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Reception of other aircraft transmissions causing issues for ATC centres


John McPherson
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John McPherson
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Posted

I'm using xPilot 1.3.38 with XP11.55 and recently experienced a busy EHAA controller having to deal with frequent 'blocked' transmissions while offering top-down control to multiple airports in the sector.

The majority of traffic was in or out of EHAM, and a couple of us were on the ground at EHRD. It soon became clear that aircraft on the ground or at low altitudes at EHAM could not hear EHRD traffic, and vice versa: hence multiple 'blocked' calls.  I'm assuming this is a by-product of the software setting realistic distance/line-of-sight limits within which transmissions can be received?  We could all hear ATC fine, but not always hear each other.

Is this expected behaviour (given that top-down control is largely an online flying concept!) and is there any suggested workaround, to help keep our brilliant controllers from tearing their hair out?

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Robert Shearman Jr
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Yes, it's by design.

ATC can cross-couple multiple sets of simulated radio transceivers if needed.  Sometimes the need to do so becomes evident after the frequency crush has already begun.

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Cheers,
-R.

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Lars Bergmann
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Yup, this is by design, and XC (by the controller) is the solution.

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Dustin Rider
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Cross-coupling only works if the controller is using more than one frequency and cross-couples one frequency to the other. If the controller is working an entire ARTCC or FIR top-down and combined on one frequency, XC won't work and occasionally blocked transmissions are going to happen. The best solution is to try to time your transmissions such that you allow time for other aircraft to read back clearances and then try to get your call in.

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Lars Bergmann
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Posted (edited)
9 minutes ago, Dustin Rider said:

Cross-coupling only works if the controller is using more than one frequency and cross-couples one frequency to the other.

Incorrect, c.f. 6.5.2.1 (Single-Frequency Coupling) from the AfV User Guide (https://audio.vatsim.net/storage/AFV User Guide.pdf).

Edited by Lars Bergmann
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Dustin Rider
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I stand corrected. Good to know.

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