Contacting a Controller in the Game

[Lou Lavigne 916274]

Hello All

I'm a newbie and I believe I have all the software correctly installed and I'm not having any problem connecting to the VATSIM and getting into a game. But I'm not sure as to how to get started flying once I'm in the game. After I tune my Comm 1 radio to the Controllers frequency, do I contact him first and ask for clearance to taxi or do I wait for him to contact me first and give me directions? I sat at a gate for about 30 minutes watching other pilots taxi and take off and eventually I tried to contact the controller but got no response. I was using text only. I clicked in the Squawkbox, typed my message, and pressed the enter key. I waited for several minutes but never got a response. I tried again after several more minutes but still got no response. Anyone have ny ideas about what I'm doing wrong?

 

Thanks

 

Lou

[Kiel McGowan 813486]

Make sure you are on the controllers frequency. Then make sure you are calling the right one. When on the ground you should call _DEL and then if that is not online (it usually is not) look for the next one in this order _GND _TWR _DEP _APP _CTR. You need to call first and ask for clearence IFR or VFR. The controller will respond and give you a clearence. Dont be affraid to ask questions to them, and include in the remarks of your flight plan "NEWBIE" or something similar so the controller can expect that you may need some more guidance. After your clearence you will get taxi instructions. Most likely the controller will ask you to call when you are ready for taxi. So once you are ready give him a call. From there you should call once you are holding short of the runway, unless told otherwise (such as Monitor tower on XXX.XX). Monitor simply means switch to their frequency and dont say anything. After takeoff you should call when you are airborne p[Mod - Happy Thoughts]ing through an altitude. This is so a controller can verify altitude of you and positivly identify you. From there its controllers that takeover initiating the communication. You will be given something to do and you simply respond that you are doing it. i.e. "climb to XXXX altitude" and so forth. The only time you need to initiate conversation from this point is if you a) have a request for something (higher altitude, route change ect.) or b) you are handed off to another controller, you must switch frequency to them and call them, you can simply state altitude and your callsign. That should cover just about all the communications you will do. Once you land its still just calling ground and asking for taxi to the gate.

[Paul Williams 907674]

Hi Lou,

 

The easier way to be sure that you are on a controllers' frequency is to Right Click in the SBHost window, and select ATC Directory.

 

Once there, double click the controllers' name and frequency, and you should hear a "DING DONG" sound, with some blue messages scroll past.

 

Those blue messages are the controllers' ATIS message, it provides helpful information to you, as a pilot, such as the Voice Room, runway in use, etc. Once you have seen these messages scroll past, you can type to the controller as normal

 

Hope that helps you!

 

Best Regards,

Paul Williams

[Lou Lavigne 916274]

Thanks for all the advice, but unfortunately I still can't seem to make contact with a controller. I get his messages, but he doesn't get mine.

[Richard Critz]

Are you sure you have FSUIPC installed correctly? If not, the controller will be unable to see your text messages. Visit the Pilot Resource Center for more information about how to set up FSUIPC, particularly V3 FSUIPC with its registration key.

[Lou Lavigne 916274]

Thanks to all of your posts and advice, I am now able to contact a controller. I flew my first successful VATSIM flight this morning. Thanks again. You were all very helpful with your advice.

 

Lou