Hey ther Randy: thanks for the info and thanks for always being there to help others ,your postings are extremely beneficial to many ...Jerry
Slot max means you aren't properly dispatching locos when you are finished using one on a given address. When done workign with a loco you should make sure that it is at speed 0, and all functions turned off. Then hit Loco, Exit, then select the next loco you want to run.
The ones with the speed jumping up in 3's are set to 28 speed step mode. This is either status editid in the throttle or set on the command station. If you do an OpSw 39 reset ont he Zephyr it will clear all locos and reset everything to the factory defaults, which is 128 speed step. You do NOT need to use 28 speed steps to use the 28 step speed tables with most decoders, they interpolate the speed steps to apply the table across the 128 step range.
The DT40x throttle don;t show speed steps - they show percentage, 0-100. So for 129 speed step decoders, there are some times when the encoder clicks but the numbers don;t increment. In 28 step mode, the numbers go up by more than one with each click. Each click is one speed steop, you can also use the Y/+ and N/- buttons to increment or decrement by one speed step at a time.
The different voltage should be ok - the absolute speeds at a given step will be slightly higher but sice all locos will be seeing the higher voltage, they relative difference will be the same. Plus that's less than 1 V difference, which isn't all that much in the grand scheme of things. Also, that's quite high for a Zphyr - mine is more like 12.5V, but mine is an original Zephyr. The Xtra has a 14V power supply, the original Z is 12V.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
BIG JERRwhat I'm using digitrax zephyr /dt402 for testing/running ,pr-3 ,computer, decoder pro
OK, using the above for programing couple a more questions I have my first group(8) matched , qsi,nce, sound & non sound tsunamis,locksound select ,(dont ask what took so long)
had some strange notices spit out os my DT402 1.,"slot max" ,is it saying the command is full not the dt402 itself XXX (fixed this with zephyr internal switch 36 )
sometimes for no reason, when I put in a address/loco I notice the loco is running x3's ex. steps 0,3,6,9,12,15,etc when the same loco is programed/and has run at steps 1,2,3,4,5,etc is this in the DT402 ?
3. after ALL this hassle matching these things (using mostly speed tables) I realize that the zephyr in office is only putting out 14.7 volts and my layout is empire builder at 15.5 volt ,is this going to unmatch these units or create a problem xxxx (first test looks like NOT a problem)
thanks for your advise in advance Jerry
jrbernier Since you have Decoder Pro, click on the 'LocoNet' tab, then click on 'Configure Command Station'. Find CV7(Blast Mode Programming for Sound Decoders). Click on the 'C' button and click on 'Write'. You now have the ability to write program commands to the main line(it will not 'read' them - You need to use the program track for reading). Make sure your change CV7 to 'T' after you are done as you will mess up and re-program other engines down the road.
ya- know I checked this and it is already set to (c) for blast mode , should I set it to ( t ) when not in use ? and I thought that it was just for the program track ? Jerry
thanks MAXMAN.
BIG JERRI also found the cv to turn off verbal that is 62 to 0 in ops mode
I don't know the CV for the verbal acknowledgement off hand. However, if you are using JMRI there is a tab called "QSI Misc." If you look in that tab, you'll see that there is a box called "programming verbal acknowledgement" with a drop down menu to disable/enable.
OK ; found the reset for QSI looked 10 times in book 11 was the charm , and I also found the cv to turn off verbal that is 62 to 0 in ops mode ...Jerry
hey thanks , never new about the voice thing on the qsi ,herd the voice just never knew it could cause a problem .looking in the book does cv 62 & 64sound right
FUNKY = running on a programing loop in my office trying to match speeds to a other loco/decoder using speed tables and decoder pro BUT results with the QSI was speed up than at a certain speedsteps it mite reverse itself or slow down at certain speed steps,again this is trying to use speed tables not basic ...totally funky
and Jim thanks on the blast mode was'nt sure on that as I tried program track & on the main with the same results ,will try later as I have company now so my programing loop is folded up but later I well have a go ...
And does any know the reset for QSI I know its not cv 8 to 8 ? Jerry
Jerry,
Trying to set the long address with Tsunami decoders can be frustrating at times. Older QSI decoders share the same issue due to the large keep-alive capacitors sucking up the juice. The usual 'fix' is to purchase something like a PTB-100 programming booster.
Since you have a Digirtax Zephyr, you have another option - Blast Mode Programming This will allow you to send the programming commands to the full power main track as well as the program track. Just be sure that there are NO other engines on the layout when you do this as they will all get programmed at the same time!
Since you have Decoder Pro, click on the 'LocoNet' tab, then click on 'Configure Command Station'. Find CV7(Blast Mode Programming for Sound Decoders). Click on the 'C' button and click on 'Write'. You now have the ability to write program commands to the main line(it will not 'read' them - You need to use the program track for reading). Make sure your change CV7 to 'T' after you are done as you will mess up and re-program other engines down the road.
This will work on both the DCS50(Zephyr) and the DCS51(Zephyr Xtra) systems. If you do not see CV7, you may need to back into your 'edit/preferences' and configure Decoder Pro to show it has a Zephyr system attached to the Command Station
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Maxman has a very important point about disabling the verbal acknowledgment feature in the QSI decoders. This must be done if you are going to have any success with "programming on the main". It seems to be a matter of timing. The verbal acknowledgements interfere with the programming signals and the result is usually incomplete programming.
Joe
BIG JERR QSI, any body got a simple way of speed matching these ,even with decoder pro they get funky when trying to adjust ?
Not sure what you're trying to do, nor what "funky"means. However, make sure you disable the verbal acknowledgement feature.
Jerry:
I had problems with setting a long address in a Tsunami-equipped Genesis GP 15-1 using a programming setup much like yours. I was able to finally get the long address to be recognized when I manually set CV 29 to the proper value. It seems that the Zephyr has a problem doing this automatically. Check CV 29 and see if it has been changed to the proper value.
as you no I'm trying to speed match my flock of different geese ,qsi (the older stk p2k ), tsunami,locksound direct, nce,dgitrax.........
what I'm using digitrax zephyr ,pr-3 ,computer, decoder pro
so todays problems ,
1. I have tsunami in a Stewart/bowser FT unit that programs FINE except when trying to go with long address ,then I loose control , end up having to reset OR go back to short address (03) any ideas on what I'm missing ?
2. QSI, any body got a simple way of speed matching these ,even with decoder pro they get funky when trying to adjust ?
jerry