radio comms menu question

[fitness88]

Sometimes the radio comms menu changes frequency for the same airfield.  For example I'll see the regular [xxx.xxx] ie.250.500 format for an airfield and can call in successfully and a minute later the same airfield will change frequency to show [xx.xx] ie.38.60 which doesn't work.

Can someone please explain.

 

Thank you.

[Ziptie]

13 minutes ago, fitness88 said:

Sometimes the radio comms menu changes frequency for the same airfield.  For example I'll see the regular [xxx.xxx] ie.250.500 format for an airfield and can call in successfully and a minute later the same airfield will change frequency to show [xx.xx] ie.38.60 which doesn't work.

Can someone please explain.

 

Thank you.

 

 

Where are you seeing an airfield freq change to xx.xx when communicating with the Hornet?  Never seen this personally....  Only experienced airfield freq's in the xxx.xxx format when sending/receiving with the Hornet in DCS.

 

What mission are you flying when you see this happen?

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

[fitness88]

I was flying Nevada MP in Aerobatics online beta server.

Clicking on the ATC menu the radio freq. are listed beside the airfield.

[Ziptie]

Just now, fitness88 said:

I was flying Nevada MP in Aerobatics online beta server.

Clicking on the ATC menu the radio freq. are listed beside the airfield.

 

Have never flown in that server so I apologize, I cannot speak on how their mission is setup.  Hope someone else can assist you with this issue.  Are you able to click on the airfield icon (blue circle with white slash through it) and see what freq's are listed there?  Should show you the xxx.xxx format, from all the missions I've flown in.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

[fitness88]

I was more wondering what the xx.xx freq. format is for and how to use it.

[sirrah]

Pretty sure xx.xx format would be VHF-AM frequency 

 

Edit:

Sorry, I meant VHF-FM

Edited December 24, 2020 by sirrah

[fitness88]

10 hours ago, sirrah said:

Pretty sure xx.xx format would be VHF-AM frequency 

If I see something like...38.62 AM how would I input that via UFC as you need to input 6 digits.

[Bunny Clark]

Do you have easy comms enabled?

[fitness88]

I disabled easy comms but still got the same xx.xx AM...a minute later those same digits changed to xxx.xxx and it went back and forth like that.

[johnmjones1975]

not trying to hijack topic, but it's a comms menu question

 

why is it...(again on MP servers)

when i'm on the ground its

the "\" key

 

when you get in the air its something like "alt-\"

 

what's the difference between being on the ground or in the air?

 

not a big deal, mostly just curious 

 

[Bunny Clark]

1 hour ago, johnmjones1975 said:

what's the difference between being on the ground or in the air?

 

With Easy Comms enabled, or with any of the FC3 aircraft, the basic DCS radio button is [\]

 

In the high fidelity modules with Easy Comms off, you need to hit the appropriate radio transmit button for the correct radio in the aircraft to transmit on the radio. But for things that are not necessarily radio transmissions, such as communicating with the ground crew, you still use [\]. You can also speak with the ground crew by using the radio tuned to the ATC frequency, but in some aircraft it's not possible to transmit on the radio without the ground crew doing something first, so using the [\] button simulates speaking in person with the canopy open, using hand signals, or using a plug-in intercom system. 

 

2 hours ago, fitness88 said:

I disabled easy comms but still got the same xx.xx AM...a minute later those same digits changed to xxx.xxx and it went back and forth like that.

Easy Comms is both a local setting and a mission setting, so it may be being enforced by the server. Do you see the same behavior when you run missions locally?

Edited December 24, 2020 by Bunny Clark
spelling

[fitness88]

On 12/24/2020 at 6:53 PM, Bunny Clark said:

With Easy Comms enabled, or with any of the FC3 aircraft, the basic DCS radio button is [\]

 

In the high fidelity modules with Easy Comms off, you need to hit the appropriate radio transmit button for the correct radio in the aircraft to transmit on the radio. But for things that are not necessarily radio transmissions, such as communicating with the ground crew, you still use [\]. You can also speak with the ground crew by using the radio tuned to the ATC frequency, but in some aircraft it's not possible to transmit on the radio without the ground crew doing something first, so using the [\] button simulates speaking in person with the canopy open, using hand signals, or using a plug-in intercom system. 

 

Easy Comms is both a local setting and a mission setting, so it may be being enforced by the server. Do you see the same behavior when you run missions locally?

 

I checked, easy comms is enabled in the MP set up, I don't recall seeing this format xx.xx when playing single player with easy comms disabled so I'm just going to assume it's a glitch.

I usually use the 'M' slot on the radio for inputing my desired freq., sometimes I overwrite the other pre-loaded channels 1-20. Never understood why pre-loaded channels were not installed in numerical order?

 

I recall there used to be another comm command when on the ground whether parked or taxing besides what you mentioned.  It was needed until you were airborne, don't currently see it as an option.

 

Would you know what these commands do?

 

COMM 1 Antenna Selector Switch - AUTO
COMM 1 Antenna Selector Switch - Down

Edited December 26, 2020 by fitness88

[Ziptie]

1 hour ago, fitness88 said:

Never understood why pre-loaded channels were not installed in numerical order?

 

Ideally, they would be sequenced for order of usage.  Channel 1 for the first phase of flight operation, channel 2 for the second phase of flight operation, channel 3 for the third phase of flight operation, etc etc etc.

