C12

Booster

Abstract: Universal Micro Booster for N-Scale layouts.

RTB Booster (C12) pcb

Specs

This µBooster implements a booster and Real-time Railcom detector. The booster is optimized for N-scale in respect to track voltage and current.

Features,

  • FDX interface (2Mb, full duplex)
  • DCC generator
    • unlimited decoder stack
    • DCC bandwidth monitor
    • DCC-A signature capable (stretched start bit)
    • DCC-R command set
  • 3rd Party Decoder update protocol support
    • Zimo MDU (for updating MS- and MN decoders)
    • Zimo DECUP (for updating MX decoders)
  • Booster
    • Software programmable output voltage (3..18V)
    • 1A continuous current (2A peak)
    • adjustable current limiter (200mA – 2A)
    • Short circuit detection
    • Configurable bridge dead time (170ns..3500ns)
    • DCC signal timing ‘0-bit/1-bit’ adjustable
    • Railcom Cutout timing adjustable
    • Up to 500kHz fast signaling
    • Voltage and current measurement
  • Railcom detector
    • channel 1 / channel 2
    • detects unlimited number of decoder
    • Railcom polarity detection
    • Railcom timing capture for decoder analysis
  • Service Mode Programming
    • can read/write DCC decoder in “service mode”
    • ACK current detector adjustable
  • firmware update over the bus

Examples

Each power board holds a booster module to scale the output current. However, because each booster provides an independent DCC signal generator, the RTB architecture scales not only the DCC current, but also the bandwidth of the DCC protocol.

RTB Booster (C12) example installation

CLI interface

Any RTB layout is very robust to load changes. The Dcc[%] metric (s. column below) indicates the utilization (load rate) of the DCC protocol. More active decoders, the higher the utilization. If the utilization increases above ~90%, the DCC bandwidth is practically exhausted. (see also DCC bandwidth).

O:\rtb>rtbclient --booster -v
Cnt   Booster                       Detect  Heartbeat  T[C]   Reg[V]   Trk[V]   Avr[A]   Max[A]  Enabled  Dcc[%]  Polarity  Cutout  Tcs[us]  Tce[us]  Ztm[us]     Flags
  1 * 000dc120-52c35c322439435f   15:16:56   16:45:07    44     12.0     11.8    0.168    0.160      yes      11         1       1       26      454        0  00000000
  2 * 000dc120-78c05b0907db185f   15:16:56   16:45:07    37     12.1     11.8    0.000    0.000      yes      11         1       1       26      454        0  00000000
  3 * 000dc120-99ecb6bda9ea7112   15:16:55   16:45:07    37     12.1     11.8    0.048    0.072      yes      11         1       1       26      454        0  00000000
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