# Bunch of Noob questions... here goes.....



## Duntourin (Dec 30, 2017)

I dont know a whole lot about DCC.
Back in the UK my first foray into DCC was LGB's early system and that was pretty straightforward
or at least my demands of it were pretty straightforward.
Cut ahead around 10 years and I am in the USA, with a Piko Navigator DCC system, trying to get 
a bunch of Bachmann 1:20.3 locomotives to do what the Decoder manufacturers say they can.

So this may seem like a noobie question and if you read it all going "tskkkk" am sorry.
I installed a Phoenix SM18 sound card/decoder into a Bachmann K27.
Followed along with the documentation, took off the jumper to enable the chuff sensor etc. 
But - the functions that the paperwork claim will be - Headlight, Marker lights, Cab light, Smokebox lights, are not showing up on my Piko Navigator control. (yes the switches on the loco are in the correct position!) .The whistle does work on a Function button, the blow down does, but the function buttons that activate the lighting do not work. 
I had a similar set of circumstances with my C19 and the Zimo decoder.

Never fear I said to myself - I have tried to find the CV numbers for the lighting and then input the values to make the lights work. Now here is where my knowledge gap begins. How do I program the function buttons on my navigator control F3, F4 etc etc ...with these CV values? I cant seem to see anything in the Piko paperwork to enlighten me on that. Am I missing something simple here?

Any rudimentary guidance folks? - if you have experience of the Piko navigator all the better.

I also wanted to know if anyone could recommend an 8 pin decoder with sound that would work
in the Bachmann "lyn" 2-4-2 ? Anyone have a recommendation?

thanks for your patience folks.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Some of the functions on the PIKO controller aren't exactly standard. Lights are one of them. It's the #9 button on the bottom left of the controller. That turns the lights on and off. Note that this is not the same button as F9, for which you push the big F button to access functions 9 - 16, which are then indicated by the subscript numbers on the 1 - 8 keys.

I've got an SM18 currently installed in a Bachmann 2-6-0 for testing. The lighting functions don't exactly match the Phoenix documentation. This loco doesn't have a cab light or marker (class) lights, but it does have a firebox light. On the Phoenix documentation, that's supposed to be F6. Nope. F3 on the mogul. F5 and F6 do nothing. 

Here's the instructions for the PIKO Navigator. https://www.champex-linden.de/download_fremddokumente_massoth/massoth_bda_8134001_v151_0807_en.pdf
The Navigator is made by Massoth, so the manual is the same for both systems.

Press the Menu key (M3), then down arrow (M1) to Decoder Programming. Hit OK (M2) to enter. Hit the down arrow (M1) until you get to "POM Program on Track", hit OK (M2) then enter the CV you want to program, OK, then the value, then OK. Then hit the train button (M3) to return to the main screen. 

CVs 35 - 46 are the function keys (1 - 12, respectively). Functions 3 - 6 are lighting and smoke functions by default, though you can always change this. The different lighting function outputs have values 1 - 5. So to program what's labeled as "firebox" to F6, you'd program CV40 = 1. 

What I think is happening is that I don't think Bachmann standardized the lighting output pins. They're J2, pins 6 through 10, but I don't think pin 8 always goes to the cab light. On the mogul, that pin goes to the firebox. You'll probably have to experiment to figure out which pin goes to which light. 

As for a decoder that will work in the Lyn, really any decoder that can handle 1 - 2 amps will work. You can buy 8-pin plugs and wire any decoder to it. If the decoder has plugs on it for its connections (such as the TCS WowSound decoders), then you can buy a connector that goes from the TCS board directly to the 8-pin socket. 

Later,

K


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## Duntourin (Dec 30, 2017)

brilliant - great reply and lots for me to work through - will report back

many thanks
A


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## Duntourin (Dec 30, 2017)

HI again....
Well - progress so far 
after a couple of sessions of seek/find/program
got things more or less working s per the SM18 documentation.
the firebox light, cab light and marker lights were all on different values,
and these are now corresponding to the SM18 paperwork with regard to their assigned function keys.

The headlight seems to work by default as I cant find a working CV for it?
As the Piko Navigator has no F0 key - the light comes on when the 9 button is pressed
but this is not the F9 button as that controls Blow down sound effect,
(BTW the sound effects are all there and sound great)
The headlight comes on but very dim...maybe 15%....when the 9 button is pressed..
Anyone know where to find this ? CV / Value and how I could go about increasing the brightness?

The smoke is a mystery - tried to find it for about two hours now and cant get it to toggle on or off.
Anyone with any input as to the CV location / value for this would be appreciated.
Its certainly not the Function button or value in the Phoenix paperwork.
As EBT says, this maybe Bachmann rather than Phoenix.

thanks for reading !


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## adelmo (Jan 2, 2008)

I would also reach out to Phoenix. They are great to work with and familiar with Bachmann plug n play.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

The older LGB decoders had voltage settings in pairs (Massoth decoders) and started around CV 49 -60.
These were set up as 0 (no volts) to 32 (Max {V+} voltage).
Pairs were front and rear head lights, F1/F2, F3/F4 etc.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Smoke on mine is F4. Make sure the switch in the smokebox is turned on.

Later,

K


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## Duntourin (Dec 30, 2017)

Hi EBT - yep can confirm all switches in Smokebox are where they should be.
I emailed Phoenix a couple of days ago but no reply as of yet.

thanks
Andy


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