Aries Radio System

Yea, I understand.

What I have in mind is the use with other simulators, in particular Steelbeast, an armored warfare simmulator.

At least you need two radios plus another one to simmulate the vehicle intercom in line vehicles. But in command vehicles you can have three or more radios and your brigade probably has a dozen nets that you need to join from time to time.

So it would be really useful to have at least four radios that you can tune.

As an example, today I will command a company and will have whispers to:

BLN Net: BTL CO, Company COs

Fire Control Net: FO

CSS Net: XO

Scouts net: Scout units (There could be several nets, North and East, for example)

Company net: Company CO and Platoon COs

Sometimes I have to coordinate with a neigbour company, so I create a whisper to that CO.

It would be easier and more flexible if we had tuneable radios.

All the same, it is just a wish. Your effort is appreciated and what you have plannes already is a dream.

thx

Due to stability issues with Aries Radio and the latest version of DCS World, I have to postpone the release of version 1.01 to Monday , May 13th. Nevertheless, the Huey is fully integrated meanwhile and the radios can be handled as usual. Even the volume control was enhanced. Now each frequency voice volume can be controlled individually while the background noise, like engines and airstream, remain on a steady volume level.

Regards

Mike

Great news :)

I hava a question. Right now it seems to me that you can't monitor guard while on an other frequency (in FC3). Does this works with the A-10C and UH-1H on UHF (A-10C have a "BOTH" setting, and UH-1H a "TR + G" setting) ? If not, would it be possible to implement ?

If it is already implemented in A-10C and UH-1H, would it be possible to make it available to Airborne radio (ie. FC3 aircraft) ?

@Robin Hood

I will have a look for it. It makes sense, if it is availabe in the cockpit box.

Mike

Release 1.011 available

Aries Radio V 1.011 was released today with the Huey integrated. Details can be found at

on the download page and on the support page. Please read the ReadMe.txt file (included in the download ZIP file) before installing the new version.

After some considerations I have decided not to support the full screen mode of the simulator.

The reasons are as follows:

• If DCS runs in full screen mode it accepts no additional window in the same process. It simply crashes because of a second D3D device.
  
• If an own process is created, there is no chance to keep the additional radio panel in the foreground. It is always covered by the DCS simulation window.
  
• If the panel is moved to a second monitor, outside the DCS simulation area, it freezes the simulation as long as the panel window has the focus.
  

A test, to find the performance differences, had the following results:

1 Monitor 1920 x 1200, Nvidia GeForce GTX 680

• Windowed mode, no vertical sync, ~60 fps fluctuating
  
• Windowed mode, vertical sync, 30 fps stable
  
• Full screen mode, no vertical sync, ~60 fps fluctuating
  
• Full screen mode, vertical sync, ~60 fps fluctuating
  

The results told me at least for my installation, that there is no significant advantage in full screen mode. A different hardware could probably have different results. Nevertheless, if someone has different experiences, all comments are welcome.

Regards

Mike

One question, there is only one PTT key, not one per radio?

Hi and thanks for the nice work!

I really enjoyed this add-on, and I really looking forward to see what to come. We at Masterarms.se are using human ground commander a lot and really missed the way to communicate correctly in the sim.

However I really would like to see that you integrate some bandwidth reduction on the voice com. Like you hear when listening on a real flight radio/walky-talkies. I believe that is a really nice feature for a great immersion. Perhaps even with some noise on releasing the PTT key before the auto squelch kicks in.

An other great feature I would like to see in the future is to make it possible to change the output of the different radios, to be able to hear them in different ears. I know it is possible to see in the overlay which radio currently set, but I prefer to have the overlay in the background when flying the A10C for example.

Maybe you have it planned to integrate these features in an update already?

Keep up the good work!

/Agaton

http://www.masterarms.se

@Tacom

The logic is as follows:

If you define a button or key for 'Common PTT' , then the selection buttons/keys act as selection only and you have to use 'Common PTT' if you want to talk. This would be only one PTT button/key.

If you leave the configuration for 'Common PTT' empty then the selection buttons/keys act as select + PTT. These would be 3 PTT buttons/keys.

To delete the 'Common PTT' definition, simply press and release the arm button. You will notice, that the edit fields will be empty.

@Agaton

the voice modulation is planned. There is already a background noise function build in but not released yet. It let you hear some engine noise of the senders aircraft in dependence of his model. The short squelch when releasing the MIC button is even planned. I am looking for a good WAV file. The range and power reduction will come with Version 2.0 when the first radar is released. It will follow the official FAA radio power distribution model. The stereo function is a good Idea. I have to do some investigation in TeamSpeak. The possibilities are limited to feed the voice packages into different channels.

@All

We noticed in a test run, that there is sometimes a problem when entering a multiplayer server. This is a severe bug which forces me to do a bug release on Monday 13th (fortunately not on Friday). Please check the download page of ariescon.com for version 1.012 on Monday after 16:00 UTC.

Thanks and sorry

Mike

Very good news, towsim. It's good to hear that there is a lot more to come. I am also looking forward to the features mentionned by Agaton, and the power and range model. This great mod is about to get even better. Most of the complaints I could have had are apparently already taken care of!

I am grateful, because I had long been looking for such a software, working with FC3 and such. And the other softwares you guys are working on (Flight Planner, radars and such) also sound like must-haves. So, thank you very much.

Thanks, I am happy to hear that!

The future looks good for DCS lovers!

