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I've had an issue with MCE over the last few months that I have not been able to solve. I use the native ATC feature in P3D v4. I'm flying VFR (no flight plan loaded), and when I take off from an airport and dial up the appropriate en route frequency to request flight following, the Flight Plan dialogue box opens up. This happens every single time I attempt this. If I run P3D without MCE running, the Flight Planner window never opens up in this scenario, so it's definitely an issue with MCE. Just as a reminder, here's the previous correspondence I've had with you on the subject: ------- BEGIN PREVIOUS CONTENTS ------- Ben, I tried enabling all the features, but I got the same results (Flight planner window popping up after the airport frequency scan). Michael From: Multi Crew Support [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, November 6, 2017 6:29 AM To: 'Michael Copp' Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 OK, good you sent the screenshots. I can now test with your usage scenario. I mostly run with all features enabled, and maybe something is going on when only a few features are used. Meanwhile, temporarily enable all features and check whether you’re experiencing the same thing. Ben The FS++ team From: Michael Copp [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 06 November 2017 00:17 To: 'Multi Crew Support' Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 Hey Ben, I installed the latest version, and still no luck - I'm still getting the pop-up Flight Planner window in P3D v4. It always appears to be the same thing; once I take off, I switch from the airport frequency to the appropriate approach/departure/centre frequency, MCE does the auto-check to scroll through the nearby airports to try and match the frequency, and then when it can't find the frequency in the nearby airports it pops up the Flight Planner window. I'm going to include screen shots of all my pertinent MCE screens, as well as the contents of the MCE.INI file. Please let me know if you see any setting that I could change to try and fix the issue. Thanks, Michael ----- MCE Screenshots ----- ----- MCE.INI CONTENTS ----- [WINDOW] Left=50 Top=1871 NoActivate=1 //(1 to make sure MCE doesn't take the focus out of the sim, when the UI is clicked, 0 otherwise) NoSound=0 //(set value 1 if you want to cut the various UI sounds emitted when clicking buttons or MCE minimises) NoFullScreenDraw=0 //(set to 1, to avoid the occasional graphics artefacts than can happen when MCE UI tries to draw, and the sim is in full screen mode) StartToTray=0 //(set to 1, and every time MCE starts, the UI will not appear unless you click on the icon in system tray) [FEATURES] ExecuteCaptainOrders=0 ReadCheckListWhenAsked=0 PilotSpeaksToAtc=1 CopilotReportsFailures=1 EnableInterfaceVoice=0 [OPTIONS] Debug=0 //(only set this to 1 when instructd by support) PilotIsBVI=0 //(must be set to 1 for Blind Visually Impaired Pilots) UIlanguage=1033 MikeTuneOnStartup=0 EnableOptimizations=1 AutoStartWithFS=1 MinimizeToTray=1 MoreResponsive=1 TrainingCompleted=1 RandomFailures=0 TweakFsConfig=0 AtcMikeUseIvao=0 ForceCopilot=1 AudioIn= AudioOut= PilotName=michael ShowCommands=1 ForceCommands=0 //(deprecated. Do not use) DisplayTime=3000 UseMacros=1 //(must be set to 1 For VoxKey to work) UseNarrator=0 LoudData=0 EnableAnnouncements=0 UseVoxScripts=1 DisableNagging=1 GroundServicesMode=Native NoBadLanguage=1 NoFMAcallouts=1 NoEngineStartCallouts=1 AllowActionOnEvent=0 V1CalloutIsGO=0 //(Enable this to follow Lufthansa standard call-out procedures. PNF calls-out Go instead of V one) ReduceChatter=0 //(Enable this if you want to cutout on the amount of FO speech. FO would be more concise) [PROFICIENCY] Level=3 [SPEECH] Volume=100 CpuUsage=75 SpeechPace=750 InprocReco=1 DisablePitchChange=0 MaxConcurrentTasks=4 NumLockKeyMutesReco=0 [SKILL] Tol3=030,030,400,900,100,100,100,050 Tol2=020,020,200,700,075,075,075,030 Tol1=010,010,100,500,050,050,050,020 Tol0=005,005,050,300,025,025,025,010 [VOICES] Voice0 =Clive,0,0,0,1 Voice1 =Trav,0,0,0,1 Voice2 =Stella,0,0,0,1 Voice3 =William,0,0,0,1 Voice4 =Microsoft David Desktop,0,0,0,0 [ATC] Mode=Native PreventNativeATCCancellation=0 UseRadioNoise=1 StaticNoiseLevel=1 SecondaryNeedAtcWindow=0 atc1=0 atc2=0 atc3=0 atc4=0 atc5=1 UseRadarContact=0 IgnoreRC4Registry=0 //(Set this to 1 when RC4 isn't installed on the same machine as MCE) RC4path= IgnorePFERegistry=0 //(Set this to 1 when PFE isn't installed on the same machine as MCE) PFEpath= IgnoreFlightPlan=0 FlightPlansPath= [SIMCONTROL] FsPanels=0 FsMenus=0 FsDialogs=0 FsKneeboard=0 ViewsAndViewpoint=0 [GAMEPAD] JoyManID=CH FLIGHT SIM YOKE USB JoyProdID=CH FLIGHT SIM YOKE USB JoyButton=1 UseWithVoxATC=0 //(set to 1 if you want to use the same joystick assignment with VoxATC. It will ensure FO doesn't listen to your speech while the joystick button is held down using VoxATC) [GO-FLIGHT] Use=1 //(set to 1 for MCE to monitor the manual radio dialling process. Whether you do that via mouse-clicks or by rotating Go-Flight or other hardware modules) TimeOut=3000 //(sets the amount of time in milliseconds that must elapse after you last click on the radio switches in VC panel, or physically rotate a button on the radio rack, before MCE assumes you are finished with dialling. Values between 2000 and 5000 are accepted) [CHECKLIST] NoStateCheck=0 //(when set to 1, co-pilot will just read the checklist aloud, wait for any answer and move on, without challenging you on any item. Useful for people running simpits with hardware switches. It can be difficult for FO to read these) Strict=1 //(set to 1 if you want FO to be very professional with the checklist. Cuts out the banter) [MECHANIC] PushWithGSXandAES=0 [RAMP] NoRampToOfficeTalk=0 NoPaxDoorsAutoHandling=0 NoCargoDoorsAutoHandling=0 [PACE] ActionDelay=1500 //The simulated delay that takes place before FO takes action. Values from 0 to 4000 milliseconds) MCPdial=100 //The pace at which FO increments or decrements MCP values from 100 to 250 milliseconds). Doesn't apply to some aircraft where the value is hard coded ButtonPress=800 //The simulated time in milliseconds it takes the FO to flip a single switch. Values 500 to 2500 are accepted VoxKeyAction=1000 //The delay in milliseconds between two consecutive VoxKey actions. Valid entries 0 to 4000. [SPLASH] NoSound=0 [VATSIM] NotifyPTTstate=0 [PILOTS] [MISC] Path=C:\Program Files (x86)\Multi Crew Experience [TERMINATE] From: Multi Crew Support [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, October 18, 2017 7:00 AM To: 'Michael Copp' Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 I did a check with P3D V4.1 and I really can’t reproduce. At least not with latest MCE. Suggest you upgrade and install this package and we’ll take it from there: http://www.multicrewxp.com/Downloads.html Ben The FS++ team From: Michael Copp [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 15 October 2017 19:14 To: [email protected] Subject: FW: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 Ben, I've upgraded to P3D v4.1 and retested the scenario below, but the issue still exists. Is there a setting in MCE that forces it to expect an IFR flight, and would automatically open up the Flight Planner window if I hadn't already loaded a flight plan? Conversely, would you happen to know if there's a setting in P3D that would allow me to suppress/disable the flight planner window completely? I only ever fly VFR flight following anyway. Thanks, Michael From: Michael Copp [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 7:51 PM To: 'Multi Crew Support' Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 Ben, I updated the DLL, but I'm still having the same issues (P3D Flight Planner window pops up when I first dial up the Approach/Center frequency, and I cannot make my initial contact with Approach/Center unless I say "select one"). Any suggestions? Thanks, Michael From: Multi Crew Support [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Monday, October 9, 2017 5:49 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 Have attached new dll. Unzip and replace fsInsider64.dll inside \Prepar3D V4\ Should restore full functionality with RC4 and PF3 ATC under P3D V4. Regards, Ben The FS++ team From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 05 October 2017 19:00 To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 Sounds good - let me know what you find out Michael On Thu, 5 Oct 2017 10:41:15 +0100, "Multi Crew Support" wrote: Will have to re-test and get back to you. For instance, have seen interface to Radar Contact ATC getting broken recently, when very latest FSUIPC (required by RC4) changed the name of the window from the expected “Radar Contact ATC”. Who knows what else may have changed. Ben The FS++ team From: Michael Copp [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 05 October 2017 01:17 To: 'Multi Crew Support' Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 Ben I did a pretty straightforward test: - I started P3D v4 without MCE, dialed in the approach frequency once I took off, and no Flight Planner window appeared - I started P3D v4 with MCE, dialed in the approach frequency once I took off, and the Flight Planner window popped up This makes me think the Flight Planner window is definitely triggered by something to do with MCE. Can you think of anything that I could add/change (maybe a modification of the mce.ini file) that would solve this issue? Thanks, Michael From: Multi Crew Support [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, September 30, 2017 4:52 AM To: 'Michael Copp' Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 The first two transmissions, should go through except for one crucial mistake. The ATC speech grammar tries to enforce ATC jargon rules. Let’s say you’re flying an aircraft of type Mooney with registration NMR2CS There are 3 valid ways you can transmit the call sign. Mooney November Mike Romeo Two Charlie Sierra (aircraft_type + full tail registration) November Mike Romeo Two Charlie Sierra (Full tail registration only) Mooney Two Charlie Sierra (aircraft_type + last 3 digits in tail registration) “Request flight following” out of the blue isn’t good ATC practice. The controller wouldn’t know who is calling. “Approach Mooney Two Charlie Sierra request flight following”. It’s always good to start any request with the center you’re calling so that you draw the attention of the controller before you make the actual request. In real life, should you fail to do that in an airspace where you aren’t the only expected traffic, you’re likely to hear “station calling, say again”. Ben The FS++ team From: Michael Copp [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: 29 September 2017 20:47 To: 'Multi Crew Support' Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 Ben, I discovered what one of my problems was - MCE wasn't making changes to the [ATC] section of the prepar3d.cfg file for v4, it was only making them for the config file in P3D v3. Once I changed the entries manually, the ATC characteristics were correct. I am still having an issue as soon as I switch to the frequency to request flight following in with the Flight Planner window opens up on its own (it only happens that first time the frequency is tuned; subsequent frequency changes are fine) - not sure if that "feature" has anything to do with MCE or not; it's almost like it automatically decides I'm going to file an IFR flight plan, and pops the window up accordingly. Also concerning that first contact for flight following with ATC; I can say all of the following: "Halifax approach, Whiskey Oscar Juliette requests flight following" "Approach, Whiskey Oscar Juliette requests flight following" "Whiskey Oscar Juliette requests flight following" "Request flight following" ...and none of those work - I end up having to say the generic "Select 1" to get ATC to acknowledge (for the most part, ATC communications work fine after that). Michael From: Multi Crew Support [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, September 26, 2017 9:08 AM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: Hearing my ATC responses in P3D v4 It's definitely not something intentional. If mapped joystick buttons to key combo via FSUIPC, may want to check those. MCE can monitor the joystick button directly. Do not emulate the DEL key via FSUIPC unless the joystick cannot be recognized. Ben The FS++ team On 26 September 2017 at 12:30 [email protected] wrote: Also, something I forgot to mention in the last email. At a point early at the start of my radio communication (it may be during my first communication with ATC - I can't check to be 100% certain as I'm at work right now), the P3D v4 flight plan window pops up, which I promptly close as I'm flying VFR. Could this a) be effecting the auto-tune feature, and b) is this flight plan window opening something that MCE is triggering, or do I need to look at my key/button map settings within P3D to see if I have a conflict with my transmit button, etc.?

