RB02 / RPT1
Wireless base station and Repeater Manual
Version 1.0
Operate your cabs without plugging in
Features:
Second Generation two way wireless for DCC
Handles up to 48 wireless cabs.
Use up to 30 repeaters with one base station
Two way communication with the cab
All features of your Cabs are available without plugging in
Just plug it in - no soldering!
Cabs automatically switch over to bus power when plugged in
No guarantees are made by NCE or authorized NCE dealers as to the suitability of this product for its intended
use. As with all radio products, communication integrity in the presence of interference can not be guaranteed.
This book, schematics, drawings and artwork copyright 2005
NCE Corporation Webster, NY 14580
If you have received the RB02 as part of a complete NCE DCC system:
Setup and run the system without the wireless connected following the Quick Start guide in
your system manual. When you have confidence that all is working properly at that level then
proceed with connection of the radio.
About the NCE Second generation wireless:
The RB02 and RPT1 are NCE’s second generation two-way radio system for NCE wireless
throttle operation. The RB02 (Radio Base station) is designed to work with NCE wireless
cabs to eliminate the need for tethered operation. Only one RB02 may be connected to your
DCC system. In many cases the RB02 alone is sufficient to cover most layouts.
If you need to cover more area than the RB02 alone can provide you may add up to 30 RPT1
(RePeaTers). Repeaters are slave radio transmitter/receivers that work under the control of
the RB02. The RB02 has two expansion ports (PORT A and PORT B). You may plug a
repeater into either port or both ports. The RB02 can directly handle 2 repeaters. Each
repeater has two expansion ports (also labeled PORT A and PORT B). These ports are also
designed to accept repeaters. You may daisy chain repeaters up to 4 levels “deep” in each
chain. Addition of repeaters is discussed in more detail later in this manual.
If you have purchased repeaters along with your RB02 we suggest starting with just the RB02
Hookup and Quick Start below. As you gain familiarity with the radio operation then proceed
to add the repeaters.
RB02 hookup diagram
Cab Bus
NCE Power Pro
or Power Cab
RB02
UTP
RB02 Hookup:
1-Thread the included antenna to the mating connector on top of the RB02.
2-Connect the included 6 wire cable from the “Bus” connector on the RB02 to a convenient
Cab Bus connection on your layout (a UTP panel is shown as the connection point
above).
Quick Start for radio operation:
1-Make sure the DCC system is on.
2-Make sure your wireless equipped cab is setup in the proper address range (wireless
ProCabs use addresses 2-17, wireless small cabs use addresses 19-49).
3-Make sure your wireless cab has fresh, correctly installed batteries and the antenna is
attached
4-On the ProCab press EMERGENCY STOP (HORN on small cabs) until the cab powers
up. If you have trouble turning on the ProCab try pushing ENTER at the same time as
EMERGENCY STOP. The LCD on the ProCab will then briefly display the cab version
number and cab address just as when plugging it in to the cab bus. Then it will display
the software version and Layout ID of the radio in the cab. With smaller cabs the “Data
Entry” LED on the front of the cab will briefly light.
5-If all is working properly you should see a steady ‘heartbeat’ pulsing of the red light on top
of the cab. This light flashes every time the cab responds to a probe from the radio base
station. On the ProCab your normal operating screens should be displayed on the LCD.
On smaller cabs the red LED on the front of the cab should briefly light when a key is
pressed.
6-Enjoy your wireless operation
See the “Tips” section later in this manual for more radio operating tips.
**Last revised: 8 June 2005 Page 2 RB02/RPT1
Wireless communications:
The transmitter power of the RB02 and RPT1 is .00035 Watts. By contrast your cell phone
can put out 3 Watts or roughly 10,000 times the power. We are continuously asked about the
operating distance of the wireless cab. There are many factors governing the useful range of
wireless products. The RB02/RPT1 operates in the ISM (Industrial, Scientific and Medical)
radio band at 916.5 Megahertz (MHz). Many cordless phones, wireless computer networks,
home automation systems, and wireless security devices also operate in this portion of the
radio band and all contribute to radio interference. Radio waves are like one big telephone
‘party line’ where everyone is talking at once. A device using these radio waves must attempt
to sort out what ‘voices’ are relevant to its operation and which ones are noise. If there is too
much noise it can’t do this successfully and will operate poorly or not at all.
Indoor radio propagation is an issue for special consideration. The human body readily
absorbs radio energy in the frequency band used by the cab radios. Placement of the base
station and repeaters can mitigate blocking of the radio signal due to human body absorption.
