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Radio coverage in VRC?


Romano Lara
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Romano Lara
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So if for example I'm working on a really really large airspace. I'm talking about Philippines. In the real-world, there's 3 SSR situated at Laoag, Tagaytay and Mt. Majic, Cebu w/ maximum range of 250nm. So I have done the same with my VRC setup. See the image below:

 

My question is, if the aircraft is outside the vis range, can they still reach me via VHF? I know the vis range has nothing to do with radio coverage, but more with visibility itself. This is the main thing that's confusing me lately. I appreciate any clarifications/answers!

 

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Romano Lara
vACC Philippines, Manager - Training & Standards
04819c_4181f294a6c34b5aa4d8a82c0fb448c5~mv2.webp

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Romano Lara
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Okay.. just tried it out, set vis range for 3 points to 250nm. A CPA aircraft just called me, he was north of my airspace, so I guess pilots can still reach me via VHF, vice versa.

Romano Lara
vACC Philippines, Manager - Training & Standards
04819c_4181f294a6c34b5aa4d8a82c0fb448c5~mv2.webp

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Harold Rutila 974112
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Yep, I've found that wherever I set a vis range, my radio "range" also goes out there. In ZDV, Denver Approach can run the D01 sector (around Denver International), then two smaller satellite TRACONs at Grand Junction (GJT) and Pueblo (PUB), which are not immediately adjacent to the D01 sector. It works just fine for us.

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Daniel Hawton
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Yes, it has to do with your vis range. I have been told (haven't gotten it confirmed) that it uses a slant rule too so that from the edge of your visrange it slants outward like a real radio.. but I don't think it's true haha. To minimize the amount of data I see and the amount of bandwidth I use, I use minimal visrange and instead use different visibility points. On Approach, I can usually use 1 60nm visibility range, but if the approach sector is bigger (ie, Orlando) than I use 2 60nm vis points with a majority of it overlapping each other. Also just feels more realistic because I doubt there's a ground-based radar that has a primary range of 450nm

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Ross Carlson
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No, vis range has nothing to do with when pilots see you on their list and can thus contact you. Vis range only determines at what distance you see blips on your scope.

 

Radio range (the distance at which pilots can see you and contact you) is based on a formula that starts with a base range that is a fixed value, different for each facility type, plus an additional range based on the aircraft's altitude.

 

So you could set your vis range to 5 or 500 and it won't affect your radio range at all.

Developer: vPilot, VRC, vSTARS, vERAM, VAT-Spy

Senior Controller, Boston Virtual ARTCC

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