So!  Following on from the directions for the eliminating the constant ATC “please expedite” commands, as provided earlier by Jim Brown and DJJose in the MSFS (2020) forum topic “ATC Voice Gone”, I did some additional experimenting and came up with a solution for those of us who have wished to vanquish ATC’s use of “decimal” and instead use “point”.  I was successful.  Here is how to accomplish that.

If you are comfortable editing text files using notepad (or notepad++, sublime text, etc.), it's pretty straightforward.

1. Navigate to the fs-base folder in the official/steam or official/onestore folder.
2. Backup the en-US.locPak file.
3. Open en-US.locPak in your text editor.
4. Search for the string " ATCCOM.POINT ". You should find two lines with that string.
5. Change only the second of those lines to replace the text “ DECIMAL “ with  “ POINT ”.  Note there is a space between the word and each quote mark.
6. Save the file.

The original lines look like this:

  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.text": ".",
  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.tts": " DECIMAL ",

When done, the two  lines should look like this:

  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.text": ".",
  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.tts": " POINT ",

Now instead of hearing for example “contact departure at one two four decimal eight”,  those of us who wish can instead hear “contact departure at one two four point eight”

 

Edited March 9, 20224 yr by fppilot

20 minutes ago, fppilot said:

So!  Following on from the directions for the eliminating the constant ATC “please expedite” commands, as provided earlier by Jim Brown and DJJose in the MSFS (2020) forum topic “ATC Voice Gone”, I did some additional experimenting and came up with a solution for those of us who have wished to vanquish ATC’s use of “decimal” and instead use “point”.  I was successful.  Here is how to accomplish that.

If you are comfortable editing text files using notepad (or notepad++, sublime text, etc.), it's pretty straightforward.

1. Navigate to the fs-base folder in the official/steam or official/onestore folder.
2. Backup the en-US.locPak file.
3. Open en-US.locPak in your text editor.
4. Search for the string " ATCCOM.POINT ". You should find two lines with that string.
5. Change only the second of those lines to replace the text “ DECIMAL “ with  “ POINT ”.  Note there is a space between the word and each quote mark.
6. Save the file.

The original lines look like this:

  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.text": ".",
  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.tts": " DECIMAL ",

When done, the two  lines should look like this:

  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.text": ".",
  "ATCCOM.POINT.0.tts": " POINT ",

Now instead of hearing for example “contact departure at one two four decimal eight”,  those of us who wish can instead hear “contact departure at one two four point eight”

 

For the first time in a year, yesterday, I used default ATC...   Never again.  😉

12 minutes ago, Bobsk8 said:

For the first time in a year, yesterday, I used default ATC...   Never again.  😉

Fully understand. I have sometimes used VFR flight following just to get enroute altimeter settings, but the constant please expedite climbs and descents coupled with the use of decimal, which is not used in the USA, have been the reasons I tune it back out.  These successful edits may change that.  I do not fly IFR on filed flight plans with ATC, unless I pick it up late in a flight.  But too often ATC picks the wrong runway for the current winds.  Often 180° off.  When it is not off I use ATC for approach & landing (tower), and taxi (ground).

Edited March 9, 20224 yr by fppilot

Just now, fppilot said:

I have sometimes used VFR flight following just to get enroute altimeter settings,

Can you request altimeter readings from default ATC? That’s something I thought was missing in MSFS, although it was in FSX.

Just now, scotchegg said:

Can you request altimeter readings from default ATC? That’s something I thought was missing in MSFS, although it was in FSX.

No, but the altimeter setting is often given when changing sectors/frequencies.

THANK YOU!   This should be saved for posterity n the Tips & Tricks subforum!

5 hours ago, Stoopy said:

THANK YOU!   This should be saved for posterity n the Tips & Tricks subforum!

I agree.  It will still be valid 10 years from now.

7 hours ago, Bobsk8 said:

For the first time in a year, yesterday, I used default ATC...   Never again.  😉

Well what would you use as a replacement to the default ATC? Vatsim?  Or is there something esle that I'm not aware of.  I kinda use it but really do not follow their directions well. lol. 

ICAO procedures require the decimal point be spoken as “DECIMAL.” The FAA will honor such usage by military aircraft and all other aircraft required to use ICAO procedures.

6 hours ago, Saucey12 said:

Well what would you use as a replacement to the default ATC? Vatsim?  Or is there something esle that I'm not aware of.  I kinda use it but really do not follow their directions well. lol. 

PF3, been using it for over 6 years

pilot2atc  uses  point   for  ever  i have  been using  it

5 hours ago, harrry said:

ICAO procedures require the decimal point be spoken as “DECIMAL.” The FAA will honor such usage by military aircraft and all other aircraft required to use ICAO procedures.

We say "point" here in the US.  I don't use default ATC anyway it's awful.

My post is from the FAA.  It acknowledges that the controllers must accept POINT as it is used by all ICAO aircraft as a requirement.

Not all aircraft are N registered

Given this is a brand new sim with no code copied from other nameless sims it’s a pity the opportunity to use both “point” and “decimal” was not catered for.

Ditto with Transition Altitudes assuming it’s 18,000ft worldwide. All it required for Radar Contact to use correct Transition Altitudes was a plain text file containing the airport ICAO and the relevant altitude. Hardly rocket surgery as the saying goes. 😉

39 minutes ago, Ray Proudfoot said:

Given this is a brand new sim with no code copied from other nameless sims it’s a pity the opportunity to use both “point” and “decimal” was not catered for.

Ditto with Transition Altitudes assuming it’s 18,000ft worldwide. All it required for Radar Contact to use correct Transition Altitudes was a plain text file containing the airport ICAO and the relevant altitude. Hardly rocket surgery as the saying goes. 😉

I agree - they should have regional ATC design - and it should be far better than it is.  I actually think FSX ATC was better.