OnCourse Software

Just updated to the latest version and am having a couple of problems. When I use the pf3 displayer, after a while the "Commands available for the COM frequency currently active" disappear, however the "Commands available when tuned to any facility" remain. I have attached a screenie. Just did another flight and it appears to happen when I am told to switch to Departure.

I have Virtual co pilot mode 1 active and use the \ key to acknowledge the commands, however the VCP often says the commands by itself.

I have attached my De bug monitor log. Many thanks in advance.

Bty, I was using an old version, 3.10 I think and all was OK until I updated today.

Any way to revert to an earlier version?

Thanks in advance.

This sounds suspiciously like you have the Pilot Assist set in MS that is changing your COM setting

Davve
Pilot assist is off, see attached screenies.

Any other ideas?
Thanks, John

Did the display change when you were handed off to Approach?

Assuming you've run another flight since raising this issue, please try and recreate it and then send me the new debug log PLUS the PF3_Freqs.dat file which you will find in the PF3_Display folder which is created inside the main FS folder. It would also help if you could note exactly at what point in the flight the display goes blank

I couldn't remember my earlier flight so I created a flight from YSCB to YSNW.

The VCP repeated the commands again by itself even though I am on mode 1.

The display goes blank when I switch over to departure.

File attached.

PF3_Freq.dat would not attach so I have pasted it below:

[Updated]
Timestamp=202112311930
[Dept]
ICAO=YSCB
ATIS=127.45
Clearance=0
Ground=121.7
Tower=118.7
Departure=125.02
Approach=0
Unicom=0
Multicom=0
FSS=122.2
[Dest]
ICAO=YSNW
ALTD=
ATIS=999.99
Clearance=128.35
Ground=135.85
Tower=118.85
Departure=125.02
Approach=134.52
Unicom=118.95
Multicom=0
FSS=122.2
[ControlCentres]
DeptCC=133.15 - Center
CC0=Center/Control Info - Click for Radar
CC1=129.80 - Center
LC=2


Thanks John.

Okay, I've found the problem with PF3 Display... there will be a small fix for PF3 in the next few days and I'll include PF3 Display with it

Thanks Dave, hopefully I was of assistance. If you want me to test the hotfix for you, let me know.

BTY, will the hot fix repair the VCP repeating the commands again by itself even though I am on mode 1, or is this supposed to be how it works?

John

Yes you could try the attached please.
Re erroneous 'roger' I'd need you to be a bit more specific please

Dave, OK while the PF3 displayer did show the commands for departure etc I had a few problems.

1. At one stage it switched me to Radar Control on 118.7 but the displayer was showing the commands for Tower.
2. Approach gave me a command to report airport in sight but when I hit the roger key (\) it told me to line up and wait.
3. Another time I was told to contact Tower for landing and I hit 1 for initial check in for landing. This changed the COMM 1 frequency and the bottom half of the displayer went blank again.

Regarding the erronous "roger". I have CP mode 1 checked which is as you know VCP handles freq changes only, however I find that the VCP is repeating the commands issued by the ATC. I was under the impression that with mode 1 checked it was up to me to repeat the commands, not the VCP. I hope I make myself clear.

I have of course attached by debug file. As stated previously, these problems only appeared after I upgraded from version 3.10 to the latest version.

Hope this helps.
Cheers,
John

Whoa !!

Only just noticed you're running with a very OLD version of PF3 and I believe most of the things you mention re PF3 issues have already been fixed.

20th December 2021
Version 3.13.0

ADDED some changes to the TGS Display (Taxi guidance) standalone program. In addition to this utility showing you the relative position of the next taxi waypoint it now displays the relative position of the one after the next. This is shown as a red dot. I find this really helps and can now see exactly the direction I will need to be turning, well ahead of time.

ADDED a new feature following a request to have your current VCP mode displayed. This now appears on the main PF3 Title Bar as 'VCP Mode n' (where 'n' will be 0, 1, 2 or 3). Since you are able to change the VCP mode during your flight this presents an easy way to keep track of the current setting.

ADDED a new new option in the Advanced Options section named 'Use PF3 Thread'. This is off by default and setting it to 'on' results in all taxi routing calculations to/from the runway being handled by a separate external thread from PF3. Why should you want to use this? Well for some larger airports, especially in MSFS, you can sometimes find it can take quite a while to receive your taxi instructions. This can be caused by a variety of reasons... your parking position relative to the active runway... distance to the active runway... inaccurate AFCAD taxiway data, to name but a few. You may, at times, even think PF3 has stopped working or become stuck in a loop, because during the calculation of the taxi route PF3 is unable to do anything else, as it's a single threaded program.

