Model Railroading > Digitrax Programming Issues

Hello all, 
We've had a digitrax DCS100 for a couple years now, and I've programmed about 100 locos on it. We have even installed the PowerPax programming booster. This past week, we've started to have some issues with programming. When programming about any CV, it takes about 10 seconds to program, whereas it used to be almost instant. Sometimes, it reads back "NoAK" or "Failed". Then, if we try again once or twice (on the same loco), it takes it and makes the change. Reading/writing 4-digit addresses has been even more troublesome. Originally, I thought it was just one locomotive, but I've tested about 5 or 6 different ones, with different brand decoders. Is there some sort of OpSW on the command station I need to change? I thought I've seen discussion about resetting OpSW 36 or 39, but couldn't figure out if I would lose all our data. Anyone have any thoughts on this issue?
Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
   -Caleb

Perhpas the units your trying to program have dirty wheels or your programming track is dirty.

You should be a switch 36 from time to time.  But doing so will not affect programming.

KG

Chances are that your PowerPax is failing or the power supply that feeds it. I had a bad Powerpax years ago.  Bruce

Trainatic Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hello all, 
> We've had a digitrax DCS100 for a couple years
> now, and I've programmed about 100 locos on it. We
> have even installed the PowerPax programming
> booster. This past week, we've started to have
> some issues with programming. When programming
> about any CV, it takes about 10 seconds to
> program, whereas it used to be almost instant.
> Sometimes, it reads back "NoAK" or "Failed". Then,
> if we try again once or twice (on the same loco),
> it takes it and makes the change. Reading/writing
> 4-digit addresses has been even more troublesome.
> Originally, I thought it was just one locomotive,
> but I've tested about 5 or 6 different ones, with
> different brand decoders. Is there some sort of
> OpSW on the command station I need to change? I
> thought I've seen discussion about resetting OpSW
> 36 or 39, but couldn't figure out if I would lose
> all our data. Anyone have any thoughts on this
> issue?
> Thanks in advance for any thoughts!
>    -Caleb

For those (like myself) that didn't know what a PowerPax is

http://www.dccspecialties.com/products/powerpax.htm

$59.95, but a quick search of the web found cheaper results.  

At our club http://www.gsmrm.org/ we've been using a Soundtraxx PTB Program Track Booster.  

Larry 

Ok, after further testing, looks like the Power Pax is bad.  When we bypass it, we can get cv and address readings right away.  Thought maybe the power pax power supply line might be bad, so we tried a new one of those first, but didn't help. 
Thanks again for all your help.