or your ...

Here at the Tech Support Depot, it has been our goal to improve operators' understanding of the Digitrax system of model railroad command control. We often see thoughtful words from others who are not employed by Digitrax that still have an in-depth understanding of the product line. Here, Doug Stuard talks about the UR91; these words originally appeared on the Yahoo Groups Digitrax discussion list, and are used here with his kind permission. UR91 and Throttle Antenna The UR91 antenna is the pair of 3" wires that sprout from the PC board that are arranged in a "V" similar to ...