I was thinking of using the Soundtraxx Micro Tsunami 8260 in the light mountain and controlling the motor and sound. Originally I was gonna use the tsunami in the heavy mountain for sound but I'm thinking maybe use a digitrax decoder for sound in the heavy mountain as it is A cheaper a decoder and the HM alseady has motor DCC. Input wanted! I just found out that to program the Tsunami I might need a PowerPax Programming track booster to program on the programing track. Actually I read something about this. I will be using a digitrax ZEPHYR EXTRA which is a little more power than the regular Zephyr. Do you think it will have enough power to program the Tsunami on the programming track without an extra booster? Asking this now as when I get all this stuff for Xmas I will have an understanding of what I'm doing. Thanks Ron
It seems to me that I have used my regular Digitrax Zephyr to program my Tsunami equipped FP45 by placing a resistor across the rails on the programming track. One of the ideas, supposedly, behind the Zephyr Extra was to cure this small shortcoming. I have not used one Since I got a Sprog and JMRI I use that for most programming beyond changing locomotive numbers, so I may not be recalling exactly what it was I did before. Adam
I have several Tsunami's they are great decoders. I haven't heard too much good about the digitrax sound.
Thanks for the info maybe it will work. The digitrax sdn144ps is the cheaper decoder I might use just for sound if I get good reviews here. Its about 1/2 the tsunami price. Ron
You have two options other than a programming booster for programming a Tsunamis with the Zephyr Xtra. One is to use Blast Mode programming(this option was also available with the original Zephyr, but was not documented). The other is to use Ops mode programming. One thing to be aware of is the Tsunamis will not let you change the currently active address when using ops mode. For example, to change from the default short address of '3' to abother short address you have to program a long address and activate it, then program the new short address.
I have used my Digitrax Zephyr DCS50 system to program Tsunami sound decoders in my F45, FP45 and IM cabforward without any problems. I have a 1000 ohm resistor across the programming track.
This sounds like you can program it but you need a 1000 ohm resistor accross the programing track. Not the main track? Ron
The resistor goes across the programming track. It basically forces the Zephyr to send a larger blast to the programming track. If you have the Zephyr Extra you probably won't need this.
Yes, I had a resistor across the programming track. You might also get better results using the "direct" rather then the "page" mode of programming.
