More power taps. If your layout never changes consider short jumpers between each piece of track like I did. No more power problems ever. Copper tape has its own problems and is only a temporary fix especially when the track is in a garage in this region.
2 April 4, 2011 9:45 am
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
I wish I could have come to the Enduro, but son's robotics competition took priority. Maybe next time. It's such a long drive, I'd love to be able to see more than one track while I'm down. Is anyone else willing to show me their track the next time there's a digital enduro? 
3 January 1, 2011 7:54 pm
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
Hey, GulfRacer! I'll have to look up Gresham and buzz you if I'm ever down your way.
Also, hello, Dan! Where are you located?
I hope I'm not stepping all over a rule by posting the following, but I'm trying to raise awareness for my new digital group in the area. If this isn't OK, please delete, move, or edit this message.
We are the Digital Racing Alliance of Western Washington (DRAWW). We are a casual racing group who enjoy digital slot racing of all kinds, brought together by our region, aka the Pacific Northwest including Washington, Oregon, and even Canada (Vancouver/BC area), and anyone who wants to make the trip to an event in the area. We support and encourage ALL kinds of digital slot racing including, but not limited to: Scalextric Sport Digital, SCX The Digital System, Ninco Digital, Carrera D143/D132/D124/Pro-X, Scorpius, oXigen, Davic, BLST, and even AC2Car! If you have a track that allows lane changing and the sharing of lanes between 2 or more cars, and you're in the area, we want you to know about us, and to know about you. Even if you don't have a track of your own, but like the idea and want to get involved, then please join in! We like all kinds of slot racing, and analog is great, but our focus is on the digital aspect of the hobby.
We have a few outlets for DRAWW activity, so be sure to check those out and use the ones that you're most comfortable with, just to make sure nothing gets missed. My DRAWW web page can be found on my slots web site for quick access to all DRAWW communication outlets. You can also PM or email me for the direct URL.
We also need your help! If you know anyone in the area who is a digital slot racer, or even just curious about digital racing, please point them to us. If you've seen people post in other threads or forums about digital, and they live in the general area of the Puget Sound (Seattle, Tacoma, Olympia, Vancouver, etc), please point them in our direction. The only way for the DRAWW to grow and become active is to get the people to know about us.
I'm also announcing the first DRAWW race of 2011!
Location: Greg's house (that's me! ).
Date: January 9th
Time: 3pm-6pm
Bring: Yourself. Oh, you can bring cars if you want, but unless you bring a whole SSD racing set, we'll race my cars. Track, Cars, Controllers, snacks and drinks will be provided.
For details about my home track, please click the Rainier Raceways link in my signature.
Contact me directly via PM, email, or phone (253-288-2350) for address and directions.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about the DRAWW or the race on the 9th, please feel free to post here or contact me directly.
Thanks!
-Greg
4 July 14, 2010 2:07 pm
Topic: Digital Race Day at Rainier Raceways (0 replies, posted in Events)
Digital Race Day at Rainier Raceways
Who: Anyone who likes or is curious about digital slot racing
What: My Scalextric Sport Digital track, fully tricked out with all the best upgrades.
Where: Auburn, WA. Please send me an email or private message for my address.
When: Sunday, July 25th, from 1pm to 6pm.
Why: Because you want to!
How: Any way you can!
You can read all about my track here:
http://www.slotcarillustrated.com/porta … stcount=21
and here:
http://www.slotcarillustrated.com/porta … hp?t=37576
You can see additional photos in my gallery.
If you're in the Puget Sound or Pacific Northwest area and want to check out a well appointed digital track, then you'll be hard pressed to find a better track than mine. Addmittedly it's on the small side (two 4x8 tables in an L shape), but that just means the excitement is more condensed. 
We'll be running IROC races so long as there are enough people to have a race, so feel free to come any time between 1 and 6, even if you can only stay for a short time.
If you're already an SSD racer and would like to bring some cars, by all means please feel free to do so. If you bring a racing set, we can use yours for a race, or if you just want to drive them around a bit we can do that, too. If you're new to digital racing, I'll have a hot iron ready to chip any car you need help with. Just bring your car and a chip to install, and we'll do it right here. Just be sure to get a Scalextric Digital chip. If you have a Scalextric or Pioneer car that has a DPR hatch, you can pick up a DPR chip and it will be a much easier job. Heck, you don't even have to get a chip if you don't want to. I've got a few that can be put in your car for a race or two. Without a DPR hatch, though, you'll need a solder-in chip. Slot.it cars and others with hot motors will want the Slot.it chip.
Refreshments will be provided, but feel free to bring a bag of chips or a bottle of something to share.
If you have any questions, please feel free to post them here or send me an email or private message.