In most indoor situations ‘dead spots’ can be found where reception is very difficult. These
can occur even if there appears to be a direct line of sight between the transmitter and
receiver. These dead spots, or ‘nulls’, are the result of multiple radio transmission paths
between two points caused by reflections off metal objects such as steel beams, screen wire,
concrete rebar, metal door and window frames, ceiling tile frames, model railroad track, etc.
Nulls occur where the path lengths differ by an odd ½ wavelength (about 6 inches at 900
MHz). Deep nulls are usually very localized and can be avoided by moving slightly, usually
only a few inches. We suggest adding one or more RPT1 repeaters if you experience severe
null areas on your layout.
Installation of the RB02:
Just plug it in to the NCE cab bus (read “RB02 Hookup” on previous page).
Radio power planning:
If you are planning to add repeaters make sure the Cab Bus jack you are using can provide
ample DC power for the RB02 and any repeaters. The RB02 needs 60mA (about 1/2 the
power of a standard ProCab) and each RPT1 requires 35mA (about 1/3 the power of a
ProCab) of DC power.
Example: An RB02 plus 5 RPT1 repeaters will draw the DC power equivalent of 2 ProCabs.
In this case if the current cab bus can handle two ProCabs plugged in at the point where you
want to connect the RB02 then you should be OK.
For installations involving more than 10 repeaters a UTP panel can be used to add power for
the repeaters. Contact the factory of specific directions on using the UTP to add radio DC
power.
RB02 Location:
We’ve found good operation can be achieved by placing the unit at about shoulder level.
We’ve also had success with placing the RB02 (or RPT1) upside down on the ceiling of the
layout room (7-10 feet high). This gets the antenna above the main body mass of operators
in the layout room so less of the radio signal will be blocked by humans. See the diagram
below for how the radio signal propagates from the antenna.
Side View
The pattern is a 'Torus' (donut) shape
**Last revised: 8 June 2005 Page 3 RB02/RPT1
Antenna Radiation Patterns
from RB02 or RPT1 when using
the supplied 1/2 wave antenna
Top View
Operation of the RB02:
Operation is automatic when connected to the NCE cab bus. There are no adjustments or
other installation required.
Description of RB02 LED activity:
The “Local RX” LED on RB02 will flicker weakly every time it communicates with a wireless
cab. A regular low intensity ‘heartbeat’ of this LED indicates it is receiving status updates
from cabs. The messages are very short so the intensity of the flash is low. The flashing will
intensify when the RB02 is attempting to send updates to ProCab LCD displays. These
message are longer (2-8 times longer) compared to cab status updates so they result in 2-8
times brighter flashes of the LED.
The PORT A or PORT B LEDs up when a valid command is coming in on that port from a
repeater. If you have no repeaters then these LEDs will be inactive.
Wiring topology of repeaters:
Only one RB02 base station is allowed per system and it is the only radio box that can
connect to the Cab Bus. The RB02 is the top of a tree (base) from which all expansion
starts. The input jack labeled “BUS” connects to the Cab Bus. The RB02 base station also
has two expansion ports called “PORT A” and “PORT B”. RPT1 repeaters can connect to
these expansion ports on the RB02. A 6 wire cable (a 40 foot long cable is supplied with each
repeater) connect the “BUS” connector of a repeater to one of the expansion ports of the
RB02. In this way two repeaters can be connected directly to the RB02 and separated by up
to 40 feet from the RB02. Each repeater also has two expansion ports (PORT A and PORT
B) that can be connected to more repeaters forming a “binary tree” that expands out from the
RB02 in a 1->2->4->8->16 manner. See the illustration below
In the diagram the upper branch from the RB02 is fully populated with repeaters while the
lower branch is sparsely populated (a much more likely configuration on most layouts).
Note the power calculations in small print on the drawing.
Maximum cable length to each repeat er i s 40 feet (13 M) with #26 AWG wire
.105 Amps
.105 Amps
.105 Amps
.105 Amps
.070 Amps
To Cab Bus
RPT1
.245 Amps
RPT1
.245 Amps
.490 Amps
RPT1
.730 Amps
RB02
.175 Amps
RPT1
.105 Amps
RPT1
.035 Amps
RPT1
LEVEL 1 LEVEL 4LEVEL 3LEVEL 2 LEVEL 5
Repeaters can be daisy chained up to 5 level s deep
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
.035 Amps
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
RPT1
**Last revised: 8 June 2005 Page 4 RB02/RPT1
Frequently asked questions (courtesy of Mark Gurries)
1) Will the RB02 and RPT1 work with older NCE, System One or Ramtraxx systems?
Yes.
2) Do I need the latest EPROM update to my system?
No. The radio should be compatible with any command station software dated 1/12/95 or
later.
