NCE command stations and radio system have unique cab address ranges and cab address polling rates (How fast a given cab address will respond). This section talks about both the ranges of usable cab addresses as well as the strategies on how to assign cab addresses to cabs. This is most beneficial to PowerPro system users that have lots of operators.
1) From a Radio System Point of View. (Cab Radio Version V1.5x & Radio Base Station V2.1)
02 to 18 (16): Any Cab.
19 to 49 (32): Engineer Cabs only.
Address Strategy: Reserve 02 to 18 for ProCab since they will not work at addresses above 18.
Radio Cab Polling Strategy: The Radio base station is focused on cab addresses 2, 3,15, 26, 27 as the preferred Radio cab addresses. Use these first. These address will get pinged more often than any other addresses. The radio base station polling is independent of what the command station does for polling.
2) From a Command Station Cab (non radio) polling strategy point of view
2a) Power Pro:
Polling Strategy (2004 or newer): The command station is focused on cab addresses 1, 2, 3, 21, 42 as the preferred cab addresses. Use these first. These address will get pinged more often than any other addresses. The command station polling is independent of what the radio base station does for polling.
Cab Address Strategy: Assign cab starting with the lowest cab address 1 and work up.
Think about avoiding cab address 2 and 5 only because if someone brings a new cab to the layout, it will work at its default address without conflict.
Accessory Address Strategy: For AIU and any other accessory device, it is best to start at the highest usable address 63 and work down.
2b) PowerCab/SB3/SB3a/SB5
Limited address range precludes any strategy. Everything is fast.
3) Cab Address Range Limits:
3a) From a Cab point of view
ProCab & Cab06: 1 to 63
Cab04 & Cab05: 2 to 63
3b) Command Station Point of view
PowerPro (all) : 1 to 63
PowerCab V1.65: 3 to 5 (3), with 8, 9, 10 reserved for accessories.
SB5/SB3a V1.65 : 2 to 7 (6), with 8, 9, 10 reserved for accessories.
PowerCab V1.28: 3 to 4 (2)
SB3/SB3a V1.28 : 2 to 5 (4)