This is the assembled unit. On the left is a commercially available LCD screen with the MiniDCC© printed circuit board attached. Commands are sent using a keyboard with each row corresponding to a loco. The top-right push-button is for emergency stop and the bottom push button brings up a menu for programming the station and decoders.

In this open unit, you can see the keypad, 2 pushbuttons, PC board and the LCD display.

 

 

Construction Details

If you plan on keeping the LCD separate, install the header this way. The cable you make should follow the same pin-out as the LCD. Notice the Power plug has GND,+5V,DCC pins. If you install the PC board directly over the LCD, solder the header this way, with the power plug still on top.

 

Here you can see how the header looks. Make sure that soldering the PC board to the LCD is the LAST step. You will not have a chance to solder anything else to the board. 

Programming the Command Station

Operation Mode.
Loco 03, speed 11, light on, direction forward.

Loco 12, speed 05, light on, direction reverse.

Loco 18, speed 00, light off, direction forward.
Loco 11, speed 04, light on, direction forward.
Service Mode 1.
Here we see the first Service Mode where the Configuration Variable 29 is set to a value of 3.
The Paged register 8 is set to a value of 0 automatically when you set the CV's.
Service Mode 2.
Here is the second Service Mode showing that  Station 1 set to Loco address to 03.

Station 2 set to Loco address to 12.

Station 3 set Loco address to 18.
Station 4 set Loco address to 11 with a speed step of 28.

The Printed Circuit Board.


This is a high quality PC board that make a nice clean unit.

 

The schematic and details for the Printed Circuit board and PCB can be obtained from  Johnny Zajdler
The PCB, a pre-programmed micro-controller and a 16 button keyboard are available from Robert Cote

1st Prototype

2nd Generation

LM18200 Booster accessory decoder

Derosoft© - December 1998/2000 Baribeau/Côté - Pointe-Claire, Qc - Canada - DCC Logo by Gary Smith - PCB design by Johnny Zajdler.