First time setup help

[Steve Kightlinger 1287614]

Does anybody have a handy "checklist" of sorts for everything that must be installed, setup, and configured for seamless interactivity of online flying? (similar to the checklist you would have for pre-flighting the aircraft itself to fly).

 

In the maze of docomeents and install data, I think I missed a few things... I tried a connection a few nights ago, but I don't believe it was successful, at least it didn't appear to be.

 

I'm using vPilot as my client. I thought I had a connection as it indicated one was established. I only planned to listen in to some ATC chatter to start learning phraseology. Once I brought up vPilot, I set my FSX Beechcraft Baron for a GA parking spot at KMCO (thinking there would be nearby activity to eavesdrop on). Once FSX popped me up on the airfield, vPilot is supposed to indicate a radio channel to go to. However, nothing listed. Looking around the area, I saw no aircraft on the field or in the sky. After about 20 minutes of running the radio dial trying many freqs, I gave up.

 

Some concerns/questions I have..

 

1) I thought vPilot was the only "log in" required to connect FSX and my plane of choice to the network. If that's not the case, what am I missing?

2a) Port Forwarding concerns. I have AT&T U-verse which has a built in firewall. As indicated before, I THINK vPilot set up correctly since it gave that indication, but would like to confirm which ports should be linked (I might have established one port but missed another or several).

2b) Do I need to set up any port forwarding in the firewall for FSX itself? If so, which ports should be activated?

3) since I wanted to just listen in, I remember something in the VATSIM literature saying to put "_OBS" after my full name. Yet I never saw a place for my full name to go (more speculation I missed something vitally important).

 

As far as computers go, I'm not an expert, but I don't believe I'm a total dunce either. As I'm new to FSX and the online flying community, I believe that is where my problems currently lie.

 

Looking forward to being active in the system soon and becoming an iron raven of the skies. Thank you to anyone providing [Mod - Happy Thoughts]istance.

[Don Desfosse]

Hi Steve, and welcome to VATSIM!

 

I'm not sure I'm aware of a checklist, but I'll try to help the best I can.

 

In order to join a controller's voice channel, there need to be controllers online in your vicinity. Are you sure there were controllers online at KMCO? One way to check that is to use one of the many situational awareness tools that folks have developed, over the years, to help for you to see when and where ATC is online (e.g. VATSpy, vattastic.com, Servinfo, vRoute, qutescoop, Dolomynum, etc.). Suggest Googling a couple and trying them out. VATSpy is an example of a separate program, and vattastic.com is an example of a web-based system.

 

Similarly, to see if there were aircraft nearby, you could also use your situational awareness program.

 

Port forwarding required for vPilot is also described in the vPilot docomeentation.

 

vPilot Reference Docomeents:

vPilot Home Page (including download link): http://vPilot.metacraft.com

vPilot Docomeentation: http://vPilot.metacraft.com/Docomeentation.aspx

vPilot Tips, Tricks, FAQ and Troubleshooting Guide: viewtopic.php?f=132&t=64672

 

 

In terms of the callsign, when using a pilot client, you are welcome to connect using an aircraft callsign (e.g. AAL123, N1234Z, etc.). The "_OBS" reference you read is from the VATSIM Code of Conduct, Controller Conduct, Section C3 (and I'm glad to see you did read the Code of Conduct!).

 

When logging onto VATSIM as an observer, an individual should have a callsign which ends as follows: "_OBS". Prior to the underscore an individual may use any letters such as initials or airport identifiers.

Just plop in an aircraft/airline type callsign as a pilot and you will be fine. Many folks find it helpful if you file a flight plan after connecting saying something in your remarks like, "New to VATSIM, just observing/listening"

 

Again, welcome, and I hope this helps!

[Steve Kightlinger 1287614]

Thanks for the [Mod - Happy Thoughts]istance, Don.

 

I wasn't sure how to verify if there were controllers online at KMCO... since I live in Florida, I thought since Orlando is one of the nation's busiest IRL, it would also translate as a busy one online.

 

Will try to get one of the SA tools running. I think a web-based one might be better, as a program version may run me into additional firewall porting concerns.

 

In all the reading, I probably just blended in the need for a full name use in another section with the inclusion of the "_OBS" suffix...

 

I didn't notice a remarks section in vPilot when I connected, but then I wasn't really looking for it either.... good idea about including something there to state intentions.

 

something else I thought of, but might be better posted within the "vPilot" forum... on my attempted connection, when it asked me to identify aircraft type, I couldn't specify the Beechcraft Baron. Only option available was the Airbus A321. Can this section simply be left blank, or do I have to put something in there?

 

Thanks again.

[Bradley Grafelman]

I'm using vPilot as my client. I thought I had a connection as it indicated one was established.

In what way did it indicate a connection was established? Note that there are really two "connections" vPilot must establish. One of them is a connection to your simulator itself (FSX); this will happen only after you've loaded up in FSX (e.g. after you click the "FLY NOW!" button).

