Simple Questions on Using RC 4.3

[jocatch 0]

I bought RC 4.3 a long time ago but just now started to use it since MS FSX ATC stinks.

 

But I am having some issues that I haven't found answers to yet although they may be burried in the 200+ page manual.

 

1. How do I disable MS's ATC? While I am using RC, MS's ATC runs and I hear those voices on top of RC's voices. Detuning the COM radios doesn't help as they automaticly get switched back during a flight.

 

2. Voice levels - the tower's vocies are lower in volume than the pilot's voice. Is there a volume control for each?

 

3. Lag time  - I am running FSX on a pretty fast system but there seems to be a lag from when I select a number option in RC and when it responds (seconds). Can I fix this? Also, the text in the RC box is RED yet the examples show GREEN. Does that make a difference?

 

4. Is there a way to request IFR clearance once I am already in flight or do I have to start using RC while still on the ground?

 

5. Is RC still being updated? My ver is ver old and is 4.3. Is there anything newer?

 

THanks for your help. If there is an FAQ on this, please point me there.

 

JC

[Boomer 1,619]

1.  Just dont use nor ever open the ATC window and it should stay quiet.

3.  Happens for me as well, AFAIK it's normal.

4.  Dunno, never tried starting RC in flight.

5.  Sort of:  JD says he is working on a RC5 but that has been so for years, I suspect it could be called vaporware at this point.

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

I bought RC 4.3 a long time ago but just now started to use it since MS FSX ATC stinks.

 

But I am having some issues that I haven't found answers to yet although they may be burried in the 200+ page manual.

 

1. How do I disable MS's ATC? While I am using RC, MS's ATC runs and I hear those voices on top of RC's voices. Detuning the COM radios doesn't help as they automaticly get switched back during a flight.

 

Disable the voice in the FSX sound options. RC doesn't rely on it. (The missions do, though!) And disable the option to open the ATC window automatically with every transmission.

 

2. Voice levels - the tower's vocies are lower in volume than the pilot's voice. Is there a volume control for each?

 

Nope. You'll have to lower all the other voices and sounds "around" RC. (FSX default sounds and other "voice" addons like copilots, crews and so on.)

 

3. Lag time  - I am running FSX on a pretty fast system but there seems to be a lag from when I select a number option in RC and when it responds (seconds). Can I fix this? Also, the text in the RC box is RED yet the examples show GREEN. Does that make a difference?

 

Nothing to worry about. Voices should respond rather quickly; most of the time it's the reply options window that lags when switching text.

 

4. Is there a way to request IFR clearance once I am already in flight or do I have to start using RC while still on the ground?

 

Depends on your chosen airport and the controller options. On an uncontrolled field you simply request your weather briefing and after that choose the option 'clearance in the air'. IIRC, you can configure any airfield per flight whether you want it to be tower-controlled or uncontrolled.

 

5. Is RC still being updated? My ver is ver old and is 4.3. Is there anything newer?

 

RC4.3xxxx is still current - unfortunately.

 

THanks for your help. If there is an FAQ on this, please point me there.

 

Try the search function for your pdf manual. You should find some more details pretty quickly that way.

 

JC

[jocatch 0]

Thank you both for your quick replies. When I get home tonight I will try these.

 

I also found something called Meatwater Voice Pack2 which I plan to try tonight. Sounds very interesting!

 

JC

[Dave Morgan 68]

Hi.

 

The Meatwater voicepacks are invaluable. They speed up all the speech and add a slight scratchiness to the voices, making the sequence of communication sound much more lifelike. I suspect you'll find that when the files were being created they were all normalised to about the same level so the volume difference between one voice actor and anothershould be pretty well eliminated.

 

If you found the upgrade in the library here, be aware that there are 10 or so downloads in total; they replace all the Radar Contact sound files.

 

Concerning the lag, I think it is inevitable. I guess it's caused by a FS-to-FSUIPC-to-RC-to-FSUIPC-to-FS cycle (assuming FSX uses FSUIPC-- I'm still on FS9...) but my knowledge of such things is hazy at best.

