RC4 response problem

[kryten 1]

On almost every flight RC4 stops responding during the flight. There seems to be no pattern as to which flights give a problem and which do not. I am cruising along when I receive an instruction from ATC. I press 7 on the keyboard but all that happens is that ATC keeps saying the same instruction until the end of the flight. Pressing 1 has no effect either. I have tried programming buttons to send numeric values when pressed and also using GoFlights ATC module to send values but to no avail. Everything works fine until this problem suddenly appears.  I'm using FSX and Windows 7. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Phil

[Glynn 405]

I find that when it does this I can get it to respond by using the "Repeat last instruction" command, the program then does repeat the instruction then will accept the 7 key (acknowledge) and move on from there.

 

Lets us know how that works out for you, my guess is that when there is a lot going on RC can stall for a while and issuing the "Repeat last instruction" gives it a wake up call.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

On almost every flight RC4 stops responding during the flight. There seems to be no pattern as to which flights give a problem and which do not. I am cruising along when I receive an instruction from ATC. I press 7 on the keyboard but all that happens is that ATC keeps saying the same instruction until the end of the flight. Pressing 1 has no effect either. I have tried programming buttons to send numeric values when pressed and also using GoFlights ATC module to send values but to no avail. Everything works fine until this problem suddenly appears.  I'm using FSX and Windows 7. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Phil

 

Phil,

 

possibly daft question but are you sure FSX has the focus? If it hasn't then the key strokes won't be recognised.

 

Compare your keyboard settings to mine. Have you modified them or are you using a 3rd party addon that might be taking the commands away from RC?

 

[kryten 1]

Thanks for the replies. 

  Glynn. I tried the repeat last instruction. ATC kept repeating the instruction (as before) but key 7 still would not work. I tried repeat last instruction several times without success.

  Ray. The problem is not that the keys never work but that they stop working mid flight. Today I went through ATIS, clearance, push and start, taxiing and takeoff with all keys working perfectly. The problem is that they suddenly STOP working. I was cleared to 18000ft, I pressed 7 but ATC just kept repeating the clearance to 18000ft until I landed and turned RC4 off. I checked the keyboard settings before and after the flight and they were OK. 

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

kryten,

 

Something is definitely interfering in that case. Revert to a default aircraft and don't run any addons as you might normally do. This is something I have never encountered.

Out of interest what aircraft and FS addons are you running? And is everything on a single PC or networked?

[ronzie 21]

Does this always deal with altitude assignments?

[kryten 1]

Ray,

 I only ever fly a PMDG 747 or the default Cessna 172. The addons I use are Wideview in order to run on a network, FSGRW and many scenery/airports. I stopped using FSGRW to see if that was causing the problem but it is still there. I tried flying in areas with default scenery and airports without success. I selected the default 747 but it has no CDU and I was not able to try it. 

 

Ronzie,

 The problem sometimes occurs when I'm assigned new altitudes or handed over to a new controller. It's never happened on the ground but I spend almost all the time in the air. I have occasionally been able to finish flights but only perhaps one in ten.

[Ray Proudfoot 8,930]

kryten,

 

I'm out of ideas. I suggest if this problem is repeatable you create a log and send it to JD with a brief description of the problem. Logs get very large so as soon as you encounter the problem exit RC.

 

How to create one is pinned at the top of the forum.

[ronzie 21]

BTW:

 

To exit RC to save the log, do alt-tab to bring up the RC preflight screen. The Start Button is now labeled Quit. That will allow RC to gracefully close and save the log. Be sure to do this before FS is closed otherwise RC will hang and the log will be lost.

 

I suggest relabeling the name of the rcv4.log file to something unique.log so it will not be overwritten on the next debug session if needed.

[ESGG 4]

Just a quick-check you can do, is RC responding to anything else? If you try to press 1 to request a higher altitude or 9+1 direct to? And if you use more then 1 monitor, are you sure your main screen is where you have been pointing with the mouse last time (just press it on any empty spot in that screen). An other thing you can do is to give the radio to "Otto" and see if everything works as planned in that case (ctrl+shift+k by default). I normally give the radios to Otto when ready for taxi and then let him do the radios until parking after landing. Since you, as the pilot flying, would normally not working the radios irl that is probably the most realistic way to use RC.

 

Regards

Johnny  

[ronzie 21]

Using Otto you lose the repeat command as well in certain cases when you might wish to delay an ack a short time (except when near to crossing a checkpoint) to allow for the delay to let the aircraft to start responding to pilot command. You also lose the command to request descent delay from RC's calculated TOD.

 

No free lunch with Otto

[kryten 1]

I'm not flying today but have a flight planned for tomorrow. I'll create a log and send it off then.