 

The second is the actual connection to the VATSIM network. This is a connection you must initiate by clicking the "Connect" button in the upper-left corner of vPilot after the simulator connection has been established.

 

Will try to get one of the SA tools running. I think a web-based one might be better, as a program version may run me into additional firewall porting concerns.

There is indeed a web-based solution as well - VATTASTIC. (However, I personally prefer VAT-Spy over it.)

 

I didn't notice a remarks section in vPilot when I connected, but then I wasn't really looking for it either.... good idea about including something there to state intentions.

It's the remarks section of the flight plan you'd normally file once you're connected.

 

something else I thought of, but might be better posted within the "vPilot" forum... on my attempted connection, when it asked me to identify aircraft type, I couldn't specify the Beechcraft Baron. Only option available was the Airbus A321. Can this section simply be left blank, or do I have to put something in there?

I think you're looking in the wrong location. Just to be sure, the connect dialog looks like this:

 

Unless you've recently connected as the exact callsign and aircraft type combination that you're wanting to use, you can ignore the "Recent Aircraft" dropdown and simply fill in the relevant details in the boxes below it.

[Steve Kightlinger 1287614]

Brad, additional information that helps.... many thanks.

 

Didn't know about the "dual" connection... the text kept scrolling in the vPilot window, saying it was awaiting connection.... once Fly Now was pressed, it said connected... never have hit the other connect button that you mentioned. Sounds like I never really had full online connectivity then (which also helps to explain why no planes or ATC was at my KMCO field...

 

if VAT-Spy is a program, I may opt to try Vattastic first. If VAT-Spy is easy enough to install without the firewall concerns, I may migrate over to it later.

 

As I'd never made a connection, my connection dialog box had nothing in the "recent aircraft" dropdown. Entering a Callsign won't be a problem, but I've not idea what to use for Type Code. This should be my aircraft type, right? Would there be a generic website out there that identifies codes for all the different types and variations of aircraft one might be flying?

 

If I understand correctly, this code must be fairly accurate so ATC will understand size, weight, etc of the plane I'm using in order to direct me to the right parking areas, proper length of runways for use, etc.

 

And if I remember correctly, the SelCal Code is not required.

[Don Desfosse]

And to add to what Brad mentioned, I think you're confusing specifying the aircraft type during login with what vPilot will use as a default aircraft to display if your model matching setup doesn't match the aircraft that you see online. As Brad showed, you enter your aircraft type when you log in. The white A321 is what's displayed by default ([Mod - Happy Thoughts]uming FSX) if you don't have AI installed and a model matching rule set installed that matches the aircraft that you can see on VATSIM. (For example, if I'm flying a SWA B733 and sitting at the gate next to you, but you don't have SWA B733 AI and(/or) haven't set your vPilot model matching rule to take advantage of your AI, you'll see me as a plain white A321.)

[Don Desfosse]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ICAO_aircraft_type_designators

 

Correct, SELCAL is not required.

[Bradley Grafelman]

Sounds like I never really had full online connectivity then (which also helps to explain why no planes or ATC was at my KMCO field...

Yep. Sounds like vPilot was able to connect itself with FSX, but you never told vPilot to connect itself to the VATSIM network (e.g. so that it could then add traffic into your FSX, show online controllers, join voice rooms when you tune your aircraft's radio to those online controllers' frequencies, etc.).

 

if VAT-Spy is a program, I may opt to try Vattastic first. If VAT-Spy is easy enough to install without the firewall concerns, I may migrate over to it later.

It should be easy enough. It is indeed a separate piece of software, but it does all of its communications via HTTP requests (same as your web browser would use).

 

Would there be a generic website out there that identifies codes for all the different types and variations of aircraft one might be flying?

Don gave you one of what I would imagine is the popular links, but note that it also links to a search page here if for some reason you can't find the aircraft you're looking for.

 

If I understand correctly, this code must be fairly accurate so ATC will understand size, weight, etc of the plane I'm using in order to direct me to the right parking areas, proper length of runways for use, etc.

It's a very useful field for ATC, certainly. When sequencing two little dots into a single line, it's extremely helpful to know if the trailing one is a Cub or Citation or an Airbus A380-800.

[Steve Kightlinger 1287614]

Brad and Don,

 

Thanks both for the help... it's helped me to make a solid connection this evening.

 

I'm sitting on the ramp at KMCO, and can see other aircraft flying around. Oddly, though, there does not appear to be much radio chatter. I had one active _CTR listing when I first connected, but just as I tried connecting it disappeared (guess it went offline at the same moment)

 

Brad, the search engine Don gave me didn't show the Beech Baron 58, but I DID find it on the other site you'd linked. Thanks.

 

While I haven't yet heard much on the comms, I've discovered a couple new problems or quirks...

 

1) vPilot shows me what freq is active (if any are in my area).... however, I have to "ALT-TAB" in FSX to change windows and see that listing (or see any messages that pop up in the screen). When I do this, and then "ALT-TAB" back into FSX, I'm seeing it automatically puts itself in Pause mode. Knowing that VATSIM frowns on the pause feature, is there a way to prevent it doing that? Without the option of going back into the vPilot window, I'll never know any new freqs that come up.

