Got my Athearn Challenger today. Very nice locomotive and it seems to run well under DCC. But, even with a PowePax, I can't read it on the programming track (NCE). I was able to set the long address on the programming track but then had to go back to programming on the main to adjust CV29 to get the loco running in the "normal" direction. One major complaint I have is that the sound is turned on and then muted by turning the headlights on and off rapidly. Well, sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't. Shame on Athearn. Whatever happend to F8? Has anyone figured out a workaround for this? ...Tom
CV49 is the Master Volume Control, values 0-3 (0=off, 1=low, 2=mid, 3=max). I haven't received mine either so I haven't tried it. Ben
I have looked at the Function and CV charts a little more and in addition to the Master Volume Control, there are both Function buttons and CV's for individual sounds. It is a little hard to compare because they are not in the same order. However, one control that may be of interest is the Chuff Volume, F23 and CV56. There are also individual sound volume Function buttons for whistle, brake squeal, and bell, as well as CV's for these and a few others. Seems to be a lot of options available. Also, I'm wondering what make of decoder the Challenger has. Model Rectifier Corp. has one of the few DCC systems that has 28 Functions. Ben
These have an MRC decoder in them same as the HO version. These decoders do not support readback so keep track of what CV's you change. Also you are best off to program them in DIR mode on your systems this I have found to work flawless in programing. Also there sould be a pot on the decoder to adjust the overall volume, I am guessing on this one as there is one on the HO version. You may at some point need to reset the decoder and to do that there is a CV to do it but sometimes it does not work so you have to reset it on a DC pack there should be instructions on how to do this with the loco. I am no expert by any means but I have found that this work well for me.
Paul, thanks for this info. There is a copy of the N Scale Function and CV chart on N Scale Supply's website, about 3/4 way down the following page. I'm guessing it is the same as the HO model. With all these options the learning curve on this one will be a little steeper than most sound equipped locos, and knowing the tricks that others have already learned is very helpful. http://www.nscalesupply.com/ath/ATH-challenger.html Ben
Since you guys sound like you are DCC smart I will ask again about my Challenger problem. I cannot get the bell ring rate to change. I program CV54 from the default and and tried every speed increase up to the 50 (max) and the rate does not change? I can change the tone and the volume but the rate won't change? Just the default slow rate. I program on the main since nothing will program on the program track. I have a Digitrax Super Chief and a DT400 controller. Any suggestions appreciated, Doc
I have not played with this feature sounds like you are doing exactly what you should be doing though. Programing on the main or programing in DIR mode on the programing track is the only way I have been able to garantee that programing is working and you are doing that so I am not sure why its not working unless the decoder has a bug and this feature does not work. MRC has had problems with there decoders in the past as do all makes of decoders and this may be a bug, I am not saying that it is but its possible. Any other thoughts out there?
I have had no problem programmimg on the main but have not messed with the bell. I was satisfied with it and since I can't read the present setting using Ops I was afraid I would have trouble getting back to it. Ben
Tom: Two rapid clicks of F0 turns the sound off. One click of F0 will turn the headlight off. That's what I see as I work with F0 on the Challenger. Stay cool and run steam.....
Bob, the problem with F0 is two-fold. First, the rapid click doesn't always work. It takes a little persistence which leads to my second problem. My locomotives run under computer control. So when a train enters a tunnel the computer turns the sound off. The opposite occurs when the train exits a tunnel. Since F0 doesn't always work, the computer control is out the window.
