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#3752618 - 03/17/13 09:33 PM AF setting radio channels?  
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 218
Attackmack Offline
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Attackmack  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 218
In the manual it says it can either be set through the UFC or through some manual knobs (depending on some switches position in norm or backup).
But im having a hard time with this, i cant find any knobs or switches that would control radio channel freqs nor that norm/backup switch.
And through the ICP i can access the COM1 and COM2 setting windows but i cant seem to change anything there. I can switch a single number through 1-7 but they dont change the channel name of the UHF/VHF labels. They remain on Package and Flight (or whatever the defaults are).

Furthermore, the manual says that the UHF/VHF channels will be marked by small boxes in the DED, on the left or right side of them, indicating which channel is the active send/receive and which is secondary (only receive).


I cant figure this out, ive scanned through the manual for anything related to the radio and comms, but it seems like its referring to things that arent there and i cant the instructions to work either.


This is Allied Force with no further mods.



OH and also, is there any way to enable subtitles for the radio messages in AF?

Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#3753032 - 03/18/13 06:29 PM Re: AF setting radio channels? [Re: Attackmack]  
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 400
Comet Offline
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Comet  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 400
No subtitles. I myself wish there were. But there aren't.

You have the 7 radio sources, whose frequencies cannot be changed. But you can activate a different
source for either Comm1 or Comm2 by means of the ICP - and only of the ICP. The knobs in the radio group,
in the lower left panel (where the JFS switch is), won't do.

As for "Backup controls" vs. "Up Front Controls", it only relates to the ILS/TACAN channels, used for
navigation and landing (and refuel too? gosh it's been a while, I don't remember this last detail).
Nothing to do -however- with radio frequencies, Comm1, and Comm2.

The primary way to set an ILS frequency is through the ICP. The Backup controls offer you the very
same functionality - it just uses a different interface. The good thing about them is that each
interface (UFC and Backup) can hold and remember its own set frequency, meaning that (if you wished) you
could switch from one ILS frequency to another (of your choice) by hitting a switch on the fly.
Now, you understand that this possibility has practically no use. You'll hardly wish to change ILS
frequency, because it'd mean that you're going to land somewhere that isn't your homeplate (for example
when you want to divert to another airfield).

Even in that case, however, you don't need to remember the original ILS frequency (for your intended
homeplate) because you aren't returning to it anyway. So you might as well overwrite the ILS frequency
set in the UFC. Get what I mean?

Originally Posted By: Attackmack
In the manual it says it can either be set through the UFC or through some manual knobs (depending on some switches position in norm or backup).

The switch it refers to is directly on the right of the Backup controls analog display. It's a little
vertical lever with two positions. Now I don't have a screenshot to show you, but just read the labels
printed near the controls in there and you'll find it.


I never finish anyth
#3753270 - 03/19/13 02:34 AM Re: AF setting radio channels? [Re: Attackmack]  
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 218
Attackmack Offline
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Attackmack  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 218
Ive figured out the tacan stuff. Since the icp is preset with the homeplate tacan, i usuly input the alternate landing field data on the backup panel and if i have to divert, i switch to backup and the system will use that setting instead, correct?

About the radio.
When i press com1 (or com2), the ded shows a page where all i can do is press up/down and change between channel 1-7.
But when i return the DED to default, the UHF and VHF still shows the same names (package/guard). And no matter what i change them to, the names stay the same and i recon im still on he same channels.
The only difference is that if i enter and return from, for example com1, the ded shows UHF at the top row. If i enter and return from com2, it changes and VHF is displayed at top.
Is this to indicate which com (com1 or com2) is the send/receive and which is just receive?

Sometimes, also, while messing with these things it seems ive messed up the volumes for com1 and com2 because the one with lower stting will have higher volume and the opposite.
Very weird, i dont know if its a bug or if im simply not understanding the systems.

#3753464 - 03/19/13 02:25 PM Re: AF setting radio channels? [Re: Attackmack]  
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 400
Comet Offline
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Comet  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 400
Hello.

Originally Posted By: Attackmack
Ive figured out the tacan stuff. Since the icp is preset with the homeplate tacan, i usuly input the alternate landing field data on the backup panel and if i have to divert, i switch to backup and the system will use that setting instead, correct?

yep

Originally Posted By: Attackmack
About the radio.
When i press com1 (or com2), the ded shows a page where all i can do is press up/down and change between channel 1-7.
But when i return the DED to default, the UHF and VHF still shows the same names (package/guard). And no matter what i change them to, the names stay the same and i recon im still on he same channels. The only difference is that if i enter and return from, for example com1, the ded shows UHF at the top row. If i enter and return from com2, it changes and VHF is displayed at top.

The DED pages opened by the Comm1 and Comm2 round buttons are N/I (Not Implemented -- fake pages).
But the buttons themselves do have the effect of swicthing place of the UHF (Comm1) and VHF (Comm2) channels,
as you in fact noticed.

