This is a rather specific request, limited to one DCC system...

Does anyone have any working knowledge of programming the CV's of a Soundtraxx Tsunami decoder with a Digitrax Zephyr? I just picked up an Athearn FP45 equipped with a Tsunami, and pretty much out of dumb luck, was able to program the three digit road number. But to me, the speed of the loco does not change when the cab speed is placed above step 1, which is faster than I probably need, but still the speed seems to be set at a predetermined value that I can't read with the Zephyr. Secondly, the sound of the decoder doesn't seem to match the actual movement of the engine. I'm guessing this problem is related to the first.

I tested this engine out at the hobby store on a DC track and it worked great. On my DCC layout, it seems to work, with with these quirks.

Anyone have some expertise with Soundtraxx Tsunami decoders, their programming, tricks and tips?

Thanks guys!

I have not played with any of the diesel Tsunami sound decoders but I have five steam locomotives with Tsunami decoders I installed and I am working on two more installs right now. With my Digitrax DCS100 and DCS200 command station boosters I was able to program most if not all of the CVs using OPS mode programming. I was not able to read the CVs until I bought the Soundtraxx PTB-100 programming track booster. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.soundtraxx.com/access/index.php?p=ptb100.php">http://www.soundtraxx.com/access/index.php?p=ptb100.php</a><!-- m --> The Digitrax programming track power does not have enough current to allow one to read back what is programmed into the CVs in the Tsunami. I am not familiar with the Zypher but I would be willing to bet you will need a PTB-100 in order to read the back what is programmed into the CVs. I greatly suggest you buy yourself a PTB-100 if you want to be able to readback the CVs.

If you locomotive does not have any fancy features programmed for the lights ( mars light ect ) you could do a reset of the decoder which would put its programming back to factory settings. You would have to reprogram your three digit address though. To reset the decoder you can program CV8 to 8. Then turn off the track power and then turn it back on. The headlight will blink 16 times to let you know the reset worked and the decoder has reset to factory settings. If the headlight does not blink you will have to redo the reset. You can also program CV30 to 2 to reset the decoder to factory settings. Seeing as you do not know what is programmed into the decoder it may be best to do a reset and start from fresh. This way you are not working around any unknow values programmed by someone else.

You may also want to download and read the Tsunami diesel manual. It can be found here. <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.soundtraxx.com/index.php?p=manuals.php">http://www.soundtraxx.com/index.php?p=manuals.php</a><!-- m --> This would be my biggest tip as I know it sure helped me understand the Tsunami and how to program its features. I picked a section ( like throttle CVs ) and palyed with them a little. Once I had a understanding of that section I moved on to the lighting CVs and so on. If you mess up when playing around all you have to do is reset the decoder back to factory settings.

I have found the Tsunami runs okay with the factory settings but with some adjustment you can make your loco run even better. The Tsunami also has a lot of neat features like the F11 braking feature. But these are more advanced features you can play with later.


Wayne Reid

Herc, you probably need to reset CV29 so the locomotive fully understands the new long address. There are different values for CV29 with a long address. There is a table here: <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/cv29-lookup.htm">http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/cv29-lookup.htm</a><!-- m -->
Read it carefully, it isn't the easiest I read before.
Charlie

Really appreciate the info guys...I recently downloaded the Tsunami manuals and noticed the same suggestion about the power booster. I think that will be the best bet. The way things are now, I programmed the road number (Santa Fe #107) as a two digit address (as opposed to the four digit 0107 that I first tried) and I guess it successfully wrote that address to the decoder. Either way, it runs albeit too quickly from a dead stop, and I have control over all the sounds as well as the lights. So until I get that power booster to read the CV values, I guess I'll have to live with it the way it is.

The only thing I'd like to "fix" is the initial start up speed. On my cab's speed scale, the engine starts moving at an almost constant speed at about .5 on the 1 to 6 scale, then the sound grows to match the fast speed of the engine. It seems to slow down better, but it isn't possible to make it creep into a station. Once you hit the magic .5 mark on the dial, it stops dead, then the sound decreases. So something isn't right with the speed CV values. I was thinking about trying to program CV02, 06, and 05 blindly based on the speeds suggested in my Digitrax manual, but I'd really like the ability to read back the values instead of just guessing/hoping I did it right. I guess the power booster is the best way to go in this case.

Thanks again for the info guys!

Well I did the dumb thing by not qualifying my answer on the CV29, because the odds were in my favor that the loco number was over 128
From what I have read the 0 in front of the loco number would not be recognized anyway and 0107 still would be a short address. I'd still look at cv 29 and I think there is a very good section in the manual about adjusting the speed curves.
Let us know how you make out. I'm still learning..
Charlie

I re-read some posts about programming the Soundtraxx Tsunami sound decoders "in the blind" with Digitrax equipment and took the plunge. Since the loco took off like a shot at about .5 on the speed dial, I decided to reprogram CV02, 06, and 05 to the values Digitrax suggests. No real change was noticed in the engine. Since there was absolutely no creep speed or slow speed, I adjusted CV02 to a value of 10 (from 28 as Digitrax suggests) and that made a great impact on the slow speed. Now, the engine creeps and has a great slow speed crawl. Plus, the sound better matches the actual engine movement.

I did the reprogramming in the Page mode, following the directions in the Digitrax book. The only thing you can't do is "read" back the CV value after you modify it.

I'm just glad it actually "took" and wrote correctly to the speed values. Now, the engine moves much more realistically. Whew...

Herc, there may be a function key that lets you rev the engine like it is under load that works without changing the speed on the throttle.
Charlie

Thanks for that tip...there's clearly a lot I need to learn about these Tsunami sound decoders. I have two engines I installed an MRC sound decoder, and they were much simpler to figure out. I really like the sound though of this FP45...Athearn did a great job and the sound decoder is really something.