WOWDiesel Auto Notching

TCS brought auto notching to the model train hobby with the advent of the very first WOWDiesel decoder. It is arguably the coolest feature of the WOWSound decoder!

Auto notching is only available in the Prototype Throttle Mode. Auto notching allows the decoder to sense the load it is under, and decide what notch to be in. Auto notching is unlike Traditional Throttle Mode where the active notch is based exclusively on the speed. With Auto notching the prime mover sound is constantly changing as it goes up hills, around curves, picks up more cars, and coasts down hills!

In order to make the best use of auto notching, you must calibrate the locomotive in Audio Assist® so it knows what the ruling grade is on your layout and will be in notch 8 as it traverses it. Every locomotive is different, both in the sense of unqiue characteristics of the motor and gearing, as well as the "normal" operating conditions in which you run it. All of these factors need to be accounted for, and thus a calibration is needed in order for the decoder to "learn" your railroad.

To calibrate your WOWDiesel locomotive so that it knows the ruling grade and downhill grades on your layout enter Audio Assist® and go to the calibration menu (menu 3.2) and follow the audio prompt from the decoder. It will ask you to run the locomotive in a coasting condition and then a notch 8 condition. (PRO TIP: While on the calibration menu you can calibrate the coasting point by pressing function 1 or the notch 8 point by pressing button 2, even if the menu is telling you to do otherwise)

Behind the scenes Audio Assist® is saving the calibration data to indexed CV4:17 BEMF Calibration Low and CV4:18 BEMF Calibration High both CV's can be programmed tweaked manually. TCS recommends calibrating using Audio Assist® and then manually tweaking the CV's if need be.