DCC: Making Your Own

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What is DCC? Getting Started with DCC A Starter System Mobile Decoders Command Buses How DCC Systems Work Making Your Own DCC Components Decoder Installation	DCC is based on a set of digital protocols requiring intelligent decoders. This does not, however, mean that you cannot aspire to develop and/or build your own electronics to interface to it. At the simple end of the scale, DCC makes it easy to acquire a source of DC at any point within the system. A full- or half- wave rectifier may be used to convert the DCC track signal to DC - for example, for carriage lighting. This signal is always present during normal operation and does not disappear when, for example, a train stops. It is ultimately possible to design your own components of a DCC system. This requires skills in digital and analogue design and software design for microcontrollers. Review of the information available above may offer a starting point.  A good source for information about DIY DCC is available here. That link is probably more up-to-date than this page! We are aware that some of the links below don't work, and we are trying to establish if new links exist (late November 2004). Kit build (or ready assembled) DCC system CVP Products offers a number of model railway products, including a complete DCC system: "Easy DCC". This is available either complete or as a kit for home assembly. Their command station can support handheld throttles, and there is now a wireless option. One of the components is a low cost accessory decoder, which is widely used. N gauge mobile decoder A design for a simple N gauge decoder from Dean Probst. This has been used as the starting point for other decoder designs. Mike Brandt's DCC system Mike Brandt's page offers a number of useful DCC designs. A complete DCC command station based on a PC is there: this might allow a very low cost start to those that have a PC already available. One design is a simple 5A booster which could be used simply to feed track power or to power accessory decoders. Model Electronic Railway Group This UK based group offers several useful designs for DCC: Several versions of mobile decoder (similar software to Mike Brandt's design, but a totally different power feed arrangement ("H bridge" using power mosfets); An accessory decoder; A booster; A command station; Handheld throttles for the command station; A standalone DCC programmer. Details of these are only accessible by MERG members Bob Backway's page This page contains loads of information about DCC and DIY projects for DCC. A Loconet Throttle Martin Pischky's page includes a simple Loconet throttle design. Block detectors Several designs for block detectors are available. These allow detection of where locomotives are within a layout - a useful funtion if computer control is desired. DCC DIY system Full details of Wayne Roderick's DIY DCC system here Simple Boosters Two simple booster designs
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