Quantum Programmer:
DCC Command Station and Great Speed Matching Tool!

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The QSI Solutions Quantum Programmer / Downloader is at its roots a high functioning sophisticated DCC command station. As a command station it can be used for speed matching up to four locomotives simultaneously "on the fly".

Likewise it can be used to operate a DCC layout. Just add a DCC booster to the Quantum Programmer's outputs and you are ready to rock and roll.

This is very good news for folks struggling to speed match locomotives. Paul Turvill has documented the set up and use of the Quantum Programmer to program multiple locos "on the fly" for his Digitrax' controlled layout. Don Fiehmann has provided connection diagrams for some of the other DCC command stations from NCE, Lenz and EZ DCC. Units not listed can also be used.

Updated 5/12/2011

Using Quantum Programmer for programming on the main with an NCE DB3 Booster.

This is a confirmation of the results posted by Paul Turvill who used a Digitrax DB150 booster for speed matching.

Tony:

We connected the QSI Programmer up to the NCE DB3A booster and ran an engine. We then followed the directions in the Paul Turvill's article and we were easily able to program speed changes while the engine was moving. We used some old track which we vacuumed but did not clean. Everything ran fine.

To be clear, we programmed totally bogus speed points - 1, 2, 60 - just so we could clearly see a difference. With the engine creeping along on notch 2, we programmed notch 2 to 60. When we hit Program, the engine took off like a shot! We did the reverse, and the engine went from careening down the track to a slow shuffle. It appears to work fine. So programming on the main while in motion using the Quantum Programmer and a DCC booster is confirmed and is a very useful speed matching tool.

Having said all that, you MUST set up the QSI Programmer (and decoder) properly. You need to set CV29, CV25 and CV56.4 (for QSI decoders) to tell the decoder to use the speed table. The QSI CV Manager has warning messages telling you to do this, so it is not hidden.

Larry Maier