Problem transmitting voice

[mats77]

Hi all,

I'm new here, so bear with me. I'm trying out the 14-day free trial, to test the service and see that my equipment is working properly. To begin with, I have made a few VFR flights (without a flight plan) around a non-towered airport (need to adjust myself to the US radio phraseology and airspace design, since they differ a bit from what I'm used to).

Anyway, I have a problem with transmitting voice. It does not work... I think...

This is my setup:

* X-Plane 10.20 (32 bit)
* Carenado's PA28-181 Archer II
* A USB Plantronics headset (selected in Preferences in the VSPro plugin)

I see that the frequency (122.900) that I have set in my PA28 is active in the live map found on PilotEdge's web site. But after flying, I hear nothing in the audio recordings. It's just silence.

Here's an example:

Date: April 29, 2013
Time: Around 08:40 PM (UTC)
(I believe this is the corresponding recording: http://assets.pilotedge.net/recordings/ ... _12290.mp3)

I have the following questions:

* I have configured X-Plane so that I have the 'Connect to ATC' command available on a button on my Saitek controls. Am I supposed to press and hold the button while transmitting? Or is it press, then talk, then press again?

* When transmitting (or receiving for that matter), should I get some kind of feedback on the screen? Like a pop-up saying "transmitting/receiving voice over <freq>" or something similar? For the moment, I have no idea if I'm sending. I feel a bit blind.

* In the PA28 that I'm flying, there is a King KMA-20. I have set the left-hand side dial to COM1, and the COM1 selector to Phone. And of course entered the frequency in the COM1 unit. That should be it, I guess. Could there be problems related to the Carenado model?

Thanks in advance!

Best regards,
Mats

[currentadventure]

I'm no expert, especially with the model you are flying, but I would suggest getting online at the ramp of a towered airport and then calling ground/clnc del on the appropriate freq for that airport and ask for a radio check. You should get a response from a controller if you system is working properly. I think there has been some issue's recently with the daily recordings (not sure about that), but contacting a controller will let you know right away.

Good luck, welcome and enjoy!!

[mats77]

I'm no expert, especially with the model you are flying, but I would suggest getting online at the ramp of a towered airport and then calling ground/clnc del on the appropriate freq for that airport and ask for a radio check. You should get a response from a controller if you system is working properly. I think there has been some issue's recently with the daily recordings (not sure about that), but contacting a controller will let you know right away.

Good luck, welcome and enjoy!!

That is a very good idea! I will definitely try that.

Thanks a lot!

Best regards,
Mats

[mats77]

Okay, I have located the source of my transmit problem (just mentioning it here, for reference, if someone else has a similar problem):

After several 'radio check' attempts, I finally got a response from the tower! The problem I had was in the sound options in Win7 (Control Panel --> Sound --> Recording). I had my headset set as the default recording device, which I want it to be, of course, but it did not work for some reason. Instead, I temporary switched to my (other) external sound card, plugged in a microphone and set it to the default recording device -- and it worked.

So, now I at least know that there is nothing wrong with X-Plane, the VSPro plugin etc, the problem is in my sound options.

Best regards,
Mats

[Keith Smith]

Mats, that's very strange. If your headset is connected prior to starting X-Plane and is set as the default recording device, then it should work fine as the recording device.

[mats77]

Mats, that's very strange. If your headset is connected prior to starting X-Plane and is set as the default recording device, then it should work fine as the recording device.

This is what I thought too.

And I could see that the green gauge in the [Control Panel --> Sound --> Recording] window was moving up and down when I talked into the microphone on my headset, so it was picking up the my speech alright. But still, it didn't work.

I will investigate this further. Perhaps try another headset, disconnect my other external sound card etc.

And here comes a feature request: It would be great if there would be a test-your-microphone-option in the VSPro plugin, like the one available in the VATSIM plugin. In that way, one could verify the basics without disturbing a tower for a radio check. Not a high prio feature perhaps, but nice to have!

Thanks!

Best regards,
Mats

[mats77]

Got my recording problem sorted out now.

In the [Control Panel --> Sound --> Recording] window, I disabled my other recording/input devices, except for my headset (which I also set to the default device). I requested a radio check, and it all worked! Finally!

So, it seems like I possibly had some kind of conflict between my recording/input devices.

[Keith Smith]

There is a difference between "default device" and "default communications device".

When you had both devices enabled...was the headset set to default device or default communications device?

[mats77]

There is a difference between "default device" and "default communications device".

When you had both devices enabled...was the headset set to default device or default communications device?

Well, that is a good question. I'm not sure, I didn't pay attention to that detail...

I assume that I should set the headset to be the "default communication device", whereas my regular sound card should be the "default device". I'll do some more experimenting with that.

Thanks!

Best regards,
Mats

[Keith Smith]

No, PilotEdge uses the "default device," so make sure the device you'd like to use is set to that, per the instructions on the web site