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"... contact tower on XXX.X when established"

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If you are reporting an issue with PF3 please remember to Zip and attach the Debug_Monitor.log file from your PF3\Logs folder. Thank you.

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martinlest
Post subject: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 3:35 pm
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On approach & final, with one pilot rather than two, and plenty going on, I invariably forget that.

This is something that the VCP doesn't do - it doesn't set the tower frequency and it doesn't contact the tower 'when established'. Is there an option for that somewhere that I somehow missed? Or could that option be included? If the VCP has been taking care of all ATC communication till that point (I fly in Mode 2 from lining up for takeoff till the end of the flight), shouldn't it logically be doing this task too? It's easy to forget that I, as pilot, need to do that bit myself (and, as I say, all to often therefore end up on the arrival runway not having done it, which messes up ground messages of course).

Thanks.


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Dan77
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 3:46 pm
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Yes, if you are using Mode 2, VCP tunes Tower and makes contact when you are lined up with the assigned runway, usually by about 8 miles out. The only real exception is when you are doing a close-in approach that lines up with the runway very close to the airport, say within 5 miles or so of the threshold. In those cases you will probably need to make contact with Tower manually. Attach the logs if this is a recurring problem.

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martinlest
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Mon May 03, 2021 7:35 pm
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Hi.
Quote:
.. using Mode 2, VCP tunes Tower and makes contact when you are lined up with the assigned runway
Really? I always have to tune to the tower frequency manually at that point (VCP frequency changes till then work fine) and then press a key to send the message. The flight I just finished, I didn't forget to contact tower, but that shouldn't invalidate the log file - maybe there is something to be seen.

Perhaps there's a problem with this particular command in X-Plane?

Thanks.

Attachments
debug_monitor.zip
(719.18 KiB) Downloaded 74 times


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Dave March
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 11:55 am
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Hi Martin,

In your latest log you have your VCP mode set to '1' so the auto check-in will not work.

The only other reason I can see for it not working as it should is if you manually tune to Tower. Once you've been instructed to 'contact tower when established' I would suggest you sit on your hands and wait... your VCP will then tune to the Tower frequency and make contact at the right time.

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Dave March

Email: dmarch@oncourse-software.co.uk

I don't know if my memory is getting worse as I get older...
...I just can't remember how it used to be!

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martinlest
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 1:17 pm
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Hi Dave.

I cannot explain PF3 being in Mode 1 in the log. I always have it in Mode 2 at that stage. Very odd - in the example I sent, ATC and the VCP were talking to each other and the radios tuning OK (by the VCP) as if they were in Mode 2 (doesn't the log show that? I'd have noticed if they weren't and had to tune the radio manually of course). Very odd.

I never have this work automatically, it's not a one-off. If I do nothing/sit tight as far as I recall, nothing happens at all. But I guess it is possible that I do usually at least remember to tune to the tower frequency manually - I'll try a flight without doing that; but it seems unlikely to make any difference.. in all other circumstances, if I am in Mode 2 but tune the radio manually anyway, for some reason, PF3 doesn't have any problem with that.. it just 'sees' that the radio is already set correctly.

Will post back...


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martinlest
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 2:27 pm
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Quote:
The only other reason I can see for it not working as it should is if you manually tune to Tower.
Well, would you believe it? You are right. (Don't mean to imply, of course, that your being correct is a surprise to me, Dave!). I guess I was expecting the frequency change to happen straight after the 'contact tower' instruction: since it doesn't happen like that I got into the habit of changing it manually, which for some reason PF3 does not like - there's no further response from ATC if you do that.

This flight I just left things alone, and as you suggested, the frequency did change eventually, and the VCP contacted the tower.. Still don't see how the log I posted showed me to be in Mode 1 (are you sure?), but that doesn't really matter now that this is 'sorted'.

Just shows.. how many years now have I had PFE then PF3? And still there's stuff to learn (or relearn, after you've forgotten what you probably once knew! Oh to be 21 again...).

Martin ;)

Last edited by martinlest on Tue May 04, 2021 2:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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Dave March
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 2:29 pm
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Glad you have it sorted. I'm learning new things about it everyday too! :shock: And I wrote it!!! :lol:

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Dave March

Email: dmarch@oncourse-software.co.uk

I don't know if my memory is getting worse as I get older...
...I just can't remember how it used to be!

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martinlest
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Tue May 04, 2021 2:30 pm
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:lol:


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martinlest
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Mon May 31, 2021 5:07 pm
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Hmmm.. I thought it was sorted! :shock: I was in Mode 2 and awaited landing permission, but after the 'contact tower on xxx when established.." message, nothing else happened. I don't know if the frequency changed as it should in Mode 2?

Thanks

Attachments
debug_monitor.zip
(1.24 MiB) Downloaded 61 times


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Dave March
Post subject: Re: "... contact tower on XXX.X when established"
Posted: Mon May 31, 2021 7:30 pm
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Something very strange going on here... after being handed off to Departure that's where your COM remained tuned to! I see you tried to change your VCP mode at one point but it didn't seem to have succeeded and yet you had an auto handoff to Approach but again your COM stay tuned to Departure and hence you contacted them rather than Approach. So I'm a bit baffled and I wonder if this is a strange XPlane issue.

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Cheers

Dave March

Email: dmarch@oncourse-software.co.uk

I don't know if my memory is getting worse as I get older...
...I just can't remember how it used to be!

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