Advanced Train Control System (ATCS)monitoring on the Shenandoah Division

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Date: Wed, 24 Nov 2004 18:53:47 -0500
From: george paine <george at pacerfarm.org>
Subject: ATCS, what it takes

this will encapsulate what you can find at the ATCSmon
web site,
http://www.atcsmon.com

you need:

- computer with Windows 32 bit operating system (win98
or later) and, if you will be monitoring from a radio,
a sound card.  if not equipped with an onboard sound
card, a USB sound card works fine.

- ATCSmon software -- free download to members of the
ATCS monitor Yahoo! group.

- data files for the location in question -- also
download from the ATCS monitor Yahoo! group

- for monitoring across the 'net, an internet
connection.  there are a couple dozen servers
available around the country.

- for monitoring from a radio, you need a radio with a
discriminator tap -- lets you bypass the squelch
circuitry.  radio details are in, of course, the
shared area of the ATCS monitor Yahoo! group.

- with the radio you will also need an antenna
optimized for 900 MHz (details available from, oh, by
now you know where) and an audio cable to connect the
radio data output to your sound card "line in" plug.

- for running a server, location, location and
location.  you need to be in a spot where the signals
can be received!  also, a computer and radio as
indicated above and an always-on internet connection. 
the bandwidth consumption is pretty minimal so you
could even host an feed over dial-up but for "always
on" DSL or cable makes life a lot easier.  should work
over satellite, too, but we don't know anybody who has
tried that.  yet.

for further details, or for assistance, contact PF or
myself off list.


-- 
George T. Paine
Washington Grove Pacer Farm
Washington Grove, MD
MP 20.5 on the CSX (former B&O) Metropolitan
Subdivision
  george at pacerfarm.org
  http://www.pacerfarm.org
  atcs wgpf.dynalias.org:4800