The unofficial VATSIM Tip Sharing thread.

[Kyprianos Biris 12]

As simple as that !If you do not, then it causes problems on the voice channel you're in.It is irrelevant with your actual Internet conection speed.RogerWilco->ADJUST->CONFIGURE->NEXT...->ConnectionSpeed > SLOW MODEMKyprianos Biris :-cool[link:avsim.com/greece/hvacc]Hellenic vACChttp://vatsim-eur.org/images/VATSIM-EURs.gifhttp://vatsim.pilotmedia.fi/statusindicato...tor=OD1&a=a.jpg

[Krister 51]

Mats,regarding using voice recognition for controlling commmands, I also used to do that with some sims. However, I used to get funny looks from my neigbours before I realized I should use headphones only and not speakers too. With so much background noise the voice recognition engine had a hard time picking up the vocal commands. So I ended up repeating the commands over and over, more or less shouting (remember I used headphones so I didn't realize I was shouting) and also trying to pronounciate them in different ways...Finally a puzzled neighbour asked me what I'm doing up in the middle of the night shouting "flaps...FLAPS...flaaaPS...FLAPS FLAPS" or the corresponding for "gear" and other commands. :-lol/KristerMariehamn,

[Krister 51]

I'm certainly no vet either, but I would also like to stress the importance of planning ahead. For example:Use Servinfo to check out the ATIS for the destination airport even before you leave the ground (of course you have to verify if they have been updated by the time you approach the airport)Listen to the communication between other pilots and the stations. They provide you with information on what to expect (runways, SID/STARS etc) and also teaches you the correct way of communicatingBefore you start talking, make sure there is no other communication going on between other pilots and stations. It's driving me mad when you are reading back your clearance and then some other guys jumps in in the middle of it with total disrespect. And just because someone isn't talking at the moment doesn't mean it's free to talk - perhaps someone just received clearance from ATC and is about to do the readback, let him/her do that first.Check the ATC directory of Squawkbox and write down the frequencies and callsigns of the stations you will encounter when leaving/approaching an airport, usually Tower, approach and radar.When it's working properly, there's a gauge in the cockpit put there by Servinfo that is incredibly useful. It opens an interface from within the cockpit where you can change comm-frequencies in Roger Wilco and also read the ATIS. /Krister

[Mats_J 2]

:-beerchug Welcome to the club! :D

[Guest RiddlePilot]

I'm not sure how it's supposed to be in other countries, but as a controller I've experienced too many un-necessary position reports ("This is ABC123, we're crossing XYZ VOR at FL350"). We can see this perfectly fine on radar, so all it is doing is creating extra radio chatter that is not needed, especially in busy times. Just keep this in mind next time you're flying in the US.Another point is navigation...we can't do it for you. Understand your route clearance, fly it, and don't deviate unless instructed to, or its absolutley necessary. If you don't understand the DPs or STARs for an airport, don't file them and put "NO DP/STAR" in your comments section of your flight plan. We'll work with you, but if you make us do something that's not in our job description, we're not happy.

[hopskip 253]

What's the policy or advice for position reports when switching from freq to freq (ie to a new controller) I usually say something like " Is at climbing to " ie having just taken off and now contacting Approach/Departures I would say maybe "Sydney Departures, Oscar Golf Uniform is climbing 5000 through two thousand one hundred."or maybe"Melbourne Centre, Oscar Gold Uniform, level at Flight Level 360"Anything more than this is just going to be clutter, unless specifically asked for a pos report or doing one in Oceanic Airspace... when required... ie "Brisbane Radio, Qantas 22 was overhead waypoint ANULI at time 2210Zulu Flight Level 360, extimate APOMA at time 2231 ZULU And MYLUV next. Temp is minus 5 3 and Wind 270 at 32. Qantas 22"

[Guest Tim W]

>What's the policy or advice for position reports when>switching from freq to freq (ie to a new controller) I usually>say something like " Is at> climbing to " ie having just>taken off and now contacting Approach/Departures I would say>maybe "Sydney Departures, Oscar Golf Uniform is climbing 5000>through two thousand one hundred.">or maybe>"Melbourne Centre, Oscar Gold Uniform, level at Flight Level>360"And possibly where you are routing to next (or if after take off the SID you are flying) or if you are on an assigned radar heading from ATC you should give that too.i.e. "Melbourne, Oscar Golf Uniform, passing 2100 feet for altitude 5000 feet direct XXX," (or "Radar heading 220")If you are given a radar heading that differs from your flight plan and then given a frequency change, the controller should give you the instruction "Oscar Golf Uniform, contact Melbourne approach on xxx.xx with the heading" And now for my Soapbox bit!I also think that pilots should require an RT rating on VATSIM as ineal world aviation. I fly in Europe and one of the reasons I stopped flying so much on VATSIM was because of the constant chatter of people asking for messages to be repeated because they didn't write down the instruction or just weren't listening properly or just had a basic poor command of English. I know that Roger Wilco is nowhere near perfect but you get spoilt in the real world with good radio reception (generally)and pilots who know what they are doing. There's nothing worse than trying to get a word in and and not being able to. I found myself constantly shouting "SHUT UP" out loud (not on the radio of course!)I don't think I am alone amongst real world pilots who do not suffer fools gladly! I know and appreciate that new pilots have to learn but I don't think that talking to a busy "London Director" controller (for example) at a peak time is the best way of doing it and believe me I have heard it! It's not fair on the controller, the other pilots or the new pilot either. Just my 2cents worth and wholly my personal opinion and not meant to offend anyone. RegardsTimFull time commercial pilot and part time VATSIM pilot (and one time controller)