# Multiple address response possible?



## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Hi guys,

Just thinking out loud a bit here...I think it would be great if a station bell could be triggered by the same Function button on a handheld, no matter what train you were driving. So that way no matter what engine you were using, you could ring the appropriate RhB station gong as you approaced the station. So if there were three (like at Filisur) you could press one of three designated F buttons depending on which line you were on etc. 
Is there a way to set a decoder to respond to an assigned F key(s) no matter what address is used? I'm thinking not, but I'm hoping someone has figured out a way. 

Keith


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

So you are referring to the sound decoder? And you want to trigger all 3 bells at the same time? Is that what you were asking? If so, 
I only have Phoenix Sound decoders and I don't think it can do that. However, I might be able to do it with my NCE old-style consisting ability. What it does basically, I believe (I haven't tried it), is if you press a function key for the consist, it will send out the same command to all locos in the consist. So if the consist had locos with sound decoder addresses set at 3, 4 and 5 for example, in consist 1, if I was on consist 1, and pressed the bell Function key, it would send out the bell command to all 3 sound decoders.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, but you would have to consist the "station bell" with EVERY loco, and EVERY loco would need to be in a consist, and you would have to use the consist address for each loco, not it's normal address. (and with 3 different tracks, it is actually more complex) 

You would also need to program things so that functions are passed to every loco in the consist, usually it's only the lead loco... 

I think you need some computer assistance, to have a program notice the function command, and then send the appropriate command to another decoder... 

Not simple I think... 

Regards, Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the input, guys. 

BTW, I was just reading the NMRA DCC specs, and there is an allowance made for a decoder to do exactly what I am asking it to....but I don't believe any of the manufacturers have done it yet, at least to my knowledge. I think I might be better off just programming a microcontroller to look for the particular F button pulse train/packet and then have it trigger the appropriate sound decoder inputs. I guess it's time to do a little more studying... 

Keith


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, I don't know of any decoders that do this either... 

But, it might be worth reading the manuals on something like ESU or Zimo, they often have more "Bells and whistles"... 

what is the mode/function called? I can search my Zimo manual for it. 

Regards, Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

I just read the Zimo manual online--didn't see that ability anywhere. But I did see one really cool CV--you can have the motor take up the backlash during direction changes to prevent lurching! How cool is that? 

Keith


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yep, there is some really off the wall stuff... the sounds can be made in "segments" for different speed ranges, so you can have the length of the chuff vary as the loco goes faster, and you can have up to 10 segments! Now that is a ton of work, but you could do it and get a very nice effect so that it really sounds like the prototype, and not a machine gun at high speeds... 

Regards, Greg


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## Axel Tillmann (Jan 10, 2008)

I would solve the problem differently.

Depending what sound module you are using you can either use a switch decoder or an HO engine decoder. In either case you use external triggers. You then can use a gap in the track, or reed relays to trigger the sounds either directly out of the engine decoder or by activating a "signal light" that closes the input for the extrenal decoder. The later application could be also solved with out the switch decoder, but the decoder has the advantage that you can initiate the sound also from you cab.

Unfortuantely there is no "broadcast" mode in DCC that would allow you to address more than one address at the same time.

But since station bells are allways activated on approaching trains utilzing the trains movement is a good way out - I think.


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the ideas, Axel, those would work for sure. In the meantime, maybe you can put a bug in the ear of your Zimo associates to allow receiving 'broadcast' signals--I think there would be many uses for them. 

Keith


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