Keep it coming! :thumbup:

/Agaton

www.masterarms.se

Great work! If you implement sound modulation, could you make it so one could turn it off on the receiving end, for those of us that are hard of hearing? Thanks for your valued contribution to the community!

Bug Release V1.012

The bug release V1.012 of Aries Radio is available on the download page of:

http://ariescon.com/index10.html

Regards

Mike

The short squelch when releasing the MIC button is even planned. I am looking for a good WAV file.

Mike

Well for what is worth, here are two different VHF radio squelch clicks I just recorded from my VHFs. They are recorded in Audacity in 44100 HZ sample freq. and via a Samson microphone. However the output was made from the internal speaker/mic. Don´t know how different it will sound in a real headset?

However I think they sound quite ok. Maybe something to start with?

I give them to you if you want them.

My favorite is the Icom squelch.

In the Albecom squelch you can hear when the auto squelch is opening as well. On the Icom it is more or less absent.

Since I recorded from open to close some editing has to be done to separate open/close of the auto squelch as well as some noise in between.

Regards Agaton

http://www.masterarms.se

Albecom Squelch click 32bit.rar

Icom Squelch click 32bit.rar

I wonder how many program clones we got for exactly the same thing :)

 

 

Anyway, from another this-ain't-TARS clone... when in a minefield, be sure others shared and share your pain.

My focus with TARS is on radio simulation fidelity across multiple desktop sims. Which in plain English means that I spend a lot of time working on stuff that a lot of DCS and FC3 players probably aren't going to need. With that in mind, I think there is room for everyone here, particularly if you developed a custom solution that works for your virtual squad.

You should pick an original name though. :)

@Agaton

Thank you for your help. I will evaluate the files to find a solution. I got even some suggestions from a fellow in my virtual wing (10th Gunfighters). So it takes a little time.

Thanks,

Mike

My pleasure! :)

Just let me know if you want to have the edited versions. I isolated the Albecom "open" squelch and the Icom "close" squelch.

I going to use them in a mission I currently working on. Sounds good togeather.

looking forward to the GossipBox.

It just turned out, that the graphics of the Gossip Box is not the same quality on different computers/graphic cards. So I am working on this topic. I am sure, that the issues are solved next week.

Sorry for the delay

Mike

Dear DCS user,

the next step is done. The Aries Ground Radio (The Gossip Box) is released. It is a standalone radio communication box, usable in any simulation environment. It is fully compatible to Aries Airborne Radio. The reason for this development was the lack of a standalone radio to be used for radar simulations. During our tests with our PAR and ASR we had to start a DCS A-10C aircraft to use the airborne radio for our ATC work. This situation is now solved with the Aries Gossip Box.

The package now includes even the standalone version of the Aries Airborne Radio. So ground radio and airborne radio can be used independently of DCS World.

Users, who have already a download of the Gossip Box, should download the package again to get the Airborne Radio standalone version.

The features are:

• Radio communication over the internet via TeamSpeak.
  
• 8 fixed channels for UHF or VHF (configurable).
  
• Up to 15 landlines for telephony.
  
• 2 backup radios.
  
• Volume control for each radio channel.
  
• independent of DCS World. It can be used in any simulator.
  
• Fully compatible to Aries Airborne Radio for DCS World.
  
• The Gossip Box simulates a typical radio communication device used by ATC or GCI with all its functionality.
  

The download is an evaluation version which runs for 1 hour. It can be restarted every time. The full version requires a license key. A license can be purchased via PayPal out of the Gossip Box Configuration Program.

With the installation of the Gossip Box, all existing user of Aries Airborne Radio will be upgraded to Version 1.12. This includes a new GUI design and the possibility to use the left and right earphone independently for selected radio boxes.

The attached images give a first impression of the Gossip Box and the new Airborne Radio.

For further details visit the Aries Wings Web Page at AriesWings.com.

You should mention you get a 1 hour trial before having to pay.

Thanks for adding that.

Good job, mate!

It's great to see it all coming together.

Hi Mike,

We have tested to talk to a ground commander/game master now twice on our community. Unfortunately we don´t get it to work. After hours of testing, trial and error we gave it up and just used TS3 instead.

The problem is that I hear the other guys on the correct frequencies but the don´t hear me at all. (I was the GC)

Does Aries work for GC as it is now? If it does (which I thought it did) what could be the problem.

I have tested it with A10C, Huey and KA 50 and they all work as it should.

Any Ideas?

The main reason for a transmitter failure is the PTT configuration:

If you use Voice activation detection in TS then you need to have Voice activation detection activated in the Gossip box configuration too. Vice versa, if one uses normal PTT in TS then Voice activation detection must be deactivated in the Gossip box configuration.

To make sure, that all works normal, you should start without activation detection. In this case click the frequency label with the left mouse button and hold it down while you are talking. As feedback you see frequency label in light green.

What happened to me very often is an unintended push on the microphone mute button at my headphones.

If this does not work, I would need the following information:

Do all airborne radios hear each other?

Do you see the activated frequencies of the different clients in the TS info window?

Do the other clients se the active frequencies of your Gossip Box in the TS info window?

Hope you get the Error

Regards

Mike

Hmm, after clicking Continue in the Installer nothing happens, no progress bar even.

If I click on Exit it warns me that it hasn't finished installing. I tried it with and without the "Create a desktop icon" box ticked.

Did you start the installer with administrator rights as suggested ?

Regards

Mike