Article

Programmer for DCC Model Railway Control

Opens the door to new possibilities

The DCC system distinguishes itself from the competition (the Märklin/EEDTS-system) by being far more flexible, but also for the necessity of having to program the decoders. The majority of control boxes on the market perform this function only poorly, usually only a limited number of parameters are accessible. The stand-alone programmer presented here offers a great deal more functionality!

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Materials

040422-PCB.pdf

040422-11.zip

Gerber file

CAM/CAD data for the PCB referred to in this article is available as a Gerber file. Elektor GREEN and GOLD members can exclusively download these files for free as part of their membership. Gerber files allow a PCB to be produced on an appropriate device available locally, or through an online PCB manufacturing service.

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The use of our Gerber files is provided under a modified Creative Commons license. Creative Commons offers authors, scientists, educators and other creatives the freedom to handle their copyright in a more free way without losing their ownership.

PCB

Download Gerber file: 040422-1.zip

Extra info / Update

The article states that the microprocessor fuse bits have to be set to the defaults of the Pony programmer software. Because the Pony defaults are different from the microprocessor’s factory defaults, they are repeated here: none of the 16 bits must be programmed (they must be left at ‘1’), except SPIEN. SPIEN (serial program enable) should be left at the factory default, i.e., programmed (‘0’). The factory defaults will cause the chip to operate at the 1-MHz internal oscillator instead of the 8-MHz external quartz clock. You can easily verify that the chip is running on the external quartz clock. Connect a DVM in DC voltmeter mode to pin 19 of the processor. The level measured should be between 0.5 V and 1.5 V. If not, ICs supplied through our Readers Services (item code 040422-41) should be returned to our software service department for free reprogramming.

Component list

Resistors:
R1 = 1Ohm 0.5W
R2,R5 = 2k2
R3,R7,R8,R9,R13-R16 = 10k
R4,R10,R11,R12 = 47k
R6 = 510 1%
R17 = 2k7
R18 = 220
R19 = 5k6
R20 = 33
R21 = 27
P1 = 10k preset
Capacitors:
C1 = 1000µF 35V radial
C2-C5 = 100nF
C6 = 10nF
C8,C9 = 22pF
C10,C13,C14 = 47nF
C11 = 1µF 16V radial
C12 = 10µF 16V radial
Semiconductors:
D1-D8= 1N4001
D9,D11,D13-D17 = 1N4148
D10,D18 = LED, low-current, 3mm
D12 = BAT85
T1 = BC547
IC1 = LM317
IC2 = 7805
IC3 = L293E
IC4 = LM393
IC5 = ATMega8515-8PI (programmed, order code 040422-41)
Miscellaneous:
K1 = 10-way pinheader (2x5 pins)
K4 = 7-way pinheader
LCD1 = LCD module, 2x16 characters, backlight optional. Alternatively a PLED display (ASI-G-162FS-GF-EWS/W)
X1 = 8MHz quartz crystal (low-profile model, case type HC49/4H)
S1 = keypad, 3x4 keys (e.g., Conrad Electronics # 709840)
S2 = pushbutton with make contact, e.g., DT6-O
16-way pinheader and socket for display connection
PCB, order code 040422-1 (see Readers Services or website)
Disk, ATMega source & hex code, order code 040422-11 or Free Download