Espee Oregon Division Project Pages

Friday, June 28, 2013

Athearn F45 Tsunami Programming and CVs

I finally got the Atherarn F45 with Tsunami sound decoder programmed, which had not been listening to the programmer.  Use of an 18 V power supply feeding the Dgtrx PR3 allowed Decoder Pro to read and load all the needed CVs here.  Later I read that using the HO switch setting on the front of the Digitrax command station also works to give it that extra nudge for users programming via the DCS in N scale.  I am leery of excess voltage being applied to any of my units with custom lighting, so am careful to keep other locos isolated while using the higher voltage.  The Tsunami uses a number of different configuration values different from Digitrax decoders, so took some time to get the CVs remapped to match my other functions / sounds on existing decoders, as well as setting the speed curve to match existing locos.  Real happy with how this unit performs here now.  Almost every train now has at least one sound unit in consist, but hoping at this point for a next generation release of a PnP sound units pre-programmed with similar (F45) quality sound files before I spend more (now I am spoiled)....
I do not like the color of the headlight, so this unit is in the middle of a consist till the LED gets changed out (and a working rotary beacon gets added).  This placement in the middle of a consist is typical here anyhow.  Since I typically only have one sound unit so far per consist, the sound coming from the second unit seems to be the best compromise to create the proper illusion.  The Digitrax system here is configured for Universal Consisting.  That originally caused a problem because only the lead unit number can blow the horn and ring the bell.  So currently I have the first two locos assigned with the same lead unit number, and configure the CVs so that each loco position gets the proper lighting / sound effects as needed.  This actually works pretty good. 

Here is a list of the CVs that I changed to get this unit to run with my other (Digitrax) power on the layout.

 CV-Value
  03-05 (accl)
  04-05 (decel)
*14-00 (?)
  17-217 (loco addy 66) or  + 17-XXX (to match lead)
  18-228 (loco addy 28) or  + 18-XXX (to match lead)
  25-16 (spd table)
  29-54 (config reg)
*30-00 (shifts function map)
+33-00 headlight
+34-00 rear light
*38-00 (move dynmcs)
*39-08 (move dynmcs)
*49 thru 52 @128 (?)
 67 thru 94 @ 03-100 (spd table)
 209-100 helps slow speed response
 210-05  helps slow speed response

With Decoder Pro, check the "use speed table", "user defined speed table", and "match ends" using 03-100
* denotes settings after changes, that were used to match sound Function keys on Digitrax decoders
+ denotes settings configured to use as middle unit utilizing lead unit eng #

Hope the above saves someone prog time, as this is another hobby in itself at times...

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