When using an external thread we are able to provide some kind of feedback from ATC to let you know you haven't been forgotten. The first message will be a simple 'callsign, stand by' which will occur approximately 5 seconds after your request for taxi instructions. We set this to 5 seconds because the majority of calculations are complete within 5 seconds. The next thing you'll hear from ATC if the calculation is taking longer is at around 1 minute when ATC will say 'callsign, standby, with you in 5'. Now this doesn't actually mean you will definitely have to wait a further 5 minutes because in truth we have no way of knowing how long the calculation is going to take, but you shouldn't be waiting any longer than that.

There is a fail safe trigger in place that kicks in at around 6 minutes, at which point PF3 would revert to our backup process which will ensure you at least get cleared to taxi even if it's a simple 'callsign, taxi to blah, blah'. So, in summary, if you've never experienced a long wait or if it doesn't bother you at all, you can just leave this option off. The other reason we included an option for this switch was some beta testers found the external thread caused problems on their system. So the choice, as they say, is yours. Personally, I always have the option 'on'

FIXED a problem with the Final Approach Speed. If you had this set to 'OFF' your approach speed would be set to the default of 190 for jets rather than using the value set in the aircraft CFG file.

FIXED some inaccuracies for the time logging in the debug log file

FIXED a problem with the TGS (Taxi Guidance System) Auto Taxi Speed facility. If your taxi speed was set to zero and you hit Hotkey #8 to toggle the auto taxi system, you would get a continual hotkey 'beep'.

FIXED a problem where you 'could' roger the opposite direction after receiving a turn instruction from ATC

FIXED a problem with the 'Display Initial Coms' option in the Options #2 / Advanced Options display, which would cause PF3 to crash if the value entered was more than 255

UPDATED PF3 User Guide and corrected some mistakes and omissions

INCLUDED with this version of PF3 is a brand new browser-based alternative to the PF3 Display program. This was written by Martin Cockerell, who is one of the PF3 beta team. You will find this new utility in your PF3\PF3_Displayer folder in a sub-folder named PF3_WEB_Display. Full Documentation is included.

28th August 2021
Version 3.12.0

FIXED a problem of erroneous handover prompts when entering Oceanic airspace

FIXED a problem where a runway change could be made without ATC telling you

FIXED a problem with Live Weather data where the wind direction 'could' return a null value. The workaround is to use the previous reading if either the speed or direction values return null. This would usually manifest itself during your approach and 'could' cause inaccurate runway changes.

FIXED a few issues that crept into 3.11.0 with regard to your VCP changing frequencies, etc.

FIXED a problem with the RemoteText window not remembering any resizing you did


23rd July 2021
Version 3.11.0

ADDED support for Aerosoft's CRJ Autopilot. Basically, prior to this release, PF3 was unable to set the CRJ's ALT, HDG or SPD. With this release things should work as normal with your VCP

CHANGED the way PF3 windows operate. In version 3.10.20 all windows would open relative to the main menu display. We've now made it so you can move them around and they will remember their known position. This should allow you to setup your PF3 displays more precisely. Please note. PF3 window positions are saved globally, which means the same positions will be used whichever PF3 profile you load. Also, if you suddenly decide to move PF3 over to a second monitor all the windows will still be displayed wherever you had them positioned initially before the move. To make things easier under such circumstances we have also provided an easy means by which you may reset all PF3 window display positions back to their original defaults... that is they will be displayed relative to the position of the main menu. To reset to their default positions, simply double click on the OnCourse Software picture at the top of the main menu display and follow the on screen instructions to continue.

FIXED a problem when making initial contact with Approach at your last waypoint and giving an incorrect altitude call when checking in. eg "with you at 3,000 for 7,000'

FIXED a problem whereby you could receive traffic advisories before actually checking in to a faculty.

FIXED a few problems where your VCP would 'Roger' an ATC instruction when you were using VCP Mode #1 (obviously your VCP should only change the frequency)

FIXED a problem when flying VFR where the Tower at your destination could clear you for an incorrect runway (eg. the runway would be one from your departure airport)

FIXED a problem that would result in you not being given correct vectoring once in contact with Approach. An indication this problem was manifesting itself would be if you don't receive the normal 'continue present heading, expect vectors for runway nn' etc.

FIXED some Oceanic procedural issues