I am considering going to a DCC system (my operating crew is pushing me to do away woith cab control, as it has become too complex). It looks like the Digitrax Super Chief is for me, but as I would like to operate "hands free": What is the experience with the Infrared operation? Is it reliable for about 5 operators? I am reluctnat to go with the radio option, as it does not conform to German tele-communication standards. Many Thanks Dirk
I have used both the IR and wireless features at club (www.hotrak.ca) setups and at home layouts. The IR is only as good as your line of sight. Think of it as a poor to average TV remote. If you go this route, you will have to ensure that there are not too many people in the way. I would suggest that you mount the receivers up high, rather than along the facia where they can be easily blocked. We do this at the club by mounting them on 7 foot high poles at various points along the layout. Andrew
Hello Andrew, many thanks for the info. Based on your input I have ordered a radio Digitrax set. There is no way I can mount receivers on the lighting valance, it is not "tall" enough on my doble-deck layout. As my layout room can get crowded at ops nights (it is a small room....) blocking the line of sight would be a problem. Cheers Dirk
Good choice. I have never had a problem with the operation of the radio throttles I have used. Of course you do need to plug them in from time to time (programming, selecting/dispatching) but that's no problem really. I like the UT4-R the best of all. Since I have a Zephyr with full keypad, I do not need a throttle like the DT-400R, but it is also an excellent choice for an "all-in-one". Good luck! Sounds like fun at the ops sessions! Andrew
I don't believe that the Digitrax radio system is approved for operation outside of North America, as it operates on a frequency (916.5 MHz) that is used for mobile phones in Europe. You may be limited to IR operation.
Doug, yes, that is my initial plan: Use infrared, but keep the option open to test the radio operation. If I am experiencing (or causing) interference I will need to stay with IR... Cheers Dirk