I didn't have any luck with the above-mentioned setting on my latest test flight just now, but I'm not going to say it's not working yet (details below). Have you had any reports of strange interactions between MCE and the native ATC window within P3D (for example, the ATC window randomly closing and opening, or the MCE PTT button closing the ATC window when pressed, and then having the ATC window open again when the PTT button is released)? Within the MCE program under "ATC", the "Auto-hide the ATC Window" checkbox is unchecked, so I would assume that's not the problem. I DO have another button on my yoke mapped to open and close the ATC window when pressed, however, the successful test from last night was a two hour flight (and I opened and closed the ATC window many times during that flight) during which time there were no ATC window irregularities whatsoever. The test flight with the strange ATC window activity was relatively short, and it reared it's head before takeoff (FWIW, I did have this ATC window issue crop up during another short flight about a week ago). Strangely, during the process of the ATC window opening and closing (in this example, no buttons are pressed and the window seems to open and close at about two second intervals), some of my PTT voice commands are recognized and responded to correctly, but the basic non-PTT commands ("Select 1", "Select 2", etc.) seem to stop being responded to whatsoever by MCE once the strange ATC window behavior begins. Michael

It looks like that did the trick - thanks Gerald When you click on the "Command" tab, there's a slider titled "Volume" in the "Speech Settings" section. If I set that slider all the way down to "mini", will that mute (or at least lower the volume of) the copilot's voice? Michael

