Changing decoder address help needed

I finally figured out how to instal the decoder on my own BUT now I can not change the address from the default 03. I emailed digitrax and they said [and I quote]: "You cannot change the address of a Tsunami with the DCS100/200 without Soundtraxx's Program booster".
So I am screwed here. And soundtrax says NOTHING about needing extra anything on their website in order to change the addresses on thier decoders.

Unless someone knows what buttons to press on the superchief to change the address I will have a 600 dollar dud on my hands. If I had known it was gonna be this difficult to get answers and help from soundtraxx and digitrax and bachmann I never would have gone into DCC. This so annoying I don't know what to say.
So any help would be appreciated thanks.

 

If you can programme on the main (that is, in Ops Mode), you should be able to change the address of any decoder. Digitrax says it is preferrable, or recommended, that you use only Paged Mode for this exercise, and I have no understanding of the rationale...I would guess there is a decent enough reason, but I have never learned of it.

In Ops Mode, with address "03" dialled in and active, press "program" until the display reads "Ops" or whatever is equivalent for your system/throttle ...I use a DT 400. Ad or CV1 should show first off, and that is what you want. You dial in the new address, and press "enter". On my system, that installs the change, but does not enable a long address...one numbered higher than 127. Without changing addresses on the throttle, I enter Ops Mode again (double check that it is Ops!!!), dial in CV29, and enter a value of "34". That enables the new address if it is a long address. Don't perform this step if your address is below 127.

Otherwise, you need a 1K Ohm resistor across the tracks if you must use Paged Mode on a programming track...per your manual. You can get those many places. The resistor tricks the unit into sending out a much stronger impulse that the decoder will accept.

Please hold off doing anything until you have more replies because someone may have better or more specific info that will be of more use to you.

 

Thanks for your help. I tried what you said about ops mode etc and nothing. The digitrax guy said I need a power booster as do the guys in about 5 or so of the other forums I been too.

I am on a disability fixed income and so far have spent a tenth of my annual income on DCC and so this really hurts. Oh well.

Thanks again for trying to help

 

You might try finding a friend or local hobby shop that has a programming track with a booster, and asking them to help you by just changing the address. You only have to do that once. (maybe buy something small from the hobby shop in thanks for them helping you).

Also, you can change the address on any DCC system that has sufficient power on the programming track, doesn't have to be Digitrax.

If you have a friend with NCE PowerCab, in particular, that particular DCC starter system always has enough power to reprogram a sound decoder.

Just my 2 cents worth... I realize you might not be close enough to another DCC model railroader or hobby shop to make this feasible..... hope it helps.

DCC has been a really worthy endeavor for me. Stay with the learning curve, I think you'll find the same to be true for you. Here's a couple of web sites that should help. After reading through them, the fact that sound decoders need extra power on the programming track is very well documented, and has been known as a general fact for several years now. I know that doesn't help you at the moment, but at least it's good to know that others have had the same sound decoder 'discovery' over and over again. Here's the web sites:

Marcus DCC for Dummies

Joe Fugate's Siskiyou Line: Forums / DCC and electrical

Railroad Line Forums - Digitrax vs NCE vs the rest


It's said that "Sound sells DCC", and for me, that's absolutely been true. Now that I've been running DCC for a while, it really really is a great advancement over DC. Again, just my humble opinion.

 

Don't be too hard on Soundtraxx, they are not the only DCC Sound manufacturer that is experiencing similar problems with many DCC systems. Most all DCC systems can program on the main, not so true for the programming track.
You may want to post on the Digitrax yahoo group and see if they have an answer for you. There are many people out there with Digitrax systems using Soundtraxx decoders.
PeteC

 

John thanks for the links I will look into them.
Pete well some one has to be hard on them and the others. It is the reason they get away with this nonsense. No one has the "insert your word" to stand up to them. And the politically correct get all upset when you do and jump on you.

Anyhow I think this subject is ended. Unless people are willing to stand up to them and the other nothing will be done and no man can do it alone.
SO thanks for those who were supportive and helped with info
The others wellll. Can't say cause censorship is alive and well and I don't want to get banned

 

I don't have a Super Chief but do have a Digitrax Zephyr. I changed the loco addresses for Soundtrax Tsunami decoders on the programming track in Paged mode.

Try this. In Paged mode press the Loco (2 or 4 digit address) button but don't try to read the present address, you'll only get the Did not Read message. Just enter the number you want and press Write. I think this is what I did but it has been a while.


Ben

 

You may need to put an inline (series) resistor on one lead to your programming track. Something obout the digitrax sensing the higher resistance and providing more programming juice. I tried this with a couple of Lenz decoders and it finally solved the adressing problems with them.

 

I have a Soundtraxx decoder that I use for sound effects only. To change the address to a long address I had to put a small 12 volt light bulb across the motor contacts. After I had the "motor" load the decoder accepted the long address without any problems. I'm using a Digitrax DCS 100

Gary

 

Lots of helpful ideas have been posted.

If anyone else has some ideas for Stephen, please post them.

Let's make sure the tone remains constructive, or the thread will have to be closed.

 

I think the problem when he tried ops mode programming was he was trying to change from the default 2 digit address of 03 to another 2 digit address(I gathered this from his posts on another forum). According to the Tsunami Users Guide, when you are doing ops mode programming if the 2 digit address is enable, you can only change the 4 digit adress and if the 4 digit address is enable, you can only change the 2 digit address. If you want to program it to another 2 digit address, you have to program a 4 digit address and enable 4 digit addressing, then acquire the engine using the 4 digit address and program the new 2 digit address and re-enable 2 digit addressing.