 

This seems to rarely be the case for missions - aside from the Raven One Campaign.

 

Also, you would have the comm sheet for reference on your kneeboard - ideally.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

[fitness88]

1 minute ago, Ziptie said:

 

Ideally, they would be sequenced for order of usage.  Channel 1 for the first phase of flight operation, channel 2 for the second phase of flight operation, channel 3 for the third phase of flight operation, etc etc etc.

 

This seems to rarely be the case for missions - aside from the Raven One Campaign.

 

Also, you would have the comm sheet for reference on your kneeboard - ideally.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Ziptie

Very interesting, thanks.

[Bunny Clark]

Yup, as Ziptie said, channels are usually arranged in such a way that makes sense within the context of mission. For example Ch1 could be ground control, ch2 tower control, ch3 departure control, ch4 the strike common or AWACS channel. In Navy ops they typically program the same channel as the carrier marshal and tower for every mission. Consistently using the same channel for the same function makes it easy to remember what channel you need to be on for each phase of flight, even if the actual frequencies change. 

 

4 hours ago, fitness88 said:

Would you know what these commands do?

 

COMM 1 Antenna Selector Switch - AUTO
COMM 1 Antenna Selector Switch - Down

 

The Antenna Selector Switch is used to select which physical antenna on the aircraft the radios use, there are radio antennas mounted on the top of the aircraft and on the bottom. Auto is typically used, but sometimes a manual selection is used because one radio antenna is masked (such as trying to transmit to a ground station with the top antenna when at high altitude) or to deconflict multiple radios trying to use the same antenna. 

 

[fitness88]

6 hours ago, Bunny Clark said:

Yup, as Ziptie said, channels are usually arranged in such a way that makes sense within the context of mission. For example Ch1 could be ground control, ch2 tower control, ch3 departure control, ch4 the strike common or AWACS channel. In Navy ops they typically program the same channel as the carrier marshal and tower for every mission. Consistently using the same channel for the same function makes it easy to remember what channel you need to be on for each phase of flight, even if the actual frequencies change. 

 

 

The Antenna Selector Switch is used to select which physical antenna on the aircraft the radios use, there are radio antennas mounted on the top of the aircraft and on the bottom. Auto is typically used, but sometimes a manual selection is used because one radio antenna is masked (such as trying to transmit to a ground station with the top antenna when at high altitude) or to deconflict multiple radios trying to use the same antenna. 

 

Thanks for those comm details...makes so much sense!

[Red Earth]

With regard to radio use in the F18/A, is it necessary to spool the engine before using the radio? If so then you cannot actually call for start up before you've started up? You just jump through that menu after start up and go for the taxi to runway? So the tower give you clearance to start up even though you've already done so?

 

Can someone clarify please?

If this is the case, apart from being unrealistic modelling of ATC, it's really disappointing given all the updates for the f18/A and the DCS environment that aims at producing a simulation?

 

And yet most other aircraft radio work for start up as you'd expect? 

Perplexed 

[Bunny Clark]

Nope, the radios on the Hornet won't work until at least one AMAD is running. 

 

It's weird, and "request startup" is not really a normal ATC thing anyway in the real world. I just usually skip it. 

[Red Earth]

Thanks for confirming this. It is weird you're right, though I didn't know that it wasn't SOP with military - I am positive it's standard with commercial aircraft. So how that works when military aircraft depart from civic/commercial airports begs a question.

[Bunny Clark]

Generally ATC doesn't care when you start the plane. It's certainly not something that's done in general aviation. I'm not a commercial pilot, but I imagine that engine starts are something that coordinated with the ground handling crew and not the tower. You don't typically call the ground controller until the aircraft is started and ready for taxi instructions. 

 

On an aircraft carrier all aircraft launching for an "event" are started on signal over the flight deck loudspeaker. After that the pilots have no communication with controllers in the tower at all. All aircraft moving and launching is communicated to the pilots by hand signals from the aircraft directors. 

[pete_auau]

You  find that  commercial  aircraft  at  controlled  towers  will   contact  the  tower  for  engine  starts  and  push  backs

[Bailey]

On 12/25/2020 at 4:46 AM, fitness88 said:

If I see something like...38.62 AM how would I input that via UFC as you need to input 6 digits.

Six digits is not required. Three digits after the decimal is required. So, in this case the freq you type is 38.620.

 

 

4 hours ago, pete_auau said:

You  find that  commercial  aircraft  at  controlled  towers  will   contact  the  tower  for  engine  starts  and  push  backs

Yes, that is true depending on the location. 

[fitness88]

7 hours ago, Bailey said:

Six digits is not required. Three digits after the decimal is required. So, in this case the freq you type is 38.620.

Thanks...I tried putting in only the 5 digits but didn't pick up anything.  I know tacan is line of sight, is the radio affected much by mountains?

 

 

 

[Bailey]

2 hours ago, fitness88 said:

Thanks...I tried putting in only the 5 digits but didn't pick up anything.  I know tacan is line of sight, is the radio affected much by mountains?

Yes, and distance.

[Bailey]

I just re-read your question. The answer is "who knows, it's DCS". Irl there are an interesting types of things that can create dead spots when you are relatively close to the transmission source.