X-Plane Default C172: COM1/COM2?

[ChristophPreinfalk]

Today I did pattern work at KSNA. I had COM1 at ground frequency 132.25 and COM2 at tower frequency 126.8. I thought that the device on top of the radio stack is to switch between COM1 and COM2. Is that not true? After pulling up to the runway I switched to COM2 on that top panel and checked in with tower, but then later during the flight, the controller asked me to switch to 126.8. I insisted that I am on 126.8, but the controller stated that I'm not on 126.8, I'm on 132.25. Soooo ... what am I doing wrong? Is that top panel only to switch the audio between COM1 and COM2, but not the "microphone", so to speak? How do I fully swap between COM1 and COM2 on a C172, or can I only talk through COM1?

[ChristophPreinfalk]

... if today's controller reads this, sorry for "talking back"! I'm sure I did something wrong with the radio, but I didn't know how to deal with it during the flight!

[Mark Hargrove]

According to the tool tip on the audio panel, selecting COM2 does indeed switch both TX and RX to COM2. Perhaps this is a PE limitation with FSX?

I usually use the 'primary' and 'standby' freqs on COM1 and just push the <--> button when it's time to switch over to the 'next' frequency.

-M.

[ChristophPreinfalk]

I'm in X-Plane 10.11, default C172, no add-ons, plug-ins or anything like that, it's in fact a separate X-Plane installation exclusively for PE use. I don't even have an add-on plane in that install. The PE plug-in is the only add-on I have on this install.

Uploading a screenshot. As you can see on top of the radio stack, I have COM2 selected. When I put COM2 to the ATIS frequency and select COM2 in the top of the radio stack, I can hear COM2.

Maybe the Garmin 430 COM frequency is the master frequency and I should use that instead of the COM1 and COM2 radios? I don't see an issue with that, but I consider the COM2 radio useless and shouldn't be in the plane, if the only thing I can do with it is listen to ATIS ...

Like I said, the controller asked me to switch to 126.8 and I thought I am on 126.8, based on the radio configuration as per the screenshot. You have to click on the picture to see all of it. It's a tall picture.

Maybe this is indeed a PE plugin problem?

[Keith Smith]

Moved this to the X-Plane forum. It's really helpful to post in the most specific forum you can to avoid crosstalk about platforms. The response regarding how things work in FSX, for example, doesn't apply to X-Plane because the plugin and simulator don't share any code, so what works in one sim doesn't necessarily work in another.

If you want to do frequency testing to check this out, the best way is to go to the online map your browser, it shows the frequency of every connected airplane (updates every 10 secs). This way you can test as much as you like without making any unnecessary calls.

I just ran the same test with XP 10.11, using the stock 172, no plugins other than VSPro. The COM1/2 selector at the top of the panel does indeed change reception and transmission freqs, not just reception. What version of the plugin do you have? There was an older version where the com1/2 selector wasn't used by PE, but since you're a relatively new user, I suspect you have the latest plugin, no?

[ChristophPreinfalk]

Ha, I was wondering how I can troubleshoot the frequency issue without asking the controller "what frequency am I on?" I'll check my frequency in the online map tonight to see if switching between COM1 and COM2 works for me. I'll post my findings in this thread tonight.

I downloaded the plugin from PE less than 2 weeks ago, I'm still on my 2 week trial. I'll look for a plug-in version number tonight and will post it here as well.

Thank you for your help!

[ChristophPreinfalk]

It's not working for me. I took a screenshot of the Pilot map and the radio stack, all in one view: I'm N383AB, showing freq 132.25 on the map. On the radio stack, I got COM2 selected (126.80). I had it sit like this for a few minutes, just to make sure that I'm way past the 10 second refresh of the map, and then even hit refresh (just in case).

Full spec:

X-Plane 10.11
Default Cessna 172SP
No plug-ins installed apart from the PE plug-in
PE plug-in 0.7.2
OSX Mountain Lion, all updates installed

[Jeff N]

You were right in your original post; the audio panel only selects what radio you can hear, not what radio you're transmitting on. I believe only COM1 transmits on PE.

[Vincent Meier]

That is very strange.
I just updated my X-plane plugin and both of my comms RX and TX. Before I updated the plugin, comms2 did not work.
I did the same as you on the live map and my frequencies changed in conjunction with the appropriate comms.
I am flying the stock XP Cessna 172.
Good luck(as I shrug my shoulders unknowingly)

[Keith Smith]

You were right in your original post; the audio panel only selects what radio you can hear, not what radio you're transmitting on. I believe only COM1 transmits on PE.

Jeff, that was true for the older plugin on windows, the latest one does support com2 tx.