3) Is a termination plug needed on unused PORT A and PORT B sockets?
No. You can leave unused sockets alone without any concern.
4) What are the limits in configuration or arrangement of the RB02/RPT1 radio system?
There are 3 limits:
A) Total number of repeaters. Thirty repeaters plus 1 RB02 base station
B) The maximum depth of a repeater daisy chain. 5 levels with the RB02 as level 1.
C) The maximum power available for radio daisy chain network is sufficient.
5) What happens of you exceed 5 levels or repeaters?
Reliable operation is not guaranteed.
6) Can I use ‘standard’ Cab Bus cables with the RPT1 repeaters?
Yes as long as they are pin-to-pin 6 wire cables.. A 40 foot cable is supplied with each
RPT1, the RB02 comes with a 7 foot cable.
7) Do I need to modify any of my 1st generation radio cabs to work with the 2nd
generation RB02/RPT1?
No. Assuming the cab already has a radio it should work with no changes.
8) Is there any difference between PORT A and PORT B?
In operation there is no difference. PORT A on the RB02 is used to change the layout ID
but that doesn’t affect radio operation or installation.
9) What do the LEDs mean?
RPT1:
The LOCAL RX will light if the repeater is receiving a valid command on its internal
radio receiver, PORT A or PORT B.
The PORT A or PORT B lights up when a valid command is coming in on that port.
RB02:
The LOCAL RX LED has a steady faint ‘heartbeat’ pulse to indicate it is sending out
status probes to cabs. It will flash brighter when trying to send an update for the LCD
of a ProCab. It will try 16 times to send an update before giving up.
The PORT A or PORT B lights up when a valid command is coming in on that port.
10) What happens if I accidentally plug an RPT1 into the Cab Bus or connect PORT A/B
to the expansion port of another repeater or RB02?
Not much. It won’t work and will probably shut down the Cab Bus while it is plugged in
but there will be no damage.
11) Can I use multiple RB02s plugged in to the Cab Bus?
No. Just like the old RB01 you can only use one.
12) Is the RB01 still available?
No. It has been replaced by the RB02
13) Can I replace the long 1/2 Wave antennas on my cabs with shorter antennas?
Keep the long antenna on the base or repeater but you can try shorter antennas on the
cabs. One antenna we have used is Digikey part number ANT-916-CW-RH.
(1-800-DIGIKEY - www.digikey.com). This is a loaded 1/4 wave whip (about 2 inches
long) that we have used around the shop with some success. The range is somewhat
reduced compared to the 1/2 wave whip supplied by NCE but with sufficient repeater
coverage it works very well.
**Last revised: 8 June 2005 Page 5 RB02/RPT1
Specifications:
Supply voltage - 12 volts DC nominal. 8 volts minimum, 16 volts DC maximum
Supply current - RB02: 70mA maximum, RPT1: 35mA maximum
Cab Bus protocol - NCE Cab Bus, same as RB01
RF Radio Modulation - 10kpbs Manchester encoded, OOK, 16 bit preamble. Same as RB01
RF Output Power - 450 uW maximum, 350uW typical
Maximum length cable to RPT1 - 40 feet, #26 AWG
Connections:
RB02 Cab Bus connections:
1- Not connected (white wire)
2- DC cab bus supply common (black wire)
3- RS-485 A lead (red wire)
4- RS-485 B lead (green wire)
5- +12 volt DC cab bus supply (yellow wire)
6- Not connected (blue wire)
Pin 6
View looking into empty jack
Pin 1
RPT1 Bus connections:
1- TX/RX input (blue wire)
2- DC cab bus supply common (black wire)
3- RS-485 A lead (red wire)
4- RS-485 B lead (green wire)
5- +12 volt supply into RPT1 (yellow wire)
6- Preamble Good output (white wire)
PORT A & PORT B Bus connections (all units):
1- TX/RX output (white wire)
2- DC cab bus supply common (black wire)
3- RS-485 A lead (red wire)
4- RS-485 B lead (green wire)
5- +12 volt supply into RPT1 (yellow wire)
6- Preamble Good input (blue wire)
Layout ID
The layout ID of all cabs and the RB02 must match for cab to be able to communicate
successfully with the base station. All NCE wireless products come with the ID set to 0.
Setting the layout ID:
1-Unplug the RB02 from the Cab Bus. Do not turn off system power.
2-Plug a ProCab into the PORT A connector of the RB02 using any standard Cab Bus cable.
If a repeater cable is already plugged into this expansion port temporarily remove it.
3-Restore the Cab Bus connection to the RB02.
4-Type the desired Layout ID number (factory default) then press ENTER.