 

If you are using Adobe Reader for the RC manual you can search for specific text by using Ctrl+F although searching for 'IFR' will pull up a lot of references. If you are departing an uncontrolled airport I think RC will give you the option of obtaining clearance through FSS before taxiing or in the air when you contact a controller. If the airport is controlled, I don't imagine you'd be permitted to start your engines until you'd obtained clearance. Either way, you'd have to have RC running from the start.

 

If you are in VFR flight and hit bad weather... I don't know. Since it's possible to create an IFR plan 'on the fly' with FS own ATC I suppose RC could also allow it. I now have a good excuse for an evening of simming...

 

Regards,

Dave

[jocatch 0]

Thanks for the info on Meatwater. Can't wait to try but I play to backup the original files just in case.

 

Regarding asking for clearance once in the air, there is a reason why I asked. With the limited time I have used RC4, it seems like when at a large airport like JFK you have to start at the gate and go thru all the taxiways and end up at the proper runway. Often I don't have time for all that. Sometimes I just want to start at the runway and take off and not take a tour of the airport.  :lol:

 

JC

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

 

 

Often I don't have time for all that. Sometimes I just want to start at the runway and take off and not take a tour of the airport

 

Fair comment. In that case position yourself around 50-100 yards from the departure runway before contacting Clearance and Tower. Half-way from your starting position to the threshold you will be switched to Tower and should beat most of the taxiing traffic.

 

Of course you should have weather loaded and know which runway is to be used for departures before you position your aircraft and start RC.

[IanHarrison 521]

I would just caution you that the Meatwater voices, while more realistic, are NOT complete. Some of the voices are missing. Unfortunately, the ones that were missing

were the ones I wanted to use.

I reverted to the originals 2/3 years ago.

[jocatch 0]

I would just caution you that the Meatwater voices, while more realistic, are NOT complete. Some of the voices are missing. Unfortunately, the ones that were missing

were the ones I wanted to use.

I reverted to the originals 2/3 years ago.

 

What ones are missing? I am in New York state and of course would like to hear American sounding voices. I have a slight hearing lost and American voices are easier for me to understand too.  :mellow:

[Boomer 1,619]

BTW anybody a link to the Meatwater voices that does not force 10 separate downloads like the AVSIM library does, IE one file?

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

BTW anybody a link to the Meatwater voices that does not force 10 separate downloads like the AVSIM library does, IE one file?

 

I suspect the size of a single combined file would be too large.

[Don t moderate me this way 882]

Fair comment. In that case position yourself around 50-100 yards from the departure runway before contacting Clearance and Tower. Half-way from your starting position to the threshold you will be switched to Tower and should beat most of the taxiing traffic.

 

Of course you should have weather loaded and know which runway is to be used for departures before you position your aircraft and start RC.

 

 

As another suggestion:

 

Position yourself on the runway of your choice and pre-select this runway from the RC controller menu. Connect RC and just run through those 3 clearances (IFR, taxi, T/O).

[IanHarrison 521]

As far as I remember, the voices that are there are American. I wanted UK ones and they were not there.

I stress this was 2/3 years ago, so I may be wrong.

[ronzie 21]

The current version is RC4.3 build 3845.

 

If I start at an uncontrolled airport I have RC "telephone" the FSS (or FIS) to get the clearance. Once you get the clearance you have ten minutes to take-off and get enroute and then activate your clearance.

 

If there is no tower frequency then an airport is not controlled.

 

If you are enroute already then there is no way to request a clearance in the air AFAIK. In other words, if you are flying under VFR rules and suddenly the weather turns sour or you wish to descend or climb through a cloud layer, there is no way to file, receive clearance, and activate a plan. RC needs to be running prior to take-off.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,927]

As another suggestion:

 

Position yourself on the runway of your choice and pre-select this runway from the RC controller menu. Connect RC and just run through those 3 clearances (IFR, taxi, T/O).

 

I really wouldn't recommend that. RC will shout at you if you line up before Tower gives you permission. What's the point of buying advanced ATC software and then ignoring most of the departure procedures?

 

You can save a lot of time taxiing by parking close to the take-off threshold. That's the limit to saving time without breaking any ATC rules.