Poor ATC sound quality

[Martin Cook 1413184]

I see from searching the forum that poor sound quality is not an uncommon problem , and that the designers are trying to improve this aspect. In the meantime is there a brand or type of headphone that is particularly suited to this application? I have tried 4 different headsets and all the tweeks and adjustments that I can find including those mentioned on the forum but with little improvement. I am new to Vatsim and Vpilot and am not yet experienced enough to be able to anticipate what ATC will tell me which would be helpful. Most of the time I can understand ATIS and other pilots much better than the controller.

Any suggestions as to headphone brand or model etc or any other help would be appreciated.

Martin Cook

#1413184

[Don Desfosse]

If you are able to understand ATIS and other pilots better than the controller, since we all use the same voice servers, it's likely that the issue was on the ATC end (his connection to the voice server, or his mic). Are you saying this happens with EVERY ATC across the globe or just one or a few, perhaps in the same area/airport?

[Martin Cook 1413184]

Thanks for the reply. It is not consistent. Sometimes I can't understand the other pilots clearly but it just seems l8ke I can pick up the other pilots generally better than ATC. I think you are probably right - it is function of distance, Wi-Fi strength, equipment (theirs and mine) etc and that there is probably not much more I can do about it. Just ask the controller to speak slowly and try to learn to anticipate their instructions better.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

and try to learn to anticipate their instructions better.

That's the biggest one, and it comes with experience, and there's no substitute for it. You'll come to know what instructions to expect at every stage of a normal flight, and with time that will include "normal" versus the occasional curveball (vectors for traffic, holds, runway [Mod - Happy Thoughts]ignment changes, etcetera). At any given moment there are only two or three instructions you could possibly hear under average circomestances, so you'll know what they're about to say before they say it (and, the controllers will often tend to rattle those off in short order).

 

On the occasion they need to do something unexpected, they're more apt to speak a bit more slowly and deliberately -- not just to make sure you hear and understand, but because they're having to put a bit more thought into solving whatever the traffic-flow dilemma is that they're facing. So it's a win-win.

[Clarke Kruger]

I've used everything from a $30 Plantronic headset to the $200 Saitek PH09 Pro Flight Headset and everything in between and have had great luck with all of them.

I find the biggest problem is people don't know how to setup the client properly, Calibrate your mic, and at the very least turn on VHF simulation in Vpilot under the audio tab, this will cut most of the bottom end out (High P[Mod - Happy Thoughts] Filter) and make it far more easier to understand when you come across pilots and ATC that think swallowing the mic is the ideal setup.

[Robert Shearman Jr]

I find the biggest problem is people don't know how to setup the client properly

... and for me the big breakthrough was to turn the output volume in vPilot DOWN, not up. It was so horribly overmodulated that I think I got it down to about 30% before the clipping stopped. Prior to that, I had no idea why adjusting it was having such a minor effect on the volume (and quality) until I figured out what was going on.