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N Scale MRC sound decoder issues

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  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: St. Paul, MN
  • 82 posts
Posted by oarb00 on Tuesday, May 13, 2014 3:19 PM

I had the same issue with my MRC sound units in a Kato Sd-40-2 and an Atlas gp35. In order for it to accept some programming I would have to Unlock it on the programming track each time I would adjust the volume or change the horn ETC>

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Eastern Shore Virginia
  • 3,290 posts
Posted by gandydancer19 on Saturday, March 29, 2014 6:30 PM

QRNational4101

Hi all,

 I went through to adjust volume as stated in the manual. No matter what I do, I cannot get any volume difference, from 0 to 16 volume, it is still the same. I would change the master volume CV setting, escape out of program mode, then go back to it to find the number I had entered just moments ago, was gone and the default number was there.

 Thanks,

 Anthony.

 

 
Try programming the decoder on the main and not the programming track.  Something else that could affect it, the decoder may be locked.  You will have to read the manual to determine how to unlock it.

Elmer.

The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.

(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: Gladstone, Qld Australia
  • 54 posts
Posted by QRNational4101 on Saturday, March 29, 2014 6:21 PM

Yes I can understand this, but as I said, a fellow club member has the same decoder, in the same loco and you can hear it from at least 4 metres away. I'm not sure I just have a dodgy decoder. 

  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Sierra Vista, Arizona
  • 13,757 posts
Posted by cacole on Saturday, March 29, 2014 6:00 PM

The small speaker that will fit into N scale locomotives severely limits their volume, and there's nothing you can do about that.  

The only N-scale model I have ever known to have adequate volume to be heard more than just a few feet away was a DD40X with dual speakers, because there was room for more than the tiny one on the MRC decoders.

 

  • Member since
    May 2010
  • From: Gladstone, Qld Australia
  • 54 posts
N Scale MRC sound decoder issues
Posted by QRNational4101 on Saturday, March 29, 2014 5:33 PM

Hi all,

 

I have recently purchased a few N Scale MRC sound decoders, one SD60M, one F45 and one SD80/90 sound decoder. Upon installing them as the instructions say, i found the sounds to be very quiet on all three units, so I went through to adjust volume as stated in the manual. No matter what I do, I cannot get any volume difference, from 0 to 16 volume, it is still the same. I would change the master volume CV setting, escape out of program mode, then go back to it to find the number I had entered just moments ago, was gone and the default number was there. Now I can understand one decoder, but I have had the same problem with all three, while a fellow club member has three SD80/90 sound decoders that worked fine straight from the pack, with a volume level you can hear from a distance. Has anyone else had this issue, and how do you go about solving it? I’m sure I’m doing something wrong, but even my friend tried and had the same problems. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Anthony.

Tags: DCC , N scale , sound

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