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I am thoroughly enjoying pl@ying with my new Zephyr and DCC. I have changed the addresses on my locomotives. I have experimented with acceleration and deceleration, and have used CV2, CV6, and CV5 to set up a speed curve. Any suggestions for other values to experiment/pl@y with?
Richard
N-Scale TCS decoders. No sound.
Congrats. Two weeks ago I installed a Zephyr system on a friends layout and he loves it. It replaced an old MRC system. The only thing is we couldn't program his Tsunami sound decoders on the programming track. I had to use my empire builder and program them on the main. I guess he will need a programming track booster.
My older Zephyr programs Tsunamis on the program track.
retsignalmtr I guess he will need a programming track booster.
I guess he will need a programming track booster.
I'd recommend a Digitrax PR3 instead of a programming booster. When used with an appropriate power supply it will easily program those power-hungry sound decoders, and it has some advantages over a programming track booster:
Glad to see/hear you are enjoying you new command station. I was also pleased when I made the transition from an EZ Command to a Zephyr Xtra. I gets even better when you add handhelds (I added a DT402).
Unless you really feel the need to spend money, you can use the "blast mode" for programing those stingy Tsunami's, it's explained in the manual.
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Have fun with DCC.
If you have any Tsunami equipped locos, you will find that they don't offer CV5 & CV6 to simply adjust the speed curve. I found this out when wanting to consist a Tsunami Athearn with a Kato where I had added a TCS decoder. The workaround was to tinker with the "forward trim" and "reverse trim" CVs on the Tsunami since I had to slow it's max speed to the slower (in this case) Kato loco max speed.
If a loco does not seem to run smoothly at the lowest speed and has BEMF setting on its decoder, you may want to play with them. There are threads on this, I'll try to find one. EDIT: here's some info on another site:
https://sites.google.com/site/markgurries/home/decoders/decoder-motor-tuning/soundtraxx
Some brand decoders are complicated here, some more simple. You may find that playing with these CVs gives better min speed operation than the factory setting.
Further down the road, I encourage getting into Decoder Pro (JMRI) for adjusting locos. I don't know how that hooks up to your Zephyr. In my NCE PowerPro case, I needed to obtain a USB / serial adapter and related cable. It was nice to have these ordered and in the closet for when I was ready to leap into Decoder Pro. I use it to adjust most CVs, other than to use the NCE throttle for address change and consisting.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Don't worry about that "P" word. I was 58 years old and building my first "serious" layout in a professional and workmanlike manner. Then, I bought my DCC system, installed a decoder and, well, I was suddenly an 8-year-old kid with a new toy. The same thing still happens today when I sound the whistle.
Enjoy it.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.