Hope to see you here!
-Greg
5 January 18, 2010 9:03 am
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
Digital systems use low resistance to control the powerbase which in turn sends control signals to the cars, so you can't use the same ideas for digital driver stations as for analog. As such, most digital users stick with the OEM controllers. Some aren't so great. That's why there's a market for third party controllers. The Slot.it controller comes with connections for all the digital systems. There are also system-specific aftermarket controllers, not to mention simple mods to improve the feel and quality of the stock controllers. It depends on what system you get for what options are available.
But when it comes down to it, you can't just bring any digital controller to any digital track (unless it's the slot.it one and you bring the appropriate cables and flip the appropriate dip switches) like you can for analog controllers (assuming the connection method is universal or compatible).
6 December 7, 2009 4:31 pm
Re: Forming club, part two (2 replies, posted in Events)
Where do you get your supplies (cars, track, etc) from? All online? If you have a local hobby store of any kind, put up flyers there. You might even entice some model railroaders.
Do you have adult friends or family? Invite them and when they have fun, tell them to bring a friend next time, or to pass on the word of a fun activity.
The bazaar booth is a good idea, but you're more likely to have piles of kids there while the parent(s) shop elsewhere. If you want adults as well, you'll need to START with adults, and then let them bring their kids (of a certain age min of your choosing) later. Any ideas you have are worth pursuing.
7 October 5, 2009 7:10 am
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
not to mention not changing lanes INTO someone. ;-)
8 October 5, 2009 7:02 am
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
I've got the 6 car PB, so up to 6. I don't have 6 drivers yet, though. ;-) I've done three so far, my two boys and I. I've also done 5 pace cars and myself, but pace cars don't see each other and crash way more often. ;-) I'm looking forward to being "done" and having an open race day. I'm starting out with 4 drivers at once, though, until the visitors get used to driving digital. Transitioning from years of analog racing might be hard. ;-)
9 October 4, 2009 8:43 pm
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
A little update on my digital journey.
The garage has been cleaned up enough to make a table and lay down some track. this is what it looks like right now:
We've got all the best upgrades the SSD modders can offer, and the table is well on its way to completion. Only a few small additions are needed, primarily safety walls and drivers stations. Once I get that up and running I'll have an open race day for local slotters to see what SSD is all about.
10 May 5, 2009 9:29 am
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
Oops, lost track of this forum spending time on SlotForum.
Yes, I can run 6 cars on SSD with the 6 car powerbase. The PB-Pro and Simple-H mods coupled with a USB-Aux cable to my laptop running a nifty program called SSD Console and it's a whole new ball game. I've not only got fuel management, but fuel load simulation. A full tank slows down the car, and as you burn it off, you speed up. It's pretty sweet.
I'm awaiting delivery of a 20 amp power supply to really get things moving. The garage still needs cleaning, but we're still having fun with changing layouts and racing on the floor. My favorite part about SSD, having learned about other digital systems, is how easy it is to convert any analog car to digital. We've got Carrera, Scalextric, and AutoArt cars all sharing the digital track. And with the PB-Pro mod, if I have an analog car I don't want to (or haven't yet) chip, I can put it in analog mode and run the one car on my digital track with no extra modding required.
11 March 5, 2009 4:34 pm
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
Rico,
I did make an avatar, but unless I wanted it to be all pixelated, can't get it under 10k. Pretty harsh limit for such a low traffic board, but whatever. It's not important enough to me to make a big deal out of it.
I'll contact someone at PSSRA or Fantasy World to see if there's anyone to hook up with for some digital racing in the area. Hopefully it's not just me. :\
12 March 5, 2009 2:02 pm
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
I updated my profile a little. I'd have an avatar, but can't get anything useful or recognizable into 60x60 10k. that's truly teeny weeny.
Anyway, I'm in Auburn, WA. There's a lot of slot activity near my (Tacoma, mostly), but I haven't seen any digital yet. Do you know of any?
13 March 4, 2009 4:59 pm
Re: What do you have? (38 replies, posted in Digital Racing)
My boys and I are slowly building a SSD track. We're still rug racing, but I've already got a 6 car Powerbase which I'll be sending off for the PB-Pro and Simple-H mods so that I get the extra features and power management for enjoyable 6 car racing. Still need to clear space in the garage, but that's a long overdue project anyway. I spend most of my slot-related time on slotforums.com. Does NASTE or PSSRA have a forum there anywhere? I couldn't find one. Anyway there's tons of great digital stuff happening there.
It looks like digital is still a pretty rare thing in these parts, at least from a club point of view. Seems most clubs are still analog... which bores me. I'd love to meet up with and race/talk with local SSD enthusiasts.