FGCom

[Algernon]

Today, I'll be writing a quick guide to FGCom and how I made it work in a couple of minutes - the FG Wiki instructions are a little daunting for the casual user!!

So watch this space. Also, at some point this weekend we could have a try out to make sure we are all VOIP'd up for the fly-in, and clear up any issues - for instance, I'm considering doing ATC at Walney Island instead of flying in, and could do with a trial run...

[Avionyx]

Oooh ATC will we be getting a full IFR service or are we going in VFR?

[Algernon]

It will be something between the two, I think - I'm not clued up on proper IFR procedures, although I will be reading the TransGear website this week which will hopefully give me some pointers - please note it will be a learning experience for me too, but at least I can welcome people to the event, keep the traffic separated, direct parking, that sort of thing. It will get better as we do more events, I hope!!

This rather amateurish ATC will be available by both UNICOM chat or FGCom

[Algernon]

OK, some information about FGCom.

IIRC, All I had to do was download and install FGCom (from here) and make sure the sound device settings were right, then change the Executable string in FGRun to:
C:\Program Files\es\FlightGear\bin\Win32\fgfs.exe --generic=socket,out,10,localhost,16661,udp,fgcom
It worked first time for me!

The FGCom GUI has a built in test facility, to make sure your microphone and speakers are set up correctly, which is pretty self-explanatory - change the dropdown box from "FGCom Normal Mode" to "FGCom Echo Test Mode". Don't forget to change it back for FG use.

You can also test by tuning your COM1 frequency to 910.00MHz, which should also produce an echoback in the same way as Test Mode.

Press To Talk is the spacebar (or a joystick button, my preferred approach)

As a sound engineer specialising in broadcast audio, I will be using a £700 dynamic microphone for my ATC role for maximum intelligibility!

[Nemesis]

Looking fwd to this! Tks very much for the pointers. This should be a fun meet

Oh and puhlease try to refrain from eating muffins while talking on the radio, k?

[Algernon]

Muffins is the least of the problems, at 2pm on a Sunday I'm usually well on the way to being a bit p****d!!

[Avionyx]

Its tradition in the FlightSim community for anyone involved in voice ATC operations to be totally "refreshed" (as a newt) go on any of the big names (VATSIM/ IVAO) after 8pm on a week night and the voices will either be slurred or as yet unbroken!

[Nemesis]

In other words, just like real ATC, lol.

[charliereddog]

To set up new port for windows:

Change the port in FGCom to 5004

Then in FG wizard on last tab click on "Advanced Options", Select "Input/Output".
Select Generic and click new, then set to the following settings in vertical order

Socket
out
10
localhost
udp
fgcom

That is how I got mine to work anyway.