Originally Posted By: Attackmack
Is this to indicate which com (com1 or com2) is the send/receive and which is just receive?

Nope.
You answer yourself with your next statement, quoted below:

Originally Posted By: Attackmack
Sometimes, also, while messing with these things it seems ive messed up the volumes for com1 and com2 because the one with lower stting will have higher volume and the opposite.

That's the effect of switching place of Comm1 and Comm2 in the DED. The channel listed up top in the DED has its
own volume setting. Same goes for the radio channel listed in the middle row. More on this near the end of the post.

Please open your F4AFManual.pdf -- page 403 -- Chapter 20: The ICP and DED

Before we continue, spend a minute to read the use of the ICP buttons and switches.
The Communication, Navigation And Identification (CNI) Page section on page 406 is the one.

Done? Okay.
You change radio frequency like this:
  • Use DCS RETURN to get back to the CNI page.
  • Use the DCS UP (or DCS DOWN to go the other way) to move the selector next to the radio frequency you
    want to change.
  • Use the PREV or NEXT arrow buttons to cycle the selected Channel till it shows the frequency you want.


NOTE: On page 404 the Override Buttons paragraph is incorrect.
Quote:
Pressing either COM button makes that channel the talk radio on which you will both transmit and receive. The active channel is designated by a small square to the right of the COMM label on the DED.

There's no << small square to the right of >> whatever.
And when you trasmit something you don't talk with what the DED says. Instead you talk with whichever *receiver*
you picked when bringing up the TAB menu -- be this the ATC Tower, the AWACS, your Wingman, Element 2...

The frequency selected in your radio channels only affect which sources you _receive_ from.
Some examples:
  • Flight : you only hear transmissions from your own Wingmates. Should there be any other allied plane in the
    vicinity you wouldn't hear what they say.
  • Package : you hear the comms coming from all wings (including your own) having a role in your mission.
  • Prox : you hear from any good guy around you within 40.0 nm. Past that distance the radio is mute (useful
    when surfing deep into hostile territory, hearing over the Prox channel means you aren't completely alone).
  • Guard : you hear from any good guy anywhere, but of course the most distant transmissions will have bad
    quality (speaking of quality, the UHF channel -Comm1- is the one best suited to receive from the Guard and
    Package frequencies. Of course you're free to set whichever frequency on whichever channel).

Regardless of the frequencies you pick, the ATC Tower and the AWACS will _always_ be heard from.
So what's the purpose of a Tower frequency if you can always hear from ATC anyway? If you set Comm2 to the
Tower frequency, and Comm1 to Off, you effectively filter out anything that isn't from the ATC. That's desirable when
you're landing, because you don't want other people's chatter to delay ATC's instructions for you. Only the AWACS
will be able to kick in, regardless.

CAVEAT: Look into the instruments panel where the JFS switch is. Below the JFS you find a big knob labeled UHF.
It has four positions: Off, Main, Both, ADF, but you can only set it to Main or Both.
By default it's set to Main.
If you set it to Both you lose the ability to change radio frequency until you set it back to Main. This is undocumented
behavior. Be as it may, you have no reason to touch that knob, ever. Just remember what happens if you do.


In the Audio1 panel (next to the UHF knob of above) you have several knobs, four of which labeled: Comm1, Comm2,
MSL, and Threat. They control the volumes of the radio and a few alarms you can hear in the cockpit.
With regard to the Comm1 and Comm2 knobs, their behavior isn't exactly the one you anticipate. The Comm1 knob
changes the volume of the radio channel listed *first* in the DED (in the upper row), which isn't necessarily Comm1.
Similarly, the Comm2 knob changes the volume of the other radio channel (listed in the middle DED row), which may
not be Comm2. That's why when you press the Comm1 or Comm2 override buttons in the ICP, and the radio channels
switch place, you can notice an instant change in their audio volumes.

TIP: When flying a multi-wings package, you may want to keep the Comm1 (UHF) channel set to Package, and the
Comm2 (VHF) channel set to Flight. Since the messages from your own wingmates are more important, you may
want to set the Comm2 volume louder than the Comm1 volume. That way, when you hear something, you immediately
know if it's from your wing, even before you hear their designation.
Every little bit helps when you've got to think fast smile That being said, suit yourself.


I hope this helps you.


I never finish anyth
#3753579 - 03/19/13 05:03 PM Re: AF setting radio channels? [Re: Comet]  
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 218
Attackmack Offline
Member
Attackmack  Offline
Member

Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 218
Thanks Comet, that helps ALOT.
I admit, i have missed bits and parts from the manual even though i have spend quite some time reading up on the UFC and panels and whatnot but for some reason ive overlooked the whole CNI segment, probably because one believes theres nothing to it smile

Anyways, thanks alot, it might not help me survive my sofar horrible campaign, but the more i understand about how the sim and its systems work, the more fun i have!

One of the best parts is Rampstarting at dusk/dawn, cup of coffee at my side, ipad at my knee, setting up personal settings and mfds..
Immersion is king!


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