5-Unplug the ProCab from PORT A to enable radio operation of the RB02 . The radio will not
operate until the cab is unplugged.
6-Restore the repeater connection to PORT A if it was removed.
**Last revised: 8 June 2005 Page 6 RB02/RPT1
Tips for operation:
When you press a button on a Cab hold it down for about a second. You don’t have to press
harder than normal but pressing slightly longer results in better performance.
We recommend having several conventional cab plug-in panels (UTP or DIN) located around
the layout where you can plug in the cab in case the battery goes dead or conditions such as
interference cause loss of control via radio. We usually hang 2 or 3 short cab cables about 2
feet long from a small number these panels to facilitate plugging in if an operator experiences
problems.
You may find it more expedient to plug in the cab while doing extensive programming or
system setup. When performing complex tasks that require many messages to be displayed
on the ProCab, communications between the cab and command station may take longer than
expected thus slowing down your operations
.
The LED on the cab flashes every time it sends a cab status update to the base station.
You can use this flashing to map out the dead spots in the layout room. The cab is
communicating best when the LED has a steady flicker. Move about the room noting where
the spots where the flashing stops or becomes erratic. Then move the base station to a
different location until you get good reception at the most important operating spots.
The cab may not operate when you get within 2 feet (600mm) of the base station (other cabs
will still operate normally). The LED on the cab will flicker but the will not seem to
communicate with the base station. This is due to overloading of the base station radio
receiver. In this situation we’ve found that covering the antenna with your hand will attenuate
the signal enough for reliable communication. Due to the extreme low power of the cab
radios we’ve had to make the radio receivers in the base station very sensitive. This can
result in the receiver being overloaded when a cab is too close.
Cabs will work much better with the antenna vertical rather than pointing the antenna at the
base station.
Priority is placed on commands getting from the cab to the base station or repeater. As you
approach the maximum range of the cab, updates to the LCD display from the base will lag
behind the commands sent to the base. If the base station is not able to complete sending
display updates it will try to re-send them 16 times before giving up. The RB02 Local RX LED
will flash brightly when it is trying to send display update information. If the cab becomes
sluggish when operating at long range allow several seconds for the display to catch up.
FCC statement:
This device has been tested to comply with Part 15 of the FCC rules.
Operation is subject to the following conditions (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference
that may cause undesired operation.
The RB02, RPT1 wireless base station and repeater are RF products and may only be used
in countries in which the units have been Type Approved or Certified for sale and operation.
These units are certified for sale and operation only in the United States, Canada and
Australia. Use of these products in countries where they are not certified may result in
interference to other critical radio services and legal penalties. Importation and operation in
other countries is subject to the laws of those countries. NCE can not and will not ship radio
equipped products to those countries.
**Last revised: 8 June 2005 Page 7 RB02/RPT1
Warranty
This product is fully factory tested and warranted against manufacturing defects for a period
of 1 year. As the circumstances under which this product is installed can not be controlled,
failure of the product due to installation problems can not be warranted. This includes
misuse, miswiring, and operation under conditions beyond the design range of the product.
No guarantees are expressed or implied as to the suitability of the product for its intended use
by the purchaser. No guarantees can be made as to the communications range or
performance of this product in the presence of radio or other electromagnetic interference. It
is possible that interference can cause undesired operation including loss of control of speed,
direction etc. Damage to purchaser’s equipment due to loss of control is not warranted or
covered by NCE.
For warranty or non-warranty issues send the product (plus payment, if required) to:
NCE Warranty Center
899 Ridge Road
Webster, New York 14580
pare Parts:
S
Spare parts for your RB02 or RPT1 m ay be ordered from the lis t below. $4 US will be added
to your order for US priority mail and packaging. Check or credit card will be accepted.
Price (US $)Description
$10.00ProCab bottom w/ battery door
$10.00Procab top
$8.00Rubber keypad for ProCab
$3.00ProCab battery clip set w/wires
$16.00Antenna 1/2 Wave
$2.00Pro Cab screws (set of 9)
$7.00Cab04/05 rear cover w/battery door
$2.00Cab04/05 screws (set of 4)
$1.50Cab04/05 battery holder
$8.00Rubber keypad for Cab04/05
Silent Running, Powerhouse Pro, Power Pro, Power Cab, Powerhouse Digital Command Control, ProCab, the
ProCab logo with “The Power of DCC” slogan and the distinctive shape of the ProCab along with thumbwheel and
LCD and are trademarks of NCE Corporation. Digitrax is a trademark of Digitrax Inc.
Address all parts orders to :
NCE Spare Parts
899 Ridge Road
Webster, NY 14580
**Last revised: 8 June 2005 Page 8 RB02/RPT1
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