Sound and DCC in 2-8-0

[Edo]

Received from Digitrax:
Soundtrax' Tsunami can only be programmed with Digitrax systems as follows:
Zephyr - All CVs except addresses can be programmed in OPS mode on the main
line.  To program addresses you must put Zephyr in BLAST mode programming by
closing Option Switch 7 on Zephyr and program the loco on the main line.

If I can find switch 7 I should be OK...

[Edo]

Success at last!
I discovered that Direct must be used to programme Loco number in Blast mode.
Now to find Fireman Fred..........

[Jim Banner]

Edo,
You cannot read back CV's  when programming in Ops mode.  Nor can you use the fast method of changing addresses that you are probably used to using in Page, Physical and Direct program modes.  Ops mode allows you to change one CV at a time.  That is not as much of a downer as you might think.  Changing the basic address while moving on down the line is pretty uncommon, about as uncommon as reaching out the cab window of a real locomotive and painting a new number on the cab while highballing down the main.  Changing consisting address is a whole other story.

There are two basic address types for the Tsunami and most other recent decoders.  Those are the short (two digit) address and the long or extended (four digit) address.  The short address is stored in CV01.  The long address is stored in CV17 plus CV18 as I explained before.  Normally, a decoder has both a short address and a long address stored in it at the same time.  This is important because in OPs mode programming, you cannot make changes to the short address while communicating with the decoder using a short address and you cannot make changes to the long address while communicating using a long address.  But you CAN change a short address while communicating with a long address and you CAN change a long address while communicating with a short address.

So how do you switch from a short address to a long address in OPs mode?  You set up the long address, then as the very last step, you tell the decoder to switch over from using the short address to using the long address.  This process normally works just fine as long the short address you are running on is the basic short address stored in CV01.  If, however, you are running on a short address stored in CV19, the home of the Advanced Consisting address, then the process will not work.  The best way to make sure you are not running on an advanced consisting address is to program CV19 to 0.

Before going into detail on how to change an address in OPs mode with the Zephyr (DCS50), let me say that I just spent some time playing around with programming a Bachmann Tsunami Technology decoder factory installed in an 0n30 Shay.  Being a painted/undecorated locomotive, it was set to run on address 03.  First test was to change the address using Page Mode programming on a programming track.  My programming track is NOT a test track.  It has no series resistors to limit current in case of a miswire.  It does have a double pole, double throw switch which allows me to quickly change over from the main output of the Zephyr to its programming output, a feature which I highly recommend.  On the test track, my Zephyr did not always read back CV values correctly and I found it more convenient to skip that step and use the fast method of changing addresses.  For those not familiar with this method, it goes like this:

KEY STROKES                      READOUT      ACTION
[prog mode] ...                    Page            choose Page programming mode
[loco] ...                            Address 4     select 4 digit addressing
[1] [2] [3] [4]                     1234            enter a long address (in this case 1234)
[CV-WR]                            1234           write the address into the decoder
[loco] [1] [2] [3] [4] [loco]   1234            connects throttle to address 1234

Note:  the ellipsis ... just means that it may take multiple strokes of the indicated key to put the desired readout on the readout screen.

If this works for you, there is no need to go any further.  If it does not, make sure that the locomotive is running on a two digit address and follow the steps below.  For convenience, I am going to assume the locomotive is running on short address 03.  The locomotive should be on the mainline with no other locomotives or cars on the track.

KEY STROKES         READOUT             ACTION
[loco] [3] [loco]           03               connects throttle to address 3
test run locomotive                         check that loco truly runs on 3
[prog mode] ...            OPs             opens ops mode programming
[CV] [1] [7]               o017              selects CV17
[CV] 200                   d200              set data = 200
[CV-WR]                                       writes 200 into CV17
[EXIT]                                          closes ops mode programming
[prog mode]                OPs              opens ops mode programming
[CV] [1] [8]                o018             selects CV18
[CV] [1] [7] [4]           d174            set data = 174
[CV-WR]                                       writes 174 into CV18
[EXIT]                                           closes ops mode programming
[prog mode]                OPs              opens ops mode programming
[CV] [2] [9]               o029             selects CV29
[CV] [3] [8]               d038             set data = 38
[CV-WR]                                       writes 38 into CV29
[EXIT]                                          closes ops mode programming
[loco] [2] [2] [2] [2] [loco]               connects throttle to address 2222
test run locomotive on address 2222

To Return to Address 3, do the following:
[loco] [2] [2] [2] [2] [loco]                  connects throttle to address 2222
[prog mode] ...              OPs               opens ops mode programming
[CV] [2] [9]                 o029               selects CV29
[CV] [6]                      d006              set data = 6
[CV-WR]                                         writes 6 into CV29
[EXIT]                                             closes ops mode programming
[loco]                        2222 flashing    selects address 2222
[EXIT]                                             deletes address 2222 from DCX50
[loco] [3] [loco]                                connects throttle to address 3
test run locomotive on address 3

This procedure worked fine for me using my Zephyr.  Your results may differ.  There have been several revisions to the Zephyr operating system over the years.  Mine was one of the first in Canada and requires that I change only one CV at a time in ops mode.  Yours may be able to change several CV's in a row without having to close and then reopen ops mode programming.  Like most microprocessor based equipment, all Zephyrs are not very forgiving about hitting the wrong key at the wrong time.  I accidentally hit a wrong key this afternoon, didn't notice it, and now have the zero button blowing the whistle instead of turning the lights on and off.