 

2) while I never heard anybody, I did see a few planes flying around, taking off, and even a few landing (therefore proving I DID make a connection to the online world). Being parked in a GA spot, my visibility inside the cabin was limited when I looked around. I tried the "F11" button for the external view of the aircraft, but it's not working like it does when off-line. Neither is "F12" to see my position on the airfield, or even "F10" to show a lesser view out the windscreen, but full view of the main panel. Is this a feature of online-connectivity to enhance realism, where a pilot would only have the ability to look around from his seat in the cockpit?

 

3) Battery realism appears to be a big thing on-line as well. Since I was only listening to the radio for any traffic, I never started my engines. After about 30 minutes, I found I could no longer tune my radio dial (I have a few Saitek components hooked up for FSX). I then found my avionics screens were dark. I exited the sim and restarted. Sitting with engines idling now, and so far seems to still be running.

 

Have a FedEx plane that just popped up in front of me. Still can't hear anything he's saying, but guess I'll get to see him taxi and and go at some point...

[Bradley Grafelman]

1. vPilot isn't designed with full screen users in mind. Instead, it's best when used with FSX running in Windowed Mode (which is what I personally do). Given that it's the pilot's responsibility to monitor the in-range ATC list and to contact the appropriate controller if flying in uncontrolled airspace, you'll probably want to either use a second monitor or otherwise make sure vPilot is always visible.

 

As for the pausing issue, look in the FSX general settings for an option along the lines of "pause on task switch" - you'll want to uncheck/disable that option.

 

2. Do you recall the color of the text for the "RX" and "TX" indicators on the appropriate COM indicators within vPilot? Those change color depending upon the state of things. The fact that you didn't hear any voice transmissions could be due to any one (or more) of several potential issues, such as:

 

1. Your avionics power wasn't turned on (vPilot will disable the simulated radio connection in this case).
   
2. You didn't tune the correct frequency into the "active" COM frequency (vPilot will show you the actively tuned frequency in the upper-right corner of the client for COM1 and COM2 radios).
   
3. You didn't activate the correct COM radio (e.g. you may have tuned the frequency into COM2, but you were only receiving on COM1; again, the indicators' colors in vPilot will denote this).
   
4. There is an issue with the sound output device and/or volume in vPilot's settings.
   
5. There is an issue preventing vPilot from connecting to the voice server the controller has chosen to use.
   
6. Everyone was using text (unlikely, but, unfortunately, possible).
   
7. The controller wasn't hosting a voice channel at all, making only text communications possible (extremely unlikely).

[Steve Kightlinger 1287614]

Sorry for the delayed response.... I'm military, and unfortunately working this weekend..

 

I have purchased, but not yet received, a small monitor that supposedly works on a connection to USB only. If I could get it to work properly with FSX I thought I might be able to use it as a dedicated GPS screen. I have a KVM switch for 4 computers (so all four use the same keyboard, mouse, and monitor). I thought if I had a dedicated monitor just for the GPS, I could switch the main view while in an autopilot mode, in order to refer to airport charts and other data brought up on one of the other systems, while still being able to see my current position in the flight on the second screen. However, since the GPS is a part of the FSX program I'm not sure if it would allow me to move the window of the GPS off the FSX screen entirely.

 

If it fails, however, I suppose I could use it as a dedicated screen for vPilot. It would be great if I could find a way to put BOTH the GPS and vPilot on that screen, but think that will be unlikely.

 

Made the change in settings for the pause on task switch. So no matter what the second screen option allows me to do, or not do, I should at least be able to go between the two programs on main screen now without pausing flight. Not sure I'd be a big fan of windowing FSX... I like it filling the screen.

 

Logged on tonight to see if any comms were active... found three _CTR's online. Rotated between all three for a few minutes per, and the first two seemed fairly quiet... the third one ended up being a bit more active so listening to it as I'm typing this message. The TX and RX boxes are both white, and once I dial in on the radio, I hear a slight chordial tone, and the text for the radio freq turns a light blue. I was looking at the vPilot screen when a transmission went out... The "RX" box went to a solid fill... can't remember was color it filled with.

 

One of the other channels had some text messaging across the screen that would flash on, then off in a few seconds. I heard no voice on it at all, so guessing that follows the 6th or 7th indicator you mentioned below. I haven't tried a voice "TX" yet just to see if it would work, but I got to wondering.... just how am I supposed to send out a text message? I probably haven't found that section in the reading, so hopefully there will be something.

 

At least tonight's experimenting has proven I do have a solid connection with the network. That's a good thing...

 

Question... while I was watching planes land and take off last night, I still saw no active comms in vPilot... does this mean these planes were just taking off and landing on their own, and maybe picking up an ATC somewhere along the line (or perhaps not ever), theoretically suggesting that you could fly a route online but never have any communication at all?