Hi everyone!
I have a Loksound V3.5 decoder #72494 installed in a P2K switcher. I am using an NCE PowerCab system.
I am having a problem with the horn and bell sounds. When I push the dedicated horn button I get two rings of the bell. When I push the dedicated bell button I get a continuous horn sound until I push the bell button again.
If I use the function buttons I get the following response: F1 gives me a constant horn but I have to push F1 a second time to stop the horn. F2 gives me a constant bell ring but I have to push F2 again to stop the bell.
Any suggestions? (FYI I posted this same question on the Loksound forums on Sunday but there have been no responses there as yet).
Thanks
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Dave,
That's normal operation, Dave. The bell is continuous whether using the BELL button or F2. The horn button is only continuous when using F1. I have two Trix 2-8-2 Mikes - one V. 2.0; the other, V3.5 - and they do the same thing. The only difference is that with V2.0: F1 turns on sound and F3, the horn.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Why don't you use the "HORN/WHISTLE" and "BELL" buttons on the NCE Power Cab instead of the number keypad ? Things should work correctly if you use those two buttons.
cacole
I am trying to use the bell and horn buttons. The problem is that when I push the horn button I get the bell sound and when I push the bell button the horn comes on.
Thanks Tom for your answer, but things are not quite normal. As I just replied to cacole, I am getting the horn sound when I push the bell button and the bell sound when I push the horn button. Your answer indicates that the F1 and F2 buttons are working correctly but I still have the wrong sounds on the dedicated horn and bell buttons.
Dave.
You are saying the horn button makes the bell ring and the bell button makes the horn/whistle blow. But then the correct function buttons work the correct function? This is strange. Is this the only sound locomotive that this happens too? If it is I would do a Power Cab reset to factory settings. This procedure is in the version 2.8 manual. The earlier version 1.1 power cab does not have a reset procedure. It probably would not hurt to reset the Loksound decoder and re-program it on the program track after a Power cab reset. If it happens to all your sound locos then there seems to be a problem with the Power Cab.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Sorry, Dave. Even though I re-read your original post several times, I somehow missed the flip in the button functions.
How long have you had your Power Cab? This doesn't happen on any other locomotives?
You could try two things:
Does the LokSound V3.5 support function remapping? If so, that may be the only way to correct the problem.
You will need to download the V3.5 documentation from the LokSound web site and look through it.
Good luck in that endeavor -- unless the documentation has been re-written it is practically impossible to find what you're looking for in it. I don't have my documentation here to refer to, but IIRC LokSound uses terminology that is totally alien.
Function remapping, if supported at all, may be one of the things that requires a LokProgrammer.
Hi again:
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Here is where things stand, in no particular order:
First, I have reset the decoder many times yet the problem persists.
I have also reset all CVs to the factory settings according to the manual one by one (what a boring task!). That caused me to lose the horn sound entirely so I did a reset again. The horn came back but the reversed sounds stayed the same.
The PowerCab works properly with all other decoders. I have V 1.1. The NCE manual says that F1 should turn on the bell sound under normal circumstances (I am getting the horn). It is possible to change the PowerCab settings but then all decoders will be affected. I am pretty sure the problem is not with the PowerCab.
I have contacted Loksound (and got a very quick response from Matt Herman). He initially recommended resetting the decoder, and failing that he suggested the Loksound Programmer. I already knew that the reset didn't work and I am not willing to spend around $200 for the Programmer to fix one decoder. Doesn't make sense. He asked me to let him know if the reset worked which I did, and I am waiting for his response. He said in his first note that there were other things we could try. I will continue to post progress as things develop. Matt also said that F1 and F2 were reversed so it is not just the dedicated horn and bell buttons that are messed up.
cacole - I agree with you - the Loksound manual is not very helpful.
Regards
Functions are completely remappable with the Loksound decoders. I switched whistles on my PCM T-1's so the shrill whistle that came set on F4 woudl be the default for F2 instead of the multi-chime passenger whistle. It's not that difficult. If you can;t figure out the manual, use DecoderPro. Default settings follow the convention of F1 being the bell and F2 being the whistle. You don;t need the Loksound Programmer to change that, only to change WHICH whistle or bell or chuff sounds are loaded.
Now, if pressing 2 gets a whistle, but pressing the whistle button gets a bell, that's not a function mapping problem, that's definitely a cab issue. The number keys are the actual function numbers, just not momentary, so if pressing 1 starts the bell, and pressing 2 starts the whistle, the functions in the decoder are behaving properly.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker Now, if pressing 2 gets a whistle, but pressing the whistle button gets a bell, that's not a function mapping problem, that's definitely a cab issue. The number keys are the actual function numbers, just not momentary, so if pressing 1 starts the bell, and pressing 2 starts the whistle, the functions in the decoder are behaving properly.
I don't understand how it can be a cab issue if he says his other decoders work properly.
maxman I don't understand how it can be a cab issue if he says his other decoders work properly.
Exactly. Nothing is wrong with the cab -- the problem is with the LokSound decoder and the only cure is function remapping of the horn/whistle and bell functions.
When all else fails, send an e-mail to Ulrich Hobbies and ask him -- I have found them to be extremely helpful with LokSound problems.
I said if the whistle key gives a bell and F2 gives a whistle - that owuld be a cab problem. No way would the deocder treat one F2 as whistle and another as a bell. But if Whistle AND F2 both give a bell, then the functions jsut need to be mapped. It's not the default for a Loksound 3.5 to reverse bell and whistle functions. Not much even to figure out in the manual, actually, as setting the function remap CVs to the defaults listed should restore everything to proper operation.
Try CV149=2, CV152=2, CV155=3, and CV158=3.
I think the sound slots are off by 1, making slot 2 the bell and slot 3 the whistle. If they are already programmed like this, then flip it around - make 149 and 152 3, and 155 and 158 2.
Read the current values and see what they are. 149 and 152 control the sound played for F1, 155 and 158 are the sound for F2. Forward and reverse, respectively.
Randy
Thanks for the DecoderPro suggestion. I read through the details and unfortunately it specifies that I must have PowerCab V 1.28. I have V 1.1. I will do some research to see if it can be upgraded (maybe somebody can answer that).
Yes, just contact NCE, it can be upgraded.
Hi again Randy
I tried your CV settings:
CV149 was already at 2
CV152 was also at 2
CV155 was at 1 as was CV 158.
When I changed 155 and 158 to '3' I got the air blowoff sound on the horn button and on F2.
I just sent an e-mail to NCE asking if the PowerCab can be updated to V1.28.
Thanks again for your attempt to help.
EDIT:
Randy - I didn't read your post thoroughly the first time so after re-reading it I changed CV155 to 2 and 158 to 2. Voila! At least 1/2 voila!?! I now have the horn sound on the horn button and on F2. Problem is I still have the horn sound on the bell button and F1. However, it is progress!!!
SECOND EDIT!
Randy - I realized that we had not tried CV 149 and 152=1 so I gave that a shot and got the bell sound on the bell button and F1. Problem solved.
Your help is greatly appreciated.