advance consisting and lighting fxs with digitraxx dh165lo

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
1

Can someone help me with a consisting problem? I have two L/L P2K GP7’s into which I have installed the dh165lo decoder. The short story is: I can’t get the light functions to operate with the consist address. I did get the h/l on-off function to work, but none of the Rule 17 and dimming functions seem to be accessible. Any ideas:

2

The decoder is capable of Rule 17. What type of consisting are you using?

  • Basic - All engines have the same DCC address
  • Command Station - the consist is kept in the command station. This is the ‘default’ system for Digitrax.
  • Decoder - Also known as Advanced Consisting. The consist is in the engines(With Digitrax you need to set the advanced consist CV’s).

What ‘throttle’ are you using, or are you using Decoder Pro software?

Jim

3

Jim

I’m using Advance Consisting with the MRC Prodigy (wired and wireless) throttle

Ray

4

OK, you are using an MRC system. So Advanced Consisting is the ‘default’. Most decoders default to FWD/REV lighting based on direction. You want ‘Rule 17’ lighting. Use your Digitrax Mobile Decoder manual to look up lighting CV’s. FWD should be CV49, and REV should be CV50 - look for the ‘Rule 17’ values.

Jim

5

Set CV49=104/x68 and CV50=120/x78.

Reference: Digitrax Decoder Manual p43.

6

Thanks for the suggestions. I programmed the Rule 17 values. They’ve worked well. But when the units are in a consist, I don’t seem to be able to get CVs 21 and 22 to do anything more than turn h/l on and off.

Ray