The FO was able to read everything that was in the ATC menu (even when the ATC window was closed). This includes all airports listed in the "Nearest Airport List", as long as I manually chose that list first. I did not see any evidence of this happening whatsoever when I cancelled flight following and tuned to the appropriate airport frequency. Even though I use the native ATC feature, I fly with a non-default aircraft (the Scansim Piper Pa-28-140 Cherokee Cruiser) - would that cause any sort of issues? I would assume that if the FO can read everything in the menu, that the other MCE ATC processes shouldn't have an issue. Michael

I've updated to the latest version, and restored the factory settings as you suggested. I only use native ATC, and only fly VFR (no flight plan loaded). I tested the Go-Flight feature again tonight, and it still doesn't seem to be doing any sort of drilling-down to find the airport for arrival (I end up having to speak "Select 2, Select 1" etc.). My procedure before setting up for an arrival at an airport is to cancel flight following and then dial in the frequency of the tower/unicom of the arrival airport on the Go-Flight console - is there anything else I need to do besides that, or perhaps I should follow a different procedure? What is it that MCE wants to see (or hear) before it performs the ATC airport menu check? Thanks, Michael

Much of the time when I try to contact ATC via the PTT button on my CH Products yoke, the Internet Explorer window will pop up instead (I'm using P3D and Windows 10). I would like to stop this from happening. Also, even though I own and use the GF-P8 GoFlght component (and I have "Use=1" set in the "[GO-FLIGHT]" section of the mce.ini file), I have seen no evidence of MCE automatically "sifting through the ATC menu". Is there anything else that needs to be done to have this feature work?

Oh - very cool! Didn't even realize it was a feature (Jarrad always seems to have a lot of fun with his sceneries!).

I have Orbx's Eagle County Regional Airport scenery installed on my Prepar3d 3.1 setup. I had just landed my aircraft at the Avon STOLport airstrip (which is included in the scenery package), looked up in the sky, and saw a helicopter flying over the area with a gigantic, green exclamation point balloon slowly rotating above it (see the pic): Can anyone else confirm a similar sighting (not sure if it makes any difference, but the date was set for December 27th, and the time was about 11:30 local time. Thanks, Michael

I'll vote for that - took an Archer around the Cape Breton Highlands last year; the landscape was incredible: