Things go very bad, if you program on main, while speed matching.... don't they? I read a bunch of stuff. Really thought it could work, but things got hairy. Just correct me, if I can program consists on main, without screwing up both locos. Basically everything looked great at step 1 and 2Top speeds were were darn close. Speed step 10, was WAY off. Closing 6 inches in 2'. I'll do factory resets and start over. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I always speed match via Programming on Main. Just make sure you are addressing the two individual locos. Once you get the top speed, I tend to work down the speed table, and get each matched at each major step
I'll try that method. I was following a method that matched low first, then kinda low, then high, then mid. It was on Tony's site. I've got a 20ft kato loop. My method would be to match the high speeds, by spreading the 2 locos out, use the handheld to start the consist moving and adjust the individual locos in decoder pro. I've got the top speed down to 140 as I don't intend to run faster and each of the 28steps are 5 apart. Might take a while, but it's fun. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Marty, I saw in the other thread you mentioned MRC decoders. I have only used one of those, and (hate to say) was never satisfied with its speed consistency
It's not just motor. I've tried in 128 and 28 step modes. I get top speed fine. Speed control with PowerCab handheld. Decoder Pro open with both locos. I slow the faster loco to match. Step 28 and 27 work. Each change, I type in the box at the top of the step and write the change Iv'e never made it past the 3rd to 5th step (23 - 25) and the speeds are no longer close the locos are visibly catching up, or spreading. I get frustrated. I stop the consist. I put individual locos on the program track and read the speed tables. There are changes to steps I never touched. Some feedback is non linear. i was gong to just try different chassis (I have 4 Katos 2 A and 2 B, it's just shell and rear bogie swaps, best case I consist them all, for the experience) and match the best. but the readings changing, has me headed to bed questioning if I just want to make dummies of Arnolds and LL E8A and B units
So... this morning, I swapped a decoder, into a 3rd E8. Same results. Odd reads and such. Can't match speeds. I don't have DCC in that many different diesels, so I thought. FEF with drop in TCS, with Bmann EM1, allowing JMRI to think it's a Lenz silver decoder (which it basically is. I started a decoder definition, for JMRI, but I'm stuck, so silver). Anyway BEMF and Momentum off on both locos. Top speed 100. I had trouble even matching slowest speed (track cleaned again this AM). All CV changes made to FEF. I put the EM1 back on the programming track. It had non linear values, where 20 minutes before. I wrote the whole page in DecoderPro and didn't even open it, while programming the FEF, on the main. Could the 2 amp starter set be inadequate to program on the main? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The PowerCab is perfectly capable of programming on the main. Not sure why you would be having such problems. While "slowest speed" can be tricky, I always shoot for "10%". Why not try something a bit "simpler". Instead of speed table, try matching simply with Vstart, Vmid and Vmax? Your decoders should be reasonably linear using those.
Thanks So 10%, sorry I need to be a stickler here, because I may just be overdoing this for ease of math, if it takes loco A 100 seconds to distance, to travel the 20' loop, so long as loco B does it in 90-110 seconds (picking up or losing 2' over the distance) that will be close enough? Or 2" over 2' at slow speed. I ask, because, I'm going to put 2 heavy E8B units, between the A units. If 10% is close enough, I was done yesterday. I could just fix the goofy CVs and move on. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sorry, wasn't clear. I meant use 10% of throttle for the lowest speed match. With different locos needing different starting voltages, for a first pass, don't try to be too fine at the bottom of the speed curve.
I have had nothing but trouble speed matching TCS decoders in Z scale, set a speed and sometimes the rest of the curve goes nuts. Takes me about 2 hours of fine tweaking to make it the best possible. Takes me 15 minutes with a Digitrax. Until TCS does a better job they are all going into the junk pile. Greg
So basically, you honk you wrote the table. It "looks" right, you then save it, put the loco on the programming track, read it.... and it has different values? Sometime even x>x+ 1 (x=speed step)?!? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
no, the values you put in the table will often grossly affect other values that should be independent. It does not change the CV values, the CV values, in parts of the table will have to be changed after they were already right... and tweaking the last CV can mess up the entire table. I can understand trying to "smooth" the values of adjacent speed table values, but not random weirdness where a part th'sat was fine is now not fine because you adjusted a value at the other end of the table. Try a custom speed table using all the CVs and actually set them all, you will see.. everyone I have talked to that has actually done this has the same experience. Not trying to put down TCS, but trying to save someone some grief, these are not decoders to try to set a custom speed table. Greg
About the only thing I use the programming track for is setting the address and troubleshooting. Speed matching is done on the main with vstart, vmid and vmax with a pro cab, which gets me close enough. Never found the need for JMRI decoder pro. I have had good results with NCE, TCS, Digitrax, Soundtrax, nearly everything. Not all decoders can handle the 3 CV approach; some Bachman and Atlas (Lenz) for example can't. No experience with MRC. If the decoders have been consisted on a Digitrax system, you may have difficulty getting them to run correctly on an NCE system without setting CV57 to 102; this is caused by NCE and Digitrax handling bemf a bit differently when consisted.
Thank you all, for your patience. I walked away from speed matching, for a few days/weeks, whatever it was. I reset the decoders. Matched the speed, adjusting just a few CVs. It's running great! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