In the instructions above, you probably noticed a couple of lines in red.  This sequence is one way to remove an address from the Zephyr if you are not using it.   Addresses will normally remove themselves if you wait long enough and it you had the speed control right down to zero when you connect the throttle to a new address.  The Zephyr has 15 slots.  That is, it can handle 15 active addresses at once.  If you fill up all 15 slots with addresses, you will not be able to add any more until one of the slots becomes available again.  You can reset the Zephyr's memory and clear out all the slots (instructions in the manual) but it is a lot easier to select the address and hit [EXIT] when you finish using that address.

For those wondering why I entered 200 and then 174 to set CV17 and CV18 to address 2222, see the link in my earlier post on this thread.

Jim

p.s. I find the response you received from Digitrax particularly interesting as I was able to program the addresses in ops mode albeit by changing one CV at a time and not using the quick address change method.  At no time did I have to use blast mode.  And I successfully used Page mode for the service track address changes.  Go figure.

The best news is that you got your locomotive programmed and rolling.  Now I have to go and remap the whistle address so I can use the lights again without a constant whistle blow.

J.

[Edo]

Thanks Jim,
Each day things get a bit clearer - particularly with your help!
Once I realized that I need to use Direct in Blast mode it worked first time.
Have a great weekend!!

[Edo]

This is certainly NOT a static hobby:-)
Solve one problem and there is another waiting down the track.
We now need to access the Functions above F8.
Is a UT4 /UR90 combo needed to accomplish this or is there a simpler way?
How does a UT4 get F0-F12 with only six buttons?
Thanks...

[Jim Banner]

The UT4 throttle has 8 buttons.  Seven of them control f0 through f6 and then six of those buttons are used again, along with a "shift" button, to control f7 through f12.  This works quite well as the less commonly used sounds can be controlled by the functions that require two key strokes. 

The UT4 can be plugged into the back of the Zephyr (no UR9X needed.)  If you want to use it as a walk around, you can put one or more UP5 jack panels around the layout or you can use regular 6 pin modular phone jacks.  The train the UT4 is controlling will keep running while you unplug, go to the next jack, and plug back in.  If you want to buy a UR9X at the same time or at some time in the future, you can then utilize the UT4's infrared feature and use it as a wireless walk around.  Indoors, the infrared works quite well unless your layout spreads through multiple rooms.  Even then you can add up to nine more UR9X panels to cover anything less than a mansion.

When asked how infrared compares to radio, I have a little story that I like to tell.  Most of the fellows I model with have both H0 layouts inside and large scale layouts outside so they mostly have throttles with both infrared and radio in them (infrared doesn't work outside - it cannot compete with that big infrared source up in the sky.)  One evening we were having an operating session in the home of a fellow who at that time was using tethered throttles outside and infrared throttles inside.  He was interested in how radio would work in his basement, so one of us took along a UR91.  At the end of the evening, we were standing around talking about how much better the radio had worked compared to infrared, not having to point the throttle at the infrared receiver and all.  At least we talked about it until we realized that nobody had connected the UR91 to the command station.  We had operated faultlessly on infrared all evening long and never realized it.  Like a good TV or DVD remote, a bit of a bounce off a wall or ceiling was enough.

Bottom line, the UT4 is a great addition to a Zephyr based system, or to any of the other Digitrax systems for that matter.  There is more information on the UT4 at the link below.

http://www.digitrax.com/ftp/ut4web.pdf

Jim

[Edo]

Thanks again Jim,
Great story!
I had tried to get the info from the Digitrax page but the links would not work for me.
I have printed the manual and will have a read.
We have room for 1 1/2 sheets of ply so one UT4 will be perfect.....

[Jim Banner]

Glad you enjoyed the story.

The link is to a .pdf file which means you need Adobe Acrobat or a similar reader to open it.  If you are having problems with all files of this type, here is a good help link (I hope it works for you.)

http://www.bnl.gov/itd/webapps/pdf_help.asp

Jim

[Edo]

OK Jim,
No problem reading any files.
The link would not take me to another page -- just kept time-out.
This morning I tried two and they did work.
Cheers!!